JP2023154618A - Drive support method and drive support device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a drive support method and a drive support device 19 which can restrain behavior of a self vehicle V1 from being changed entirely when avoiding an obstacle by following a preceding vehicle V2.SOLUTION: The drive support method comprises steps of: recognizing travel environment ahead of an obstacle if a self vehicle V1 which travels behind a preceding vehicle tandem avoids the obstacle by autonomous travel control; making the self vehicle V1 travel along a travel track continuing avoidance of the obstacle if the travel environment ahead of the obstacle cannot be recognized; and ending avoidance action of the self vehicle V1 when it is determined to make it possible to travel ahead of the obstacle on the basis of the recognized travel environment if the travel environment ahead of the obstacle can be recognized.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2B

Description

The present invention relates to a driving support method and a driving support device.

The driving path and obstacles on which the host vehicle is traveling are detected based on surrounding information, the area excluding obstacles from the driving path is detected as a drivable area, and a normal route is set based on the drivable area. When deviating from this normal route, it is known to set a travel location indicating the route, set virtual obstacles on both sides of the travel location, and generate a travel route that passes between the virtual obstacles ( Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-57688

The above conventional technology generates a driving route that avoids obstacles that can be detected by the host vehicle, but takes into account obstacles that exist in blind spots that cannot be detected by the host vehicle, such as in front of the obstacles and in front of the preceding vehicle. No driving route is generated. Therefore, if there is another obstacle in front of the obstacle that is the blind spot of your vehicle, after avoiding the obstacle, approach the other obstacle in the blind spot, and then approach the other obstacle. Detect and avoid objects.

In particular, when the vehicle has a wide blind spot where obstacles cannot be detected, such as when avoiding an obstacle by following the vehicle in front, the vehicle may be unable to detect the obstacle by the time the vehicle detects the obstacle. Easy to approach. Therefore, there is a problem in that the behavior of the host vehicle changes significantly in order to avoid the obstacle.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a driving support method and a driving support device that can suppress large changes in the behavior of the own vehicle when following a preceding vehicle and avoiding an obstacle.

According to the present invention, when a vehicle traveling in parallel with a preceding vehicle avoids an obstacle using autonomous driving control, it recognizes the driving environment in front of the obstacle, and when it cannot recognize the driving environment in front of the obstacle, If the vehicle is driven along a trajectory that continues to avoid obstacles and the driving environment in front of the obstacle can be recognized, it is determined that the area in front of the obstacle is driveable based on the recognized driving environment. When this happens, the above problem is solved by ending the avoidance operation of the host vehicle.

According to the present invention, when following a preceding vehicle and avoiding an obstacle, it is possible to suppress a large change in the behavior of the own vehicle.

1 is a block diagram showing a driving support system including a driving support device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a driving scene in which driving support is performed by the driving support system shown in FIG. 1 (part 1). FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a driving scene in which driving support is performed by the driving support system shown in FIG. 1 (part 2). FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a range in which the driving environment is recognized by the driving support system shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a plan view (part 1) showing another example of a driving scene in which driving support is performed by the driving support system shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a plan view showing another example of a driving scene in which driving support is performed by the driving support system shown in FIG. 1 (part 2). FIG. 3 is a plan view showing another example of a driving scene in which driving support is performed by the driving support system shown in FIG. 1 (part 3). 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure in the driving support system of FIG. 1. FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. The following explanation assumes that vehicles drive on the left in countries that have left-hand traffic laws. In countries that have right-hand traffic laws, vehicles drive on the right-hand side, so the left and right directions in the following explanation should be interpreted symmetrically.

[Driving support system configuration]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a driving support system 10 according to the present invention. The driving support system 10 is an in-vehicle system that uses autonomous driving control to drive the vehicle to a destination set by the occupants of the vehicle (including the driver). Autonomous driving control refers to autonomously controlling the driving behavior of a vehicle using a driving support device (described later), and the driving behavior includes acceleration, deceleration, starting, stopping, and turning to the right or left. This includes all driving movements, such as steering, changing lanes, and pulling alongside. Moreover, autonomously controlling the driving operation means that the driving support device controls the driving operation using a device of the vehicle. In other words, the driving support device intervenes and controls these driving operations within a predetermined range. Driving operations that do not require intervention are manually operated by the driver.

As shown in FIG. 1, the driving support system 10 includes an imaging device 11, a distance measuring device 12, a state detection device 13, a map information 14, a position detection device 15, a navigation device 16, a vehicle control device 17, a display device 18, and A driving support device 19 is provided. The devices constituting the driving support system 10 are connected via a CAN (Controller Area Network) or other in-vehicle LAN, and can exchange information with each other.

The imaging device 11 is a device that recognizes objects around the vehicle using images, and is, for example, a camera including an imaging device such as a CCD, an ultrasonic camera, an infrared camera, or the like. A plurality of imaging devices 11 can be provided in one vehicle, and can be arranged, for example, in the front grille of the vehicle, below the left and right door mirrors, and near the rear bumper. This can reduce blind spots when recognizing objects around the vehicle.

The distance measuring device 12 is a device for calculating the relative distance and relative speed between a vehicle and an object, and includes, for example, a laser radar, a millimeter wave radar (LRF, etc.), a LiDAR (light detection and ranging) unit, a super A radar device such as a sonic radar or a sonar. A plurality of distance measuring devices 12 can be provided in one vehicle, and can be arranged, for example, at the front, right side, left side, and rear of the vehicle. Thereby, the relative distance and relative speed of the vehicle to surrounding objects can be calculated accurately.

Objects detected by the imaging device 11 and distance measuring device 12 include road lane boundaries, center lines, road signs, median strips, guardrails, curbs, expressway side walls, road signs, traffic lights, crosswalks, and construction work. These include the scene, accident scene, and traffic restrictions. The objects also include obstacles that may affect the running of the vehicle, such as cars other than the own vehicle (other vehicles), motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians. The detection results of the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12 are acquired by the driving support device 19 at predetermined time intervals as necessary.

Further, the detection results of the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12 can be integrated or combined (so-called sensor fusion) in the driving support device 19, thereby complementing missing information about the detected object. For example, the driving support device 19 calculates the position information of the object based on the self-position information, which is the position where the vehicle is traveling, acquired by the position detection device 15 and the relative position (distance and direction) of the vehicle and the object. can. The calculated object position information is integrated with multiple pieces of information such as the detection results of the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12 and the map information 14 in the driving support device 19, and is combined with driving environment information around the vehicle. Become. Further, using the detection results of the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12 and the map information 14, it is also possible to recognize objects around the vehicle and predict their movements.

