Automatic driving assistance system, automatic driving assistance method, and computer program

1. An automated drive assisting system comprising:

a processor programmed to:

acquire an expected travel route for a vehicle that includes an automated drive section in which automated drive control for the vehicle is permitted;

execute the automated drive control for the vehicle such that the vehicle travels along the expected travel route in the automated drive section which is included in the expected travel route;

determine whether there is a branch point ahead in a travel direction of the vehicle which travels through the automated drive control in the automated drive section that requires a change in vehicle orientation of a predetermined angle or more in the case where the vehicle travels along the expected travel route; and

upon a determination that there is the branch point ahead, make a changeover from the automated drive control to manual drive based on a drive operation by a user, the changeover being made before the branch point.

2. The automated drive assisting system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to:

set a changeover section in which the changeover from the automated drive control to the manual drive is made; and

make the changeover from the automated drive control to the manual drive in the case where the user is detected to have made a predetermined indication of intention to start the manual drive before the vehicle reaches an end point of the changeover section.

3. The automated drive assisting system according to claim 2 , wherein:

the predetermined indication of intention is an operation of one of a steering unit, a brake unit, an accelerator, and a shift lever, and an operation section to be operated by the user to start the automated drive control, of the vehicle.

4. The automated drive assisting system according to claim 2 , wherein the processor is programmed to:

continue the automated drive control and perform control such that the vehicle passes through the branch point along the way in the case where the user is not detected to have made the predetermined indication of intention to start the manual drive before the vehicle reaches the end point of the changeover section.

5. The automated drive assisting system according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is programmed to:

change the expected travel route to a route that passes through the branch point along the way in the case where the user is not detected to have made the predetermined indication of intention to start the manual drive before the vehicle reaches the end point of the changeover section.

6. The automated drive assisting system according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is programmed to:

stop or decelerate the vehicle in the case where the user is not detected to have made the predetermined indication of intention to start the manual drive before the vehicle reaches the end point of the changeover section and there does not exist a route that passes through the branch point along the way.

7. The automated drive assisting system according to claim 2 , wherein:

the end point of the changeover section is a deceleration start point that allows the vehicle to stop at a stop line provided at the branch point by decelerating at a deceleration of a threshold or less and that is the closest to the stop line.

8. The automated drive assisting system according to claim 2 , wherein:

a start point of the changeover section is a location positioned farther away from the branch point along the expected travel route than the end point of the changeover section and a predetermined distance before a stop line provided at the branch point.

9. The automated drive assisting system according to claim 2 , wherein:

a start point of the changeover section is a location positioned farther away from the branch point along the expected travel route than the end point of the changeover section and at which the vehicle has been moved to a lane designated for the travel direction for the vehicle to pass through the branch point along the expected travel route.

10. The automated drive assisting system according to claim 2 , wherein the processor is programmed to:

provide guidance that prompts the changeover from the automated drive control to the manual drive in the changeover section when the vehicle reaches a start point of the changeover section.

11. An automated drive assisting method comprising:

acquiring, with a processor, an expected travel route for a vehicle that includes an automated drive section in which automated drive control for the vehicle is permitted;

executing, with the processor, the automated drive control for the vehicle such that the vehicle travels along the expected travel route in the automated drive section which is included in the expected travel route;

determining, with the processor, whether there is a branch point ahead in a travel direction of the vehicle which travels through the automated drive control in the automated drive section that requires a change in vehicle orientation of a predetermined angle or more in the case where the vehicle travels along the expected travel route; and

making, with the processor, a changeover from the automated drive control to manual drive based on a drive operation by a user, the changeover being made before the branch point.

12. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable automated drive assisting program that causes a computer to perform the following functions:

acquiring an expected travel route for a vehicle that includes an automated drive section in which automated drive control for the vehicle is permitted;

executing the automated drive control for the vehicle such that the vehicle travels along the expected travel route in the automated drive section which is included in the expected travel route;

determining whether there is a branch point ahead in a travel direction of the vehicle which travels through the automated drive control in the automated drive section that requires a change in vehicle orientation of a predetermined angle or more in the case where the vehicle travels along the expected travel route; and

making a changeover from the automated drive control to manual drive based on a drive operation by a user, the changeover being made before the branch point.