JP2021009624A - Vehicle control system, vehicle control method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control system capable of activating avoidance control more appropriately by performing avoidance control according to the situation of other lanes, and a vehicle control method and a program.SOLUTION: The vehicle control system includes: a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle that includes the objects that exist around the vehicle; and an operation control unit that controls the speed and steering of the vehicle. The operation control unit is configured so as to, when the recognition unit recognizes that there is congestion in a second lane, which is different from a first lane in which the vehicle is located, change the degree of activation of the avoidance control for the approach of a crossing object recognized by the recognition unit, based on the attribute of the second lane.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to vehicle control devices, vehicle control methods, and programs.

When the congestion status of the adjacent lane adjacent to the own vehicle's lane is determined and it is determined that the adjacent lane is congested, the target vehicle speed of the cruise control control with inter-vehicle distance control is set to a preset low for congestion. A technique relating to a vehicle driving support device for changing a vehicle speed is disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-2009-214838

In the conventional technology, there is not enough consideration for controlling the traveling of the own vehicle including the relationship between the other lanes in a traffic jam and the traveling direction of the own vehicle.

The present invention has been made based on the above-mentioned problem recognition, and is a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, which can activate avoidance control more appropriately by performing avoidance control according to the situation of another lane. And is intended to provide programs.

The vehicle control device, the vehicle control method, and the program according to the present invention have adopted the following configurations.
(1): The vehicle control device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle including an object existing around the vehicle, and a driving control unit that controls the speed and steering of the vehicle. When it is recognized by the recognition unit that congestion is occurring in a second lane different from the first lane in which the vehicle is located, the operation control unit is based on the attributes of the second lane. This is a vehicle control device that changes the degree of activation of avoidance control with respect to the approach of a crossing object recognized by the recognition unit.

(2): In the aspect of (1) above, the operation control unit changes the activation degree of the avoidance control by relaxing or tightening the activation condition of the avoidance control or stopping the activation. Is.

(3): In the embodiment (1) or (2), the operation control unit changes the degree of activation of the avoidance control by increasing or decreasing the control amount of the avoidance control. ..

(4): In the embodiment (2) or (3), when the second lane is an oncoming lane, the driving control unit relaxes the activation condition of the avoidance control or controls the avoidance control amount. Is to increase.

(5): In any one of the above (2) to (4), the driving control unit has the second lane in the same direction as the first lane and the shoulder from the first lane. In the case of a lane on the side, the conditions for invoking the avoidance control are relaxed, or the control amount of the avoidance control is increased.

(6): In any one of the above (2) to (5), the avoidance control includes a preparatory control for approaching the crossing object, and the driving control unit has the second lane. When the lane is in the same direction as the first lane and the lane is on the opposite lane side of the first lane, the activation of the preparatory control is stopped.

(7): In any one of the above (2) to (6), the avoidance control includes a preparatory control for approaching the crossing object, and the driving control unit has the second lane. When the third lane is adjacent to the first lane and the third lane is further outside the second lane, the activation of the preparatory control is stopped.

(8): Further, in the vehicle control method according to one aspect of the present invention, the computer of the vehicle control device recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle including an object existing in the vicinity of the vehicle, and controls the speed and steering of the vehicle. When it is controlled and it is recognized that congestion is occurring in a second lane different from the first lane in which the vehicle is located, avoidance of the recognized crossing object approaching based on the attributes of the second lane. This is a vehicle control method that changes the degree of activation of control.

(9): Further, the program according to one aspect of the present invention causes the computer of the vehicle control device to recognize the surrounding situation of the vehicle including an object existing in the vicinity of the vehicle and control the speed and steering of the vehicle. , When it is recognized that congestion is occurring in the second lane different from the first lane in which the vehicle is located, the avoidance control for the approach of the recognized crossing object is performed based on the attribute of the second lane. It is a program that changes the degree of activation.

According to the above-described aspects (1) to (9), the avoidance control can be activated more appropriately according to the situation of another lane.

It is a block diagram of the vehicle system 1 using the vehicle control device which concerns on embodiment. It is a functional block diagram of the 1st control unit 120 and the 2nd control unit 160. It is a figure which shows an example of the scene where the avoidance control unit 142 which concerns on embodiment raises the degree of activation of avoidance control. It is a figure which shows another example of the scene where the avoidance control unit 142 which concerns on embodiment raises the degree of activation of avoidance control. It is a figure which shows an example of the situation where the avoidance control unit 142 which concerns on embodiment does not raise the degree of activation of avoidance control. It is a figure which shows another example of the situation where the avoidance control unit 142 which concerns on embodiment does not raise the degree of activation of avoidance control. It is a figure which shows still another example of the situation where the avoidance control unit 142 which concerns on embodiment does not raise the degree of activation of avoidance control. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of the process executed by the avoidance control unit 142 which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the hardware composition of the automatic operation control device 100 of an embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, the case where the left-hand traffic regulation is applied will be described, but when the right-hand traffic regulation is applied, the left and right may be read in reverse.

