Vehicle control device

1. A vehicle control device which automatically controls traveling of a host vehicle at least partially, comprising:

a lane determining unit which, in the event there is a branching path or a merging path in a planned travel route of the host vehicle, determines whether or not a lane in which the host vehicle is traveling differs from a lane in which the branching path or the merging path exists; and

a lane change instructing unit which, in the event it is determined by the lane determining unit that the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling differs from the lane in which the branching path or the merging path exists, sets a route so that the host vehicle automatically performs a lane change into the lane in which the branching path or the merging path exists,

wherein the lane change instructing unit requests a driver for a takeover operation to manual driving in the event it is determined that the automatic lane change is difficult, and

after requesting the takeover operation, the lane change instructing unit determines whether the driver has completed the takeover operation by monitoring at least one of a steering wheel, an acceleration pedal and a state of the driver, and implements a stopping control to stop the host vehicle in the event it is determined that the takeover operation has not completed.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein the lane determining unit performs the determination at a point in time when the host vehicle has reached a predetermined distance in front of the branching path or the merging path, or at a point in time when the host vehicle has reached a predetermined time period before a point in time at which the host vehicle reaches the branching path or the merging path.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the host vehicle comprises a traffic congestion information receiving unit receives traffic congestion information by way of communications; and

the lane determining unit performs the determination when the traffic congestion information is updated.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein the lane determining unit performs the determination when the planned travel route of the host vehicle is changed.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein:

for a case in which a travel lane and a passing lane exist in the planned travel route of the host vehicle, and the branching path is present in the planned travel route of the host vehicle,

in the case it is determined that the host vehicle is traveling in the travel lane and the branching path exists in the passing lane, the lane determining unit sets an action plan for changing the lane of the host vehicle to the passing lane in the planned travel route, and continues with automated driving.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the host vehicle comprises a traffic congestion information receiving unit receives traffic congestion information by way of communications; and

the lane determining unit comprises a vehicle control unit which automatically controls the host vehicle so as to behave in a manner to facilitate lane changing, at a point in time when the host vehicle has reached a predetermined distance in front of the branching path or the merging path, or at a point in time when the host vehicle has reached a predetermined time period before a point in time at which the host vehicle reaches the branching path or the merging path, and in the case it is predicted by the traffic congestion information receiving unit that the branching path or the merging path is in a congested state.

7. The vehicle control device according to claim 6 , wherein, in the case it is predicted that the branching path or the merging path is in a congested state, the vehicle control unit decreases or increases any one of a vehicle velocity, an acceleration, a deceleration, and a steering amount of the host vehicle, as compared with a condition thereof prior to predicting the congested state.

8. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a road departure mitigation control unit which performs a road departure mitigation control for suppressing departure of the host vehicle from the road, at least when the host vehicle is made to undergo automated traveling along the road; and

the host vehicle includes a traffic congestion information receiving unit receives traffic congestion information by way of communications;

wherein, at a point in time when the host vehicle has reached a predetermined distance in front of the branching path or the merging path, or at a point in time when the host vehicle has reached a predetermined time period before a point in time at which the host vehicle reaches the branching path or the merging path; and

in the case it is determined by the lane determining unit, on the basis of the information received by the traffic congestion information receiving unit, that a traffic congestion distance is longer than a length of the branching path or the merging path;

the road departure mitigation control by the road departure mitigation control unit is alleviated.

9. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , comprising:

a travel route setting unit which sets a travel route of the host vehicle; and

a traffic congestion information receiving unit which receives traffic congestion information by way of communications;

wherein, at a point in time when the host vehicle has reached a predetermined distance in front of the branching path or the merging path, or at a point in time when the host vehicle has reached a predetermined time period before a point in time at which the host vehicle reaches the branching path or the merging path; and

in the case it is determined by the lane determining unit, on the basis of the information received by the traffic congestion information receiving unit, that a traffic congestion distance is longer than a length of the branching path or the merging path;

the travel route setting unit changes the travel route so as to avoid the branching path or the merging path.