JP2022059496A - Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program each of which enables materialization of smoother traveling control in a junction section.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device comprises: a recognition unit 130 recognizing a road condition in the periphery of an own vehicle, and a travel state of other vehicles traveling on a main track when the own vehicle travels on a junction traffic lane; a junction determination unit 142 determining whether the own vehicle can join the main track on the basis of a recognition result of the recognition unit 130; and a travel control unit 144 making the own vehicle join the main track, if the junction determination unit 142 determines that the own vehicle can join the main track. The junction determination unit 142 determines that the own vehicle can join the main track, in the case that a positional relationship between the own vehicle and other vehicles in a traveling direction of the main track satisfies a first condition, and a positional relationship between the own vehicle and other vehicles in a side direction of the main track satisfies a second condition.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program.

In recent years, research has been conducted on automatically controlling the running of vehicles. In this connection, the merging of the own vehicle into the main line is based on the ratio of the length of the merging possible section at the merging point from the branch line to the main line and the mileage traveled by the own vehicle from the branch line to the main line. There is known a technique for causing a vehicle to travel from a branch line to a main line when it is determined whether or not it is possible to merge (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

International Publication No. 2017/159493

In the conventional technology, the traveling control in the confluence section is performed mainly based on the distance information regarding the traveling direction of the own vehicle, but the traveling control using the information regarding the lateral direction between the own vehicle and another vehicle is considered. It wasn't done. Therefore, there is a possibility that sufficiently smooth running control cannot be realized in the merging section.

Aspects of the present invention have been made in consideration of such circumstances, and provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program capable of realizing smoother traveling control in a confluence section. The purpose.

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 recognizes the road condition around the own vehicle and the traveling state of another vehicle traveling on the main lane when the own vehicle is traveling in the merging lane. Based on the recognition result of the recognition unit, the merging determination unit for determining whether or not the own vehicle can merge with the main line, and the merging determination unit can merge with the main line. A traveling control unit for merging the own vehicle with the main line when it is determined to be present is provided, and the merging determination unit has a positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the traveling direction of the main line. When one condition is satisfied and the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the lateral direction of the main line satisfies the second condition, it is determined that the own vehicle can join the main line. It is a vehicle control device.

(2): In the aspect of the above (1), the first condition includes the presence of another vehicle having a margin in the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the traveling direction of a predetermined value or more. The second condition includes that the margin in the lateral positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle is not more than a predetermined value.

(3): In the embodiment (1) or (2), the merging determination unit determines a position where the own vehicle merges with the main lane based on the speed limit of the merging lane.

(4): In any one of the above (1) to (3), the traveling control unit causes the own vehicle to enter in front of another vehicle satisfying the first condition and the second condition. It executes control.

(5): In any one of the above (1) to (4), the recognition unit recognizes the end point of the merging section, and the travel control unit is located at a point predetermined distance before the end point. When the own vehicle arrives, the steering control for merging the own vehicle with the main line is started.

(6): In the embodiment of (5) above, when the main line does not have a region where the own vehicle merges, the driving control unit causes the own vehicle to move from the center of the merge lane by the steering control. It is closer to the main line side.

(7): The vehicle control device according to one aspect of the present invention has a recognition unit that recognizes the road condition around the own vehicle and the running state of another vehicle that joins the main line on which the own vehicle travels, and the recognition. Based on the recognition result of the unit, it is determined that the merging determination unit for determining whether or not the other vehicle can merge with the main line and the merging determination unit can merge the other vehicle with the main line. When this is done, a travel control unit that executes travel control based on the behavior of the other vehicle is provided, and the merging determination unit has the first condition that the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the traveling direction is the first condition. It is a vehicle control device that determines that the other vehicle can join the main line when the condition is satisfied and the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the lateral direction satisfies the second condition.

(8): In the vehicle control method according to one aspect of the present invention, the computer uses the road condition around the own vehicle and the traveling state of another vehicle traveling on the main lane when the own vehicle is traveling in the merging lane. Based on the recognized result, it is determined whether or not the own vehicle can join the main line, and when it is determined that the own vehicle can join the main line, the own vehicle is referred to the said vehicle. The positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the traveling direction of the main line satisfies the first condition, and the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the lateral direction of the main line is the first. This is a vehicle control method for determining that the own vehicle can join the main line when the two conditions are satisfied.

(9): The program according to one aspect of the present invention tells a computer the road conditions around the own vehicle and the running state of another vehicle traveling on the main lane when the own vehicle is traveling in the merging lane. It is recognized, and based on the recognized result, it is determined whether or not the own vehicle can join the main line, and when it is determined that the own vehicle can join the main line, the own vehicle is referred to the main line. The positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the traveling direction of the main line satisfies the first condition, and the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the lateral direction of the main line is the second. This is a program for determining that the own vehicle can join the main line when the conditions are satisfied.

According to the above aspects (1) to (9), smoother traveling control can be realized in the merging section.

It is a block diagram of the vehicle system 1 including 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 for demonstrating the traveling control in the confluence section in the 1st scene. It is a figure for demonstrating the 1st determination process by a merging determination unit 142. It is a figure for demonstrating the 2nd determination process by the merging determination unit 142. It is a figure for demonstrating the traveling control by the traveling control unit 144. It is a figure for demonstrating the traveling control in the confluence section in the 2nd scene. It is a figure for demonstrating the determination process in the 2nd scene. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of the process executed by the automatic operation control apparatus 100 of an embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the modification of the traveling control which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the determination process in the modification. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of the process executed by the automatic operation control device 100 in the modification. 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. Hereinafter, as an example, an embodiment in which the vehicle control device is applied to an autonomous driving vehicle will be described. The automatic driving is, for example, automatically controlling one or both of the steering or the speed of the vehicle to execute the driving control. The vehicle operation control described above may include various operation controls such as ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), ALC (Auto Lane Changing), and LKAS (Lane Keeping Assistance System). The driving of the self-driving vehicle may be controlled by the manual driving of the occupant (driver).

[overall structure]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle system 1 including a vehicle control device according to an embodiment. The vehicle on which the vehicle system 1 is mounted (hereinafter referred to as the own vehicle M) is, for example, a vehicle such as a two-wheeled vehicle, a three-wheeled vehicle, or a four-wheeled vehicle, and its drive source is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or the like. Alternatively, it is a combination of these. The electric motor operates by using the power generated by the generator connected to the internal combustion engine or the discharge power of a battery (storage battery) such as a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

The vehicle system 1 includes, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, and a vehicle sensor 40. , A navigation device 50, an MPU (Map Positioning Unit) 60, a driving controller 80, an automatic driving control device 100, a traveling driving force output device 200, a braking device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and devices are connected to each other by a multiplex communication line such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, a serial communication line, a wireless communication network, or 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 automatic driving control device 100 is an example of a “vehicle control device”. A combination of the camera 10, the radar device 12, the LIDAR 14, and the object recognition device 16 is an example of the "outside world sensor". The HMI 30 is an example of an “output unit”.

