JP2013043563A - Traveling control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a traveling control device capable of reducing an uncomfortable feeling given to a driver.SOLUTION: The traveling control device includes: a three-dimensional space detection unit 11 for detecting a traveling road and an obstacle based on a vehicle width direction and height direction ahead on an own vehicle traveling road, and detecting a three-dimensional space ahead on the traveling road; a collision risk estimation unit 12 for estimating a level of risk of own vehicle's collision with the obstacle, for the detected three-dimensional space; a target route calculation unit 13 for calculating a target route for the own vehicle so as to avoid a high collision risk portion according to the detected level of collision risk; and a driving support unit 14 for performing driving support based on the calculated recommendable route.

Description

  The present invention relates to a travel control device.

  In a conventional travel control device, a target route is generated according to the distance in the width direction (travelable region) on the road next to the preceding vehicle or obstacle ahead of the host vehicle, and brake control and steering are performed based on the generated target route. Driving assistance such as control.

JP 2003-132498 A

However, in the above prior art, since a target route with a margin is not generated for an obstacle so as to reduce the risk at the time of collision, driving assistance that matches the driving intention of the driver is performed. There was a problem that the driver was uncomfortable.
An object of the present invention is to provide a travel control device that can reduce a sense of discomfort given to a driver.

  In the present invention, the height of the collision risk with respect to the obstacle of the own vehicle is estimated with respect to the three-dimensional space in front of the traveling path, and the distance of the own vehicle is set so as to take a distance from the portion with the high collision risk according to the height of the collision risk. A recommended route is obtained, and driving assistance is performed based on the recommended route.

  Therefore, in the present invention, since driving assistance is performed based on the recommended route of the host vehicle that reduces the risk of collision, driving assistance that matches the driver's willingness to drive can be realized, and the driver feels uncomfortable with the route that the driver is driving. Can be reduced.

It is a block diagram of the traveling control apparatus of Example 1. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of driving support control processing according to the first embodiment. It is a threshold value setting map according to vehicle speed. It is a margin setting map according to the vehicle speed. It is a 1st coefficient setting map according to the absolute value of the height of a solid shape. It is a 2nd coefficient setting map according to the absolute value of the change of the height with respect to the length change of the solid shape in the vehicle width direction. It is a 3rd coefficient setting map according to the attribute of each part of solid space. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a method for calculating a sum J. It is a target vehicle speed setting map according to sum J. It is a schematic diagram which shows the driving | operation assistance effect | action in the driving | running | working scene where the left-right boundary of a driving path is a wall higher than the vehicle height of the own vehicle. It is a schematic diagram which shows the driving | operation assistance effect | action in the driving | running scene where the left boundary of a driving path is a lane marking and the right boundary is a wall. It is a schematic diagram showing a driving support action in a driving scene in which the left boundary of the travel path is lower than the vehicle height of the host vehicle and the right boundary is a wall.

  EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the form for implementing the traveling control apparatus of this invention is demonstrated based on the Example shown on drawing.

[Example 1]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a travel control device according to a first embodiment. The travel control device according to the first embodiment includes a camera 1, a wheel speed sensor 2, a hydraulic pressure control unit 3, and a controller 4.
The camera 1 captures an image in front of the own vehicle traveling path.
The wheel speed sensor 2 is provided on each wheel and detects the wheel speed of the corresponding wheel.
The hydraulic pressure control unit 3 increases / decreases or maintains the hydraulic pressure (foil cylinder pressure) of the wheel cylinder 5 provided on each wheel in accordance with the driver's brake operation or in response to a command from the controller 4. Control the braking force.
The controller 4 determines the target of the vehicle based on the information obtained from the image in front of the vehicle traveling path taken by the camera 1 and the vehicle speed (vehicle speed) calculated from the wheel speeds from the wheel speed sensors 2. A route (recommended route) is generated, and the hydraulic pressure control unit 3 is driven based on the target route to perform driving support for decelerating the vehicle.