The state detection device 13 is a device for detecting the running state of the vehicle, and includes a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a yaw rate sensor (eg, a gyro sensor), a steering angle sensor, an inertial measurement unit, and the like. There are no particular limitations on these devices, and known devices can be used. Further, the arrangement and number of these devices can be set as appropriate within a range that can appropriately detect the driving state of the vehicle. The detection results of each device are acquired by the driving support device 19 at predetermined time intervals as necessary.

The map information 14 is information used for generating driving routes, controlling driving operations, etc., and includes road information, facility information, and attribute information thereof. Road information and road attribute information include road width, road radius of curvature, road shoulder structures, road traffic regulations (speed limit, lane change availability), road merging and branching points, increase in number of lanes, etc. Contains information such as the location of the decrease. The map information 14 is high-definition map information that can grasp the movement trajectory for each lane, and includes two-dimensional position information and/or three-dimensional position information at each map coordinate, road/lane boundary information at each map coordinate, and road attribute information. , lane up/down information, lane identification information, connection destination lane information, etc.

The road/lane boundary information in the high-definition map information is information indicating the boundary between the road on which the vehicle travels and other areas. A road on which a vehicle travels is a road on which a vehicle travels, and the form of the road is not particularly limited. The boundaries exist on both the left and right sides with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle, and their forms are not particularly limited. Boundaries are, for example, road markings or road structures. Road markings include lane boundary lines, center lines, etc., and road structures include median strips, guardrails, curbs, tunnels, expressway side walls, etc. Can be mentioned. Note that at points such as intersections where the boundaries of the route cannot be clearly specified, boundaries are set in advance on the route. This boundary is imaginary and not an actual road marking or road structure.

The map information 14 is stored in a readable state in a recording medium provided in a driving support device 19, an in-vehicle device, or a server on a network. The driving support device 19 acquires the map information 14 as necessary.

The position detection device 15 is a positioning system for detecting the current position of the vehicle, and is not particularly limited, and a known device can be used. The position detection device 15 calculates the current position of the vehicle from, for example, radio waves received from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite. Further, the position detection device 15 estimates the current position of the vehicle from the vehicle speed information and acceleration information acquired from the vehicle speed sensor, acceleration sensor, and gyro sensor that are the state detection device 13, and compares the estimated current position with the map information 14. In this way, the current position of the vehicle may be calculated.

The navigation device 16 is a device that refers to the map information 14 and calculates a driving route from the current position of the vehicle detected by the position detection device 15 to a destination set by the occupant (including the driver). The navigation device 16 uses the road information, facility information, etc. of the map information 14 to search for a travel route for the vehicle to reach the destination from the current location. The travel route includes at least information about the road on which the vehicle travels, the travel lane, and the travel direction of the vehicle, and is displayed, for example, in a linear format. There may be multiple travel routes depending on the search conditions. The travel route calculated by the navigation device 16 is output to the driving support device 19.

The vehicle control device 17 is an on-vehicle computer such as an electronic control unit (ECU), and electronically controls on-vehicle equipment that governs the running of the vehicle. The vehicle control device 17 includes a vehicle speed control device 171 that controls the traveling speed of the vehicle, and a steering control device 172 that controls the steering operation of the vehicle. The vehicle speed control device 171 and the steering control device 172 autonomously control the operations of these drive devices and steering devices according to control signals input from the driving support device 19. This allows the vehicle to autonomously travel along the set travel route. Information necessary for autonomous control by the vehicle speed control device 171 and the steering control device 172, such as the traveling speed, acceleration, steering angle, and attitude of the vehicle, is acquired from the state detection device 13.

The drive devices controlled by the vehicle speed control device 171 include an electric motor and/or an internal combustion engine that are driving sources, a power transmission device including a drive shaft and an automatic transmission that transmit the output from these driving sources to the drive wheels, Examples include a drive device that controls a power transmission device. Further, the braking device controlled by the vehicle speed control device 171 is, for example, a braking device that brakes wheels. A control signal corresponding to a set traveling speed is input to the vehicle speed control device 171 from the driving support device 19 . The vehicle speed control device 171 generates signals to control these drive devices based on the control signals input from the driving support device 19, and transmits the signals to the drive devices to autonomously control the running speed of the vehicle. control.

On the other hand, the steering device controlled by the steering control device 172 is a steering device that controls the steered wheels according to the steering angle of the steering wheel, and includes, for example, a steering actuator such as a motor attached to a column shaft of the steering wheel. The steering control device 172 controls the steering so that the vehicle travels while maintaining a predetermined lateral position (position in the left-right direction of the vehicle) with respect to the set travel route based on the control signal input from the driving support device 19. Autonomously controls the operation of the device. This control includes at least the detection results of the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12, the driving state of the vehicle obtained by the state detection device 13, the map information 14, and the information on the current position of the vehicle obtained by the position detection device 15. Use one.

The display device 18 is a device for providing necessary information to the occupants of the vehicle, and is, for example, a projector such as a liquid crystal display provided on an instrument panel or a head-up display (HUD). The display device 18 may include an input device for a vehicle occupant to input instructions to the driving support device 19. Examples of the input device include a touch panel that receives input using a user's finger or a stylus pen, a microphone that obtains a user's voice instructions, and a switch attached to a vehicle steering wheel. Further, the display device 18 may include a speaker as an output device.

The driving support device 19 is a device that controls the driving of a vehicle by controlling and cooperating with the devices that constitute the driving support system 10, and drives the vehicle to a set destination. The destination is set, for example, by a vehicle occupant. The driving support device 19 is, for example, a computer, and includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 191 that is a processor, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 192 in which a program is stored, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that functions as an accessible storage device. ) 193. The CPU 191 is an operating circuit that executes a program stored in the ROM 192 and realizes the functions of the driving support device 19.

The driving support device 19 has a driving support function that causes the vehicle to travel to a set destination by autonomous driving control. The driving support device 19 has, as driving support functions, a driving environment recognition function that recognizes the driving environment around the own vehicle, a determination function that makes a determination based on the recognition result of the driving environment, and a trajectory generation function that generates a driving trajectory. and a travel control function that causes the vehicle to travel along a travel trajectory. The programs stored in the ROM 192 include programs for realizing these functions, and these functions are realized by the CPU 191 executing the programs stored in the ROM 192. In FIG. 1, each function is extracted and shown as a functional block for convenience.

[Function of functional block]
Hereinafter, functions realized by the functional blocks, which are the support section 20, recognition section 21, determination section 22, generation section 23, and control section 24, will be explained.