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 own vehicle M on which the vehicle system 1 is mounted. When photographing the front, the camera 10 is attached to the upper part of the front windshield, the back surface of the rear-view mirror, the front head of the vehicle body, and the like. When photographing the rear, the camera 10 is attached to the upper part of the rear windshield, the back door, or the like. When taking a side image, the camera 10 is attached to a door mirror or 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 surrounding objects to detect at least the position (distance and orientation) of the objects. 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 LIDAR 14 irradiates the periphery of the own vehicle M with light and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time from light emission to light reception. The emitted light is, for example, a pulsed laser beam. The LIDAR 14 is attached to an arbitrary position on 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 LIDAR 14, and recognizes the position, type, speed, and the like of the objects around the own vehicle M. do. Objects include, for example, other vehicles (for example, peripheral vehicles existing within a predetermined distance), pedestrians, bicycles, road structures, and the like. Road structures include, for example, road signs, traffic lights, railroad crossings, curbs, medians, guardrails, fences and the like. Further, the road structure may include, for example, a road sign (hereinafter referred to as a pedestrian crossing) drawn or affixed to the road surface, a pedestrian crossing, a bicycle crossing zone, a stop line, or the like. Further, the object may include an obstacle such as a falling object on the road (for example, a load of another vehicle or a signboard installed around the road). 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 LIDAR 14 to the automatic driving control device 100 as they are. In that case, the object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the configuration of the vehicle system 1 or the external sensor. Further, the object recognition device 16 may be included in the automatic driving control device 100.

The communication device 20 uses, for example, a network such as a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (WiDe Area Network), and the Internet. For example, it communicates with another vehicle existing in the vicinity of the own vehicle M, a terminal device of a user who uses the own vehicle M, or various server devices.

The HMI 30 outputs various information to the occupants of the own vehicle M and accepts input operations by the occupants. The HMI 30 includes, for example, various display devices, speakers, buzzers, touch panels, switches, keys, microphones, and the like. Further, the HMI 30 may include an operation changeover switch or the like that mutually switches between automatic operation and manual operation by an occupant.

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 yaw rate (for example, the rotational angular velocity around the vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the own vehicle M), and the own vehicle. Includes an orientation sensor or the like that detects the direction of M. Further, the vehicle sensor 40 may be provided with a position sensor that detects the position of the own vehicle M. The position sensor is, for example, a sensor that acquires position information (longitude / latitude information) from a GPS (Global Positioning System) device. Further, the position sensor may be a sensor that acquires position information by using the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51 of the navigation device 50. The result detected by the vehicle sensor 40 is output to the automatic driving control device 100.

The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS 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 GNSS receiver 51 may be provided in the vehicle sensor 40. 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,). 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 the road shape is expressed by a link indicating a road in a predetermined section and a node connected by the link. The first map information 54 may include 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 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 navigation device 50 outputs the determined route on the map to the MPU 60.

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 into 100 [m] units 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, for example, which lane from the left to drive. 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 map information with higher accuracy than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 includes, for example, information on the road shape and the road structure. The road shape includes, for example, the number of lanes, the radius of curvature (or curvature) of the road, the width, the slope, and the like, as road shapes that are more detailed than the first map information 54. The above information may be stored in the first map information 54. The information regarding the road structure may include information such as the type and position of the road structure, the orientation with respect to the extension direction of the road, the size, the shape, and the color. In the type of road structure, for example, the lane marking may be one type, and the lane mark, the curb, the median strip, etc. belonging to the lane marking may be different types. Further, the type of the lane marking may include, for example, a lane marking indicating that the lane can be changed and a lane marking indicating that the lane change is not possible. The type of the lane marking may be set for each section of the road or lane based on the link, for example, or a plurality of types may be set in one link.

Further, the second map information 62 may include location information (latitude / longitude) of roads and buildings, address information (address / zip code), facility information, and the like. The second map information 62 may be updated at any time by the communication device 20 communicating with the external device. The first map information 54 and the second map information 62 may be provided integrally as map information. Further, the map information (first map information 54 and second map information 62) may be stored in the storage unit 190.

The driving controller 80 includes, for example, a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal, and a brake pedal. Further, the operation operator 80 may include a shift lever, a deformed steer, a joystick and other operators. Each operator of the operation operator 80 is attached with, for example, an operation detection unit that detects the operation amount or the presence / absence of the operation of the operator by the occupant. The operation detection unit detects, for example, the steering angle and steering torque of the steering wheel, the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal, and the like. Then, the operation detection unit outputs the detection result to one or both of the automatic driving control device 100, the traveling driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220.

The automatic operation control device 100 includes, for example, a first control unit 120, a second control unit 160, an HMI control unit 180, and a storage unit 190. The first control unit 120, the second control unit 160, and the HMI control unit 180 are each 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), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc. It may be realized by the part; including circuitry), or it may be realized by the cooperation of software and hardware. The above-mentioned 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 a DVD, a CD-ROM, or a memory card. It is stored in a detachable storage medium such as, etc., and even if the storage medium (non-transient storage medium) is installed in the storage device of the automatic operation control device 100 by being installed in a drive device, a card slot, or the like. good. A combination of the action plan generation unit 140 and the second control unit 160 is an example of the “operation control unit”. The HMI control unit 180 is an example of an “output control unit”.

The storage unit 190 may be realized by the above-mentioned various storage devices, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), or the like. The storage unit 190 stores, for example, information necessary for executing the merging control in the present embodiment, various other information, a program, and the like. Further, the storage unit 190 may store map information (first map information 54, second map information 62).

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 the recognition of an intersection by deep learning and the like, and the recognition based on a predetermined condition (there is a signal that can be pattern matched, a road sign, etc.). It may be realized by scoring and comprehensively evaluating. This ensures the reliability of autonomous driving. Further, the first control unit 120 executes control related to automatic driving of the own vehicle M based on instructions from, for example, the MPU 60, the HMI control unit 180, and the like.

The recognition unit 130 recognizes the surrounding situation of the own vehicle M based on the recognition result of the outside world sensor (information input from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 via the object recognition device 16). For example, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the type, position, speed, acceleration, and the like of the own vehicle M and the objects existing around the own vehicle M. The type of the object may be, for example, a type such as whether the object is a vehicle or a pedestrian, or a type for identifying each vehicle. The position of the object is recognized as, for example, the position of the absolute coordinate system (hereinafter referred to as the vehicle coordinate system) with the representative point (center of gravity, drive axis center, 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 corner of the object, the tip end portion in the traveling direction, or may be represented by a represented region. The speeds include, for example, the speeds of the own vehicle M and other vehicles with respect to the traveling direction (longitudinal direction) of the traveling lane (hereinafter referred to as vertical speeds), and the speeds of the own vehicle M and other vehicles with respect to the lateral direction of the lane (hereinafter referred to as vertical speeds). , Lateral speed) and included. The "state" of an object is, for example, whether the object is an acceleration or jerk of the object, or a "behavioral state" (for example, changing lanes or trying to change lanes) when the object is a moving object such as another vehicle. ) May be included.