The controller 4 includes a three-dimensional space detection unit (three-dimensional space detection unit) 11, a collision risk estimation unit (collision risk estimation unit) 12, and a target route calculation unit (recommended route calculation unit). ) 13 and a driving support unit (driving support means) 14.
Based on the video from the camera 1, the three-dimensional space detection unit 11 detects the three-dimensional shape of the traveling road and obstacle ahead of the host vehicle traveling path, and detects the three-dimensional space ahead of the traveling road from each three-dimensional shape.
The collision risk estimation unit 12 estimates the height of the collision risk for the obstacle of the own vehicle with respect to the three-dimensional space detected by the three-dimensional space detection unit 11.
The target route calculation unit 13 calculates the target route of the host vehicle so as to take a distance from a portion having a high collision risk according to the height of the collision risk estimated by the collision risk estimation unit 12.
The driving support unit 14 performs driving support based on the target route calculated by the target route calculating unit 13. The driving support unit 14 includes a deceleration control unit (deceleration control means) 15 that controls the vehicle to decelerate as it approaches a portion with a high collision risk.

Hereinafter, the specific processing content of each part is demonstrated based on the flowchart of FIG.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of the driving support control process of the first embodiment executed by the controller 4, and each step will be described below.
In step S1, the three-dimensional space detection unit 11 captures an image from the camera 1 and detects a travelable area in front of the travel path of the host vehicle. For example, when a preceding vehicle is present in front of the traveling path and the left and right boundaries of the traveling path are walls, the travelable region is between the left wall and the preceding vehicle and between the right wall and the preceding vehicle.
In step S2, the three-dimensional space detection unit 11 detects the three-dimensional shape of the road and obstacles according to the vehicle width direction, height direction, and depth direction in front of the road at the position closest to the host vehicle. Based on the three-dimensional shape, a three-dimensional space in front of the traveling road is detected.

  In step S3, the collision risk estimation unit 12 extracts, from the three-dimensional space detected in step S2, a portion having a high severity when there is a collision as a portion having a high collision risk. In the first embodiment, a portion in which the height of each three-dimensional shape constituting the obstacle three-dimensional space is higher than the height of the own vehicle by a predetermined threshold (for example, 5 cm) is extracted as a portion having a high collision risk. Here, the threshold value may be variable according to the vehicle speed, as shown in FIG. In the example of FIG. 3, when the vehicle speed V is 30 km / h or less, the threshold value Th is gradually decreased from 10 as the vehicle speed V increases, and when the vehicle speed V exceeds 30 km / h, the threshold value Th is set to the minimum value (2 cm). And

  In step S4, the collision risk estimation unit 12 sets a margin [m] corresponding to the vehicle speed of the host vehicle for the portion with a high collision risk extracted in step S3. Fig. 4 is a margin setting map according to the vehicle speed. The margin M is the minimum value (0.5m) when the vehicle speed V is 10km / h or less, and the vehicle speed V exceeds 10km / h and is 30km / h or less. In this case, the margin M is increased as the vehicle speed V increases, and the maximum value (1 m) is set when the vehicle speed V exceeds 30 km / h.

The margin M obtained from the map of FIG. 4 includes a first coefficient according to the size of the three-dimensional space, a second coefficient according to the ratio between the vehicle width direction and the height direction of the three-dimensional space, and each part of the three-dimensional space. The third coefficient corresponding to the attribute is multiplied and corrected.
FIG. 5 is a first coefficient setting map according to the absolute value of the height of the solid shape, and the first coefficient is 0 when the absolute value [cm] of the height of the obstacle solid shape is equal to or less than the threshold Th. When the threshold value Th exceeds 10 cm, the value increases as the absolute value increases. When the value exceeds 10 cm, 1 is set.