The support unit 20 has a driving support function that causes the vehicle to travel to a set destination using autonomous driving control. FIG. 2A is a plan view showing an example of a driving scene in which the driving support device 19 autonomously controls the driving of the host vehicle V1 using the driving support function of the support unit 20. The road shown in FIG. 2A is a road with one lane on each side, and vehicles traveling in lane L1 travel from the bottom to the top in the drawing, and vehicles traveling in lane L2 travel from the top to the bottom in the drawing. . In other words, lanes L1 and L2 are opposite lanes. Note that in the driving scene shown in FIG. 2A, the lane L2 adjacent to the lane L1 is an oncoming lane, but the adjacent lane L2 does not necessarily have to be an oncoming lane. The driving support device 19 can perform the driving support described below even when the road has two lanes on each side and the vehicles traveling in the lanes L1 and L2 are traveling in the same direction.

In the driving scene shown in FIG. 2A, the host vehicle V1 is traveling at a position P1 in the lane L1, the preceding vehicle V2 of the host vehicle V1 is traveling at a position Pa in the lane L1, and the parked vehicle Vx is traveling in the lane L1 at a position P1. It is assumed that the vehicle is parked at parking position Px of L1. The own vehicle V1 and the preceding vehicle V2 are lined up along the traveling direction of the own vehicle V1, and the own vehicle V1 is running parallel to the preceding vehicle V2. In this case, in order to avoid the parked vehicle Vx and continue traveling, the preceding vehicle V2 travels, for example, along the traveling trajectory Ta, and moves from the position Pa to the position Pb. In order to follow the preceding vehicle V2 and avoid the parked vehicle Vx, the own vehicle V1 travels, for example, along a travel trajectory T1 shown in FIG. 2B, and moves from position P1 to position P2. Then, the own vehicle V1 moves to the left in the traveling direction in front of the parked vehicle Vx in order to complete the avoidance operation.

The avoidance operation is a series of running operations for avoiding obstacles such as the parked vehicle Vx. Specifically, the vehicle V1 is steered to the right or left in the direction of travel of the host vehicle V1, runs to the side of the obstacle, overtakes the obstacle, and is again steered to the right or left of the travel direction of the host vehicle V1, The goal is to move to a position in front of the overtaken obstacle. After the avoidance operation is completed, the position of the own vehicle V1 in the width direction of the road ahead of the parked vehicle Vx becomes, for example, the same position as the position P1. Note that in the present embodiment, the host vehicle V1 does not necessarily need to travel in the adjacent lane L2 in the avoidance operation. Further, when performing an avoidance operation, when the own vehicle V1 runs in parallel with the preceding vehicle V2 and follows the preceding vehicle V2, it is not necessarily necessary to control the running operation of the own vehicle V1 by follow-up control. The follow-up control is control for causing the own vehicle V1 to travel under autonomous driving control so as to maintain a predetermined inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle V2. The driving support device 19 can generate a travel trajectory for executing an avoidance operation for the own vehicle V1 traveling in parallel with the preceding vehicle V2, and can control the vehicle V1 to travel along the travel trajectory.

In the driving scene shown in FIG. 2B, in order for the host vehicle V1 to move to the left in the traveling direction in front of the parked vehicle Vx, there must be no obstacle in front of the parked vehicle Vx, and the host vehicle V1 can travel. This must be confirmed. The host vehicle V1 recognizes, for example, the driving environment in the range A1 by the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12, but in the driving scene shown in FIG. 2B, it is blocked by the parked vehicle Vx and the preceding vehicle V2, Unable to recognize driving environment. That is, in the driving scene shown in FIG. 2B, the area in front of the parked vehicle Vx becomes a blind spot for the detection device of the own vehicle V1, and the driving environment in front of the parked vehicle Vx cannot be recognized. Therefore, the driving support device 19 cannot determine whether or not the host vehicle V1 can travel ahead of the parked vehicle Vx.

In this case, the host vehicle V1 may run without considering the driving environment in front of the parked vehicle Vx, but if there is an obstacle in front of the parked vehicle Vx, after avoiding the parked vehicle Vx, , the obstacle will be detected and avoided after approaching the obstacle. Therefore, in order to avoid an obstacle that exists in front of the parked vehicle Vx (that is, a blind spot in the detection range of the host vehicle V1), unnecessary deceleration and steering operations may be performed, which may significantly change the behavior of the host vehicle. Therefore, when the driving environment in front of the parked vehicle Vx cannot be recognized, the driving support device 19 of the present embodiment continues to avoid the parked vehicle Vx until the driving environment in front of the parked vehicle Vx can be recognized. Drive the own vehicle along the travel trajectory. This control is mainly realized by the functions of the recognition section 21, determination section 22, generation section 23, and control section 24.

The recognition unit 21 has a driving environment recognition function that recognizes the driving environment around the host vehicle V1. The driving support device 19 uses the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12 to recognize the driving environment, particularly in front of an obstacle, using the driving environment recognition function of the recognition unit 21 . The driving environment is information for determining whether the vehicle V1 can maintain its current driving state or whether it is necessary to change the driving state, such as the type and position of objects, the presence of obstacles, etc. If so, information such as the type and location, road conditions such as road surface conditions, and weather are included. The driving support device 19 performs appropriate processing such as sensor fusion on the detection results of the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12 to recognize the driving environment.

The driving support device 19 recognizes the driving environment as wide as possible according to the detectable range of the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12, but particularly recognizes the behavior of the own vehicle V1 when an obstacle is present. Recognize the driving environment in the range that has a large impact on the vehicle. For example, the driving support device 19 calculates the stopping position when the own vehicle V1 stops at a predetermined deceleration, and if the stopping position is ahead of the position of the obstacle in the traveling direction of the own vehicle V1, Recognizes the driving environment from the location of the object to the stop location. By recognizing obstacles in the section up to the stop position, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from stopping at a deceleration that exceeds a predetermined deceleration in order to avoid the obstacle. In this case, the driving support device 19 takes into account the delay in the response of the own vehicle V1 to the input of the control signal, and calculates the travel distance until the own vehicle V1 starts the stopping operation, and the distance from when the own vehicle V1 starts the stopping operation. The sum of the travel distance from V1 to the time when the own vehicle V1 stops may be calculated as the stopping position.

As an example, when the host vehicle V1 is traveling at a position P3 shown in FIG. 3 and the host vehicle V1 stops at a predetermined deceleration, it is calculated that the host vehicle V1 stops at the stop position Py. In this case, since the parking position Py is located ahead of the parking position Px of the parked vehicle Vx (particularly the position Px' of the front end of the parked vehicle Vx) in the traveling direction of the host vehicle V1, the driving support device 19 The driving environment of the section R1 from the front end position Px' of the vehicle Vx to the parking position Py is recognized. On the other hand, if the stopping position Py is behind the parking position Px of the parked vehicle Vx (particularly the position Px' of the front end of the parked vehicle Vx) in the traveling direction of the host vehicle V1, the driving support device 19 , the driving environment is recognized as wide as possible according to the detectable range of the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12. Note that the predetermined deceleration can be set to an appropriate value within a range that does not give a sense of discomfort to the occupants of the host vehicle V1.

