JPWO2018173175A1 - Vehicle control device - Google Patents

Abstract

The vehicle control device (10) according to the present invention uses the first traveling information indicating the traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle (Vp) to allow the own vehicle (100) to determine the passing point (108) within a time period in which the passage is not restricted. A passability determining unit (68) for determining whether or not the vehicle can pass; and, when it is determined that the vehicle can pass, the own vehicle (100) is allowed to enter the passpoint (108), but the vehicle cannot pass. And a traveling control unit (60) that performs traveling control to stop the own vehicle (100) just before the passing point (108) when it is determined that the vehicle is traveling.

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle control device that automatically and at least partially performs traveling control of a host vehicle.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a vehicle control device that automatically and at least partially performs traveling control of the host vehicle is known. For example, in the vicinity of a passing point where passage is restricted intermittently, various driving assistance technologies for smoothly running the host vehicle have been developed in consideration of the relationship with other vehicles.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-147525 ([0039] etc.) discloses that the target distance in the inter-vehicle distance control is determined based on a predetermined value (distance from the entrance position of the intersection to the exit position) when the arrival distance to the intersection is equal to or less than the threshold value. A vehicle control device that sets a larger value has been proposed. Thus, it is generally described that the own vehicle cannot enter the intersection until at least the preceding vehicle passes the intersection, so that the traffic flow in the intersection lane is not obstructed.

  For example, when the host vehicle passes straight through an intersection, the host vehicle may pass without being left behind in the intersection if there is a lot of time for the traffic light to change to “red”. it can. That is, it is possible for the own vehicle to go straight through the intersection while continuing automatic driving depending on traffic conditions.

  However, if the method proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-147525 is applied as it is to automatic driving, it stops before the intersection without attempting to enter the intersection regardless of local and temporal changes in traffic conditions. I will let you. As a result, it takes a long time to pass through the intersection, and it can be said that the merchantability of the vehicle is impaired from the viewpoint of convenience of driving.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control device capable of improving the convenience of driving when going straight through a specific passing point.

  A vehicle control device according to the present invention is a device that at least partially automatically performs traveling control of a host vehicle, and includes a passing point detection unit that detects a passing point where passage is restricted intermittently, and the passing point detection An information acquisition unit that acquires first traveling information that indicates a traveling behavior of a preceding vehicle that is ahead of the host vehicle and that is in the vicinity of the passing point detected by the unit, or the information acquiring unit; Using the acquired first travel information, a passability determination unit that determines whether or not the host vehicle can pass through the passing point within a time period that is not subject to the restriction of passing, and the passability determination unit. The travel control for causing the host vehicle to enter the passing point when it is determined that the vehicle is allowed to pass, while stopping the host vehicle before the passing point when it is determined that the vehicle is not allowed to pass. Running system to perform It comprises a part, a.

  Since it comprised in this way, the own vehicle can pass the said passing point as quickly as possible, considering the situation left in the passing point which is going to go straight ahead under automatic travel control. This improves the convenience of driving when going straight through a specific passing point.

  The passability determination unit may determine using the stop position of the preceding vehicle predicted from the traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle. By using the stop position of the preceding vehicle, it is possible to quantitatively grasp the physical limit of the position where the host vehicle can travel, and the determination accuracy regarding whether or not the vehicle can pass is improved accordingly.

  Further, the information acquisition unit further acquires second travel information indicating a travel behavior of a preceding vehicle preceding the preceding vehicle, and the passability determination unit is configured to determine the travel behavior of the preceding vehicle and the preceding preceding vehicle. You may determine using the stop position of the said preceding vehicle estimated from the driving | running | working behavior of a vehicle. By taking into account the traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle, the determination accuracy regarding whether or not to pass can be further improved.

  The travel control unit performs inter-vehicle distance control to increase the inter-vehicle distance with the preceding vehicle before and after the detection of the passing point by the passing point detection unit, and the information acquisition unit has an inter-vehicle distance with the preceding vehicle. The first travel information may be acquired when it becomes longer or after it becomes longer. It is possible to prevent a detection failure or a decrease in accuracy with respect to the preceding vehicle, which may occur when the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle approach too much.

  The travel control unit may perform inter-vehicle distance control to shorten the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle before and after the determination by the pass / fail determination unit when it is determined that the host vehicle can pass. Good. By shortening the inter-vehicle distance, it becomes possible to advance the host vehicle by that amount, and the time required to pass the passing point is shortened.

  In addition, the travel control unit may perform inter-vehicle distance control that shortens the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle when the traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle is accelerated. Considering the tendency that the entrance space is likely to be generated in front of the host vehicle with the acceleration of the preceding vehicle, the time required to pass the passing point is further shortened.

