JP2007186097A - Vehicle travel controller - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle speed controller for performing automatic transition control without making a driver feel uncomfortable even when the travel speed of his/her own vehicle is low when no preceding vehicle is detected. <P>SOLUTION: The vehicle travel controller 1 performs follow-up travel when a preceding vehicle exists and performs constant speed travel at a set vehicle speed when no preceding vehicle exists. The vehicle travel controller 1 has a control means for controlling, when the deviation between the travel speed of the one's own vehicle having lost the preceding vehicle and the set vehicle speed is more than a predetermined value, the acceleration shifting to the set vehicle speed so that the deviation is smaller than that of the predetermined value or more. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle travel control device that maintains a headway distance with respect to a preceding vehicle and shifts to constant speed traveling when the preceding vehicle is lost.

  Driving force to measure the inter-vehicle distance and relative speed between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle using millimeter wave radar or laser radar, and to maintain the set inter-vehicle distance between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle based on those measured values Inter-vehicle distance control to be controlled has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Such inter-vehicle distance control is generally performed in constant speed traveling control that travels while maintaining a set vehicle speed.

Therefore, for example, when the preceding vehicle or the preceding vehicle is not detected on the same lane as the own vehicle due to the lane change of the own vehicle (when lost), the vehicle is controlled to accelerate to reach the set vehicle speed (hereinafter, Such control is called automatic transition or automatic transition control).
JP-A-11-39600

  By the way, conventionally, in such inter-vehicle distance control, when the vehicle speed of the host vehicle that has lost the preceding vehicle is in the low speed range, control for shifting to the preset vehicle speed is not performed, or the preceding vehicle is The same control as in the case where the vehicle speed of the subject vehicle that is no longer detected is in the middle to high speed range was performed.

  If automatic transition control from the low speed range is not performed, automatic transition control from the medium to high speed range to the set vehicle speed is performed, so it is difficult for the driver to predict whether automatic transition will be performed. It is difficult to tell if control is being performed.

  On the other hand, when the host vehicle is traveling at a low speed, if the same automatic transition control as in the middle and high speed range is performed, the acceleration state continues for a long time until reaching the set vehicle speed, so the driver feels uncomfortable. There was a possibility that it would be difficult to cope with the feeling of speed.

  In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a vehicle speed control device that performs automatic transition control without giving a driver a sense of incongruity even when the traveling speed of the host vehicle is no longer detected when a preceding vehicle is no longer detected. For the purpose.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a vehicle travel control device that travels in the presence of a preceding vehicle and travels at a constant speed at a set vehicle speed when there is no preceding vehicle. When the deviation between the traveling speed of the vehicle and the set vehicle speed is larger than a predetermined value, the control unit has control means for controlling the acceleration that shifts to the set vehicle speed to be smaller than that when the deviation is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle speed control device that performs automatic transition control without causing the driver to feel uncomfortable even when the traveling speed of the host vehicle when the preceding vehicle is no longer detected is in a low speed range. .

  Further, the present invention is a vehicle travel control device that travels following when a preceding vehicle exists, and travels at a constant speed at a set vehicle speed when there is no preceding vehicle, and the traveling speed of the host vehicle that lost the preceding vehicle is When the vehicle speed is smaller than the predetermined value, control means for controlling the acceleration at which the vehicle speed changes to the set vehicle speed to be smaller than that when the traveling speed of the host vehicle is equal to or higher than a predetermined value is provided.

  According to the present invention, when the preceding vehicle is lost, the acceleration reaching the set speed V can be reduced. Therefore, the driver does not travel at a large acceleration for a long time, and the driver's uncomfortable feeling can be solved. Further, even if the host vehicle is traveling at a low speed, automatic transition control is performed when the preceding vehicle is lost, so that the control is consistent from low speed to high speed, and it is possible to provide easy-to-understand cruise control.

  In addition, the present invention is a vehicle travel control device that travels following when a preceding vehicle is present and travels at a constant speed at a set vehicle speed when no preceding vehicle is present, and acquires a road segment of a traveling road. The vehicle includes: a road segment acquisition unit; and a control unit that controls the set vehicle speed to be smaller than when traveling on a highway when the road segment acquired by the road segment acquisition unit is a general road.

  According to the present invention, even when automatic transition control is performed when traveling on a general road, the set speed is controlled to be small, so that the driver can easily cope with a complicated traffic situation on the general road.