Further, the driving support device 19 calculates the avoidance end position when the own vehicle V1 moves with a predetermined lateral acceleration and ends the avoidance operation, and calculates the driving environment from the position of the obstacle to the avoidance end position. May be recognized. By recognizing obstacles in the section up to the avoidance end position, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from traveling at an acceleration exceeding a predetermined lateral acceleration in order to avoid the obstacles. In this case, the driving support device 19 calculates the avoidance end position based on the traveling speed of the own vehicle V1 and the amount of movement in the width direction of the road required to finish the avoidance operation. Alternatively or in addition to this, the driving support device 19 takes into account the delay in the response of the host vehicle V1 to the input of the control signal, and calculates the travel distance until the host vehicle V1 starts the avoidance operation and the travel distance of the host vehicle V1. The avoidance end position may be calculated as the sum of the travel distance from the start of the avoidance operation to the end of the avoidance operation after moving at a predetermined lateral acceleration.

As an example, when the own vehicle V1 is traveling at a position P3, the time required to travel at a predetermined lateral acceleration to a position where the position in the width direction of the road becomes the center of the lane L1 is calculated. Then, it is assumed that it is calculated that the avoidance operation ends at the avoidance end position Pz by multiplying the travel speed when traveling at the position P3 by the calculated travel time in the width direction of the road. In this case, the driving support device 19 recognizes the driving environment in the section R2 from the front end position Px' of the parked vehicle Vx to the avoidance end position Pz.

Further, the driving support device 19 calculates a stopping position when the own vehicle V1 stops at a predetermined deceleration and an avoidance end position when moving with a predetermined lateral acceleration and ends the avoidance operation, is located ahead of the obstacle in the traveling direction of the own vehicle V1, between the obstacle and the stop position or the avoidance end position, whichever is farther from the obstacle. The driving environment may also be recognized. In the driving scene shown in FIG. 3, the avoidance end position Pz is farther from the parking position Px of the parked vehicle Vx than the stop position Py, so the driving support device 19 determines the position Px' of the front end of the parked vehicle Vx. The driving environment of the section R2 from 1 to the avoidance end position Pz is recognized.

The determination unit 22 has a determination function that determines the presence or absence of an obstacle and a preceding vehicle based on the recognition result of the driving environment. Further, the determination unit 22 has a function of determining whether or not the driving environment can be recognized, particularly in front of an obstacle, and whether or not the host vehicle V1 can travel. Further, the driving support device 19 uses the determination function of the determination unit 22 to make determinations necessary for generating a travel trajectory based on the recognition result of the driving environment by the function of the recognition unit 21 .

In determining whether or not the driving environment can be recognized, the driving support device 19 does not need to be able to recognize the driving environment in all parts in front of the obstacle, and does not need to be able to recognize the driving environment in all parts in front of the obstacle. If it can be determined, it is determined that the driving environment in front of the obstacle can be recognized. For example, as in the driving scene shown in FIG. 2B, the driving support device 19 detects that, of the range A1 in which the host vehicle V1 recognizes the driving environment, a range A2 including the area in front of the parked vehicle Vx is detected by the detection device of the host vehicle V1. In the case of a blind spot, it is not possible to determine whether or not there is another obstacle in front of the parked vehicle Vx, so it is determined that the driving environment in front of the obstacle cannot be recognized. On the other hand, as in the driving scene shown in FIG. Since it can be determined whether or not another obstacle exists, it is determined that the driving environment in front of the obstacle can be recognized.

Additionally, if the range from parking position Px to stop position Py and/or the range from parking position Px to avoidance end position Pz is set as the range for recognizing the driving environment, it is determined that an obstacle exists in these ranges. If it can be determined whether or not the obstacle is detected, it is determined that the driving environment in front of the obstacle can be recognized. That is, as long as it can be determined whether or not an obstacle exists within the set range, a blind spot of the detection device may exist within the set range.

In the driving scene shown in FIG. 3, there is a section R1 from the front end position Px' of the parked vehicle Vx to the stopping position Py where the driving environment cannot be recognized because it is blocked by the parked vehicle Vx. Using the detection results of the range device 12, it is possible to determine whether or not an obstacle exists in the section R1. Therefore, the driving support device 19 determines that the driving environment in front of the parked vehicle Vx can be recognized. On the other hand, most of the section R1 becomes a blind spot for the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12, and if it is not possible to determine whether or not there is an obstacle in the section R1, the driving environment in front of the parked vehicle Vx is determined to be unrecognizable. Similarly, in the driving scene shown in FIG. 3, there is a section R2 from the front end position Px' of the parked vehicle Vx to the avoidance end position Pz, where the driving environment cannot be recognized because it is blocked by the parked vehicle Vx. Since the support device 19 can determine whether or not an obstacle exists in the section R2, it determines that the driving environment in front of the parked vehicle Vx can be recognized. On the other hand, if most of the section R2 becomes a blind spot and it is not possible to determine whether or not there is an obstacle in the section R2, it is determined that the driving environment in front of the parked vehicle Vx cannot be recognized.

In addition, when determining whether or not the own vehicle V1 can run in front of the obstacle, the driving support device 19 determines that if there is a space in front of the obstacle for the own vehicle V1 to run, the driving support device 19 determines whether the own vehicle V1 can run in front of the obstacle. It is determined that the vehicle V1 is driveable. On the other hand, if there is no space for the host vehicle V1 to run in front of the obstacle, it is determined that the host vehicle V1 cannot run in front of the obstacle. For example, as in the driving scene shown in FIG. 3, when the driving environment in front of the parked vehicle Vx can be recognized, if no obstacles such as another parked vehicle Vx are detected in front of the parked vehicle Vx, the vehicle Since there is a space for vehicle V1 to travel, the driving support device 19 determines that vehicle V1 can travel in front of the obstacle. On the other hand, if an obstacle such as another parked vehicle Vx is detected in front of the parked vehicle Vx, there is no space for the host vehicle V1 to travel, so the driving support device 19 It is determined that the vehicle is not drivable. In this case, the driving support device 19 generates, for example, a new travel trajectory in order to avoid the obstacle detected in front of the parked vehicle Vx.

Furthermore, if the driving support device 19 determines that the driving environment in front of the obstacle to be avoided cannot be recognized, the driving environment recognition function of the recognition unit 21 determines whether the host vehicle V1 is running on the basis of the driving state of the preceding vehicle V2. The travelable range may be estimated. In other words, like the own vehicle V1, the preceding vehicle V2 is also running after recognizing the driving environment in front of the vehicle, so a predetermined range in front of the preceding vehicle V2 can be driven by the preceding vehicle V2. It is assumed that the host vehicle V1 is also able to travel.