[overall structure]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle system 1 using the vehicle control device according to the embodiment. The vehicle on which the vehicle system 1 is mounted is, for example, a vehicle such as two wheels, three wheels, or four wheels, and the drive source thereof is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination thereof. The electric motor operates by using the power generated by the generator connected to the internal combustion engine or the discharge power of the secondary battery or the fuel cell.

The vehicle system 1 includes, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a finder 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, a vehicle sensor 40, a navigation device 50, and the like. It includes an MPU (Map Positioning Unit) 60, a driving controller 80, an automated driving control device 100, a driving force output device 200, a braking device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and devices are connected to each other by multiplex communication lines such as CAN (Controller Area Network) communication lines, serial communication lines, wireless communication networks, and the like. The configuration shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and a part of the configuration may be omitted or another configuration may be added.

The camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera using a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The camera 10 is attached to an arbitrary position of the vehicle on which the vehicle system 1 is mounted (hereinafter, the own vehicle M). When photographing the front, the camera 10 is attached to the upper part of the front windshield, the back surface of the rearview mirror, and the like. The camera 10 periodically and repeatedly images the periphery of the own vehicle M, for example. The camera 10 may be a stereo camera.

The radar device 12 radiates radio waves such as millimeter waves around the own vehicle M, and also detects radio waves (reflected waves) reflected by the object to detect at least the position (distance and orientation) of the object. The radar device 12 is attached to an arbitrary position of the own vehicle M. The radar device 12 may detect the position and velocity of the object by the FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

The finder 14 is a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). The finder 14 irradiates the periphery of the own vehicle M with light and measures the scattered light. The finder 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time from light emission to light reception. The light to be irradiated is, for example, a pulsed laser beam. The finder 14 is attached to an arbitrary position of the own vehicle M.

The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results of a part or all of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the finder 14, and recognizes the position, type, speed, and the like of the object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition result to the automatic operation control device 100. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the finder 14 to the automatic driving control device 100 as they are. The object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the vehicle system 1.

The communication device 20 communicates with another vehicle existing in the vicinity of the own vehicle M by using, for example, a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), or wirelessly. Communicates with various server devices via the base station.

The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupants of the own vehicle M and accepts input operations by the occupants. The HMI 30 includes various display devices, speakers, buzzers, touch panels, switches, keys and the like.

The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the own vehicle M, an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects the angular velocity around the vertical axis, an orientation sensor that detects the direction of the own vehicle M, and the like.

The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a routing unit 53. The navigation device 50 holds the first map information 54 in a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 identifies the position of the own vehicle M based on the signal received from the GNSS satellite. The position of the own vehicle M may be specified or complemented by an INS (Inertial Navigation System) using the output of the vehicle sensor 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display device, a speaker, a touch panel, keys, and the like. The navigation HMI 52 may be partially or wholly shared with the above-mentioned HMI 30. The route determination unit 53, for example, has a route from the position of the own vehicle M (or an arbitrary position input) specified by the GNSS receiver 51 to the destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 52 (hereinafter, hereafter). The route on the map) is determined with reference to the first map information 54. The first map information 54 is, for example, information in which a road shape is expressed by a link indicating a road and a node connected by the link. The first map information 54 may include road curvature, POI (Point Of Interest) information, and the like. The route on the map is output to MPU60. The navigation device 50 may provide route guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the route on the map. The navigation device 50 may be realized by, for example, the function of a terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal owned by an occupant. The navigation device 50 may transmit the current position and the destination to the navigation server via the communication device 20 and acquire a route equivalent to the route on the map from the navigation server.

The MPU 60 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 61, and holds the second map information 62 in a storage device such as an HDD or a flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 61 divides the route on the map provided by the navigation device 50 into a plurality of blocks (for example, divides the route every 100 [m] with respect to the vehicle traveling direction), and refers to the second map information 62. Determine the recommended lane for each block. The recommended lane determination unit 61 determines which lane to drive from the left. When a branch point exists on the route on the map, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines the recommended lane so that the own vehicle M can travel on a reasonable route to proceed to the branch destination.