  In addition, the present invention is a vehicle travel control device that travels following when a preceding vehicle is present and travels at a constant speed at a set vehicle speed when no preceding vehicle is present, and acquires a road segment of a traveling road. And a control unit for prohibiting constant speed traveling at a set vehicle speed when the road segment acquired by the road segment acquisition unit is a general road.

  According to the present invention, since automatic transition control can be prohibited when traveling on a general road, the driver does not automatically increase in speed and can easily cope with complicated traffic conditions on the general road. .

  In addition, the present invention is a vehicle travel control device that travels following when a preceding vehicle is present and travels at a constant speed at a set vehicle speed when no preceding vehicle is present, and acquires a road segment of a traveling road. The road classification acquisition means, the speed limit acquisition means for acquiring the speed limit of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, and the road classification acquired by the road classification acquisition means are ordinary roads, and the speed limit acquired by the speed limit acquisition means is less than a predetermined value. The control means for prohibiting constant speed travel at the set vehicle speed.

  According to the present invention, the automatic transition control can be prohibited according to the speed limit when traveling on a general road, so that the driver does not increase automatically and is in a complicated traffic situation on a general road. Becomes easier to deal with.

  In addition, the present invention is a vehicle travel control device that travels following when a preceding vehicle is present and travels at a constant speed at a set vehicle speed when no preceding vehicle is present, and acquires a road segment of a traveling road. Road segment acquisition means, and control means for controlling, when the road classification acquired by the road segment acquisition means is a general road, an acceleration that shifts to a set vehicle speed to be smaller than when traveling on a highway. And

  According to the present invention, since the acceleration that changes to the set speed is controlled to be small when traveling on a general road, the driver can easily cope with a complicated traffic situation on the general road.

  It is possible to provide a vehicle speed control device that performs automatic transition control without giving the driver a sense of incongruity even when the traveling speed of the host vehicle when the preceding vehicle is no longer detected is in a low speed range.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a functional block diagram of a vehicle travel control device 1 of the present embodiment. The vehicle travel control device 1 is mounted on an automobile driven by a gasoline-type or hybrid-type internal combustion engine. When the preceding vehicle is captured, an appropriate inter-vehicle distance is maintained, and when the preceding vehicle is lost, the set vehicle speed is set. It is a device that controls to perform constant speed running (automatic transition control).

  The vehicle travel control device 1 is controlled by an inter-vehicle control ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 4. A radar sensor 2, a vehicle speed sensor 3, an engine ECU 5, a transmission controller 6, a cruise control switch 14, a brake ECU 15, and a car navigation ECU 7 are connected to the inter-vehicle control ECU 4. A car speed ECU 3, a gyro sensor 8, a GPS receiver 9, map data 10, a speaker 11, a display device 12, and an input device 13 are connected to the car navigation ECU 7 that controls the car navigation system.

  The inter-vehicle control ECU 4 is a microcomputer in which a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and an input / output port are connected by a bus. The CPU executes a program stored in the ROM and cooperates with the engine ECU 5 and the car navigation ECU 7 in the embodiment. The vehicle traveling control described below is realized.

  A road that acquires a road segment of a road that is running by a control means that controls acceleration and set speed in automatic transition control and prohibits automatic transition control, car navigation ECU 7 and road-to-vehicle communication, etc. by executing a program by the CPU A class acquisition means, a speed limit acquisition means for acquiring a speed limit of a road traveling by car navigation ECU 7 or road-to-vehicle communication, etc. are realized.

  The cruise control switch 14 is a switch for starting cruise control or setting a distance between the preceding vehicle and a set speed at a constant speed. The cruise control switch 14 extends from the steering wheel column and has a lever-like shape that can be operated in the vertical direction. A main switch is provided on the side surface of the end portion, and by pushing this main switch, cruise control can be executed (Standby state). If the lever is pushed down from this state, the traveling vehicle speed at that time is set as the set vehicle speed V (Active state). These signals are supplied to the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 by continuously raising the lever when it is desired to increase the vehicle speed once set, and by continuing to lower the lever when it is desired to reduce the set vehicle speed. If the driver operates the brake pedal during cruise control, the cruise control is canceled, but if the lever is raised in this state, the resume function is activated and the original control state (running control by constant speed running) is restored.

  The radar sensor 2 outputs laser light while scanning the front of the vehicle within a predetermined angle range, and detects the reflected light. Based on the time from when the laser light is output until the reflected light is captured, the relative distance from the preceding vehicle and the obstacle ahead is detected, and the direction of the preceding vehicle and the obstacle is detected from the angle of the reflected light. In addition to those using laser light, radio waves such as microwaves and millimeter waves, ultrasonic waves, or the like may be used. It may be detected.