  The travel control unit may perform inter-vehicle distance control so that the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle is shorter than the passing length of the passing point. Thereby, even if it is in the passing point where the preceding vehicle remains, the own vehicle can be made to enter under the situation where it can pass.

  According to the vehicle control device of the present invention, it is possible to improve the convenience of driving when going straight through a specific passing point.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle control apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart with which operation | movement description of the vehicle control apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is provided. It is a figure which shows an example of the intersection detected in FIG.2 S2. 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating a state in which the host vehicle enters an intersection. 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a state in which the host vehicle stops before the intersection. It is a detailed flowchart regarding the passability determination (step S5 of FIG. 2) based on traveling control of a preceding vehicle. FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams illustrating a traveling state of the host vehicle with the first inter-vehicle distance control (step S13 in FIG. 6). 8A to 8C are diagrams illustrating traffic conditions around the intersection. It is a figure which shows an example of the driving | running | working prediction model of a preceding vehicle. 10A to 10C are schematic diagrams illustrating a method for calculating the size of the approach space (step S19 in FIG. 6). 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating a traveling state of the host vehicle with the second inter-vehicle distance control.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the vehicle control apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[Configuration of Vehicle Control Device 10]
<Overall configuration>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle control device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle control device 10 is incorporated in a vehicle (the own vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 3 and the like), and performs traveling control of the vehicle automatically or manually. This “automatic driving” is a concept that includes not only “fully automatic driving” in which all driving control of a vehicle is automatically performed, but also “partial automatic driving” in which driving control is partially performed automatically.

  The vehicle control device 10 basically includes an input system device group, a control system 12, and an output system device group. Each device forming the input system device group and the output system device group is connected to the control system 12 via a communication line.

  The input system device group includes an external sensor 14, a communication device 16, a navigation device 18, a vehicle sensor 20, an automatic operation switch 22, and an operation detection sensor 26 connected to the operation device 24.

  The output system device group includes a driving force device 28 that drives a wheel (not shown), a steering device 30 that steers the wheel, a braking device 32 that brakes the wheel, and a notification device 34 that notifies the driver through audiovisual sense. Prepare.

<Specific configuration of input device group>
The outside world sensor 14 acquires information indicating the outside world state of the vehicle (hereinafter, outside world information) and outputs the outside world information to the control system 12. Specifically, the external sensor 14 includes a plurality of cameras 36, a plurality of radars 38, and a plurality of LIDARs 40 (Light Detection and Ranging; Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging). It is comprised including.

  The communication device 16 is configured to be able to communicate with roadside units, other vehicles, and external devices including a server. For example, information related to traffic equipment, information related to other vehicles, probe information, or the latest map information 44. Send and receive. The map information 44 is stored in a predetermined memory area of the storage device 42 or in the navigation device 18.

  The navigation device 18 includes a satellite positioning device that can detect the current position of the vehicle and a user interface (for example, a touch panel display, a speaker, and a microphone). The navigation device 18 calculates a route to the designated destination based on the current position of the vehicle or the position designated by the user, and outputs the route to the control system 12. The route calculated by the navigation device 18 is stored as route information 46 in a predetermined memory area of the storage device 42.

  The vehicle sensor 20 is a speed sensor that detects the traveling speed (vehicle speed) of the vehicle, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, a lateral G sensor that detects lateral G, a yaw rate sensor that detects angular velocity around the vertical axis, and a direction / orientation. A azimuth sensor that detects the gradient and a gradient sensor that detects the gradient, and outputs a detection signal from each sensor to the control system 12. These detection signals are stored as own vehicle information 48 in a predetermined memory area of the storage device 42.

  The automatic operation switch 22 includes, for example, a push button type hardware switch or a software switch using the navigation device 18. The automatic operation switch 22 is configured so that a plurality of operation modes can be switched by a manual operation of a user including a driver.

  The operation device 24 includes an accelerator pedal, a steering wheel, a brake pedal, a shift lever, and a direction indication lever. The operation device 24 is provided with an operation detection sensor 26 that detects the presence / absence of the operation by the driver, the operation amount, and the operation position.

  The operation detection sensor 26 outputs the accelerator depression amount (accelerator opening), the steering operation amount (steering amount), the brake depression amount, the shift position, the right / left turn direction, and the like as detection results to the travel control unit 60.

<Specific configuration of output system group>
The driving force device 28 includes a driving force ECU (Electronic Control Unit) and a driving source including an engine and a driving motor. The driving force device 28 generates a traveling driving force (torque) of the vehicle according to the traveling control value input from the traveling control unit 60 and transmits it to the wheels indirectly or directly via the transmission.

  The steering device 30 includes an EPS (electric power steering system) ECU and an EPS device. The steering device 30 changes the direction of the wheels (steering wheels) according to the travel control value input from the travel control unit 60.