For example, the driving support device 19 determines whether the own vehicle V1 is in front of an obstacle to be avoided based on the traveling speed of the preceding vehicle V2, the estimated upper limit deceleration of the preceding vehicle V2, and the position of the preceding vehicle V2. Estimate the drivable range. If an obstacle exists between the current traveling position of the preceding vehicle V2 and the stopping position when the preceding vehicle V2 has stopped at the upper limit deceleration, the preceding vehicle V2 will reduce the upper limit deceleration to avoid the obstacle. You will be stopped if you decelerate more than that. In this case, the behavior of the preceding vehicle V2 changes significantly, giving a sense of discomfort to the occupants of the preceding vehicle V2. Therefore, it can be estimated that the preceding vehicle V2 is traveling knowing that there are no obstacles at least up to the stopping position when the vehicle is stopped at the upper limit deceleration, and that it is possible to travel.

As an example, assume that when the preceding vehicle V2 is traveling at the position Pc shown in FIG. 3 and decelerates at the upper limit deceleration of the preceding vehicle V2, the preceding vehicle V2 is estimated to stop at the position Pd. In this case, the driving support device 19 estimates that the range R3 from the position Pc to the position Pd is a range in which there are no obstacles and the host vehicle V1 can travel. The traveling speed of the preceding vehicle V2 and the position of the preceding vehicle V2 used for estimation are detected using the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12 of the host vehicle V1. Further, the upper limit deceleration of the preceding vehicle V2 is set by estimating an appropriate value within the range of deceleration that allows the preceding vehicle V2 to stop without causing any discomfort to the occupants of the preceding vehicle V2.

In the above estimation, the driving support device 19 determines that when the position of the preceding vehicle V2 in the width direction of the road is closer to the position where the avoidance operation ends, the host vehicle V1 It may be estimated that the drivable range is long. This is because the fact that the preceding vehicle V2 is approaching the position where the avoidance operation ends indicates that the preceding vehicle V2 recognizes that it is possible to drive in front of the avoided obstacle and is about to end the avoidance operation. be. The position where the avoidance operation ends is the position in front of the obstacle avoided by the preceding vehicle V2, for example, the position in the width direction of the road in the lane in which the preceding vehicle V2 was traveling before starting the avoidance operation. It is.

Instead or in addition to this, the driving support device 19 uses the driving environment recognition function of the recognition unit 21 to acquire the flashing state of the direction indicator of the preceding vehicle V2, and uses the determination function of the determination unit 22 to determine the direction indicator. Based on the flashing state of the indicator, it is determined whether the preceding vehicle V2 is about to turn right or left or stop. If it is determined that the preceding vehicle V2 is about to turn right or left or stop, it is estimated that the range within which the host vehicle V1 can travel is shorter than when it is determined that the preceding vehicle V2 is about to go straight. do. When the preceding vehicle V2 is about to turn left or right or stop, it is determined whether the own vehicle V1 can travel in the section up to the point where the turning or stopping is to be done, so compared to when the preceding vehicle V2 is going straight. This is because the range in which the own vehicle V1 can travel is estimated to be short in the traveling direction of the own vehicle V1.

In the driving scene shown in FIG. 3, assuming that the position at which the avoidance operation ends is the center of the lane L1, the driving support device 19 performs the following operation when the position of the preceding vehicle V2 in the width direction of the road is close to the center of the lane L1. It is estimated that the section R3 is longer forward than when it is closer to the boundary between the lane L1 and the lane L2 (or the center of the lane L2). Furthermore, if the preceding vehicle V2 is flashing its left turn signal at position Pc, it is determined that the preceding vehicle V2 will turn left in front of the lane L1, so the length of the section R3 is shown in FIG. Estimate shorter than shown. Similarly, when the preceding vehicle V2 flashes both direction indicators at position Pc, it is determined that the preceding vehicle V2 stops in front of the lane L1, so the length of the section R3 is calculated as shown in FIG. Estimate shorter than shown in . On the other hand, if the preceding vehicle V2 does not have its turn signal flashing, it is determined that the preceding vehicle V2 is going straight in the lane L1, so the driving support device 19 moves from the position Pc to the position Pd shown in FIG. It is estimated that the own vehicle V1 can travel in the section R3 up to the point R3.

The generation unit 23 has a trajectory generation function that generates a travel trajectory along which the host vehicle V1 travels according to a determination result based on a recognition result of the travel environment. If it is determined that the driving environment in front of an obstacle (for example, a parked vehicle Vx) cannot be recognized, the driving support device 19 generates a driving trajectory that continues to avoid the obstacle. The travel trajectory that continues to avoid this obstacle is, for example, a travel trajectory that maintains the position of the host vehicle V1 in the width direction of the road, and in this case, the host vehicle V1 moves straight on the right or left side of the obstacle to be avoided. do. Alternatively, the driving support device 19 generates a travel trajectory of an appropriate shape within a range that allows continuous obstacle avoidance through autonomous travel control. For example, the distance to the obstacle (particularly the lateral distance) is changed according to the driving environment around the host vehicle V1.

On the other hand, if the driving environment can be recognized, the driving trajectory to be generated is selected based on the recognized driving environment. In other words, if it is determined that there is no space for vehicle V1 to run in front of the avoided obstacle and it is not possible to drive in front of the avoided obstacle, this is the same as a case where the running environment in front of the obstacle cannot be recognized. Then, a travel trajectory is generated in which the vehicle continues to avoid the obstacle until it is determined that the vehicle can travel ahead of the obstacle. On the other hand, if it is determined that the own vehicle V1 can travel in front of the obstacle, the ending trajectory Tt is set as the traveling trajectory in order to end the traveling operation.

The ending trajectory for ending the avoidance operation is a traveling trajectory for moving the own vehicle V1 from the position to avoid the obstacle to the right or left side with respect to the traveling direction of the own vehicle V1, and moving in front of the obstacle. It is. By traveling along the end trajectory, the own vehicle V1 travels in front of the obstacle, for example, at the same position in the width direction of the road as before starting the avoidance operation. The driving support device 19 can recognize the driving environment in front of the obstacle and generates an end trajectory after it is determined that the own vehicle V1 can travel in front of the obstacle. Alternatively, the driving support device 19 generates a travel trajectory including the end trajectory, and updates the travel trajectory in accordance with a determination result based on a recognition result of the travel environment. By generating the travel trajectory including the end trajectory in advance, the distance traveled by the host vehicle V1 to continue avoiding the obstacle can be reduced compared to the case where the end trajectory is generated after it is determined that the driving environment in front of the obstacle can be recognized. . In addition, the own vehicle V1 can smoothly return to the own lane L1, and can be prevented from interfering with the traffic of other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane L2.