  The vehicle speed sensor 3 is a sensor that detects a signal corresponding to the rotation speed of the wheel, and the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 and the car navigation ECU 7 can detect the traveling speed of the host vehicle. The engine ECU 5 controls the engine output of the host vehicle. The engine ECU 5 is configured to travel at the set speed V when the preceding vehicle is lost based on the acceleration supplied from the inter-vehicle ECU 4 so as to keep the distance between the preceding vehicle when the preceding vehicle is detected. Based on the acceleration supplied from the ECU 4, the opening degree of the throttle valve disposed in the middle of the intake passage to the engine is controlled. The throttle valve is connected to a step motor or the like provided in the vicinity, and is opened and closed by the operation of an actuator. When the engine ECU 5 opens and closes the throttle valve, the amount of air supplied to the engine combustion chamber through the intake passage is adjusted, thereby controlling the output of the engine.

  Further, as a well-known configuration, the accelerator pedal and the throttle valve are connected so that the depression amount of the accelerator pedal is linked to the throttle opening. The throttle valve opening corresponding to the depression of the accelerator pedal and the control by the engine ECU 5 can be operated independently, but the larger one of the two operations reflects the throttle valve control. To do.

  Therefore, even if the accelerator pedal is not depressed, if the engine ECU 5 controls to open the throttle valve, the throttle opening is controlled. On the other hand, if the accelerator pedal is depressed strongly, the throttle opening degree exceeds the throttle opening degree controlled by the engine ECU 5 and corresponds to the depression amount of the accelerator pedal.

  The transmission controller 6 selects a gear position of the automatic transmission necessary for controlling the speed of the host vehicle in accordance with an instruction from the engine ECU 5.

  The car navigation ECU 7 detects the position of the host vehicle, displays a surrounding road map on the display device 12, and guides a travel route to the destination. The gyro sensor 8 detects the traveling direction of the vehicle based on the lateral G acting on the host vehicle and its changing speed.

  The GPS receiver 9 receives navigation data transmitted from a GPS satellite and detects the position of the host vehicle. The navigation data transmitted from the GPS satellite includes position information of each GPS satellite and transmission time information when the navigation data is transmitted. The GPS receiver 9 calculates the distance to each GPS satellite by multiplying the difference between the time at which the navigation data is received from three or more GPS satellites and the transmission time by the speed of light, respectively. The intersection of the spheres with the radius as the distance is calculated as the position coordinates of the vehicle 2.

  The car navigation ECU 7 estimates the position information detected by the GPS receiver 9 as the position of the host vehicle. Further, the car navigation ECU 7 accumulates the travel distance and the travel route based on the travel direction based on the vehicle speed measured by the vehicle speed sensor 3 and the travel direction of the host vehicle measured by the gyro sensor 8, and the current position of the vehicle by autonomous navigation. Is estimated. Further, the car navigation ECU 7 finally calculates the current position by a map matching method for associating the road of the road map extracted from the map data 10 and the position of the vehicle with respect to the position calculation based on the navigation data and the position estimation based on the autonomous navigation. Is accurately estimated.

  The map data 10 stores road maps in association with position information such as longitude and latitude, and also stores information such as road classifications and speed limits for roads such as general roads, expressways, and automobile-only roads. Has been.

  The display device 12 is connected to the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 and displays the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle, the relative vehicle speed, and various sensor abnormalities calculated by the inter-vehicle control ECU 4. The display device 12 is connected to the car navigation ECU, and displays a road map and a travel route output from the car navigation ECU 7. The display device 12 may be any display means such as liquid crystal, organic EL, or HUD (Head Up Display).

  The input device 13 is a push-down keyboard, button, remote controller, cross key, touch panel, etc., and inputs an operation from the driver. Further, an operation may be input by providing a microphone and recognizing a voice produced by the driver with a voice recognition circuit. In addition, the car navigation ECU and the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 are connected to the speaker 11 and output an alarm that informs the driver of the approach to the preceding vehicle by sound, and also output the traveling direction such as an intersection guided by the car navigation 3 by voice. To do.

  The control of the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 will be described. FIG. 2 is an example of a flowchart illustrating a control procedure of cruise control controlled by the inter-vehicle distance control ECU 4 and the engine ECU 5.