The second map information 62 is more accurate map information than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 includes, for example, information on the center of the lane, information on the boundary of the lane, and the like. Further, the second map information 62 may include road information, traffic regulation information, address information (address / zip code), facility information, telephone number information, and the like. The second map information 62 may be updated at any time by the communication device 20 communicating with another device.

The driving controller 80 includes, for example, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a shift lever, a steering wheel, a deformed steering wheel, a joystick, and other controls. A sensor for detecting the amount of operation or the presence or absence of operation is attached to the operation operator 80, and the detection result is the automatic operation control device 100, or the traveling driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device. It is output to a part or all of 220.

The automatic operation control device 100 includes, for example, a first control unit 120 and a second control unit 160. Each of the first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160 is realized by executing a program (software) by a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). In addition, some or all of these components are hardware (circuits) such as LSI (Large Scale Integration), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), and GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). It may be realized by the part (including circuitry), or it may be realized by the cooperation of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device including a non-transient storage medium) such as an HDD or a flash memory of the automatic operation control device 100, or is removable such as a DVD or a CD-ROM. It is stored in a storage medium, and may be installed in the HDD or flash memory of the automatic operation control device 100 by mounting the storage medium (non-transient storage medium) in the drive device. The automatic driving control device 100 is an example of a “vehicle control device”.

FIG. 2 is a functional configuration diagram of the first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160. The first control unit 120 includes, for example, a recognition unit 130 and an action plan generation unit 140. The first control unit 120, for example, realizes a function by AI (Artificial Intelligence) and a function by a model given in advance in parallel. For example, the function of "recognizing an intersection" is executed in parallel with recognition of an intersection by deep learning or the like and recognition based on predetermined conditions (pattern matching signals, road markings, etc.), both of which are executed. It may be realized by scoring against and comprehensively evaluating. This ensures the reliability of autonomous driving. A combination of the action plan generation unit 140 and the second control unit 160 is an example of the “operation control unit”.

The recognition unit 130 determines the position, speed, acceleration, and other states of objects around the own vehicle M based on the information input from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the finder 14 via the object recognition device 16. recognize. The position of the object is recognized as, for example, a position on absolute coordinates with the representative point (center of gravity, center of drive axis, etc.) of the own vehicle M as the origin, and is used for control. The position of the object may be represented by a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the object, or may be represented by a represented area. The "state" of an object may include acceleration or jerk of the object, or "behavioral state" (eg, whether or not the vehicle is changing lanes or is about to change lanes).

Further, the recognition unit 130 recognizes, for example, the lane (traveling lane) in which the own vehicle M is traveling. For example, the recognition unit 130 has a road marking line pattern (for example, an arrangement of a solid line and a broken line) obtained from the second map information 62 and a road marking line around the own vehicle M recognized from the image captured by the camera 10. By comparing with the pattern of, the driving lane is recognized. The recognition unit 130 may recognize the traveling lane by recognizing not only the road marking line but also the running road boundary (road boundary) including the road marking line, the shoulder, the curb, the median strip, the guardrail, and the like. .. In this recognition, the position of the own vehicle M acquired from the navigation device 50 and the processing result by the INS may be added. In addition, the recognition unit 130 recognizes a stop line, an obstacle, a red light, a tollhouse, and other road events.

When recognizing the traveling lane, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the position and posture of the own vehicle M with respect to the traveling lane. The recognition unit 130 determines, for example, the deviation of the reference point of the own vehicle M from the center of the lane and the angle formed by the center of the lane in the traveling direction of the own vehicle M with respect to the relative position of the own vehicle M with respect to the traveling lane. And may be recognized as a posture. Instead, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the position of the reference point of the own vehicle M with respect to any side end portion (road division line or road boundary) of the traveling lane as the relative position of the own vehicle M with respect to the traveling lane. You may. The recognition unit 130 includes, for example, a traffic jam recognition unit 132 and a crossing object recognition unit 134.

The traffic jam recognition unit 132 is a vehicle (hereinafter, another vehicle) existing in another traveling lane (second lane) adjacent to the traveling lane (first lane) in which the own vehicle M exists (running or stopped). Recognize the running state of V). Other traveling lanes include a traveling lane in the same direction as the traveling lane in which the own vehicle M exists, and an oncoming lane in the opposite direction to the traveling lane in which the own vehicle M exists. The traffic jam recognition unit 132 recognizes, for example, the position, speed, acceleration, and the like of another vehicle V existing in the vicinity of the own vehicle M based on the information input by the object recognition device 16. Then, the traffic jam recognition unit 132 recognizes the traffic jam occurring in the other traveling lane based on the result of recognizing the other vehicle V existing in the other traveling lane.