  The braking device 32 is, for example, an electric servo brake that uses a hydraulic brake together, and includes a brake ECU and a brake actuator. The braking device 32 brakes the wheel according to the travel control value input from the travel control unit 60.

  The notification device 34 includes a notification ECU, a display device, and an acoustic device. The notification device 34 performs a notification operation related to automatic driving or manual driving in accordance with a notification command output from the control system 12 (specifically, the passing point handling unit 56).

<Operation mode>
Here, each time the automatic operation switch 22 is pressed, the “automatic operation mode” and the “manual operation mode” (non-automatic operation mode) are sequentially switched. Instead of this, in order to ensure the driver's intention confirmation, for example, it is possible to switch from manual operation mode to automatic operation mode by pressing twice to switch from automatic operation mode to manual operation mode by pressing once. it can.

  The automatic operation mode is an operation mode in which the vehicle travels under the control of the control system 12 while the driver does not operate the operation device 24 (specifically, the accelerator pedal, the steering wheel, and the brake pedal). In other words, the automatic operation mode is an operation mode in which the control system 12 controls a part or all of the driving force device 28, the steering device 30, and the braking device 32 in accordance with the action plan that is sequentially generated.

  Note that if the driver performs a predetermined operation using the operation device 24 during execution of the automatic operation mode, the automatic operation mode is automatically canceled and the operation mode (manual operation) with a relatively low degree of automatic operation is performed. (Including operation mode). The operation of the automatic operation switch 22 or the operation device 24 by the driver in order to shift from automatic operation to manual operation is also referred to as “takeover operation”.

<Configuration of control system 12>
The control system 12 includes one or a plurality of ECUs, and includes various function implementation units in addition to the storage device 42 described above. In this embodiment, the function realizing unit is a software function in which a function is realized by one or more CPUs (Central Processing Units) executing a program stored in the non-transitory storage device 42. Part. Alternatively, the function implementation unit may be a hardware function unit including an integrated circuit such as an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array).

  In addition to the storage device 42 and the travel control unit 60, the control system 12 includes an external environment recognition unit 52, an action plan creation unit 54, a passing point handling unit 56, and a trajectory generation unit 58.

  The outside world recognition unit 52 recognizes lane marks (white lines) on both sides of the vehicle using various information (for example, outside world information from the outside world sensor 14) input by the input system device group, “Static” external environment recognition information including position information or a travelable area is generated. Further, the external environment recognition unit 52 uses the various input information to provide “dynamic” external environment recognition information including obstacles such as parked and stopped vehicles, traffic participants such as people and other vehicles, or traffic lights. Is generated.

  The action plan creation unit 54 creates an action plan (event time series) for each travel section based on the recognition result by the external recognition unit 52, and updates the action plan as necessary. Examples of the event type include deceleration, acceleration, branching, merging, intersection, lane keeping, lane change, and overtaking. Here, “deceleration” and “acceleration” are events that decelerate or accelerate the vehicle. “Branch”, “Merging”, and “Intersection” are events for smoothly driving the vehicle at a branching point confluence or intersection. The “lane change” is an event for changing the traveling lane of the vehicle (that is, changing the course). “Overtaking” is an event that causes a vehicle to overtake a preceding vehicle.

  The “lane keep” is an event for driving the vehicle so as not to deviate from the driving lane, and is subdivided according to the combination with the driving mode. Specifically, the traveling mode includes constant speed traveling, following traveling, deceleration traveling, curve traveling, or obstacle avoidance traveling.

  The passing point handling unit 56 uses various information from the external world recognition unit 52 or the action plan creation unit 54 to perform handling (here, signal processing) related to the passing of a passing point (for example, a straight intersection). Then, the passing point handling unit 56 outputs a command signal for performing the above-described handling to the action plan creation unit 54 or the notification device 34. Specifically, the passing point handling unit 56 functions as a passing point detection unit 64, an information acquisition unit 66, a passability determination unit 68, and a target distance determination unit 70.

  The track generation unit 58 uses the map information 44, the route information 46, and the vehicle information 48 read from the storage device 42, to generate a travel track (time series of target behavior) according to the action plan created by the action plan creation unit 54. Generate. More specifically, the traveling track is a time series data set in which the position, posture angle, speed, acceleration, curvature, yaw rate, and steering angle are data units.

  The traveling control unit 60 determines each traveling control value for controlling the traveling of the vehicle according to the traveling track (time series of target behavior) generated by the track generating unit 58. Then, the traveling control unit 60 outputs the obtained traveling control values to the driving force device 28, the steering device 30, and the braking device 32.