  When the driver turns on the cruise control switch 14 and sets the current traveling vehicle speed V, first, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 determines whether or not a preceding vehicle is detected (S101). The presence or absence of a preceding vehicle is determined based on whether or not there is a preceding vehicle within a predetermined distance (for example, 100 m) from the own vehicle on the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling. The lane in which the host vehicle is traveling may be detected by detecting a white line from an image in front of the vehicle taken by the camera, or may be detected based on the position of the host vehicle detected by the car navigation ECU 7. If the traveling lane of the host vehicle is detected, the presence or absence of the preceding vehicle is determined based on the traveling direction (steering angle) and the reflection direction of the radar reflected from the preceding vehicle.

  When the preceding vehicle is not detected (No in S101), the inter-vehicle distance control ECU 4 executes automatic transition control. That is, the inter-vehicle distance control ECU 4 compares the current vehicle speed Vn with the set vehicle speed V (S102). If Vn ≠ V, it is determined that acceleration is required to reach the set vehicle speed V, and acceleration control is performed up to the set speed V (S103). The inter-vehicle control ECU 4 supplies the acceleration α to the engine ECU 5 until the set vehicle speed V is reached at a predetermined acceleration α. When deceleration is required for the set vehicle speed V, the vehicle is decelerated by engine brake or service brake. Further, the brake ECU 5 may control the wheel cylinder pressure.

  If the current vehicle speed Vn is substantially equal to the set vehicle speed V (No in S102), the engine ECU 5 is instructed to maintain the current vehicle speed, and constant speed running is executed at the set vehicle speed V (S104).

  When a preceding vehicle is detected (Yes in S101), a relative speed and a relative distance with respect to the preceding vehicle are detected (S105). Next, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 calculates an inter-vehicle deviation between the target inter-vehicle distance and the current inter-vehicle distance (S106). Then, a control acceleration (target acceleration) necessary for making this inter-vehicle deviation zero is calculated (S107) and supplied to the engine ECU 5. Note that the target inter-vehicle distance is set in advance in, for example, about three stages.

  In order to obtain this control acceleration, the engine ECU 5 drives the throttle valve to control the engine output (S108). When the calculated control acceleration is negative, that is, on the large deceleration side, the engine ECU 14 cuts overdrive and shifts down, and decelerates with the engine brake or service brake. Further, the brake ECU 5 may control the wheel cylinder pressure.

Thus, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4
A. If there is no preceding vehicle ahead of the host vehicle, the vehicle is driven at a constant vehicle speed V.
B. If the preceding vehicle is detected from the state A and the preceding vehicle has a slower traveling speed than the host vehicle, the vehicle is decelerated so as to travel while maintaining the target inter-vehicle distance.
C. If the preceding vehicle is detected from the state A and the preceding vehicle has a higher traveling speed than the host vehicle, the vehicle travels within the range not exceeding the set vehicle speed V while maintaining the target inter-vehicle distance.
D. When the preceding vehicle is lost from the state of B or C, the vehicle is accelerated so as to travel at a constant speed at the set vehicle speed V (if the driver does not accelerate by itself, the vehicle speed is higher than the set vehicle speed V during follow-up travel). It ’s not going to drive, so it ’s not going to slow down).

  By the way, when the preceding vehicle is lost due to the following traveling condition as in D, automatic transition control is performed. In automatic transition control, if control is performed at a constant acceleration regardless of the set speed V and the current speed Vn, the acceleration state lasts only for a short time when the deviation between V and Vn is small. When the deviation between V and Vn is large, the driver may feel uncomfortable because the acceleration state continues for a long time. However, if control is performed so that automatic transition control is not performed when the deviation is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, automatic transition control may or may not be performed depending on the traveling speed Vn when the preceding vehicle is lost. Control is difficult to understand.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, a vehicle travel control device that controls the acceleration until reaching the set speed V according to the deviation between the set speed V and the speed Vn of the host vehicle when the preceding vehicle is lost will be described. .

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the control procedure of the automatic transition control of this embodiment. The flowchart of FIG. 3 starts from a state of following the preceding vehicle.

  The inter-vehicle control ECU 4 repeats the determination of whether or not the preceding vehicle has been lost while following the preceding vehicle (S201). The loss of the preceding vehicle occurs, for example, when the preceding vehicle or the host vehicle moves in the traveling lane. If a preceding vehicle is detected, the follow-up running is continued.

  When the preceding vehicle has been lost (Yes in S201), it is determined whether or not the speed of the host vehicle is low (S202). Whether or not the host vehicle is at a low speed is determined based on a predetermined threshold, for example, 10 to 40 km / h is a low speed, 40 to 70 km / h is a medium speed, and higher is a high speed.