The control unit 24 has a travel control function that causes the host vehicle to travel along a travel trajectory. When the driving support device 19 cannot recognize the driving environment in front of the obstacle to be avoided, the driving support device 19 uses the driving control function of the control unit 24 to autonomously control the drive device and steering device of the host vehicle V1 via the vehicle control device 17. , the host vehicle V1 travels along a travel trajectory that continues to avoid obstacles. On the other hand, if the driving environment in front of the obstacle to be avoided can be recognized, the host vehicle V1 is caused to travel along a driving trajectory generated based on the recognized driving environment. That is, when it is determined that the host vehicle V1 can travel in front of the avoided obstacle, the host vehicle V1 is driven along the ending trajectory Tt to complete the avoidance operation of the host vehicle V1. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is not possible to travel in front of the avoided obstacle, the host vehicle V1 is caused to travel along a travel trajectory that continues to avoid the obstacle.

Hereinafter, generation of a driving trajectory by the driving support device 19 will be explained using FIGS. 4A to 4C. FIG. 4A is a plan view showing a driving scene in which the own vehicle V1 is following the preceding vehicle V2 and avoiding the parked vehicle Vx. The host vehicle V1 is traveling at a position P4, the preceding vehicle is traveling at a position Pe, and the parked vehicle Vx is stopped at a parking position Px. In the driving scene shown in FIG. 4A, the preceding vehicle V2 traveling at the position Pe can recognize that there is no obstacle in front of the parked vehicle Vx and can travel in front of the parked vehicle Vx, so the traveling trajectory Tb , and moves from position Pe to position Pf. As a result, the preceding vehicle V2 finishes avoiding the parked vehicle Vx. Thereafter, the preceding vehicle V2 moves straight in the lane L1 under autonomous driving control.

On the other hand, the host vehicle V1 traveling at the position P3 is blocked by the preceding vehicle V2 and the parked vehicle Vx, and cannot recognize the driving environment in front of the parked vehicle Vx. Therefore, the driving support device 19 generates a travel trajectory T2 that continues to avoid the parked vehicle Vx, which is an obstacle. The host vehicle V1 moves straight along the travel trajectory T2 shown in FIG. 4A until the travel environment in front of the parked vehicle Vx is recognized, thereby avoiding obstacles that exist in front of the parked vehicle Vx. It is possible to suppress a large change in the behavior of V1.

It is assumed that the host vehicle V1 travels along the traveling trajectory T2 shown in FIG. 4A and reaches the position P5 shown in FIG. 4B, at which time the preceding vehicle V2 is traveling at the position Pg. The preceding vehicle V2 traveling at the position Pg is turning to the left in the direction of travel and is about to move to a position within the lane L1. When the own vehicle V1 moves from the position P4 to the position P5, the driving environment in the range A4 shown in FIG. 4B can be recognized from between the preceding vehicle V2 and the parked vehicle Vx. The driving support device 19 can confirm that there are no obstacles in range A4 and that there is a space for the host vehicle V1 to run in front of the parked vehicle Vx. It is determined that it is possible.

When the driving support device 19 determines that the own vehicle V1 can travel in front of the parked vehicle Vx, it generates, for example, an end trajectory Tt shown by a broken line in FIG. 4B. By traveling along the end trajectory Tt, the own vehicle V1 can move from the position P4 to the position within the lane L1 in which it was traveling before starting the avoidance of the parked vehicle Vx, and can complete the avoidance operation. The position of the own vehicle V1 in the width direction of the road at the time when the avoidance operation is completed is not particularly limited as long as it is within the lane L1 in which the own vehicle V1 was traveling before starting the avoidance operation. The travel trajectory including the end trajectory Tt is generated such that the travel distance of the host vehicle V1 is minimized within a range that does not exceed the maximum steering angle, maximum lateral acceleration, maximum yaw rate, and maximum steering speed of the host vehicle V1.

After generating the ending trajectory Tt, the driving support device 19 combines the driving trajectory in which the vehicle continues to avoid the vehicle and the ending trajectory Tt, and generates a driving trajectory in which the vehicle travels to a position within the lane L1. In the case of the driving scene shown in FIG. 4B, for example, a driving trajectory T3 shown in FIG. 4C is generated. The traveling trajectory T3 is a traveling trajectory in which the own vehicle V1 moves straight from the position P5 to the stopping position Py, continues avoiding the parked vehicle Vx, and travels from the stopping position Py along the ending trajectory Tt. The own vehicle V1 continues to avoid the parked vehicle Vx in the section R1 from the front end position Px' of the parked vehicle Vx to the stop position Py, thereby suppressing unnecessary deceleration and deceleration jerk.

After generating the travel trajectory T3, the driving support device 19 causes the host vehicle V1 to travel along the travel trajectory T3 from position P5 to position P6, as shown in FIG. 4C. The driving support device 19 ends the avoidance operation when the own vehicle V1 has moved to the position P6. Thereafter, the own vehicle V1 moves straight in the lane L1 under autonomous driving control. Note that the traveling trajectory T3 shown in FIG. 4C shows that the own vehicle V1 moves straight to the stopping position Py and continues to avoid the parked vehicle Vx, but the driving support device 19 shows that the own vehicle V1 moves straight to the stopping position Py and continues to avoid the parked vehicle Vx. A travel trajectory that continues to avoid the parked vehicle Vx may be generated.

Further, the driving support device 19 may generate a travel trajectory including the end trajectory Tt, and update the travel trajectory in accordance with a determination result based on a recognition result of the travel environment. For example, the driving support device 19 sets the ending trajectory Tt indicated by a broken line as the traveling trajectory when the vehicle is traveling at the position P4 shown in FIG. 4B. Then, while the driving environment in front of the parked vehicle Vx cannot be recognized, the ending trajectory Tt is moved forward in the driving direction of the own vehicle V1, and the driving trajectory is updated. At this time, a traveling trajectory is generated from the current position to the starting point of the ending trajectory Tt, and the generated traveling trajectory and the ending trajectory Tt are combined to update the traveling trajectory. When the driving environment in front of the parked vehicle Vx can be recognized, the forward movement of the ending trajectory Tt and the generation of the driving trajectory that continues to avoid the parked vehicle Vx are completed, and the updated driving trajectory is changed. The own vehicle V1 is caused to travel along.