[Operation of Vehicle Control Device 10]
<Overall flow>
The vehicle control device 10 in the present embodiment is configured as described above. Next, the operation of the vehicle control device 10 when passing a passing point (for example, the intersection 108 in FIG. 3) will be described with reference mainly to the flowchart in FIG. Here, it is assumed that the host vehicle 100 equipped with the vehicle control device 10 travels by automatic driving.

  In step S 1 of FIG. 2, the passing point handling unit 56 uses the latest route information 46 stored in the storage device 42 or “static” outside world recognition information generated by the outside world recognition unit 52. A route on which the vehicle 100 is to travel (hereinafter, a planned travel route 102) is acquired.

  In step S <b> 2, the passing point detection unit 64 detects a straight intersection by referring to the planned travel route 102 acquired in step S <b> 1 and the action plan created by the action plan creation unit 54. More specifically, the “straight intersection” is [1] on the planned traveling route 102, [2] a plurality of lanes intersect, and [3] the host vehicle 100 is going straight ahead. 4] An intersection that is within a predetermined distance range from the current vehicle position (or that the vehicle 100 can reach within a predetermined time range).

  As shown in FIG. 3, the host vehicle 100 tries to pass a point where the first road 104 and the second road 106 intersect (that is, the intersection 108) along the planned travel route 102 indicated by the dashed arrow. This figure shows a road in an area where an arrangement is made that the vehicle will drive “left”.

  The first road 104 composed of two lanes includes a first travel lane 104d on which the host vehicle 100 is scheduled to travel and a first facing lane 104o facing the first travel lane 104d. The second road 106 composed of two lanes includes a second traveling lane 106d and a second facing lane 106o facing the second traveling lane 106d.

  In the vicinity of the corner of this intersection 108, a traffic light 110 that indicates whether or not the vehicle can travel is installed. For convenience of explanation, only the traffic light 110 corresponding to the first traveling lane 104d is illustrated, but actually the traffic signals corresponding to the first opposing lane 104o, the second traveling lane 106d, and the second opposing lane 106o are also installed. Has been.

  The traffic light 110 expresses three indication states, ie, a progressable state, a non-travelable state, and a transient state, by a blue (actually green) / red / yellow light. Here, the “progressable state” is a state in which the progress of the vehicle is permitted, and the “progressless state” is a state in which the progress of the vehicle is prohibited. The “transient state” is an intermediate state that transitions from the “progressable state” to the “progressible state”.

  In the example shown in the figure, the traffic light 110 is lit in “blue”, indicating that it can travel. In this case, the vehicle on the first road 104 (including the host vehicle 100) is in the “progressable state”, while the vehicle (other vehicle V) on the second road 106 is in the “non-travelable state”. Of the other vehicles V, the nearest vehicle preceding the host vehicle 100 may be referred to as a “preceding vehicle Vp”. Of the remaining other vehicles V, the nearest vehicle preceding the preceding vehicle Vp may be referred to as a “first preceding vehicle Vfp”.

  When a straight intersection (that is, a specific intersection 108) is not detected (step S2: NO), the process returns to step S1 and steps S1 and S2 are sequentially repeated. On the other hand, when the specific intersection 108 is detected (step S2: YES), the process proceeds to step S3.

  In step S <b> 3, the passing point handling unit 56 determines whether or not the host vehicle 100 has reached a position on the near side of the intersection 108 by a predetermined travel distance (hereinafter, a determination start position 120; FIGS. 7A and 7B). Determine whether. If the host vehicle 100 has not yet reached the determination start position 120 (step S3: NO: solid line), the vehicle 100 remains in step S3 until the determination start position 120 is reached.

  If the planned travel route 102 is changed before the host vehicle 100 reaches the determination start position 120, the possibility that the host vehicle 100 does not pass the determination start position 120 is considered (step S3: NO: broken line). The process may return to step S1. On the other hand, when it is determined that the host vehicle 100 has reached the determination start position 120 (step S3: YES), the process proceeds to step S4.

  In step S4, the passing point handling unit 56 determines whether or not the traffic light 110 in the first travel lane 104d is lit in “blue”. When the traffic light 110 is “blue” (step S4: YES), the process proceeds to step S5.

  In step S5, the pass / fail determination unit 68 determines whether or not the host vehicle 100 can pass through the intersection 108 within a time period during which the passage is not restricted (until the traffic light 110 changes to “red”). . For example, the passability determination unit 68 determines when the reference position of the host vehicle 100 (hereinafter, the host vehicle position P1) reaches the determination reference position 122.

  In the example shown in FIG. 4A, the traffic flow in the first travel lane 104d is relatively small, and the host vehicle 100 can continue traveling at a substantially constant speed, so that the possibility of being left in the intersection 108 is low. Therefore, it is assumed that the passability determination unit 68 determines that the intersection 108 is “passable”.