  While determining whether or not the host vehicle is at a low speed, the active state may be maintained with a minimum acceleration, or the acceleration is reduced to zero for several seconds after the preceding vehicle is lost and the active state is maintained. Thereafter, the active state may be maintained with a minimum acceleration.

  If the speed of the host vehicle is not low (No in S202), that is, if it is equal to or higher than the medium speed, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 supplies the predetermined acceleration α1 to the engine ECU 5 and accelerates the host vehicle to the set speed V (S203). The acceleration α1 is larger than the acceleration α2 as described below.

  When the speed of the host vehicle is lower than the low speed (Yes in S202), the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 determines whether or not the set speed V that has been set is high (S204). That is, it is possible to determine whether the deviation between V and Vn is large or small based on the determinations in steps S202 and S204.

  When the set speed V that has been set is not high (No in S204), it is determined that the deviation between V and Vn is not large, and the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 supplies the predetermined acceleration α1 to the engine ECU 5 to the vehicle speed up to the set speed V. Is accelerated (S203). The setting speed V is high, for example, when it is 80 km / h or more.

  If the set speed V is high (Yes in S204), it is determined that the deviation between V and Vn is large, a predetermined acceleration α2 smaller than the acceleration α1 is supplied to the engine ECU 5, and the host vehicle is driven to the set speed V. Accelerate (S205).

  According to the control as shown in FIG. 3, if the preceding vehicle is lost and the difference between the set speed V and the travel speed Vn is large, the acceleration reaching the set speed V can be reduced. Therefore, the driver does not travel at a large acceleration for a long time, and the driver's uncomfortable feeling can be solved. Further, even if the host vehicle is traveling at a low speed, automatic transition control is performed when the preceding vehicle is lost, so that the control is consistent from low speed to high speed, and it is possible to provide easy-to-understand cruise control. In step S205, when the driver desires greater acceleration while accelerating from the low speed to the set speed V, the driver may operate the accelerator pedal, and the display device 12 and the speaker 11 indicate “current ”, Accelerating to the set speed V. If the accelerator pedal is operated, greater acceleration can be obtained.

  In the first embodiment, the acceleration of the automatic transition control is controlled based on the deviation between the set vehicle V and the traveling speed Vn. However, the cruise control is often used on a road where high-speed traveling such as an expressway is possible continuously. Therefore, the set speed V is set to a relatively high speed (for example, 80 to 100 km / h). Therefore, the case where the deviation between the set speed V and the speed Vn of the host vehicle is large may be a case where the speed Vn of the host vehicle is low. In this embodiment, the acceleration of the automatic transition control is controlled based on the travel speed Vn. A vehicle travel control device will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the control procedure of the automatic transition control of this embodiment. The flowchart of FIG. 4 starts from a state of following the preceding vehicle.

  The inter-vehicle control ECU 4 repeats the determination of whether or not the preceding vehicle has been lost while following the preceding vehicle (S201). The loss of the preceding vehicle occurs, for example, when the preceding vehicle or the host vehicle moves in the traveling lane. If a preceding vehicle is detected, the follow-up running is continued.

  When the preceding vehicle is lost (Yes in S201), it is determined whether or not the traveling speed Vn of the host vehicle is low (S202). Whether or not the host vehicle is at a low speed is determined based on a predetermined threshold, for example, 10 to 40 km / h is a low speed, 40 to 70 km / h is a medium speed, and higher is a high speed.

  While determining whether or not the host vehicle is at a low speed, the active state may be maintained with a minimum acceleration, or the acceleration is reduced to zero for several seconds after the preceding vehicle is lost and the active state is maintained. Thereafter, the active state may be maintained with a minimum acceleration.

  If the speed of the host vehicle is not low (No in S202), that is, if it is equal to or higher than the medium speed, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 supplies the predetermined acceleration α1 to the engine ECU 5 and accelerates the host vehicle to the set speed V (S203). The acceleration α1 is larger than the acceleration α2 as described below.

  When the speed of the host vehicle is lower than the low speed (Yes in S202), a predetermined acceleration α2 smaller than the acceleration α1 is supplied to the engine ECU 5 to accelerate the host vehicle to the set speed V (S205).

  According to the control as shown in FIG. 4, when the preceding vehicle is lost and the traveling speed V of the host vehicle is low, the acceleration of the automatic transition control can be reduced. Therefore, the driver does not travel at a large acceleration for a long time, and the driver's uncomfortable feeling can be solved. In addition, automatic transition control is performed even when the host vehicle is traveling at a low speed, and the control is consistent from low speed to high speed, so that it is possible to provide cruise control that is easy for the driver to understand. In step S205, when the driver desires greater acceleration while accelerating from the low speed to the set speed V, the driver may operate the accelerator pedal, and the display device 12 and the speaker 11 indicate “current ”, Accelerating to the set speed V. If the accelerator pedal is operated, greater acceleration can be obtained.