FIG. 6 is a second coefficient setting map according to the absolute value of the height change with respect to the length change in the vehicle width direction of the three-dimensional shape, and the second coefficient is the length of the obstacle solid shape in the vehicle width direction. When the absolute value of the change in height with respect to the change is 10 or less, the absolute value increases as the absolute value increases.
FIG. 7 is a third coefficient setting map according to the attribute of each part (each obstacle three-dimensional shape) of the three-dimensional space, and the third coefficient is 1.5 when the attribute is pedestrian, bicycle and motorcycle, 1.2, 1 otherwise. Here, the attribute is determined from the obstacle solid shape (corresponding to attribute setting means). For example, if two thin poles are adjacent, it is regarded as a human foot and determined to be a pedestrian. In addition, an obstacle having a height of about 1.5 to 2.0 m and a height of 1 m or more in the vehicle width direction is determined as a vehicle, and other than that, it is determined as a wall surface or a step.

  In step S5, the target route calculation unit 13 sets the position in the vehicle width direction, which is set in step S4 and minimizes the margin from the portion with a high collision risk, as the target route of the host vehicle. In the first embodiment, in the travelable area detected in step S1, the distance from the portion with high collision risk extracted in step S3 is subtracted from the margin M set in step S4 for the portion with high collision risk. The target route that minimizes the sum J of the obtained values is obtained. For example, in the case of FIG. 8, the value (M1-W1) obtained by subtracting the length W1 where the margin M1 overlaps the own vehicle from the margin M1 for the embankment and the length W2 where the margin M2 overlaps the own vehicle are subtracted from the margin M2 for the wall. The position in the vehicle width direction where the sum J = (M1-W1) + (M2-W2) with the value (M2-W2) is the target route.

  In step S6, the deceleration control unit 15 drives the hydraulic pressure control unit 3 to provide driving assistance so that the travel route of the host vehicle follows the target route set in step S5. In the first embodiment, the target vehicle speed Vt is set from the minimum sum J obtained in step S5 with reference to the map of FIG. 9, and deceleration support is performed so that the vehicle speed of the host vehicle becomes the target vehicle speed Vt. That is, the vehicle speed is decreased and the vehicle is allowed to pass when a sufficient margin cannot be obtained. At this time, the upper limit of the target vehicle speed Vt is limited by the limit vehicle speed Vlim on the travel path. As shown in FIG. 9, the target vehicle speed Vt is set to a limited vehicle speed Vlim (for example, 100 km / h) when the total sum J is less than 0, and decreases as the total sum J increases when the total sum J is 0 or more. When J is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the speed is slow (for example, 10 km / h).

Next, the operation will be described.
[Driving support action]
In particular, in a driving scene such as a narrow road such as a residential area or overtaking (passing through), the driver travels with a margin according to the collision risk with respect to a step or an obstacle with a high risk at the time of a collision inside and outside the road. For example, if the left and right boundaries of the road are walls, the driver will be equally spaced from the left and right walls. If it is a lane line or a center line, the driver takes a margin for a wall having a high risk at the time of collision, and moves the vehicle closer to the lane line or the center line side than the center position of the road.

  However, in the conventional travel control device, the target route is generated only in accordance with the travelable area without considering the risk at the time of collision with the obstacle, so the left and right boundaries of the travel path are walls and the other is partitioned. Even in the case of a line or a center line, when the preceding vehicle is traveling along the center position of the travel path, the center position of the travel path is set as the target path. That is, in the above-described conventional technology, it is impossible to provide driving support that matches the driver's willingness to drive, and thus the driver feels uncomfortable.

  On the other hand, in Example 1, the part where the risk at the time of the collision is high is estimated from the three-dimensional space in front of the traveling road, and a margin is taken so as to reduce the collision risk according to the height of the collision risk of the estimated part. If the target route is generated and sufficient margin cannot be obtained, the vehicle can be decelerated to reduce the risk at the time of collision, so driving assistance that matches the driver's willingness to drive can be realized, and the driver feels uncomfortable Can be reduced.

Further, in the first embodiment, since the three-dimensional shape of the obstacle is detected at the closest position to the portion of the vehicle where the collision risk is high, a margin corresponding to the collision risk is also taken into consideration for the obstacle near the own vehicle. Driving assistance can be provided, and the uncomfortable feeling given to the driver can be reduced.
At this time, since the three-dimensional shape of the obstacle is detected in consideration of the shape in the depth direction, for example, even when there is a discontinuous high risk portion in the depth direction, such as a pole for preventing departure. Considering this, the three-dimensional shape can be detected, and the uncomfortable feeling given to the driver can be reduced.