Further, the recognition unit 130 includes, for example, a road situation recognition unit 132 and another vehicle recognition unit 134. Details of these functions will be described later.

The action plan generation unit 140 generates an action plan for driving the own vehicle M by running control such as automatic driving based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 130. For example, the action plan generation unit 140 travels in the recommended lane determined by the recommended lane determination unit 61 in principle, and further, at the current position of the own vehicle M acquired from the recognition result by the recognition unit 130 or the map information. Based on the surrounding road shape and the like, the own vehicle M automatically generates a target track to be traveled in the future (regardless of the driver's operation) so as to be able to respond to the surrounding conditions of the own vehicle M. The target trajectory contains, for example, a velocity element. For example, the target track is expressed as an arrangement of points (track points) to be reached by the own vehicle M in order. 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, for a predetermined sampling time (for example, about 0 comma number [sec]). ) Target velocity (and target acceleration) is 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 distance between the orbital points.

The action plan generation unit 140 may set an event for automatic driving when generating a target trajectory. The event includes, for example, a constant-speed traveling event in which the own vehicle M travels in the same lane at a constant speed, exists within a predetermined distance (for example, within 100 [m]) in front of the own vehicle M, and is the most in the own vehicle M. A follow-up driving event that causes the own vehicle M to follow another nearby vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a vehicle in front), a lane change event that causes the own vehicle M to change lanes from its own lane to an adjacent lane, and the purpose of the own vehicle M at a road junction. It includes a branching event for branching to the lane on the ground side, a merging event for merging the own vehicle M with the main lane at the merging point, a takeover event for ending automatic driving and switching to manual driving, and the like. In addition, the event includes, for example, an overtaking event in which the own vehicle M is temporarily changed to an adjacent lane, overtakes the vehicle in front, and then changes to the original lane again, or an object existing in front of the own vehicle M. An avoidance event or the like that causes the own vehicle M to perform at least one of braking and steering in order to avoid contact may be included.

Further, the action plan generation unit 140 may change an event already determined for the current section to another event, or change the event already determined for the current section, to another event, for example, according to the surrounding situation of the own vehicle M recognized when the own vehicle M is traveling. A new event may be set for the section of. Further, the action plan generation unit 140 changes the event already set for the current section to another event or sets a new event for the current section according to the operation of the occupant to the HMI 30. You may do it. The action plan generation unit 140 generates a target trajectory according to the set event.

Further, the action plan generation unit 140 includes, for example, a merging determination unit 142 and a travel control unit 144. Details of these functions will be described later.

The second control unit 160 sets the traveling driving force output device 200, the brake 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.

The second control unit 160 includes, for example, a target trajectory acquisition unit 162, a speed control unit 164, and a steering control unit 166. The target trajectory acquisition unit 162 acquires information on 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 brake 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 feedforward control according to the radius of curvature (or curvature) of the road in front of the own vehicle M in combination with feedback control based on the deviation from the target track.

The HMI control unit 180 notifies the occupant of predetermined information by the HMI 30. The predetermined information includes, for example, information related to the running of the own vehicle M, such as information regarding the state of the own vehicle M and information regarding driving control. The information regarding the state of the own vehicle M includes, for example, the speed of the own vehicle M, the engine speed, the shift position, and the like. In addition, the information related to the operation control includes, for example, whether or not the operation control is executed by the automatic operation, information inquiring whether or not to start the automatic operation, information about the change of the operation control, and the status of the operation control by the automatic operation (for example,). Information about the content of the event being executed) is included. Information regarding changes in driving control includes, for example, information indicating a change in the degree of automation, information indicating a point of change, and information requiring the driver to perform part or all of the driving operation in connection with the change. .. Further, the predetermined information may include information not related to the traveling control of the own vehicle M such as contents (for example, a movie) stored in a storage medium such as a television program or a DVD. Further, the predetermined information may include, for example, information on the current position and destination of the own vehicle M and the remaining amount of fuel.

For example, the HMI control unit 180 may generate an image including the above-mentioned predetermined information and display the generated image on the display device of the HMI 30. The HMI control unit 180 may generate a voice indicating the predetermined information and use the generated voice as the HMI 30. It may be output from the speaker of. Further, the HMI control unit 180 may output the information received by the HMI 30 to the communication device 20, the navigation device 50, the first control unit 120, and the like. Further, the HMI control unit 180 may transmit various information to be output to the HMI 30 to the terminal device used by the user (occupant) of the own vehicle M via the communication device 20. The terminal device is, for example, a smartphone or a tablet terminal.

The traveling driving force output device 200 outputs a traveling driving force (torque) for the own vehicle M to travel to the drive wheels. The traveling driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, a 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 accelerator pedal of the operation controller 80.

The brake device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic 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 brake pedal of the operation controller 80 so that the brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel. To. The brake device 210 may include a mechanism for transmitting the hydraulic pressure generated by the operation of the brake pedal to the cylinder via the master cylinder as a backup. The brake device 210 is not limited to the configuration described above, and is an electronically controlled hydraulic brake device that controls the actuator according to the information input from the second control unit 160 to transmit the hydraulic 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, exerts a force on 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 steering wheel of the driving controller 80, and changes the direction of the steering wheel.

[Functions of road situational awareness unit, other vehicle recognition unit, merge determination unit, and driving control unit]
Hereinafter, the functions of the road condition recognition unit 132, the other vehicle recognition unit 134, the merging determination unit 142, and the travel control unit 144 according to the embodiment will be described in detail. In the following, traveling control in and around the confluence section will be described in several situations.

<First scene>
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining travel control in the confluence section in the first scene. In the following description, it is assumed that the X direction is substantially the traveling direction of the road (vertical direction of the road), and the Y direction is substantially the width direction of the road (horizontal direction of the road). When the vehicle is traveling along the lane, the X direction is substantially the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the Y direction is substantially the vehicle width direction (lateral direction of the vehicle).