  In step S6, when it is determined by the passage permission / non-permission determining unit 68 that the passage is possible (step S6: YES), the process proceeds to step S7.

  In step S <b> 7, the passing point handling unit 56 handles the host vehicle 100 so that the intersection 108 moves straight after the vehicle 100 has entered the intersection 108. Specifically, the passing point handling unit 56 instructs the action plan creation unit 54 to move the host vehicle 100 straight at a substantially constant speed.

  The trajectory generation unit 58 generates a travel trajectory for traveling along the first travel lane 104d according to the initial action plan by the action plan creation unit 54. Thus, the traveling control unit 60 performs traveling control that causes the host vehicle 100 to go straight at the intersection 108 in accordance with the traveling track from the track generating unit 58.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, the host vehicle 100 passes through the stop line 112 on the first travel lane 104d as it is while keeping the speed substantially constant, and enters the intersection 108. As a result, the host vehicle 100 can pass through the intersection 108 until the traffic light 110 changes to “red”.

  By the way, when it is determined that the traffic light 110 is not “blue” (“yellow” or “red”) (step S4: NO), or when it is determined that the intersection 108 is “passable” (step S4: NO). Step S6: NO), it proceeds to step S8.

  In the example shown in FIG. 5A, the traffic flow in the first travel lane 104d is relatively large, and the host vehicle 100 needs to travel around the intersection 108 at a low speed, so there is a high possibility that the vehicle will be left in the intersection 108. Therefore, it is assumed that the passability determination unit 68 determines that the intersection 108 is “passable”.

  In step S <b> 8, the passing point handling unit 56 takes care to stop the host vehicle 100 before the intersection 108. Specifically, the passing point handling unit 56 instructs the action plan creation unit 54 to temporarily stop the host vehicle 100. The trajectory generation unit 58 generates a travel trajectory for temporarily stopping before the intersection 108 in accordance with the behavior plan changed by the behavior plan creation unit 54. Thus, the traveling control unit 60 performs traveling control that decelerates the host vehicle 100 and stops it before the intersection 108 according to the traveling track from the track generating unit 58.

  As shown in FIG. 5B, the host vehicle 100 stops before the intersection 108 (more specifically, at the position of the stop line 112) while decreasing the speed at a substantially constant deceleration. As a result, it is possible to prevent the situation where the host vehicle 100 is left in the intersection 108.

  As described above, the traveling control unit 60 allows the host vehicle 100 to enter the intersection 108 when it can pass through the specific intersection 108, while moving the host vehicle 100 before the intersection 108 when it cannot pass through the intersection 108. The running control is stopped.

<Details of passability determination>
Subsequently, the passability determination (step S5 in FIG. 2) based on the traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle Vp (FIGS. 4A and 5A) will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

  In step S <b> 11, the external environment recognition unit 52 performs a recognition process for a moving object or a stationary object in front of the host vehicle 100. As a result, in the example of FIG. 5A, the other vehicle V (including the preceding vehicle Vp and the preceding vehicle Vfp) is recognized as a moving object. Further, the intersection 108 (including the stop line 112) and the traffic light 110 are recognized as stationary objects.

  In step S <b> 12, the external environment recognition unit 52 determines whether there is a preceding vehicle Vp that is within a predetermined distance range from the host vehicle 100 and is going straight on the intersection 108. When the preceding vehicle Vp exists (step S12: YES), the process proceeds to step S13.

  In step S13, the travel control unit 60 performs inter-vehicle distance control that increases the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle 100 and the preceding vehicle Vp. Prior to this control, the target distance determining unit 70 determines the target value of the inter-vehicle distance with respect to the preceding vehicle Vp (hereinafter referred to as the target inter-vehicle distance) according to the size of the intersection 108, the traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle Vp, or the speed of the host vehicle 100. ).

  Then, the action plan creation unit 54 updates the target inter-vehicle distance from L1 to L2 (> L1) by resetting the value determined by the target distance determination unit 70. The track generation unit 58 sets the target inter-vehicle distance to L2 and generates a travel track for performing follow-up travel with respect to the preceding vehicle Vp.

  As shown in FIG. 7A, the host vehicle 100 is traveling while maintaining the distance between the preceding vehicle Vp and the preceding vehicle Vp before the intersection 108 is detected. The travel control unit 60 updates the target inter-vehicle distance from L1 to L2 when the host vehicle 100 (host vehicle position P1) reaches the determination start position 120. As a result, the host vehicle 100 exhibits a traveling behavior according to the changed target inter-vehicle distance as time elapses.

  As shown in FIG. 7B, after detecting the intersection 108 (here, before reaching the determination reference position 122), the host vehicle 100 travels while maintaining the distance between the preceding vehicle Vp at “L2”. Yes.