  In the first embodiment, the value of the first coefficient that is multiplied by the margin M corresponding to the vehicle speed V is increased as the height of the obstacle shape having a high collision risk increases. That is, it is estimated that the larger the obstacle shape, in other words, the higher the risk of collision, the smaller the size of the three-dimensional space. Thus, for example, when there is a road step as an obstacle, the higher the step, the greater the margin and the driver's willingness to drive, thus reducing the sense of discomfort given to the driver.

  Further, as the absolute value of the change in height with respect to the change in the length of the obstacle solid shape in the vehicle width direction is increased, the value of the second coefficient multiplied by the margin M corresponding to the vehicle speed V is increased. That is, it is estimated that the greater the change in height with respect to the change in length, the higher the risk of collision. Therefore, for example, when the slope is provided even at the same step, the margin is larger than when the slope is not provided and matches the driver's willingness to drive, so that the uncomfortable feeling given to the driver can be reduced.

Furthermore, when the attribute of each part of the three-dimensional space is pedestrian, bicycle, and motorcycle, the value of the third coefficient is set to 1.5, and when the attribute is a vehicle, the value of the third coefficient is set to 1.2. Sets the third coefficient to 1. That is, the height of the collision risk is estimated based on the attribute of each part. The risk at the time of collision is greatest for humans, followed by vehicles, followed by walls, road surface steps, utility poles, and the like. By estimating the risk of collision based on attributes, it is possible to reduce the uncomfortable feeling given to the driver.
In the first embodiment, the vehicle is controlled to decelerate as it approaches a portion with a high collision risk. In other words, in a driving scene that passes through a narrow space that does not allow a sufficient margin for obstacles with high collision risk, it is possible to perform driving support that matches the driver's willingness to drive by decelerating the vehicle, The uncomfortable feeling given to the driver can be reduced.

Hereinafter, the driving support operation of the first embodiment will be described for each traveling scene.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a driving support action in a driving scene in which the left and right boundaries of the driving path are walls higher than the vehicle height of the own vehicle. In this scene, both the left and right walls are portions where the collision risk is high. The margin for the left wall and the margin for the right wall are the same, and a sufficient margin cannot be obtained for the left and right walls. Therefore, the risk at the time of a collision is reduced by implementing the driving assistance which decelerates the own vehicle.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a driving support operation in a driving scene in which the left boundary of the road is a lane marking (white line) and the right boundary is a wall. In this scene, only the right wall is a part where the collision risk is high. Since the driver can secure a margin for the right wall by moving the vehicle from the center position of the travel path to the left side (the lane marking side), driving assistance for decelerating the vehicle is unnecessary.
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a driving support operation in a driving scene in which the left boundary of the traveling road is lower than the vehicle height of the vehicle and the right boundary is a wall. In this scene, the right wall is on the left side. Since the risk of collision is higher than that of the embankment, even if the driver moves his / her vehicle to the left side from the center position of the road, there is not enough margin for the left and right obstacles. Therefore, the risk at the time of a collision is reduced by implementing the driving assistance which decelerates the own vehicle.

Next, the effect will be described.
The travel control device according to the first embodiment has the following effects.
(1) A three-dimensional space detection unit 11 for detecting a three-dimensional space in front of the traveling path by detecting a traveling path and obstacles in the vehicle width direction and the height direction in front of the own vehicle traveling path, and for the detected three-dimensional space, The collision risk estimation unit 12 that estimates the height of the collision risk for the obstacle of the own vehicle, and the target route of the own vehicle so as to take a distance from the portion where the collision risk is high according to the estimated height of the collision risk A target route calculation unit 13 for calculating, and a driving support unit 14 for providing driving support based on the calculated recommended route are provided.
Therefore, driving support that matches the driver's willingness to drive can be realized, and the feeling of strangeness given to the driver can be reduced.