  In the present embodiment, a vehicle travel control device capable of changing the set speed V according to the road segment of the road on which the vehicle is traveling will be described. The road classification is a classification of a general road or a road on which a vehicle can travel at a high speed (for example, an expressway or an automobile-only road).

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the vehicle travel control device that controls the set speed V in accordance with the road segment of the road that is running. The flowchart of FIG. 5 starts from a state in which the set speed V is set for cruise control. That is, even if it is following-running, it may be running at a constant speed at the set speed V.

  First, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 acquires a road segment of a road that is currently running from the car navigation ECU 7 (S301). Since the position where the host vehicle is traveling is determined by the car navigation system, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 obtains information on whether the currently traveling road is a general road (whether it is a highway or a car-only road). To do. In addition, you may acquire the road classification of the road which is drive | working by road-to-vehicle communication. The own vehicle receives information provided from a vehicle information and communication system (VICS) or the like by means of a beacon antenna mounted on the vehicle, and acquires information on whether the currently traveling road is an expressway or a general road.

  Next, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 determines whether the traveling road is an expressway or an automobile-only road (S302). When the vehicle is traveling on a highway other than a general road or an automobile-only road, the set speed V is not changed (S304).

  If the vehicle is not traveling on an expressway or an automobile-only road (No in S302), the set speed V is set to a speed V_L that is lower than the setting of the expressway or the automobile-only road (S303). If the speed limit of the road that is currently being traveled is acquired by the car navigation ECU 4 or road-to-vehicle communication, the value may be set to a new set speed V_L. If the speed limit is not acquired, the speed limit of the general road is 60 km / h. A speed limit of 60 ± 5 to 10 km / h is set.

  In the case of automatic transition control, the vehicle travel control device accelerates only up to the set speed V_L, so that the driver can easily cope with complicated traffic conditions when traveling on a general road. In addition, since the acceleration time can be shortened, the driver can be prevented from feeling uncomfortable. As described above, the set speed V is automatically changed according to the road segment of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, whereby the vehicle travel control device that is easy for the driver to use can be obtained.

  By the way, the road classification of the road which is drive | working can also be determined from a speed limit. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the vehicle travel control device that determines the road segment of the road that is running based on the speed limit and controls the set speed V. In FIG. 6, the same steps as those in FIG.

  First, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 acquires the speed limit of the currently traveling road through the car navigation ECU 7 or road-to-vehicle communication (S311). Since the position where the host vehicle is traveling is known by the car navigation system, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 can acquire the speed limit of the currently traveling road. Moreover, the speed limit of the road which is drive | working by road-to-vehicle communication using VICS etc. can be acquired. In addition to the determination based on the speed limit, the determination as to whether or not the road is a general road may be obtained as it is as in step S301.

  Next, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 determines whether the traveling road is an expressway or an automobile-only road (S312). For example, if the acquired limited run is 60 to 70 km / h or less, it can be determined that the road is a general road, and if it is more than that, it can be determined that the road is a highway or a car-only road.

  Subsequent processing is the same as that shown in FIG. That is, when the vehicle is traveling on a general road, the vehicle travel control device sets the set speed V to a speed V_L that is lower than the setting of the highway or the automobile exclusive road.

  This makes it possible to shorten the acceleration time when driving on ordinary roads, thus preventing the driver from feeling uncomfortable and making it easier for the driver to cope with complex traffic conditions. Can be an easy-to-use vehicle travel control device.

  In the third embodiment, the set speed V is decreased when traveling on a general road. However, in this embodiment, when traveling on a general road, transition to constant speed traveling at the set speed V is not performed. That is, automatic transition control is performed. Prohibiting the driver makes it easier for the driver to deal with complicated traffic conditions and prevents the driver from feeling uncomfortable.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure of the vehicle travel control apparatus that determines and controls whether or not to perform automatic transition control based on the road segment of the road that is running.

  First, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 obtains the road classification or the speed limit of the currently traveling road from the car navigation ECU 7 (S401). Since the road segment or speed limit is acquired in the same manner as in the third embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  Next, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 determines whether the traveling road is an expressway or an automobile-only road (S402). The determination may be made as it is based on the road segment, or may be determined based on the acquired speed limit. Further, if the road segment and the speed limit are combined and the road segment cannot be acquired, the determination may be made based on the speed limit. If the vehicle is traveling on an expressway or a motorway, the set speed V is not changed (S404).