  In step S14, the information acquisition unit 66 travel information indicating the behavior of the preceding vehicle Vp recognized in step S11 (hereinafter referred to as first travel information) and / or travel information indicating the behavior of the preceding preceding vehicle Vfp (hereinafter referred to as “following vehicle information”). , Second traveling information). Such travel information includes, for example, position, speed, deceleration (or acceleration), jerk, yaw angle, or yaw rate.

  Thus, the traveling control unit 60 performs inter-vehicle distance control that increases the inter-vehicle distance with the preceding vehicle Vp before and after the detection of the intersection 108 (step S13), and the information acquisition unit 66 determines that the inter-vehicle distance with the preceding vehicle Vp is You may acquire 1st driving | running | working information, when it becomes long or after becoming long (step S14). It is possible to prevent a failure in detection or a decrease in accuracy with respect to the preceding vehicle Vp, which may occur when the host vehicle 100 and the preceding vehicle Vp approach too much.

  In step S15, the passability determination unit 68 creates a prediction model (hereinafter referred to as a travel prediction model) relating to the travel behavior of the preceding vehicle Vp using the first travel information acquired in step S14. Various known mathematical models can be employed as the travel prediction model.

  In step S16, the external environment recognition unit 52 determines whether or not the preceding preceding vehicle Vfp exists within a predetermined distance range from the preceding vehicle Vp. When the preceding vehicle Vfp exists (step S16: YES), the process proceeds to step S17. On the other hand, when the preceding vehicle Vfp does not exist (step S16: NO), the execution of step S17 is skipped.

  In step S17, the pass / fail determination unit 68 corrects the travel prediction model created in step S15 using the second travel information acquired in step S14. The passability determination unit 68 may correct the travel prediction model according to the traffic situation shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C.

  8A to 8C, the position, speed, deceleration, and jerk of the host vehicle 100 are (0, v0, g0, j0), respectively, and the position, speed, deceleration, and jerk of the preceding vehicle Vp are These are (x1, v1, g1, j1), respectively. The x-axis corresponds to the extending direction of the first travel lane 104d (that is, the traveling direction of the host vehicle 100), and is a coordinate axis having the determination reference position 122 as the origin O.

  In the traffic situation shown in FIG. 8A, the preceding vehicle Vfp does not exist near the front of the preceding vehicle Vp. In this case, it can be said that the preceding vehicle Vp is likely to continue traveling while maintaining the current traveling behavior (speed v1, deceleration g1, jerk j1) starting from the current position x1.

  In the traffic situation shown in FIG. 8B, there is a preceding vehicle Vfp that is traveling at a constant speed near the front of the preceding vehicle Vp. In this case, it can be said that the preceding vehicle Vp is likely to continue traveling while maintaining the current traveling behavior on the assumption that the traveling behavior of the preceding preceding vehicle Vfp is maintained as it is.

  In the traffic situation shown in FIG. 8C, the preceding preceding vehicle Vfp in which the emergency brake is operated exists in the vicinity of the front of the preceding vehicle Vp. In this case, since the preceding vehicle Vp avoids contact with the preceding preceding vehicle Vfp, it can be said that there is a high possibility that the vehicle will soon decelerate.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a travel prediction model of the preceding vehicle Vp. The horizontal axis of the graph indicates the elapsed time (unit: s) from the prediction start time. The vertical axis of the graph represents the speed (unit: km / h) of the preceding vehicle Vp. The solid line, long broken line, and short broken line graphs respectively show time-series patterns of speeds corresponding to the traffic conditions in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C.

  This travel prediction model is the simplest mathematical model for predicting the travel behavior of the preceding vehicle Vp from the speed v1 and the deceleration (−g1). That is, the “solid line” graph (FIG. 8A) shows a traveling behavior in which a constant deceleration (−g1) is applied until the preceding vehicle Vp stops.

  The “short broken line” graph (FIG. 8C) gives a deceleration that is (1 + γ) times (γ is a positive value indicating a safety margin) compared to the “solid line” until the preceding vehicle Vp stops. The running behavior is shown. The “long broken line” graph (FIG. 8B) shows a traveling behavior in which an intermediate deceleration is applied to the “solid line” and the “short broken line” until the preceding vehicle Vp stops.

  In step S18, the pass / fail determination unit 68 calculates a stop position of the preceding vehicle Vp (hereinafter, predicted stop position 130) using the travel prediction model created in step S15 or modified in step S17. The predicted stop position 130 corresponds to the rear end position (hereinafter, the other vehicle position P2) of the preceding vehicle Vp that has stopped.

  In step S19, the passage possibility determination unit 68 calculates the size S1-S3 of the approach space 134 near the exit of the intersection 108 using the predicted stop position 130 calculated in step S18.