  (2) The three-dimensional space detection unit 11 detects the three-dimensional shape of the obstacle at the position closest to the subject vehicle where the collision risk is high. Driving assistance can be performed in consideration of discomfort, and the uncomfortable feeling given to the driver can be reduced.

  (3) The three-dimensional space detection unit 11 detects the obstacle three-dimensional shape in consideration of the shape in the depth direction ahead of the host vehicle.For example, it collides discontinuously in the depth direction like a pole for preventing departure. Even when there is a high-risk part, it is possible to detect the three-dimensional shape in consideration of this, and to reduce the uncomfortable feeling given to the driver.

  (4) The collision risk estimation unit 12 estimates that the collision risk is higher as the size of the detected three-dimensional space is smaller.For example, when there is a road step as an obstacle, the margin increases as the step increases. Therefore, since it matches the driver's willingness to drive, the uncomfortable feeling given to the driver can be reduced.

  (5) The collision risk estimation unit 12 estimates that the collision risk is higher as the vehicle width direction distance of the detected three-dimensional space becomes smaller than the height direction distance. In this case, the margin becomes larger than the case where it is not attached, and it matches the driver's willingness to drive, so the feeling of strangeness given to the driver can be reduced.

  (6) The collision risk estimation unit 12 has attribute setting means (step S4) for setting the attribute of each part of the detected three-dimensional space, and estimates the collision risk height based on the set attribute. Although the height of the collision risk changes according to the situation, the uncomfortable feeling given to the driver can be reduced.

  (7) Since the driving support unit 14 includes the deceleration control unit 15 that controls the vehicle to decelerate as it approaches a portion where the estimated collision risk is high, there is a sufficient margin for an obstacle with a high collision risk. In a traveling scene that passes through a narrow space where it cannot be taken, it is possible to provide driving assistance that matches the driver's willingness to drive by decelerating the vehicle, and to reduce the uncomfortable feeling given to the driver.

(Other examples)
As mentioned above, although the form for implementing this invention was demonstrated based on the Example, the concrete structure of this invention is not limited to an Example, The design change of the range which does not deviate from the summary of invention And the like are included in the present invention.
For example, in the first embodiment, an example in which brake control is performed as driving assistance has been described. However, steering control that automatically steers steered wheels so that the vehicle travels on a recommended route may be used in combination.

1 Camera
2 Wheel speed sensor
3 Hydraulic control unit
4 Controller
5 Wheel cylinder
11 3D space detector (3D space detection means)
12 Collision risk estimation unit (collision risk estimation means)
13 Target route calculation unit (recommended route calculation means)
14 Driving support department (driving support means)
15 Deceleration control unit (deceleration control means)
S4 attribute setting method

Claims (7)

A three-dimensional space detecting means for detecting a three-dimensional space in front of the traveling path by detecting a traveling path and an obstacle in the vehicle width direction and the height direction in front of the own vehicle traveling path;
A collision risk estimation means for estimating the height of the collision risk against the obstacle of the own vehicle with respect to the detected three-dimensional space;
A recommended route calculating means for calculating a recommended route of the vehicle so as to take a distance from a portion where the collision risk is high, according to the estimated collision risk,
Driving support means for providing driving support based on the calculated recommended route;
A travel control device comprising: The travel control device according to claim 1,
The three-dimensional space detection means detects a three-dimensional shape of an obstacle at a position closest to the subject vehicle at a high collision risk. In the travel control device according to claim 2,
The three-dimensional space detection means detects a three-dimensional shape of an obstacle in consideration of a shape in the depth direction ahead of the own vehicle. In the travel control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The travel control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collision risk estimation means estimates that the collision risk is higher as the size of the detected three-dimensional space is smaller. In the traveling control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The collision risk estimation means estimates that the collision risk is higher as the vehicle width direction distance of the detected three-dimensional space is smaller than the height direction distance. In the traveling control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The collision risk estimation means has attribute setting means for setting attributes of each part of the detected three-dimensional space,
A travel control device that estimates the height of a collision risk based on a set attribute. The travel control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The driving support means includes a deceleration control means for controlling the vehicle to decelerate as it approaches a portion where the estimated collision risk is high.

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