Vehicle safety driving apparatus

1. A vehicle safety driving apparatus having:

an object detector that detects an object present around a vehicle;

a motion state detector that detects a state of motion of the vehicle;

a contact possibility determiner that determines a possibility of contact with the detected object based on the detected state of motion; and

a contact avoidance assistance conductor that recognizes the object as an obstacle when it is determined that there is a possibility of contact with the object, and conducts operation of assisting avoidance of contact with the recognized obstacle by a warning or vehicle control,

wherein:

a steering torque applier applies a predetermined steering torque as the warning;

a driver's steering force change amount calculator calculates a change amount of driver's steering force in a direction opposite to a direction of the applied predetermined steering torque,

the contact avoidance assistance conductor conducts contact avoidance assistance operation in place of applying the predetermined steering torque when the calculated driver's steering force change amount is less than a set value,

a steering angle change amount calculator calculates a change amount of steering angle of a steering wheel relative to the applied predetermined steering torque, and

the contact avoidance assistance conductor enhances the contact avoidance assistance operation when the calculated driver's steering force change amount is less than the set value and the calculated steering angle change amount of the steering wheel is less than a second set value.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the contact avoidance assistance conductor conducts an operation which is more perceivable for the driver as the warning when the calculated driver's steering force change amount is less than the set value, and wherein the operation which is more perceivable to the driver includes one or more of the following operations: applying a steering torque exceeding a value of the predetermined steering torque, applying a steering torque intermittently, making a steering wheel vibrate, giving an audible warning through a speaker, giving a visible warning through a warning indicator, and tightening of a seatbelt.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the contact avoidance assistance conductor conducts the contact avoidance assistance operation by the vehicle control when the calculated driver's steering force change amount is less than the set value.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the contact avoidance assistance conductor conducts the contact avoidance assistance operation by the vehicle control and corrects the contact avoidance assistance operation to be safer for the driver when the calculated driver's steering force change amount is less than the set value, and wherein the contact avoidance assistance operation performed by the vehicle control to be safer includes at least one of: increasing a value of the contact avoidance control timing so that the contact avoidance assistance control is performed sooner, increasing a coefficient k used for calculating a steering torque control amount, and increasing a feedback gain used in a feedback control.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further including:

steering angle change amount calculator that calculates a change amount of steering angle of a steering wheel relative to the applied predetermined steering torque,

and the contact avoidance assistance conductor applies a correction torque in a direction opposite from a direction in which the predetermined steering torque is applied when the calculated steering angle change amount of the steering wheel is greater than a third set value.

6. The vehicle safety driving apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the object detector is configured to detect an object located about a front side of the vehicle.

7. A vehicle safety driving method comprising:

detecting an object present around a vehicle;

detecting a state of motion of the vehicle;

determining a possibility of contact with the detected object based on the detected state of motion;

recognizing the object as an obstacle when it is determined that there is a possibility of contact with the object; and

assisting avoidance of contact with the recognized obstacle by a warning or vehicle control,

wherein:

a predetermined steering torque is applied as the warning;

a change amount of driver's steering force in a direction opposite to a direction of the applied predetermined steering torque is calculated,

assisting avoidance of contact in place of applying the predetermined steering torque is performed when the calculated driver's steering force change amount is less than a set value,

calculating a change amount of steering angle of a steering wheel relative to the applied predetermined steering torque is performed, and

the step of contact avoidance assistance enhances the contact avoidance assistance operation when the calculated driver's steering force change amount is less than the set value and the calculated steering angle change amount of the steering wheel is less than a second set value.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the step of contact avoidance assistance conducts an operation which is more perceivable for the driver as the warning when the calculated driver's steering force change amount is less than the set value, and wherein the operation which is more perceivable to the driver includes one or more of the following operations: applying a steering torque exceeding a value of the predetermined steering torque, applying a steering torque intermittently, making a steering wheel vibrate, giving an audible warning through a speaker, giving a visible warning through a warning indicator, and tightening of a seatbelt.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein step of the contact avoidance assistance conducts the contact avoidance assistance operation by the vehicle control when the calculated driver's steering force change amount is less than the set value.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the step of contact avoidance assistance conducts the contact avoidance assistance operation by the vehicle control and corrects the contact avoidance assistance operation to be safer for the driver when the calculated driver's steering force change amount is less than the set value, and wherein the contact avoidance assistance operation performed by the vehicle control to be safer includes at least one of: increasing a value of the contact avoidance control timing so that the contact avoidance assistance control is performed sooner, increasing a coefficient k used for calculating a steering torque control amount, and increasing a feedback gain used in a feedback control.

11. The method according to claim 7 , further including the step of:

calculating a change amount of steering angle of a steering wheel relative to the applied predetermined steering torque,

and the step of contact avoidance assistance applies a correction torque in a direction opposite from a direction in which the predetermined steering torque is applied when the calculated steering angle change amount of the steering wheel is greater than a third set value.

12. The vehicle safety driving method of claim 7 , wherein detecting the object comprises detecting the object located about a front side of the vehicle.