The crossing object recognition unit 134 recognizes an object other than the other vehicle V existing (running or stopped) around the own vehicle M. The crossing object recognition unit 134 recognizes, for example, the position, speed, acceleration, moving direction, and the like of an object other than the other vehicle V existing around the own vehicle M based on the information input by the object recognition device 16. Then, the crossing object recognition unit 134 recognizes the crossing object that is approaching the own vehicle M and is about to cross the front based on the result of recognizing the object. A "crossing object" is an object that may suddenly jump out from between other vehicles that are stopped due to traffic congestion in another traveling lane, such as a pedestrian or a bicycle.

In principle, the action plan generation unit 140 travels in the recommended lane determined by the recommended lane determination unit 61, and the own vehicle M automatically (Automatedly) so as to be able to respond to the surrounding conditions of the own vehicle M. Generate a target track to run in the future. The target trajectory includes, for example, a velocity element. For example, the target track is expressed as a sequence of points (track points) to be reached by the own vehicle M. The track point is a point to be reached by the own vehicle M for each predetermined mileage (for example, about several [m]) along the road, and separately, a predetermined sampling time (for example, about 0 comma [sec]). ), The target velocity and the target acceleration are generated as part of the target trajectory. Further, the track point may be a position to be reached by the own vehicle M at the sampling time for each predetermined sampling time. In this case, the target velocity and target acceleration information is expressed by the interval between the orbital points.

The action plan generation unit 140 may set an event for automatic driving when generating a target trajectory. Autonomous driving events include constant speed driving events, low speed following driving events, lane change events, branching events, merging events, takeover events, and the like. The action plan generation unit 140 generates a target trajectory according to the activated event. The action plan generation unit 140 includes an avoidance control unit 142.

The avoidance control unit 142 performs avoidance control on the crossing object. “Avoidance control” includes preparation control and main avoidance control. The "preparation control" is, for example, a control that prepares the avoidance control so that it can be immediately activated in preparation for a sudden jump of a crossing object from another driving lane side. "Preparatory control" includes reducing (decelerating) the traveling speed of the own vehicle M, traveling on a side away from other traveling lanes that are congested in the current traveling lane, or other congested vehicles. There are driving controls that are performed in advance before this avoidance control is activated, such as changing lanes to the driving lane on the opposite side of the driving lane. "This avoidance control" brakes according to the reduction of the collision margin time TTC (Time To Collision) with a crossing object, such as when a crossing object from another driving lane suddenly pops out. It is a control that avoids by steering.

When the congestion recognition unit 132 recognizes that congestion is occurring in another traveling lane, the avoidance control unit 142 approaches the crossing object based on the attributes of the other traveling lane in which the congestion is occurring. Change the degree of activation of avoidance control for. "Attributes of other driving lanes in which traffic jams occur" means that the driving lane in which the own vehicle M exists and the other driving lanes including the congested driving lane are relative to the entire road. The position of the target. "Changing the degree of activation of the avoidance control" means changing the activation conditions of the avoidance control, such as relaxing the conditions for activating the avoidance control, tightening the conditions, or stopping the activation of the avoidance control. This refers to one or both of changing the control amount in the avoidance control, such as increasing the control amount or decreasing the control amount when performing the avoidance control. “Changing the degree of activation of avoidance control” includes one or both of performing or not performing preparatory control and changing the threshold value and control gain of the collision margin time TTC. For example, the avoidance control unit 142 may suddenly jump out from the other traveling lane side by the crossing object recognition unit 134, for example, between other vehicles V that are stopped due to traffic congestion in another traveling lane. When a certain crossing object is recognized, the degree of activation of avoidance control with respect to the approach of the crossing object is changed to a high degree.

The "change of the degree of activation of the avoidance control" in the avoidance control unit 142 may be performed regardless of whether or not the crossing object recognition unit 134 recognizes the crossing object. For example, the avoidance control unit 142 may perform preparatory control without recognizing the crossing object. This is a control that is activated for a crossing object that is actually recognized, that is, a control that needs to recognize the crossing object. On the other hand, the preparation control is a control that prepares the avoidance control so that it can be activated immediately, that is, prepares in advance when a crossing object is expected to suddenly pop out. This is because it is considered that if it is a control and only the preparatory control is performed, it does not have a great influence on the running of the own vehicle M.

The second control unit 160 sets the traveling driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 so that the own vehicle M passes the target trajectory generated by the action plan generation unit 140 at the scheduled time. Control.