FIG. 3 includes lanes L1 to L3. The lane L1 is a merging lane that merges from the left side with respect to the traveling direction of the lane L2. Lanes L2 and L3 are main lines extending along the arrows in the illustrated traveling direction (X direction). Further, lane L2 is a merging lane. The own vehicle M is, for example, automatically driven along a route to a destination set by the navigation device 50, and is traveling in the lane L1 toward a merging section at a speed of Vm. The merging section is a section in which the lane L1 and the lane L2 are connected, and is, for example, a section of a distance D1 from a point (start point) P1 to a point (end point) P2 in the lanes L1 to L3. The point P1 is, for example, the end point of the zebra zone (guide zone) Z1 existing between the lane L1 and the lane L2 when viewed from the traveling direction of the lane L1 and the lane L2. Further, the point P1 may be any point in the zebra zone Z1. Further, the point P2 is, for example, a point in front of the end of the lane L1 by a predetermined distance. The predetermined distance here includes at least the distance required for a vehicle traveling in the lane L1 to join the lane L2. Further, in the example of FIG. 3, in the section where the lane L1 and the lane L2 are separated (hereinafter referred to as “separated section”), the compartments OB1 to OB2 are provided between the lane L1 and the lane L2. ing. The compartments OB1 and OB2 are road structures such as walls, fences, medians, etc., on which vehicles cannot travel. In the example of FIG. 3, the compartment OB1 recognizes a vehicle existing in one lane (for example, lane L2) and a vehicle existing in the other lane (for example, lane L1) sandwiching the compartment OB1. It is a road structure such as a wall or a wall that cannot be recognized by the vehicle. Further, the compartment OB2 is a median strip or the like that can be recognized by the recognition unit 130 from a vehicle existing in one lane to a vehicle existing in the other lane beyond the compartment OB2. Further, in the example of FIG. 3, it is assumed that the other vehicle m1 is at the head of the lane L2, and the other vehicles m2 and m3 are traveling in this order at speeds Vm1 to Vm3, respectively. Further, 10 [m], 0 [m], and −10 [m] shown in FIG. 3 indicate the distance of each vehicle from a predetermined position (for example, the position of the own vehicle M) described later.

The road condition recognition unit 132 recognizes the road condition around the own vehicle M, for example, based on the detection result of the outside world sensor. The road condition is, for example, the road shape, the number of lanes, the lane width, the slope, the curve curvature, the legal speed for each lane, and the like. The road shape includes, for example, information such as a confluence, a branch road, and an intersection. Further, the road situational awareness unit 132 may recognize information about the merging section (start point and ending point) when the merging lane exists. Further, the road condition recognition unit 132 may refer to the map information based on the position information of the own vehicle M and recognize the information related to the road condition from the road information associated with the position information. Further, the road condition recognition unit 132 may recognize the road condition by collating the result recognized from the detection result of the outside world sensor with the result recognized from the map information.

The other vehicle recognition unit 134 recognizes the traveling state of another vehicle existing in the vicinity of the own vehicle M (for example, within a predetermined distance about the own vehicle M). For example, when the own vehicle M travels in the confluence section or is predicted to travel in the future, the other vehicle recognition unit 134 indicates the traveling state of the other vehicle traveling in the confluence lane (lane L1) and the main lane (lane L2). Recognize. The traveling state includes, for example, information on whether or not another vehicle is traveling in the lane L2 at the merging destination, and when another vehicle is traveling in the lane L2, the traveling position, speed, angular velocity, and vehicle of the other vehicle. Information such as length is included. Further, the traveling state may include, for example, information on the relative position and relative speed between the own vehicle M and another vehicle. In the example of FIG. 3, the other vehicle recognition unit 134 recognizes the traveling state of the other vehicles m1 to m3 traveling on the main line L2. The other vehicle m3 is the last vehicle among the other vehicles that the own vehicle M can recognize from the position shown in FIG. 3 (the position traveling beside the zebra zone Z1 or the position in front of the merging section) by the recognition unit 130. Is.

The merging determination unit 142 determines whether or not the merging of the own vehicle M into the lane L2 is possible based on the recognition results of the road condition recognition unit 132 and the other vehicle recognition unit 134. For example, when the merging determination unit 142 determines that the own vehicle M needs to merge from the lane L1 to the lane L2 based on the recognition result by the road condition recognition unit 132 and the traveling state of the own vehicle M, the road condition is determined. Based on the traveling state of the other vehicle, it is determined whether or not the lane L2 of the own vehicle M can be merged.

Specifically, in the merging determination unit 142, the positional relationship between the own vehicle M and the other vehicles m1 to m3 in the traveling direction (vertical direction) of the lane L2 at the merging destination satisfies the first condition, and the side of the lane L2. When the positional relationship between the own vehicle M and the other vehicles m1 to m3 in the direction satisfies the second condition, it is determined that the own vehicle M can join the lane L2. The positional relationship is, for example, the relative position or relative speed between the own vehicle M and the other vehicles m1 to m3. Further, the positional relationship may be a relative position between the own vehicle M or other vehicles m1 to m3 and a predetermined position on the road.

Further, the merging determination unit 142 derives, for example, an index value for quantifying the risk of interference between the own vehicle M and the other vehicles m1 to m3 based on the positional relationship between the own vehicle M and the other vehicles m1 to m3. Whether or not merging is possible is determined using the derived index value. The index value includes THW (Time Headway) and TTC (Time to Collision) between the own vehicle M and other vehicles m1 to m3.

In the present embodiment, THW is an example of a margin (hereinafter referred to as a first margin) until the other vehicles m1 to m3 arrive at a predetermined position. Further, the first margin may include a margin until the own vehicle M arrives at a predetermined position. The predetermined position is, for example, a point where the own vehicle M exists (for example, a point where the tip of the own vehicle M in the traveling direction exists). Further, the predetermined position may be, for example, a start point (point P1) or an end point (point P2) of the confluence section.

Further, in the embodiment, the TTC is an example of a margin degree (hereinafter, referred to as a second margin degree) regarding contact between the own vehicle M and another vehicle m1 to m3 in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction. For example, when the TTC derives the second margin in the traveling direction (longitudinal direction) of the lane L2, the TTC derives the TTC between vehicles in the vertical direction of the lane and the second margin in the lateral direction of the lane L2. When deriving the degree, the own vehicle M or other vehicles m1 to m3 are located at a predetermined position in the lateral direction (for example, a lane marking line dividing the lane L2 (for example, a boundary line between the lanes L1 and L2) or the center of the lane L2). The TTC up to the point of contact with the position is derived.