  When the vehicle is not traveling on an expressway or an automobile exclusive road (No in S402), the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 completely prohibits the transition to the constant speed travel V (S403). That is, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 does not perform automatic transition control without accelerating the vehicle to reach a preset speed V even if the preceding vehicle is lost. Therefore, in this case, if the driver does not operate the accelerator pedal, the host vehicle decelerates due to the engine brake.

According to the processing of FIG. 7, when the vehicle travel control device is traveling on a general road, even if the preceding vehicle is lost, it does not shift to constant speed travel, so that the host vehicle does not accelerate and the driver stays for a long time. This makes it easier for drivers to respond to complex traffic conditions.

  By the way, when driving on a general road, the shift to the constant speed travel may be prohibited according to the speed limit, instead of prohibiting the shift to the constant speed travel entirely.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the vehicle travel control device that determines and controls whether or not to perform automatic transition control based on the road segment and the speed limit of the road that is running.

  First, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 obtains the road classification or the speed limit of the currently traveling road from the car navigation ECU 7 (S401). Since the road segment or speed limit is acquired in the same manner as in the third embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  Next, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 determines whether the traveling road is an expressway or an automobile-only road (S402). You may determine as it is based on a road division, and you may determine based on the acquired limit run. Further, if the road segment and the speed limit are combined and the road segment cannot be acquired, the determination may be made based on the speed limit. If the vehicle is traveling on an expressway or a motorway, the set speed V is not changed (S404).

  When the vehicle is not traveling on an expressway or an automobile-only road (No in S402), the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 obtains the current speed limit of the road and shifts to constant speed travel on a general road with a speed limit less than or equal to a predetermined speed. It is prohibited (S413). If the speed limit is obtained in step S401, the value is used, and if not obtained, the speed limit is obtained in step S413.

  The speed limit below a predetermined value is, for example, a relatively slow speed limit (for example, 30 to 40 km / h). When shifting to constant speed driving on such a relatively slow speed limit road, the burden on the driver is large and it is difficult for the driver to deal with complicated traffic conditions. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, by prohibiting automatic transition control on a general road with a predetermined speed limit, it is possible to make it easier for the driver to deal with a complicated traffic situation. Further, at a relatively slow speed limit, the vehicle does not accelerate because the vehicle does not shift to a constant speed, and it is possible to eliminate the uncomfortable feeling that the driver feels acceleration for a long time.

  Further, even if it is a general road, if it is not a predetermined speed limit, the vehicle travel control device performs automatic transition control, so that the driver does not have to accelerate himself / herself in order to shift to the set speed.

  As described above, on general roads, traffic conditions such as pedestrians and traffic lights are more complicated than highways, so if the acceleration to shift to constant speed is the same as that of highways, it becomes difficult for the driver to respond. there is a possibility. In the present embodiment, a vehicle travel control apparatus that controls the acceleration of automatic transition control when traveling on a general road will be described.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the vehicle travel control device that controls the acceleration of the automatic transition control based on the road segment of the road that is running.

  First, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 obtains the road classification or the speed limit of the currently traveling road from the car navigation ECU 7 (S501). Since the road segment or speed limit is acquired in the same manner as in the third embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  Next, the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 determines whether the traveling road is an expressway or an automobile-only road (S502). You may determine as it is based on a road division, and you may determine based on the acquired limit run. Further, if the road segment and the speed limit are combined and the road segment cannot be acquired, the determination may be made based on the speed limit.

  When the vehicle is traveling on a highway or an automobile-only road (Yes in S502), the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 does not change the acceleration α1 that changes to the set speed V (S504). That is, when traveling on a highway or the like, automatic transition control is performed with a predetermined normal acceleration α1 even if the preceding vehicle is lost.

  When the vehicle is not traveling on an expressway or an automobile-only road (No in S502), the inter-vehicle control ECU 4 changes the acceleration at which the vehicle-to-vehicle control ECU 4 changes to the set speed V to α2 smaller than α1 (S503). That is, when traveling on a general road, if the preceding vehicle is lost, the vehicle is accelerated at an acceleration α2 smaller than a predetermined normal acceleration α1.

  According to the control of FIG. 9, since the acceleration α1 of the automatic transition control is set to a smaller α2 on a general road, a large acceleration does not continue for a long time even in the process of transitioning to constant speed running, and the driver feels uncomfortable. Can be prevented and the driver can easily cope with complicated traffic conditions.

