Apparatus and method for controlling vehicle

1. A vehicle control apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the vehicle control apparatus to:

obtain a location of an obstacle in a driving lane of a vehicle and a location of a rear vehicle driving in the driving lane;

set an avoidance area within the driving lane based on a virtual line connecting the rear vehicle to the obstacle;

generate an avoidance route for the vehicle for avoiding the obstacle based on the avoidance area in response to a determination that it is not possible for the vehicle to change lanes to avoid the obstacle in the driving lane while a driving assistance function is activated; and

control movement of the vehicle based on the avoidance route.

2. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the vehicle control apparatus to generate the virtual line connecting a driver seat of the rear vehicle to a center point of the obstacle, wherein the virtual line has a predetermined width.

3. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the instructions cause the vehicle control apparatus to set the avoidance area including a left avoidance area and a right avoidance area based on the virtual line within the driving lane and to set a drivable avoidance area based on the virtual line.

4. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the drivable avoidance area is an area in which the vehicle is capable of driving without overlapping the virtual line.

5. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the instructions cause the vehicle control apparatus to generate the avoidance route within the drivable avoidance area.

6. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the instructions cause the vehicle control apparatus to preferentially generate a first avoidance route in the avoidance area in an opposite direction of the obstacle based on a center of the driving lane and to allow the vehicle to drive along the first avoidance route.

7. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the instructions cause the vehicle control apparatus to generate a second avoidance route in the avoidance area in a direction of the obstacle and to allow the vehicle to drive along the second avoidance route in response to a determination that it is not possible to generate the first avoidance route in the avoidance area in the opposite direction of the obstacle.

8. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the instructions cause the vehicle control apparatus to allow the vehicle to stop within the driving lane in response to a determination that the drivable avoidance area is not present.

9. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the instructions cause the vehicle control apparatus to control acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle so as not to overlap the virtual line.

10. A vehicle control method, the method comprising:

obtaining a location of an obstacle in a driving lane of a vehicle and a location of a rear vehicle driving in the driving lane;

setting an avoidance area within the driving lane based on a virtual line connecting the rear vehicle to the obstacle;

generating an avoidance route for the vehicle to avoid the obstacle based on the avoidance area in response to a determination that it is not possible for the vehicle to change lanes to avoid the obstacle in the driving lane while a driving assistance function is activated; and

controlling movement of the vehicle based on the avoidance route.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the virtual line connects a driver seat of the rear vehicle to a center point of the obstacle and has a predetermined width.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising

setting the avoidance area including a left avoidance area and a right avoidance area based on the virtual line within the driving lane; and

setting a drivable avoidance area based on the virtual line.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the drivable avoidance area is an area in which the vehicle is capable of driving without overlapping the virtual line.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising generating the avoidance route within the drivable avoidance area.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

preferentially generating a first avoidance route in the avoidance area in an opposite direction of the obstacle based on a center of the driving lane; and

allowing the vehicle to drive along the first avoidance route.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

generating a second avoidance route in the avoidance area in a direction of the obstacle; and

allowing the vehicle to drive along the second avoidance route in response to a determination that it is not possible to generate the first avoidance route in the avoidance area in the opposite direction of the obstacle.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising allowing the vehicle to stop within the driving lane in response to a determination that the drivable avoidance area is not present.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising controlling acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle so as not to overlap the virtual line.

19. A vehicle control method, the method comprising:

allowing a vehicle to drive while a driving assistance function is activated;

obtaining a location of an obstacle in a driving lane of the vehicle and a location of a rear vehicle driving in the driving lane;

determining whether it is possible for the vehicle to move to an adjacent lane of the driving lane to avoid the obstacle;

in response to a determination that it is possible for the vehicle to move to the adjacent lane, allowing the vehicle to move to the adjacent lane;

in response to a determination that it is not possible for the vehicle to move to the adjacent lane, setting an avoidance area within the driving lane based on a virtual line connecting the rear vehicle to the obstacle;

determining whether a drivable avoidance area is present;

in response to a determination that the drivable avoidance area is present, generating an avoidance route in the avoidance area for the vehicle to travel along to avoid the obstacle; and

controlling the vehicle to follow the avoidance route.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising, in response to a determination that the drivable avoidance area is not present, allowing the vehicle to stop within the driving lane.