For example, the merging determination unit 142 derives a first margin (hereinafter referred to as THWv) and a second margin (hereinafter referred to as TTCv) with respect to the traveling direction (vertical direction of the main lane) of the lane L2. For example, the merging determination unit 142 calculates THWv and TTCv using the following equations (1) and (2).
THWv = (position of other vehicle-predetermined position (point where own vehicle M exists)) / vertical speed of other vehicle
... (1)
TTCv = (Position of other vehicle-Position of own vehicle M) / (Vertical speed of other vehicle-Vertical speed of own vehicle M)
... (2)

The merging determination unit 142 calculates the derivation of THWv and TTCv for each of the other vehicles m1 to m3. Then, the merging determination unit 142 determines whether or not the values of THWv and TTCv satisfy the first condition. Hereinafter, the above-mentioned determination will be described as the first determination process. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the first determination process by the merging determination unit 142. The horizontal axis of the graph shown in FIG. 4 indicates THWv [s], and the vertical axis indicates TTCv [s]. Further, in the example of FIG. 4, it is assumed that the values of THWv and TTCv for each other vehicle derived in the positional relationship between the own vehicle M and the other vehicles m1 to m3 shown in FIG. 3 are plotted. In the example of FIG. 4, THWv is plotted in a positive region when the predetermined position has already been reached, and in a negative region when the predetermined position has not been reached. Further, the TTCv is plotted in a positive region when the distance between the own vehicle M and the target other vehicle continues to increase in the vertical direction of the lane L2, for example, and the distance between the own vehicle M and the target other vehicle is plotted. Is plotted in the negative area if it keeps shrinking.

Further, the threshold lines TH1 to TH3 on the graph shown in FIG. 4 indicate a threshold area associated with the first condition. The threshold line TH1 is a line for specifying the condition of THWv, the threshold line TH2 is a line for specifying the condition of TTCv [s], and the threshold line TH3 passes through the origin and lanes L1 and L2. It is a line whose inclination changes based on the speed difference with. The speed of the lane L1 and the lane L2 may be the legal speed of each lane or the average speed of the vehicle traveling in that lane. The threshold line TH3 is set so that, for example, the inclination of the line becomes smaller (θ1 shown in FIG. 4 becomes smaller) as the speed difference between the lane L1 and the lane L2 becomes larger.

The merging determination unit 142 determines that the first condition is satisfied when, for example, there is another vehicle having a margin in the positional relationship between the own vehicle M and the other vehicle in the traveling direction of a predetermined value or more, and the merging determination unit 142 determines that the first condition is satisfied. When there is no other vehicle, it is determined that the first condition is not satisfied. In the merging determination unit 142, for example, points of other vehicles are plotted in the region A1 where THWv is below the threshold line TH1 and TTCv is above the threshold line TH2, and THWv and TTCv are above the threshold line TH3. If so, it is determined that the positional relationship between the own vehicle M and the other vehicle satisfies the first condition, and if the points of the other vehicle are not plotted in the area A1, it is determined that the first condition is not satisfied. .. In the example of FIG. 4, the plot points of the other vehicle m3 are included in the area A1. In this case, the merging determination unit 142 determines that the own vehicle M and the other vehicle m3 satisfy the first condition.

The merging determination unit 142 can change the first condition by changing the above-mentioned threshold lines TH1 to TH3 according to the road condition and the traveling condition of another vehicle. For example, when the threshold line TH1 is set on the TTCv axis, the first condition is that the vehicle behind the own vehicle M and the other vehicle whose arrival time at the predetermined position is longer than the arrival time of the own vehicle M is the first. It will be included in one condition.

Further, the merging determination unit 142 derives a lateral margin of the lane L2. The lateral margin may be either one or both of the first margin and the second margin. In the following, the second margin will be the lateral margin, and the first margin will be the vertical margin. The merging determination unit 142 uses the following equations (3) and (4) for the first margin (hereinafter referred to as THWh) and the second margin (hereinafter referred to as TTCh) in the lateral direction of the lane L2. To calculate.
THWh = (Vehicle position-Predetermined position (Start point of merging section (Point P1)) / Vertical speed of vehicle
... (3)
TTCh = (predetermined position (lane division line that divides lane L2) -vehicle position) / vehicle lateral speed
... (4)

The vehicles of the above formulas (3) and (4) are the own vehicle M and other vehicles m1 to m3. In the equation (4), when the other vehicles m1 to m3 are traveling in parallel with the lane, a temporary lateral speed may be set. The merging determination unit 142 calculates THWh and TTCh for each of the own vehicle M and other vehicles m1 to m3. Then, the merging determination unit 142 determines whether or not the values of THWh and TTCh satisfy the second condition. Hereinafter, the above-mentioned determination will be described as a second determination process.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a second determination process by the merging determination unit 142. The horizontal axis of the graph shown in FIG. 5 indicates THWh [s], and the vertical axis indicates TTCh [s]. Further, in the example of FIG. 5, it is assumed that the values of THWh and TTCh for each other vehicle derived in the positional relationship between the own vehicle M and the other vehicles m1 to m3 shown in FIG. 3 are plotted. In the example of FIG. 5, THWh is plotted in a positive region if it has already reached a predetermined position and in a negative region if it has not yet been reached, for example. Further, TTCh is plotted in a negative region when traveling on the right side of the left lane marking in the traveling direction of lane L2, and plotted in a positive region when traveling on the left side of the left lane marking, for example. Ru. Further, the TTCh may be plotted in a negative region when moving to the right side when moving to the right side in the traveling direction of the lane L2, or may be plotted in a positive region when moving to the left side.

As a second condition, the merging determination unit 142 has a difference between the TTCh of the own vehicle M and the TTCh of the other vehicles m1 to m3 of the first predetermined time or less, and the THWh of the own vehicle M and the THWh of the other vehicles m1 to m3. It is determined whether or not the difference from the second predetermined time is equal to or less than the second predetermined time. The first predetermined value and the second predetermined value may be set based on the predetermined positions in the equations (3) and (4). The merging determination unit 142 determines that the second condition is satisfied when the above conditions are satisfied, and determines that the second condition is not satisfied when the above conditions are not satisfied.

Then, the merging determination unit 142 determines that the merging of the own vehicle M into the lane L2 is possible when the above-mentioned first condition is satisfied and the second condition is satisfied. It should be noted that the above-mentioned determination is repeatedly executed while traveling in and around the confluence section. Further, when it is determined that the merging is possible, the merging determination unit 142 may further determine that the merging to the front of another vehicle satisfying the first condition is possible. Further, when there are a plurality of vehicles satisfying the first condition, the merging determination unit 142 may determine the merging position based on the TTCh and THWh of the vehicles satisfying the second condition. For example, the merging determination unit 142 determines that a vehicle satisfying the second condition can be merged forward or backward of another vehicle having the largest TTCh or THWh.