  As described above, in the vehicle control device of the present embodiment, when the deviation between the host vehicle and the set speed is large, the acceleration is decreased and the transition is made to the set speed V, which may give the driver a sense of incongruity. Can be prevented. Moreover, since automatic transition control is performed from the low speed range to the high speed range, the control can be easily understood by the driver. In addition, when driving on a general road, automatic transition control is prohibited or the set speed V and acceleration are reduced, so that in the process of transitioning to the set speed V, the driver is in a complicated traffic situation on the general road. Easy to handle.

It is an example of a functional block diagram of vehicle travel control device 1. It is an example of the flowchart figure which shows the control procedure of the cruise control controlled by inter-vehicle control ECU and engine ECU. It is a flowchart figure which shows the control procedure of the automatic transition control of Example 1. FIG. It is a flowchart figure which shows the control procedure of the automatic transition control of Example 2. FIG. It is a flowchart figure which shows the control procedure of the vehicle travel control apparatus which controls the setting speed V according to the road division of the road which is drive | working. It is a flowchart figure which shows the control procedure of the vehicle travel control apparatus which determines the road classification of the road currently drive | working based on a speed limit, and controls the setting speed V. It is a flowchart figure which shows the control procedure of the vehicle travel control apparatus which determines and determines whether automatic transition control is performed based on the road classification of the road which is drive | working. It is a flowchart figure which shows the control procedure of the vehicle travel control apparatus which determines and determines whether to perform automatic transition control based on the road classification and speed limit of the road which is drive | working. It is a flowchart figure which shows the control procedure of the vehicle travel control apparatus which controls the acceleration of automatic transition control based on the road division of the road which is drive | working.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle travel control apparatus 2 Radar sensor 3 Vehicle speed sensor 4 Inter-vehicle control ECU
5 Engine ECU
6 Transmission controller 7 Car navigation ECU
8 Gyro sensor 9 GPS receiver 10 Map data 11 Speaker 12 Display device 13 Input device 14 Cruise control switch 15 Brake ECU

Claims (6)

A vehicle travel control device that travels following when a preceding vehicle exists and travels at a constant speed at a set vehicle speed when there is no preceding vehicle,
Control means for controlling, when the deviation between the traveling speed of the host vehicle that has lost the preceding vehicle and the set vehicle speed is greater than a predetermined value, the acceleration that transitions to the set vehicle speed is smaller than when the deviation is greater than or equal to a predetermined value;
The vehicle travel control apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. A vehicle travel control device that travels following when a preceding vehicle exists and travels at a constant speed at a set vehicle speed when there is no preceding vehicle,
When the traveling speed of the host vehicle that has lost the preceding vehicle is smaller than a predetermined value, the vehicle has a control means for controlling the acceleration that shifts to the set vehicle speed to be smaller than that when the traveling speed of the host vehicle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value
The vehicle travel control apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. A vehicle travel control device that travels following when a preceding vehicle exists and travels at a constant speed at a set vehicle speed when there is no preceding vehicle,
Road segment acquisition means for acquiring the road segment of the road being traveled;
When the road segment acquired by the road segment acquisition means is a general road, control means for controlling the set vehicle speed to be smaller than when traveling on a highway,
A vehicle travel control device comprising: A vehicle travel control device that travels following when a preceding vehicle exists and travels at a constant speed at a set vehicle speed when there is no preceding vehicle,
Road segment acquisition means for acquiring the road segment of the road being traveled;
When the road section acquired by the road section acquisition means is a general road, control means for prohibiting constant speed traveling at the set vehicle speed;
A vehicle travel control device comprising: A vehicle travel control device that travels following when a preceding vehicle exists and travels at a constant speed at a set vehicle speed when there is no preceding vehicle,
Road segment acquisition means for acquiring the road segment of the road being traveled;
Speed limit acquisition means for acquiring the speed limit of the road that is running,
When the road section acquired by the road section acquisition means is a general road and the speed limit acquired by the speed limit acquisition means is equal to or less than a predetermined value, control means for prohibiting constant speed traveling at the set vehicle speed;
A vehicle travel control device comprising: A vehicle travel control device that travels following when a preceding vehicle exists and travels at a constant speed at a set vehicle speed when there is no preceding vehicle,
Road segment acquisition means for acquiring the road segment of the road being traveled;
When the road section acquired by the road section acquisition means is a general road, control means for controlling the acceleration to transition to the set vehicle speed to be smaller than when traveling on a highway,
A vehicle travel control device comprising:

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