Object recognizing device and collision avoidance system

1. An object recognizing device that recognizes an object near a vehicle based on detection point information output by a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor which is mounted in the vehicle, the object recognizing device comprising a processor programmed to:

recognize existence of another vehicle traveling near the vehicle and a size of the other vehicle based on the detection point information;

track the other vehicle based on the size of the other vehicle;

determine whether the size of the other vehicle has been enlarged;

determine whether a nearby object near the other vehicle has been lost based on the detection point information output by the LIDAR sensor when the processor determines that the size of the other vehicle has been enlarged; and

output a result that a detection point located near the other vehicle before being enlarged among detection points detected by the LIDAR sensor is recognized as a penetrable object other than the other vehicle when the processor determines that the size of the other vehicle has been enlarged and that the nearby object has not been lost.

2. The object recognizing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is further programmed to recognize the detection points located within a set distance from the other vehicle before being enlarged as the penetrable object.

3. The object recognizing device according to claim 2 , wherein the processor is further programmed to

recognize a traveling condition of the other vehicle, and

set the set distance based on the traveling condition of the other vehicle.

4. The object recognizing device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to

recognize a vehicle speed of the other vehicle based on the detection point information, and

recognize the detection points located within a first distance from a lateral side of the other vehicle before being enlarged as the penetrable object and to set the first distance to be longer when the vehicle speed of the other vehicle is equal to or higher than a vehicle speed threshold value than when the vehicle speed of the other vehicle is lower than the vehicle speed threshold value.

5. The object recognizing device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to

recognize a total length of the other vehicle based on the detection point information, and

recognize the detection points located within a first distance from a lateral side of the other vehicle before being enlarged as the penetrable object and to set the first distance to be longer when the total length of the other vehicle is equal to or greater than a length threshold value than when the total length of the other vehicle is less than the length threshold value.

6. The object recognizing device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to

recognize an acceleration of the other vehicle based on the detection point information, and

recognize the detection points located within a second distance from a rear side of the other vehicle before being enlarged as the penetrable object and to set the second distance to be longer when the acceleration of the other vehicle is equal to or higher than an acceleration threshold value than when the acceleration of the other vehicle is lower than the acceleration threshold value.

7. A collision avoidance system that performs collision avoidance control for avoiding collision of the vehicle with an obstacle which is to be avoided by the vehicle, the collision avoidance system comprising the object recognizing device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

generate a collision avoidance course in which collision of the vehicle with the obstacle is avoided based on the detection point information and to generate the collision avoidance course in which contact of the vehicle with the penetrable object is permitted when the processor recognizes the penetrable object in front of the vehicle; and

perform the collision avoidance control of the vehicle according to the collision avoidance course.

8. The collision avoidance system according to claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to

set a priority level of the collision avoidance course in which a closest approach distance between the vehicle and the obstacle is equal to or greater than an approach threshold value and the vehicle comes in contact with the penetrable object to be higher than a priority level of the collision avoidance course in which the closest approach distance between the vehicle and the obstacle is less than the approach threshold value.

9. An object recognizing device configured to recognize an object near a vehicle based on detection point information output by a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor which is mounted in the vehicle, the object recognizing device comprising: an electronic control unit configured to:

recognize existence of another vehicle traveling near the vehicle and a size of the other vehicle based on the detection point information;

track the other vehicle based on the size of the other vehicle;

determine whether the size of the other vehicle which is tracked has been enlarged;

determine whether a nearby object near the other vehicle has been lost based on the detection point information of the LIDAR sensor when determining that the size of the other vehicle has been enlarged; and

output a result when determining that the size of the other vehicle has been enlarged and that the nearby object has not been lost, the result being that a detection point located near the other vehicle before being enlarged among detection points is recognized as a penetrable object other than the other vehicle, the detection points being detected by the LIDAR sensor.