The travel control unit 144 executes travel control for merging the own vehicle M into the lane L2 when it is determined by the merging determination unit 142 that the merging is possible. For example, the traveling control unit 144 controls to enter the front of the other vehicle m3 determined by the merging determination unit 142 (specifically, between the other vehicles m2 and m3) and join the lane L2.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining travel control by the travel control unit 144. The travel control unit 144 generates a target track so that the own vehicle M enters the region between the other vehicle m2 and the other vehicle m3, and causes the own vehicle M to travel along the generated target track. As shown in the traveling locus K1 in FIG. 6, the traveling control unit 144 moves the own vehicle M toward the lane L2 side from the center of the lane L1 while blinking the turn signal on the right side of the own vehicle M in the merging section. Steering control may be performed so as to drive the vehicle. Further, the traveling control unit 144 may perform speed control or deceleration control so as to approach the speeds (for example, average speeds) of the other vehicles m2 and m3 in the merging section. This makes it easier for the other vehicle m3 behind the own vehicle M to recognize that the own vehicle M joins the lane L2. As a result, it is possible to urge the other vehicle m3 to decelerate and increase the area between the other vehicle m2 and the other vehicle m3. Therefore, smoother merging can be performed.

When it is determined by the merging determination unit 142 that the own vehicle M cannot join the lane L2, the traveling control unit 144 may perform control to decelerate or stop until it is determined that the merging is possible.
<Second scene>
Next, the second scene will be described. In the second scene, for example, the merging determination unit 142 determines the merging position based on the speed limits of the lanes L1 and the lanes L2 to L3. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining traveling control in the confluence section in the second scene. In the example of FIG. 7, the own vehicle M travels in the merging lane L1 at a speed VM, and the other vehicles m4 to m6 travel at speeds Vm4 to Vm6 in the order of the other vehicles m5 and m6, with the other vehicle m4 at the head. It is assumed that you are doing. Further, 0 [m], 5 [m], 25 [m], and 40 [m] shown in FIG. 7 indicate the distance from a predetermined position of each vehicle (for example, the position of the own vehicle M). ..

In the second scene, the road condition recognition unit 132 recognizes the legal speed of the lane L1 as the speed limit of each lane. For example, the road condition recognition unit 132 acquires the speed drawn on the road sign MK1 associated with the lane L1 from the image captured by the camera 10 by image analysis. Further, the road situational awareness unit 132 may refer to the map information based on the position of the own vehicle M and acquire the legal speed of the traveling lane L1 from the map information. In the example of FIG. 7, the road situational awareness unit 132 recognizes that the legal speed of the lane L1 is 60 [kph]. The road situational awareness unit 132 may acquire the legal speeds of the lanes L2 and L3 at the merging destination as the speed limits of the respective lanes. In this case, the road situational awareness unit 132 recognizes from the road sign MK2 that the legal speed of the lanes L2 and L3 is 100 [kph]. Further, the road condition recognition unit 132 may recognize the average speed of other vehicles traveling in the lane as the speed limit, or may recognize the fixed speed as the speed limit.

The merging determination unit 142 determines whether or not merging into the lane L2 is possible, including the speed limit recognized by the road condition recognition unit 132. In the following description, it is assumed that the above-mentioned first condition and second condition are satisfied.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the determination process in the second scene. In the example of FIG. 8, similarly to FIG. 5, the horizontal axis of the graph indicates THWh [s], and the vertical axis indicates TTCh [s]. Further, in FIG. 8, THWh and TTCh of the own vehicle M and the other vehicles m4 to m6 acquired by the above-mentioned equations (3) and (4) are plotted on the graph. Further, FIG. 8 shows a threshold line TH4 set based on the speed limit of the lane L1. The threshold line TH4 is for defining a range of index values (for example, THWh) so that the difference between the speed of the own vehicle M and the speed limit does not exceed a predetermined value, for example.

For example, the merging determination unit 142 is a case where the own vehicle M merges into the lane L2, another vehicle that satisfies the first condition and the second condition and is close to the own vehicle M (the other vehicle whose TTCh is within a predetermined distance). ) Is present, the position where the own vehicle M joins is determined within a predetermined range (for example, ± 1 [S]) from the threshold line TH4. In the example of FIG. 8, the merging determination unit 142 determines that the merging is possible in the regions A2 and A3 as the merging possible positions. The area A2 is an area between the other vehicles m4 and m5. The area A3 is an area between the other vehicles m5 and m6.

When it is determined that the two regions A2 and A3 can be merged, the travel control unit 144 performs merge control for entering the region A2 which is the region on the traveling direction side. Here, when it is determined that it is difficult to enter the area A2 due to a change in the speed of the other vehicle M or the like, the position in the vertical direction is adjusted by deceleration to control the entry into the area A3. The "difficult to enter" is, for example, a case where the area A2 is narrowed to the extent that the own vehicle M cannot enter, or the vehicle m4 or m5 runs in parallel with the own vehicle M. In this case, the own vehicle M can be merged more smoothly by entering the area A3 rather than forcibly controlling the traveling to enter the area A2.

When the travel control unit 144 determines that it is difficult to enter the area A3 even if the speed is adjusted due to, for example, a speed change of another vehicle (in other words, the own vehicle M joins the lane L2). In the case where there is no region to be used), the travel control unit 144 may perform control to move the own vehicle M closer to the lane L2 side than the center of the lane L1 or control to accelerate / decelerate in the merging section. As a result, it is possible to convey the intention to join the other vehicles to other vehicles, and to encourage the other vehicles to widen the distance between the other vehicles.

Further, when it is difficult to enter the areas A2 and A3, the traveling control unit 144 reaches the lane L2 when the own vehicle M reaches the point P3 which is a predetermined distance before the end point (point P2) of the merging section. Steering control for merging with may be started. As a result, it is possible to more reliably join the lane L2 by the end of the merging section. If it is difficult to merge even with the above-mentioned traveling control, the vehicle may decelerate or stop until another vehicle passes, and then merge into the lane L2 after the other vehicle has passed.

As shown in the second scene, by controlling the traveling of the vehicles at the time of merging based on the speed limit of the lane, it is possible to suppress the traffic congestion in the merging section and realize a smoother traffic flow.

[Processing flow]
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the automatic operation control device 100 of the embodiment. In the example of FIG. 9, among the processes executed by the automatic operation control device 100, the processes related to the merging control will be mainly described. The processing shown below may be executed as a merging event. Further, the process shown in FIG. 9 may be repeatedly executed at a predetermined timing or a predetermined cycle, for example, during the execution of the automatic operation.

In the example of FIG. 9, first, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the periphery of the own vehicle M (step S100). The process of step S100 includes the recognition process by the road condition recognition unit 132 and the other vehicle recognition unit 134. Next, the merging determination unit 142 determines whether or not to perform merging control (step S102). In the process of step S102, for example, the merging determination unit 142 determines that the merging is performed when the merging section ahead of the traveling road is recognized or when the traveling lane ends at a predetermined distance ahead.