Returning to FIG. 2, the second control unit 160 includes, for example, an acquisition unit 162, a speed control unit 164, and a steering control unit 166. The acquisition unit 162 acquires the information of the target trajectory (orbit point) generated by the action plan generation unit 140 and stores it in a memory (not shown). The speed control unit 164 controls the traveling driving force output device 200 or the braking device 210 based on the speed element associated with the target trajectory stored in the memory. The steering control unit 166 controls the steering device 220 according to the degree of bending of the target trajectory stored in the memory. The processing of the speed control unit 164 and the steering control unit 166 is realized by, for example, a combination of feedforward control and feedback control. As an example, the steering control unit 166 executes a combination of feedforward control according to the curvature of the road in front of the own vehicle M and feedback control based on the deviation from the target trajectory.

The traveling driving force output device 200 outputs a traveling driving force (torque) for traveling the vehicle to the drive wheels. The traveling driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a transmission, and the like, and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls them. The ECU controls the above configuration according to the information input from the second control unit 160 or the information input from the operation operator 80.

The brake device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits flood pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates flood pressure in the cylinder, and a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor according to the information input from the second control unit 160 or the information input from the operation controller 80 so that the brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel. The brake device 210 may include, as a backup, a mechanism for transmitting the oil pressure generated by the operation of the brake pedal included in the operation operator 80 to the cylinder via the master cylinder. The brake device 210 is not limited to the configuration described above, and is an electronically controlled hydraulic brake device that controls an actuator according to information input from the second control unit 160 to transmit the oil pressure of the master cylinder to the cylinder. May be good.

The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor, for example, applies a force to the rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steering wheel. The steering ECU drives the electric motor according to the information input from the second control unit 160 or the information input from the operation controller 80, and changes the direction of the steering wheel.

[Avoidance control for crossing objects]
Hereinafter, the driving control (avoidance control) of the own vehicle M with respect to the approach of the crossing object, which is executed by the avoidance control unit 142, will be described. The avoidance control unit 142 executes avoidance control based on the positional relationship between the traveling lane in which the own vehicle M exists and other traveling lanes including the congested traveling lane.

[Example of a scene where the degree of activation of avoidance control is increased]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a scene in which the avoidance control unit 142 according to the embodiment raises the degree of activation of the avoidance control. FIG. 3 is a first example of a scene in which the degree of activation of avoidance control is increased. FIG. 3 is an example of a scene in which preparatory control is performed when a traffic jam occurs in an oncoming lane on a two-way road with one lane on each side. In such a situation, for example, a pedestrian H walking on the sidewalk on the oncoming lane suddenly crosses the road from between another vehicle V2 and another vehicle V3, which are stopped due to traffic congestion in the oncoming lane. There is a possibility that it will pop out. In this case, the avoidance control unit 142 performs preparatory control so that the avoidance control in the own vehicle M can be immediately activated in response to the recognition of the traffic jam in the oncoming lane by the traffic jam recognition unit 132. FIG. 3 shows an example of the traveling direction Dm when the own vehicle M is decelerated and traveled in the current traveling lane by the preparatory control by the avoidance control unit 142. In this situation, the avoidance control unit 142 may lower the threshold value of the avoidance control as well as the preparatory control.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another example of a scene in which the avoidance control unit 142 according to the embodiment raises the degree of activation of the avoidance control. FIG. 4 is a second example of a scene in which the degree of activation of avoidance control is increased. FIG. 4 shows preparatory control when traffic congestion occurs in another driving lane (hereinafter referred to as an adjacent lane) adjacent to the shoulder side in the same direction as the traveling lane in which the own vehicle M exists on a road having two lanes on each side. This is an example of a scene to be performed. In such a situation, for example, a pedestrian H walking on the sidewalk on the shoulder side suddenly crosses the road from between another vehicle V2 and another vehicle V3, which are stopped due to traffic congestion in the adjacent lane. It may pop out. In this case, the avoidance control unit 142 performs preparatory control in response to the fact that the traffic jam recognition unit 132 recognizes the traffic jam in the adjacent lane on the shoulder side. FIG. 4 shows an example of the traveling direction Dm when the own vehicle M is decelerated by the preparatory control by the avoidance control unit 142 and the vehicle is traveling on a side away from the adjacent lane in the current traveling lane. .. Also in this situation, the avoidance control unit 142 may lower the threshold value of the avoidance control as well as the preparatory control.