Further, in the driving scene shown in FIG. 4A, the driving support device 19 uses the driving control function of the control unit 24 to perform follow-up control to follow the preceding vehicle V2 at a predetermined inter-vehicle distance, and performs driving operation while avoiding obstacles. You may quit. The predetermined inter-vehicle distance is based on the traveling speed and maximum deceleration of the host vehicle V1, and can avoid contact between the host vehicle V1 and the lead vehicle V2 when following the lead vehicle V2 using autonomous driving control (following control). You can set an appropriate value within the range. In addition, when the driving environment in front of the obstacle to be avoided cannot be recognized, the driving support device 19 automatically detects the own vehicle V1 more than when the driving environment can be recognized, until the driving environment can be recognized. The distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle V2 is set wide. In this case, the driving support device 19 decelerates the host vehicle V1 to achieve the set inter-vehicle distance.

Note that while the driving support device 19 executes the avoidance operation, the driving support device 19 controls the autonomous driving control for driving along the traveling trajectory and the autonomous driving control for following the preceding vehicle V2 while maintaining a predetermined inter-vehicle distance. It is possible to switch within a range that does not cause any discomfort to the occupants. In other words, a part of the avoidance operation may be realized by autonomous running control in which the vehicle travels along the travel trajectory, and the other part may be realized by autonomous running control in which the vehicle follows the preceding vehicle V2.

[Processing in the system]
With reference to FIG. 5, a procedure when the driving support device 19 processes information will be described. FIG. 5 is an example of a flowchart showing information processing executed in the driving support system 10 of this embodiment. The processing described below is executed at predetermined time intervals by the CPU 191, which is the processor of the driving support device 19.

First, in step S1, the driving environment recognition function detects obstacles around the own vehicle V1 using the imaging device 11, the distance measuring device 12, and the like. In step S2, the determination function determines whether or not an obstacle exists based on the detection results. If it is determined that there is no obstacle, the process proceeds to step S1 and the obstacle detection is repeated. If it is determined that an obstacle exists, the process proceeds to step S3 and the preceding vehicle V2 is detected. In step S4, it is determined whether the preceding vehicle V2 is present. If it is determined that the preceding vehicle V2 does not exist, the process proceeds to step S5, where the travel control function uses the normal avoidance operation to avoid the obstacle, and the process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the preceding vehicle V2 exists, the process advances to step S6.

In step S6, the trajectory generation function generates a travel trajectory that avoids obstacles. It is assumed that the traveling trajectory includes the ending trajectory Tt. In step S7, the driving environment recognition function recognizes the driving environment in front of the obstacle to be avoided by the own vehicle V1, and in step S8, the determination function determines whether the driving environment in front of the obstacle can be recognized. Determine. If it is determined that the driving environment in front of the obstacle can be recognized, the process proceeds to step S9, and it is determined whether the host vehicle V1 can travel in front of the obstacle based on the driving environment in front of the obstacle. . When it is determined that the host vehicle V1 can run in front of the obstacle, the process proceeds to step S10, where the host vehicle V1 runs along a travel trajectory including the end trajectory Tt, and the avoidance operation is ended. At this time, the traveling trajectory may be updated according to the traveling environment around the host vehicle V1. Thereafter, the execution of the routine shown in FIG. 5 is completed, and the vehicle shifts to straight-ahead travel under autonomous travel control.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S8 that the vehicle is blocked by the preceding vehicle V2 and an obstacle and the driving environment in front of the obstacle cannot be recognized, the process proceeds to step S11. In step S11, it is estimated from the running state of the preceding vehicle V2 whether or not the host vehicle V1 can run in front of the obstacle. If it is estimated that the host vehicle V1 can travel in front of the obstacle, the process proceeds to step S10. On the other hand, if it is estimated that the host vehicle V1 cannot travel in front of the obstacle, the process proceeds to step S12, and the end trajectory Tt is moved forward in the travel direction of the host vehicle V1 to update the travel trajectory. Then, in the subsequent step S13, the host vehicle V1 is caused to travel along the updated travel trajectory, and the process proceeds to step S8, where it is again determined whether the travel environment in front of the obstacle can be recognized. In other words, this determination is repeated until it is determined that the driving environment in front of the obstacle can be recognized.

Furthermore, if it is determined in step S9 that the own vehicle V1 cannot run in front of the obstacle, the process proceeds to step S14, and similarly to step S12, the end trajectory Tt is moved forward in the traveling direction of the own vehicle V1. to update the travel trajectory. Then, in the subsequent step S15, the host vehicle V1 is caused to travel along the updated travel trajectory, and the process proceeds to step S9, where it is again determined whether the host vehicle V1 can travel in front of the obstacle. In other words, this determination is repeated until it is determined that the host vehicle V1 can travel in front of the obstacle.

In addition, in step S10, instead of driving the vehicle V1 along the travel trajectory including the end trajectory Tt, the own vehicle V1 may be caused to travel autonomously so as to follow the preceding vehicle V2 by follow-up control. Furthermore, in steps S12 and S14, instead of moving the end trajectory Tt forward in the traveling direction of the host vehicle V1, the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle V1 and the preceding vehicle V2 may be set to be wider. Furthermore, in steps S13 and S15, instead of causing the host vehicle V1 to travel along the updated travel trajectory, the host vehicle V1 may be decelerated in accordance with the increased inter-vehicle distance setting.

[Embodiments of the present invention]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, in a driving support method using a processor in which a host vehicle traveling in parallel with a preceding vehicle avoids an obstacle by autonomous driving control, the processor The driving environment is recognized, and if the driving environment cannot be recognized, the host vehicle V1 is driven along a driving trajectory that continues to avoid the obstacles, and if the driving environment can be recognized, the recognized driving environment is A driving support method is provided in which, when it is determined that it is possible to drive in front of the obstacle, the avoidance operation of the own vehicle V1 is ended. Thereby, when following the preceding vehicle V2 and avoiding an obstacle, it is possible to suppress a large change in the behavior of the host vehicle V1, and at the same time, it is possible to suppress the sense of discomfort given to the occupants of the host vehicle V1. In addition to this, the traffic of other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane L2 can be facilitated.

Further, according to the driving support method of the present embodiment, the processor generates the driving trajectory including the ending trajectory Tt for ending the avoidance operation, and when the driving environment cannot be recognized, the processor can recognize the driving environment. The end trajectory Tt is moved forward in the traveling direction of the host vehicle V1 to update the travel trajectory, and the host vehicle V1 is caused to travel along the travel trajectory. Thereby, it is possible to prevent obstacle avoidance from continuing longer than necessary, and it is possible to smooth the traffic of other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane L2.

Further, according to the driving support method of the present embodiment, the processor calculates the stopping position Py when the own vehicle V1 stops at a predetermined deceleration, and the stopping position Py is determined from the position of the obstacle. If the vehicle V1 is also located in front of the host vehicle V1 in the traveling direction, the driving environment from the position of the obstacle to the stopping position Py is recognized. Thereby, it is possible to make an avoidance determination that is appropriate for the running state of the own vehicle V1, and it is possible to suppress unnecessary deceleration and behavior change (deceleration jerk).