  As shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the approach space 134 indicated by the alternate long and short dash line is a length range starting from the exit position 132 of the intersection 108 and ending at the predicted stop position 130 (size S1> 0, S2> 0). It is a space corresponding to. Note that, as shown in FIG. 10C, when the predicted stop position 130 is on the front side of the exit position 132, the approach space 134 is handled as not existing (size S3 = 0).

  For example, the relative positional relationship between the vehicle position P1 and the exit position 132 can be accurately determined by comparing the map information 44, the vehicle information 48, and the external environment recognition information (specifically, the position of the stop line 112) with each other. You can often ask. Thereby, the calculation accuracy of size S1-S3 of approach space 134 improves.

  In step S20, the passage possibility determination unit 68 determines whether or not the size S1-S3 of the approach space 134 calculated in step S19 is sufficiently large. Here, the pass / fail determination unit 68 performs the determination based on the size relationship between the sizes S1 to S3 and a preset threshold value. Specifically, the threshold corresponds to a value obtained by adding or multiplying the vehicle body length of the host vehicle 100 with a margin.

  If it is determined that the size S1 (FIG. 10A) of the approach space 134 is sufficiently large (step S20: YES), or if the preceding vehicle Vp does not exist (step S12: NO), the process proceeds to step S21.

  In step S <b> 21, the passage propriety determination unit 68 determines that the host vehicle 100 is “passable” through the intersection 108 until the traffic light 110 changes to “red”. This is because even if the preceding vehicle Vp stops at a position on the back side of the intersection 108, an entry space 134 for the host vehicle 100 to retreat from the intersection 108 is secured.

  Here, the traveling control unit 60 performs inter-vehicle distance control to shorten the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle Vp before and after the determination by the pass / fail determination unit 68 when it is determined that the host vehicle 100 can pass. Also good. Prior to this control, the target distance determining unit 70 determines a target inter-vehicle distance for the preceding vehicle Vp. The action plan creation unit 54 updates the target inter-vehicle distance from L2 to L3 (<L2) by resetting the value determined by the target distance determination unit 70. The track generation unit 58 sets the target inter-vehicle distance to L3 and generates a travel track for performing follow-up travel with respect to the preceding vehicle Vp.

  As shown in FIG. 11A, the host vehicle 100 is traveling while maintaining the inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle Vp at “L2” before determining whether or not the vehicle can pass. The traveling control unit 60 updates the target inter-vehicle distance from L2 to L3 when the own vehicle 100 (own vehicle position P1) reaches the determination reference position 122. As a result, the host vehicle 100 exhibits a traveling behavior according to the changed target inter-vehicle distance as time elapses.

  As shown in FIG. 11B, the host vehicle 100 is traveling while maintaining the distance between the preceding vehicle Vp at “L3” after the pass / fail determination (here, when the vehicle reaches the stop line 112). . Thus, by shortening the inter-vehicle distance, the host vehicle 100 can be advanced by that amount, and the time required to pass the intersection 108 is shortened.

  In addition, the traveling control unit 60 may perform inter-vehicle distance control that shortens the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle Vp when the traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle Vp is accelerated. By taking into account the tendency that the entrance space 134 is likely to be generated in front of the host vehicle 100 as the preceding vehicle Vp accelerates, the time required to pass the intersection 108 is further shortened.

  Further, the traveling control unit 60 may perform inter-vehicle distance control so that the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle Vp is shorter than the passage length L0 of the intersection 108 (the distance from the entrance position 136 to the exit position 132). Thereby, even in the intersection 108 where the preceding vehicle Vp remains, the host vehicle 100 can be allowed to enter under a situation where the vehicle can pass.

  On the other hand, returning to step S20, when it is determined that the size S2 (FIG. 10B) and the size S3 (FIG. 10C) of the entry space 134 are not sufficiently large (step S20: NO), the process proceeds to step S22.

  In step S <b> 22, the passage permission / non-permission determination unit 68 determines that the host vehicle 100 is “passable” at the intersection 108 until the traffic light 110 changes to “red”. This is because when the preceding vehicle Vp stops at a position on the back side of the intersection 108, the entry space 134 for the own vehicle 100 to retreat from the intersection 108 is not secured.

  In this way, the passability determination unit 68 ends the passability determination based on the traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle Vp (step S5). Based on this determination, either “passable” or “impossible to pass” is selected.