[Example of a scene where the degree of activation of avoidance control is not increased]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a scene in which the avoidance control unit 142 according to the embodiment does not increase the degree of activation of the avoidance control. FIG. 5 is a first example of a scene in which the degree of activation of avoidance control is not increased. FIG. 5 is an example of a scene in which a traffic jam occurs in an adjacent lane on the oncoming lane side in the same direction as the traveling lane in which the own vehicle M exists on a road having two lanes on each side, but preparatory control is not performed. In such a situation, for example, a pedestrian H walking on the sidewalk on the oncoming lane crosses the oncoming lane regardless of whether the oncoming lane is congested or not, and then crosses the oncoming lane and then the adjacent lane on the oncoming lane. It is unlikely that the vehicle will suddenly jump out from between other vehicles that are stopped due to traffic congestion. Therefore, the avoidance control unit 142 continues the current travel control without performing the preparatory control. FIG. 5 shows an example of the traveling direction Dm when the avoidance control unit 142 does not perform preparatory control such as deceleration and continues the current traveling control. In this scene as well, the avoidance control unit 142 performs the avoidance control. However, the avoidance control unit 142 may raise the threshold value of the avoidance control to suppress false detection of a crossing object.

In a situation where the own vehicle M is in the middle lane on a road with three lanes on each side and congestion occurs in the adjacent lane on the oncoming lane, the avoidance control unit 142 moves to the lane on the shoulder side. After making changes, preparatory control may be performed so that the vehicle travels without decelerating.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of a situation in which the avoidance control unit 142 according to the embodiment does not increase the degree of activation of the avoidance control. FIG. 6 is a second example of a scene in which the degree of activation of avoidance control is not increased. In FIG. 6, on a road with three lanes on each side, the own vehicle M exists in the traveling lane on the oncoming lane side, and congestion occurs in the middle adjacent lane adjacent to the shoulder side in the same direction as the traveling lane in which the own vehicle M exists. However, this is an example of a situation in which preparatory control is not performed because there is an additional lane on the outside of the adjacent lane in the middle, that is, on the shoulder side of the road. In such a situation, for example, a pedestrian H walking on the sidewalk on the shoulder side crosses two lanes regardless of whether or not the driving lane closest to the road shoulder side is congested. , It is unlikely that the vehicle will suddenly jump out from between other vehicles that are stopped due to traffic congestion in the adjacent lane in the middle. Therefore, the avoidance control unit 142 continues the current travel control without performing the preparatory control. FIG. 6 shows an example of the traveling direction Dm when the avoidance control unit 142 does not perform preparatory control such as deceleration and continues the current traveling control (traveling in the traveling lane on the oncoming lane side). Since the avoidance control unit 142 also performs the avoidance control in this scene, the threshold value of the avoidance control may be raised to suppress erroneous detection of a crossing object.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing still another example of a scene in which the avoidance control unit 142 according to the embodiment does not increase the degree of activation of the avoidance control. FIG. 7 is a second example of a scene in which the degree of activation of avoidance control is not increased. In FIG. 7, on a road with three lanes on each side, the own vehicle M exists in the traveling lane on the shoulder side, and congestion occurs in the middle adjacent lane adjacent to the oncoming lane in the same direction as the traveling lane in which the own vehicle M exists. However, this is an example of a situation in which preparatory control is not performed because there is an additional driving lane on the outside of the adjacent lane in the middle, that is, on the oncoming lane side. In such a situation, for example, pedestrian H walking on the sidewalk on the oncoming lane side may or may not be congested in the oncoming lane or the traveling lane closest to the adjacent lane on the oncoming lane side. It is unlikely that the vehicle will suddenly jump out from between other vehicles that are stopped due to congestion in the adjacent lane in the middle across the oncoming lane and the driving lanes of two lanes in the same direction. Therefore, the avoidance control unit 142 continues the current travel control without performing the preparatory control. FIG. 7 shows an example of the traveling direction Dm when the avoidance control unit 142 does not perform preparatory control such as deceleration and continues the current traveling control (traveling in the traveling lane on the shoulder side). Since the avoidance control unit 142 also performs the avoidance control in this scene, the threshold value of the avoidance control may be raised to suppress erroneous detection of a crossing object.

[Processing flow]
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing flow executed by the avoidance control unit 142 according to the embodiment. The processing of this flowchart is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals in which information is input to the recognition unit 130 from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the finder 14 via the object recognition device 16. In the following description, information indicating whether or not traffic congestion has occurred in another traveling lane recognized by the traffic jam recognition unit 132 based on the information input by the object recognition device 16 and the crossing object recognition unit 134 recognizes the information. It is assumed that the information indicating whether or not there is a crossing object approaching the own vehicle M and trying to cross the front is sequentially input to the avoidance control unit 142. In other words, it is assumed that the avoidance control unit 142 sequentially grasps the situation of other traveling lanes and the presence / absence of a crossing object.

