Driving support apparatus for vehicle and driving support method

1. A driving support apparatus for a vehicle comprising a controller,

the controller configured to perform a lane keeping assist that controls a vehicle such that a position of the vehicle in a width direction of a lane along which the vehicle is running corresponds to a target lateral position in the lane and that reflects steering by a driver of the vehicle in running of the vehicle,

the controller recognizing a lane change operation by the driver, the lane change operation being an operation by which the vehicle makes a lane change from the lane along which the vehicle is running, to an adjacent lane,

the controller being configured such that, when it is determined that a steering torque in a lane change direction given by the driver has changed from a predetermined threshold or more to less than the predetermined threshold, the lateral position of the vehicle at the time of the determination is set as the target lateral position, the determination being made, during execution of the lane keeping assist, after the lane change operation is recognized and before it is determined that a previously set lane change operation termination condition indicating that a lane change operation of the driver is terminated has been met.

2. The driving support apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

when it is determined that the lateral position of the vehicle toward the adjacent lane has reached a previously set lane change assist starting lateral position at which a lane change assist which assists a lane change by the driver starts, the controller terminates the lane keeping assist and starts the lane change assist, the determination being made, during the execution of the lane keeping assist, after the lane change operation is recognized and before it is determined that the previously set lane change operation termination condition has been met.

3. The driving support apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein

when the lateral position of the vehicle has reached a position at a previously set first distance from a central position of the running lane toward the lane change direction in the width direction of the running lane, the controller determines that the lateral position of the vehicle has reached the previously set lane change assist starting lateral position.

4. The driving support apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein

when the lateral position of the vehicle has reached a position at a previously set second distance from the target lateral position toward the lane change direction in the width direction of the running lane, the controller determines that the lateral position of the vehicle has reached the previously set lane change assist starting lateral position.

5. The driving support apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein

when the lateral position of the vehicle has reached a position at a previously set third distance from a lane line inward of the running lane in the width direction of the running lane, the controller determines that the lateral position of the vehicle has reached the lane change assist starting lateral position, the lane line being a boundary between the running lane and the adjacent lane.

6. The driving support apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

before it is determined that the steering torque of the steering in the lane change direction by the driver has changed from the predetermined threshold or more to less than the predetermined threshold, the controller sets a substantially central position of the lane along which the vehicle is running, as the target lateral position for the lane keeping assist, the substantially central position being a position in the width direction of the lane, and

when it is determined that the steering torque of the steering in the lane change direction by the driver has changed from the predetermined threshold or more to less than the predetermined threshold, the controller sets the lateral position of the vehicle at the time of the determination, as the target lateral position for the lane keeping assist.

7. A driving support method for a vehicle comprising:

performing a lane keeping assist that controls a vehicle such that a position of the vehicle in a width direction of a lane along which the vehicle is running corresponds to a target lateral position in the lane and that reflects steering by a driver of the vehicle in running of the vehicle;

recognizing a lane change operation by the driver, the lane change operation being an operation by which the vehicle makes a lane change from the lane along which the vehicle is running, to an adjacent lane; and

setting a lateral position of the vehicle as the target lateral position, when it is determined that steering torque of the steering in a lane change direction given by the driver has changed from a predetermined threshold or more to less than the predetermined threshold, the lateral position of the vehicle being the lateral position of the vehicle at the time of the determination, the determination being made, during execution of the lane keeping assist, after the lane change operation is recognized and before it is determined that a previously set lane change operation termination condition indicating that a lane change operation of the driver is terminated has been met.