[Effects of vehicle control device 10]
As described above, the vehicle control device 10 is a device that at least partially automatically performs traveling control of the host vehicle 100, and [1] detects a passing point (intersection 108) where passage is restricted intermittently. The passing point detection unit 64 and [2] an information acquisition unit that acquires the first traveling information that indicates the traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle Vp that precedes the host vehicle 100 at or near the detected intersection 108 or the intersection 108. 66, and [3] a passage permission determination unit 68 that determines whether or not the host vehicle 100 can pass the intersection 108 within a time period that is not subject to the passage restriction, using the acquired first traveling information; [4] (4a) When it is determined that the vehicle can pass, the host vehicle 100 enters the intersection 108. (4b) When it is determined that the vehicle cannot pass, the host vehicle 100 is stopped before the intersection 108. Running control It includes a running control unit 60 which performs the.

  The vehicle control method using the vehicle control device 10 includes [1] a detection step (S2) for detecting a passage point (intersection 108) where passage is restricted intermittently, and [2] a traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle Vp. An acquisition step (S14) for acquiring the first travel information shown, and [3] a determination step for determining whether or not the host vehicle 100 can pass through the intersection 108 using the acquired first travel information (S21). , S22) and [4] (4a) When the vehicle 100 is determined to be able to pass, the vehicle 100 is caused to enter the intersection 108, and (4b) When it is determined that the vehicle cannot pass, the vehicle 100 is allowed to cross the intersection. The control step (S7, S8) for performing the traveling control to be stopped before 108 is executed by one or a plurality of processing arithmetic devices.

  Since it comprised in this way, the own vehicle 100 can pass the intersection 108 as quickly as possible, considering the situation left in the intersection 108 which is going to go straight ahead under automatic travel control. As a result, the convenience of driving when going straight through the intersection 108 is improved.

  Further, the passability determination unit 68 may determine using the stop position (predicted stop position 130) of the preceding vehicle Vp predicted from the traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle Vp. By using the predicted stop position 130, it is possible to quantitatively grasp the physical limit of the position where the host vehicle 100 can travel, and the determination accuracy regarding whether or not the vehicle can pass is improved accordingly.

  Further, the information acquisition unit 66 further acquires second traveling information indicating the traveling behavior of the preceding preceding vehicle Vfp preceding the preceding vehicle Vp, and the passability determination unit 68 determines the traveling behavior and the preceding preceding vehicle Vp. You may determine using the estimated stop position 130 estimated from the driving | running | working behavior of the vehicle Vfp. By taking into account the traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle Vfp, the determination accuracy regarding whether or not the vehicle can pass is further improved.

[Supplement]
In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, Of course, it can change freely in the range which does not deviate from the main point of this invention. Or you may combine each structure arbitrarily in the range which does not produce technical contradiction.

  For example, in this embodiment, the case where the vehicle travels straight through the intersection 108 on a four-way road has been described as an example, but applicable travel scenes are not limited to this situation. Specifically, it may be a passing point where passage is restricted intermittently, including intersections of five or more roads, railroad crossings, or one-way alternating traffic.

Claims (7)

A vehicle control device that automatically and at least partially performs traveling control of the host vehicle,
A passing point detection unit for detecting a passing point where passage is intermittently restricted;
An information acquisition unit that acquires the first traveling information that indicates the traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle that precedes the host vehicle and that is in the vicinity of the passing point detected by the passing point detection unit;
Using the first travel information acquired by the information acquisition unit, a passability determination unit that determines whether or not the host vehicle can pass through the passing point within a time period that is not subject to passage restrictions;
When it is determined that the vehicle can pass, the vehicle is caused to enter the passing point, and when it is determined that the vehicle cannot pass, the vehicle is stopped before the passing point. A travel control unit for performing the travel control;
A vehicle control device comprising: The vehicle control device according to claim 1,
The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the passage propriety determination unit makes a determination using a stop position of the preceding vehicle predicted from a traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle. The vehicle control device according to claim 2,
The information acquisition unit further acquires second traveling information indicating a traveling behavior of a preceding vehicle preceding the preceding vehicle,
The vehicle control device characterized in that the passability determination unit determines the stop position of the preceding vehicle predicted from the traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle and the traveling behavior of the preceding preceding vehicle. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The travel control unit performs inter-vehicle distance control to increase the inter-vehicle distance with the preceding vehicle before and after detection of the passing point by the passing point detection unit,
The said information acquisition part acquires the said 1st driving | running | working information when the inter-vehicle distance with the said preceding vehicle becomes long or after becoming long. The vehicle control apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The travel control unit performs inter-vehicle distance control to shorten the inter-vehicle distance with the preceding vehicle before and after the determination by the pass / fail determination unit when it is determined that the host vehicle can pass. Vehicle control device. The vehicle control device according to claim 5, wherein
The vehicle control apparatus, wherein the travel control unit performs an inter-vehicle distance control that shortens an inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle when the traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle is accelerated. In the vehicle control device according to claim 5 or 6,
The vehicle control apparatus, wherein the travel control unit performs an inter-vehicle distance control that makes an inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle shorter than a passing length of the passing point.

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