First, the avoidance control unit 142 determines whether or not the traffic jam recognition unit 132 has recognized that a traffic jam has occurred in another traveling lane (step S100). If it is determined in step S100 that there is no congestion in the other traveling lane, the avoidance control unit 142 proceeds to step S160.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S100 that the other traveling lane is congested, the avoidance control unit 142 determines whether or not the other traveling lane in which the congestion is occurring is an adjacent lane ( Step S110). If it is determined in step S110 that the traveling lane in which the traffic jam is occurring is not an adjacent lane, the avoidance control unit 142 proceeds to step S160.

When it is determined in step S110 that the traveling lane in which the traffic jam is occurring is an adjacent lane, the avoidance control unit 142 moves the avoidance control unit 142 to the outside of the adjacent lane, that is, to the side away from the own vehicle M. It is determined whether or not there is (third lane) (step S120). In step S120, when it is determined that there is another traveling lane outside the adjacent lane in which the traffic jam is occurring (see, for example, FIGS. 6 and 7), the avoidance control unit 142 processes the process in step S160. Proceed.

On the other hand, in step S120, when it is determined that there is no other traveling lane outside the adjacent lane where the traffic jam is occurring, the avoidance control unit 142 determines that the adjacent lane where the traffic jam is occurring is the oncoming lane. Whether or not it is determined (step S130). If it is determined in step S130 that the adjacent lane in which the traffic jam is occurring is the oncoming lane (see, for example, FIG. 3), the avoidance control unit 142 proceeds to step S150.

On the other hand, in step S130, it is determined that the adjacent lane in which the congestion is occurring is not the oncoming lane, in other words, the adjacent lane in which the congestion is occurring is the traveling lane in the same direction as the traveling lane in which the own vehicle M exists. If so, the avoidance control unit 142 determines whether or not the adjacent lane in which the congestion is occurring is the traveling lane on the shoulder side of the traveling lane in which the own vehicle M exists (step S140). In step S140, when it is determined that the adjacent lane in which the traffic jam is occurring is not the traveling lane on the shoulder side, in other words, the adjacent lane in which the congestion is occurring is the traveling lane on the oncoming lane side (for example, FIG. 5). (See), the avoidance control unit 142 advances the process to step S160.

On the other hand, in step S130, when it is determined that the adjacent lane in which the traffic jam is occurring is the oncoming lane, or in step S140, it is determined that the adjacent lane in which the traffic jam is occurring is the traveling lane on the shoulder side ( For example, (see FIG. 4), the avoidance control unit 142 increases the degree of activation of the avoidance control to control the traveling of the own vehicle M (step S150). Then, the avoidance control unit 142 ends the processing of one routine of this flowchart.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S100 that no congestion has occurred in another traveling lane, if it is determined in step S110 that the traveling lane in which congestion has occurred is not an adjacent lane, there is congestion in step S120. Avoid if it is determined that there is another driving lane outside the adjacent lane in which the traffic jam is occurring, or if it is determined in step S140 that the adjacent lane in which the traffic jam is occurring is not the driving lane on the shoulder side. The control unit 142 controls the traveling of the own vehicle M without performing preparatory control (without increasing the degree of activation of avoidance control) (step S160). That is, the avoidance control unit 142 continues the current operation control. Then, the avoidance control unit 142 ends the processing of one routine of this flowchart.

As described above, according to the automatic driving control device 100 of the embodiment, the recognition unit 130 (recognizing the surrounding situation of the own vehicle M including the objects (other vehicle V and the crossing object) existing around the own vehicle M) More specifically, it includes a congestion recognition unit 132) and an operation control unit (140, 160) that controls the speed and steering of the own vehicle M, and the operation control unit has the own vehicle M by the recognition unit 130. When it is recognized that congestion is occurring in another driving lane (second lane) different from the driving lane (first lane), the recognition unit 130 (more specifically) is based on the attributes of the second lane. In order to change the degree of activation of the avoidance control with respect to the approach of the crossing object recognized by the crossing object recognition unit 134), the avoidance control (including the preparatory control) can be activated more appropriately.

In the automatic driving control device 100 of the embodiment, a case where the degree of activation of avoidance control (including preparation control) for a crossing object is changed has been described. However, the object to be evasively controlled (including the preparatory control) in the own vehicle M may be an object other than the crossing object. For example, it is conceivable that another vehicle V, which is stopped in a congested traveling lane, suddenly changes lanes and enters the traveling lane in which the own vehicle M exists. However, the control (change) of the activation of the avoidance control (including the preparatory control) in this case can be easily understood by considering the same as the control for changing the activation degree of the avoidance control for the crossing object described above. Therefore, detailed description of the process of changing the degree of activation of the avoidance control performed by the avoidance control unit 142 in this case will be omitted.