When it is determined that the merging control is performed, the merging determination unit 142 determines whether or not there is another vehicle traveling on the main line of the merging destination (step S104). When it is determined that there is an object traveling on the main line, the merging determination unit 142 determines whether or not the positional relationship with another vehicle in the traveling direction satisfies the first condition (step S106). When it is determined that the positional relationship with the other vehicle in the traveling direction satisfies the first condition, the merging determination unit 142 determines whether or not the positional relationship with the other vehicle in the lateral direction satisfies the second condition (step S108). ).

When it is determined that the positional relationship with the other vehicle in the lateral direction satisfies the second condition, the traveling control unit 144 executes the merging control to enter the front of the other vehicle (step S110). Further, in the process of step S108, when it is determined that the positional relationship with the other vehicle in the lateral direction does not satisfy the second condition, the travel control unit 144, for example, decelerates or stops and joins behind the other vehicle. (Step S112).

Further, in the process of step S108, when it is determined that the positional relationship with the other vehicle in the traveling direction does not satisfy the first condition, the traveling control unit 144 starts steering control at a predetermined position in the merging section (step S114). ), The own vehicle M is controlled so as to merge into the region when a region where the vehicle can merge is found due to deceleration of the rear vehicle or the like (step S116). Further, in the process of step S104, when it is determined that there is no other vehicle traveling on the main line, the traveling control unit 144 controls the own vehicle M so as to join the main line in the merging section (step S118). This ends this flowchart. Further, if it is determined in the process of step S102 that the merging control is not performed, this flowchart ends.

[Modification example]
Next, a modified example of the traveling control according to the embodiment will be specifically described. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a modified example of the traveling control according to the embodiment. In the modified example, when the own vehicle M travels in the lane (main lane, merged lane) L2 and travels in the merging section, it recognizes the merging of other vehicles from the lane L1 and controls the traveling (traveling to merge). Control). In the example of FIG. 10, it is assumed that the other vehicle m7 is at the head of the lane L1 and the other vehicles m8 and m9 are traveling at speeds Vm7 to Vm9, respectively. Further, in the example of FIG. 10, it is assumed that the vehicle is traveling in the lane L2 at speeds Vm10, VM, and Vm11 in the order of the own vehicle M and the other vehicle Vm11, with the other vehicle m10 at the head. Further, 5 [m], 0 [m], -15 [m], -25 [m], -35 [m], and -50 [m] shown in FIG. 10 are predetermined positions of each vehicle (for example, It shall indicate the distance from the starting point (point P1) of the confluence section. The legal speed of the lane L1 is 60 [kph], and the legal speed of the lanes L2 and L3 is 100 [kph].

The merging determination unit 142 derives index values in the traveling direction (longitudinal direction) and the lateral direction of the lane L2 by using the above-mentioned equations (1) to (4) and the like even when traveling in the merging lane. Then, the merging determination unit 142 determines whether or not the other vehicles m7 to m9 traveling in the lane L1 satisfy the first condition and the second condition for merging into the lane L2 based on the derived index value. Further, in the merging determination unit 142, when any of the other vehicles m7 to m9 satisfies the first condition and the second condition, the other vehicle joins the lane L2 based on the legal speeds of the lane L1 and the lane L2. Determine the position when doing so.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the determination process in the modified example. The horizontal axis of the graph of FIG. 11 indicates THWh [s], and the vertical axis indicates TTCh [s]. Further, in FIG. 10, THWh and TTCh of the own vehicle M and the other vehicles m7 to m11 acquired by the equations (3) and (4) are plotted on the graph. Further, FIG. 11 shows a threshold line TH4 based on the legal speed of the lane L1 and a threshold line TH5 set based on the legal speeds of the lanes L2 and L3. The threshold line TH5 is for defining a range of index values (for example, THWh) so that the difference between the speed of the own vehicle M and the legal speed does not become larger than a predetermined value, for example.

Based on the plot result of FIG. 11, the merging determination unit 142 is used when the other vehicle m9, which is the closest to the plot point of the own vehicle M, joins the lane L2 among the other vehicles m7 to m9 traveling in the lane L1. Determines that there is a high possibility that the vehicle will enter in front of the own vehicle M. In this case, the traveling control unit 144 performs deceleration control based on the behavior of the other vehicle M, and facilitates the entry of the other vehicle m9 in front of the own vehicle M. When performing deceleration control, the travel control unit 144 may control the deceleration so as to decelerate within a predetermined range with respect to the threshold line TH5. Further, the traveling control unit 144 performs acceleration control based on the difference values of THWh and TTCh between the other vehicle m9 and the own vehicle M, and performs acceleration control in the region after the own vehicle M (between the own vehicle M and the other vehicle m11). In addition, another vehicle m9 may be allowed to enter. By the above-mentioned processing, smoother traveling control can be realized in the merging section.

[Processing flow]
FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the automatic operation control device 100 in the modified example. In the example of FIG. 12, when the vehicle is mainly traveling in its own lane (main lane), the traveling control processing in the scene where other vehicles merge will be mainly described. Further, the process shown in FIG. 12 may be repeatedly executed at a predetermined timing or a predetermined cycle, for example, during the execution of the automatic operation. Further, in the example of FIG. 12, it is assumed that the own vehicle M is traveling at a constant speed in the own lane by automatic driving.

In the example of FIG. 12, first, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the periphery of the own vehicle M (step S200). The process of step S200 includes the recognition process by the road condition recognition unit 132 and the other vehicle recognition unit 134. Next, the merging determination unit 142 determines whether or not there is another vehicle merging in the own lane (step S202).

When it is determined that there is another vehicle merging in the own lane, the merging determination unit 142 determines whether or not the positional relationship with the other vehicle in the traveling direction satisfies the first condition (step S204). When it is determined that the positional relationship with the other vehicle in the traveling direction satisfies the first condition, the merging determination unit 142 determines whether or not the positional relationship with the other vehicle in the lateral direction satisfies the second condition (step S206). ).

When it is determined that the positional relationship with the other vehicle in the lateral direction satisfies the second condition, the travel control unit 144 executes the travel control for allowing the other vehicle to enter in front of the own vehicle M based on the behavior of the other vehicle M. (Step S208). In the process of step S208, the travel control unit 144 may perform deceleration control or the like so as not to come into contact with another vehicle. Further, in the process of step S204, when it is determined that the positional relationship with the other vehicle in the traveling direction does not satisfy the second condition, the traveling control unit 144 decelerates, accelerates, or moves to the merging lane side with respect to the own lane. Performs driving control to avoid contact with other vehicles by changing lanes to the adjacent lane on the opposite side (step S210). Further, in the process of step S202, when it is determined that there is no other vehicle to merge, the traveling control unit 144 continues automatic driving (for example, constant speed traveling) (step S212). As a result, the processing of this flowchart ends.

