Vehicle controller, and method and computer program for distance notification

1. A vehicle controller capable of autonomous driving control of a vehicle, the vehicle controller comprising:

a memory configured to store map information including information on a predetermined area in which autonomous driving control of the vehicle is applicable; and

a processor configured to:

refer to the map information to identify an autonomous-driving practicable point at which a planned travel route from the current position of the vehicle outside the predetermined area to a destination of the vehicle enters the predetermined area,

calculate a manual-driving section length from the current position of the vehicle to the autonomous-driving practicable point along the planned travel route, and

notify the manual-driving section length to a driver of the vehicle via a notification device provided in the interior of the vehicle;

wherein the memory further stores route-search-purpose map information for route search, and the processor is further configured to:

refer to the map information to detect at least one candidate for an alternative entry point to enter the predetermined area within the manual-driving section length of the current position of the vehicle,

for each of the at least one candidate, refer to the route-search-purpose map information to search for a route from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate,

calculate the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate along the route,

select one of the at least one candidate whose distance from the current position of the vehicle is shorter than the manual-driving section length as an alternative entry point, and

notify the driver of the alternative entry point and the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the alternative entry point via the notification device;

wherein the memory further stores route-search-purpose map information for route search, and the processor is further configured to:

in the case that the planned travel route does not pass through the predetermined area, refer to the map information to detect at least one candidate for an entry point to enter the predetermined area within a predetermined distance of the current position of the vehicle,

for each of the at least one candidate, refer to the route-search-purpose map information to search for a route from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate,

calculate the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate along the route,

select one of the at least one candidate as an entry point, and

notify the driver of the entry point and the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the entry point via the notification device.

2. The vehicle controller according to claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores route-search-purpose map information for route search, and

the processor is further configured to:

in the case that the planned travel route is not set, refer to the map information to detect at least one candidate for an entry point to enter the predetermined area within a predetermined distance of the current position of the vehicle,

for each of the at least one candidate, refer to the route-search-purpose map information to search for a route from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate,

calculate the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate along the route,

select one of the at least one candidate as an entry point, and

notify the driver of the entry point and the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the entry point via the notification device.

3. A method for distance notification, comprising:

identifying an autonomous-driving practicable point at which a planned travel route from the current position of a vehicle outside a predetermined area to a destination of the vehicle enters the predetermined area, by referring to map information including information on the predetermined area in which autonomous driving control of the vehicle is applicable;

calculating a manual-driving section length from the current position of the vehicle to the autonomous-driving practicable point along the planned travel route;

notifying the manual-driving section length to a driver of the vehicle via a notification device provided in the interior of the vehicle

referring to the map information to detect at least one candidate for an alternative entry point to enter the predetermined area within the manual-driving section length of the current position of the vehicle,

for each of the at least one candidate, referring to the route-search-purpose map information to search for a route from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate,

calculating the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate along the route,

selecting one of the at least one candidate whose distance from the current position of the vehicle is shorter than the manual-driving section length as an alternative entry point, and

notifying the driver of the alternative entry point and the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the alternative entry point via the notification device;

wherein the memory further stores route-search-purpose map information for route search, and the method further comprises:

in the case that the planned travel route does not pass through the predetermined area, referring to the map information to detect at least one candidate for an entry point to enter the predetermined area within a predetermined distance of the current position of the vehicle,

for each of the at least one candidate, referring to the route-search-purpose map information to search for a route from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate,

calculating the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate along the route,

selecting one of the at least one candidate as an entry point, and

notifying the driver of the entry point and the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the entry point via the notification device.

4. A non-transitory recording medium that stores a computer program for distance notification, the computer program causing a processor mounted on a vehicle to execute a process comprising:

identifying an autonomous-driving practicable point at which a planned travel route from the current position of the vehicle outside a predetermined area to a destination of the vehicle enters the predetermined area, by referring to map information including information on the predetermined area in which autonomous driving control of the vehicle is applicable;

calculating a manual-driving section length from the current position of the vehicle to the autonomous-driving practicable point along the planned travel route;

notifying the manual-driving section length to a driver of the vehicle via a notification device provided in the interior of the vehicle;

referring to the map information to detect at least one candidate for an alternative entry point to enter the predetermined area within the manual-driving section length of the current position of the vehicle,

for each of the at least one candidate, referring to the route-search-purpose map information to search for a route from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate,

calculating the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate along the route,

selecting one of the at least one candidate whose distance from the current position of the vehicle is shorter than the manual-driving section length as an alternative entry point, and

notifying the driver of the alternative entry point and the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the alternative entry point via the notification device;

wherein the memory further stores route-search-purpose map information for route search, and the process further comprises:

in the case that the planned travel route does not pass through the predetermined area, referring to the map information to detect at least one candidate for an entry point to enter the predetermined area within a predetermined distance of the current position of the vehicle,

for each of the at least one candidate, referring to the route-search-purpose map information to search for a route from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate,

calculating the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate along the route,

selecting one of the at least one candidate as an entry point, and

notifying the driver of the entry point and the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the entry point via the notification device.

5. The vehicle controller according to claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores route-search-purpose map information for route search, and

the processor is further configured to:

in the case that the planned travel route does not pass through the predetermined area, refer to the map information to detect at least one candidate for an entry point to enter the predetermined area within a predetermined distance of the current position of the vehicle,

for each of the at least one candidate, refer to the route-search-purpose map information to search for a route from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate,

calculate the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the candidate along the route,

select one of the at least one candidate as an entry point, and

notify the driver of the entry point and the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the entry point via the notification device.