[Hardware configuration]
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the automatic operation control device 100 of the embodiment. As shown in the figure, the automatic operation control device 100 includes a communication controller 100-1, a CPU 100-2, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 100-3 used as a working memory, a ROM (Read Only Memory) for storing a boot program, and the like. The configuration is such that 100-4, storage devices 100-5 such as flash memory and HDD (Hard Disk Drive), drive devices 100-6, and the like are connected to each other by an internal bus or a dedicated communication line. The communication controller 100-1 communicates with a component other than the automatic operation control device 100. The storage device 100-5 stores a program 100-5a executed by the CPU 100-2. This program is expanded into RAM 100-3 by a DMA (Direct Memory Access) controller (not shown) or the like, and is executed by CPU 100-2. As a result, a part or all of the first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160, more specifically, the traffic jam recognition unit 132, the crossing object recognition unit 134, and the avoidance control unit 142 are realized.

The embodiment described above can be expressed as follows.
A storage device that stores programs and
With a hardware processor,
When the hardware processor executes a program stored in the storage device,
Recognize the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, including objects existing around the vehicle,
Control the speed and steering of the vehicle
When it is recognized that a traffic jam is occurring in a second lane different from the first lane in which the vehicle is located, the avoidance control for the approach of the recognized crossing object is activated based on the attribute of the second lane. Change the degree,
A vehicle control device that is configured to.

Although the embodiments for carrying out the present invention have been described above using the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions are made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Can be added.

1 ... Vehicle system 10 ... Camera 12 ... Radar device 14 ... Finder 16 ... Object recognition device 20 ... Communication device 30 ... HMI
40 ... Vehicle sensor 50 ... Navigation device 51 ... GNSS receiver 52 ... Navigation HMI
53 ... Route determination unit 54 ... First map information 60 ... MPU
61 ... Recommended lane determination unit 62 ... Second map information 80 ... Driving operator 100 ... Automatic driving control device 120 ... First control unit 130 ... Recognition unit 132 ... Congestion Recognition unit 134 ... Crossing object recognition unit 140 ... Action plan generation unit 142 ... Avoidance control unit 160 ... Second control unit 162 ... Acquisition unit 164 ... Speed control unit 166 ... Steering control unit 200 ... Driving driving force output device 210 ... Brake device 220 ... Steering device M ... Own vehicle V ... Other vehicle

Claims (9)

A recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, including objects existing around the vehicle,
A driving control unit that controls the speed and steering of the vehicle is provided.
When the recognition unit recognizes that congestion is occurring in a second lane different from the first lane in which the vehicle is located, the operation control unit recognizes the vehicle based on the attributes of the second lane. Change the degree of activation of avoidance control for the approach of a crossing object recognized by the unit,
Vehicle control device. The operation control unit changes the degree of activation of the avoidance control by relaxing or tightening the activation condition of the avoidance control, or by stopping the activation.
The vehicle control device according to claim 1. The operation control unit changes the degree of activation of the avoidance control by increasing or decreasing the control amount of the avoidance control.
The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2. When the second lane is an oncoming lane, the driving control unit relaxes the triggering condition of the avoidance control or increases the control amount of the avoidance control.
The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3. When the second lane is a lane in the same direction as the first lane and the lane is on the shoulder side of the first lane, the driving control unit relaxes the activation condition of the avoidance control or avoids the avoidance control. Increase the control amount of control,
The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 2 to 4. The avoidance control includes a preparatory control for approaching the crossing object.
When the second lane is a lane in the same direction as the first lane and the lane is on the opposite lane side from the first lane, the driving control unit stops the activation of the preparatory control.
The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 2 to 5. The avoidance control includes a preparatory control for approaching the crossing object.
When the second lane is adjacent to the first lane and the third lane is further outside the second lane, the operation control unit stops the activation of the preparatory control.
The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 2 to 6. The computer of the vehicle control device
Recognize the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, including objects existing around the vehicle,
Control the speed and steering of the vehicle
When it is recognized that a traffic jam is occurring in a second lane different from the first lane in which the vehicle is located, the avoidance control for the approach of the recognized crossing object is activated based on the attribute of the second lane. Change the degree,
Vehicle control method. On the computer of the vehicle control device,
Recognize the surrounding situation of the vehicle including objects existing around the vehicle.
Control the speed and steering of the vehicle
When it is recognized that a traffic jam is occurring in a second lane different from the first lane in which the vehicle is located, the avoidance control for the approach of the recognized crossing object is activated based on the attribute of the second lane. Change the degree,
program.

Images