According to the above-described embodiment, the automatic driving control device 100 (an example of the vehicle control device) travels on the road condition around the own vehicle M and the main lane when the own vehicle M is traveling in the merging lane. The recognition unit 130 that recognizes the running state of the vehicle, the merging determination unit 142 that determines whether or not the own vehicle M can join the main line based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 130, and the merging determination unit 142. A traveling control unit 144 that merges the own vehicle M with the main line when it is determined that the merging to the main line is possible, and the merging determination unit 142 includes the own vehicle M and another vehicle in the traveling direction of the main line. It is determined that the own vehicle M can join the main line when the positional relationship of the own vehicle M satisfies the first condition and the positional relationship between the own vehicle M and another vehicle in the lateral direction of the main line satisfies the second condition. By doing so, smoother running control can be realized in the merging section.

Further, according to the above-described embodiment, the automatic driving control device 100 (an example of the vehicle control device) has a road condition around the own vehicle M and a running state of another vehicle merging with the main line on which the own vehicle M is traveling. Based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 130, the merging determination unit 142 that determines whether or not the merging of other vehicles can be merged into the main line, and the merging determination unit 142 to the main line of the other vehicle. The merging determination unit 142 includes a traveling control unit 144 that executes traveling control based on the behavior of the other vehicle when it is determined that the merging is possible, and the merging determination unit 142 is a position in the traveling direction between the own vehicle M and the other vehicle. When the relationship satisfies the first condition and the positional relationship between the own vehicle M and the other vehicle in the lateral direction satisfies the second condition, it is determined that the other vehicle can join the main line. , Smoother running control can be realized in the merging section.

Further, according to the above-described embodiment, the traffic flow in the confluence section can be made smoother.

[Hardware configuration]
FIG. 13 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 computer of the automatic operation control device 100 includes a communication controller 100-1, a CPU 100-2, a RAM 100-3 used as a working memory, a ROM 100-4 for storing a boot program, a flash memory, an HDD, and the like. The storage device 100-5, the drive device 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. A portable storage medium such as an optical disk (for example, a computer-readable non-temporary storage medium) is mounted on the drive device 100-6. The storage device 100-5 stores a program 100-5a executed by the CPU 100-2. This program is expanded to the RAM 100-3 by a DMA (Direct Memory Access) controller (not shown) or the like, and is executed by the CPU 100-2. The program 100-5a referred to by the CPU 100-2 may be stored in a portable storage medium mounted on the drive device 100-6, or may be downloaded from another device via a network. As a result, a part or all of each component of the automatic operation control device 100 is realized.

The embodiment described above can be expressed as follows.
A storage device that stores the program and
With a hardware processor,
By executing the program stored in the storage device by the hardware processor.
Recognizing the road conditions around the own vehicle and the running condition of other vehicles traveling on the main lane when the own vehicle is traveling in the merging lane,
Based on the recognized result, it is determined whether or not the own vehicle can join the main line.
When it is determined that the merging to the main line is possible, the own vehicle is merged into the main line.
When the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the traveling direction of the main line satisfies the first condition, and the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the lateral direction of the main line satisfies the second condition. In addition, it is determined that the own vehicle can join the main line.
Vehicle control unit configured as such.

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 ... LIDAR, 16 ... Object recognition device, 20 ... Communication device, 30 ... HMI, 40 ... Vehicle sensor, 50 ... Navigation device, 60 ... MPU, 80 ... Driving Operator, 100 ... Automatic driving control device, 120 ... First control unit, 130 ... Recognition unit, 132 ... Road condition recognition unit, 134 ... Other vehicle recognition unit, 140 ... Action plan generation unit, 142 ... Merge determination unit 142 ... Travel control unit, 160 ... 2nd control unit, 162 ... Target trajectory acquisition unit, 164 ... Speed control unit, 166 ... Steering control unit, 180 ... HMI control unit, 190 ... Storage unit, 200 ... Travel drive force output device, 210 … Brake device, 220… Steering device

Claims (9)

A recognition unit that recognizes the road conditions around the own vehicle and the running state of other vehicles traveling on the main lane when the own vehicle is traveling in the merging lane.
Based on the recognition result of the recognition unit, a merging determination unit that determines whether or not the own vehicle can merge with the main line, and a merging determination unit.
A traveling control unit for merging the own vehicle to the main line when it is determined by the merging determination unit that the merging to the main line is possible is provided.
In the merging determination unit, the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the traveling direction of the main line satisfies the first condition, and the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the lateral direction of the main line is satisfied. When the second condition is satisfied, it is determined that the own vehicle can join the main line.
Vehicle control unit. The first condition includes the existence of another vehicle having a margin in the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the traveling direction of a predetermined value or more.
The second condition includes that the margin in the lateral positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle is not more than a predetermined value.
The vehicle control device according to claim 1. The merging determination unit determines a position where the own vehicle merges with the main lane based on the speed limit of the merging lane.
The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2. The travel control unit executes a travel control that causes the own vehicle to enter in front of another vehicle that satisfies the first condition and the second condition.
The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The recognition unit recognizes the end point of the merging section and recognizes it.
When the own vehicle reaches a point a predetermined distance before the end point, the traveling control unit starts steering control for merging the own vehicle with the main line.
The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. When the area where the own vehicle joins does not exist in the main lane, the traveling control unit brings the own vehicle closer to the main lane than the center of the merging lane by the steering control.
The vehicle control device according to claim 5. A recognition unit that recognizes the road conditions around the own vehicle and the running state of another vehicle that joins the main line on which the own vehicle is traveling.
Based on the recognition result of the recognition unit, a merging determination unit that determines whether or not the other vehicle can merge with the main line, and a merging determination unit.
A traveling control unit that executes traveling control based on the behavior of the other vehicle when it is determined by the merging determination unit that the other vehicle can merge with the main line is provided.
In the merging determination unit, when the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the traveling direction satisfies the first condition, and the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the lateral direction satisfies the second condition. In addition, it is determined that the other vehicle can join the main line.
Vehicle control unit. The computer
Recognizing the road conditions around the own vehicle and the running condition of other vehicles traveling on the main lane when the own vehicle is traveling in the merging lane,
Based on the recognized result, it is determined whether or not the own vehicle can join the main line.
When it is determined that the merging to the main line is possible, the own vehicle is merged into the main line.
When the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the traveling direction of the main line satisfies the first condition, and the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the lateral direction of the main line satisfies the second condition. In addition, it is determined that the own vehicle can join the main line.
Vehicle control method. On the computer
Recognize the road conditions around the own vehicle and the running condition of other vehicles traveling on the main lane when the own vehicle is traveling in the merging lane.
Based on the recognized result, it is determined whether or not the own vehicle can join the main line.
When it is determined that the merging to the main line is possible, the own vehicle is merged into the main line.
When the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the traveling direction of the main line satisfies the first condition, and the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle in the lateral direction of the main line satisfies the second condition. To determine that the own vehicle can join the main line.
program.

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