Further, according to the driving support method of the present embodiment, the processor is configured to calculate the distance traveled by the host vehicle V1 until the host vehicle V1 starts the stopping operation, and the distance traveled by the host vehicle V1 from the time the host vehicle V1 starts the stop operation. The sum of the distance traveled until the vehicle stops is calculated as the stopping position Py. Thereby, even if there is a delay in the response of the own vehicle V1 to the input of the control signal, it is possible to suppress the behavior of the own vehicle V1 from changing significantly.

Further, according to the driving support method of the present embodiment, the processor calculates an avoidance end position Pz when the own vehicle V1 moves with a predetermined lateral acceleration and ends the avoidance operation, and The driving environment between the position Pz and the avoidance end position Pz is recognized. Thereby, it is possible to perform avoidance determination appropriate to the driving state of the own vehicle V1, and to suppress unnecessary steering operations.

Further, according to the driving support method of the present embodiment, the processor determines the avoidance end position based on the traveling speed of the own vehicle V1 and the amount of movement in the width direction of the road required to finish the avoidance operation. Calculate Pz. Thereby, it is possible to make a determination of avoidance that is more suitable for the driving state of the host vehicle V1.

Further, according to the driving support method of the present embodiment, the processor calculates the distance traveled by the host vehicle V1 until the start of the avoidance operation, and the distance traveled by the host vehicle V1 from when the host vehicle V1 starts the avoidance operation. The sum of the travel distance until the avoidance operation is completed by moving with acceleration is calculated as the avoidance end position Pz. Thereby, even if there is a delay in the response of the host vehicle V1 to the input of the control signal, it is possible to suppress the behavior of the host vehicle V1 from changing significantly.

Further, according to the driving support method of the present embodiment, the processor calculates a stopping position Py when the own vehicle V1 stops at a predetermined deceleration, and the own vehicle V1 moves with a predetermined lateral acceleration. An avoidance end position Pz is calculated when the avoidance operation is ended, and if the stop position Py is further forward in the traveling direction of the own vehicle V1 than the position of the obstacle, the stop position Pz is calculated from the position of the obstacle. , recognizes the driving environment between the stop position Py and the avoidance end position Pz, whichever is farther from the position of the obstacle. Thereby, it is possible to perform an avoidance determination that is more suitable for the running state of the own vehicle V1, and it is possible to suppress unnecessary deceleration and steering operations.

Further, according to the driving support method of the present embodiment, if the processor cannot recognize the driving environment, it decelerates the own vehicle V1 until the driving environment can be recognized. Thereby, the travel distance required to complete the avoidance operation can be reduced compared to the case where the avoidance operation is simply continued.

According to the driving support method of the present embodiment, when the driving environment cannot be recognized, the processor determines the traveling speed of the preceding vehicle V2, the estimated upper limit deceleration of the preceding vehicle V2, and the preceding vehicle V2. Based on the position of the vehicle V2, the range in which the host vehicle V1 can travel in front of the obstacle is estimated. Thereby, it is possible to prevent obstacle avoidance from continuing longer than necessary and from decelerating the own vehicle V1 more than necessary, and it is possible to smooth the traffic of other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane L2.

According to the driving support method of the present embodiment, if the position of the preceding vehicle V2 in the width direction of the road is close to the position where the avoidance operation ends, the processor may It is estimated that the range within which the host vehicle V1 can travel is longer than if it were far away. This makes it easier to follow the preceding vehicle V2 and smoothly complete obstacle avoidance.

Further, according to the driving support method of the present embodiment, the processor acquires the blinking state of the direction indicator of the preceding vehicle V2, and determines from the blinking state that the preceding vehicle V2 is about to turn right, turn left, or stop. If it is determined that the preceding vehicle V2 is about to proceed straight ahead, it is estimated that the range within which the host vehicle V1 can travel is shorter than if it is determined that the preceding vehicle V2 is about to proceed straight. Thereby, the range within which the own vehicle V1 can travel can be estimated based on the traveling state of the preceding vehicle V2.

Further, according to the present embodiment, when the host vehicle traveling in parallel with the preceding vehicle avoids an obstacle by autonomous driving control, the recognition unit 21 recognizes the driving environment in front of the obstacle, and the recognition unit If the driving environment cannot be recognized, the own vehicle V1 is caused to travel along a driving trajectory that continues to avoid the obstacles, and if the recognition unit 21 is able to recognize the driving environment, the determining unit A driving support device 19 comprising: a control unit 24 that terminates the avoidance operation of the host vehicle V1 when the driver 22 determines that it is possible to travel in front of the obstacle based on the recognized driving environment; is provided. Thereby, when following the preceding vehicle V2 and avoiding an obstacle, it is possible to suppress a large change in the behavior of the host vehicle V1, and at the same time, it is possible to suppress the sense of discomfort given to the occupants of the host vehicle V1. In addition to this, the traffic of other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane L2 can be facilitated.

10... Driving support system 11... Imaging device 12... Distance measuring device 13... State detection device 14... Map information 15... Position detection device 16... Navigation device 17... Vehicle control device 171... Vehicle speed control device 172... Steering control device 18... Display Device 19...Driving support device 191...CPU (processor)
192...ROM
193...RAM
20... Support unit 21... Recognition unit 22... Judgment unit 23... Generation unit 24... Control unit A1, A2, A3... Range L1... Lane (own lane)
L2...Lane (adjacent lane)
P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, Pa, Pb, Pc, Pd, Pe, Pf, Pg, Ph...Position Px...Parking position Px'...Position of the front end of the parked vehicle Py...Stopping position Pz...Avoidance end Positions R1, R2, R3...Section T1, T2, T3, Ta, Tb...Travel trajectory Tt...End trajectory V1...Own vehicle V2...Preceding vehicle Vx...Parked vehicle

Claims (13)

In a driving support method using a processor, in which a vehicle traveling in parallel with a preceding vehicle avoids obstacles through autonomous driving control,
The processor includes:
Recognizing the driving environment in front of the obstacle,
If the driving environment cannot be recognized, driving the own vehicle along a driving trajectory that continues to avoid the obstacles;
If the driving environment can be recognized and it is determined that the vehicle can travel in front of the obstacle based on the recognized driving environment, the avoidance operation of the own vehicle is ended. The processor includes:
generating the travel trajectory including an end trajectory for ending the avoidance operation;
If the driving environment cannot be recognized, updating the driving trajectory by moving the end trajectory forward in the driving direction of the host vehicle until the driving environment can be recognized;
The driving support method according to claim 1, wherein the host vehicle is caused to travel along the travel trajectory. The processor includes:
Calculating a stopping position when the own vehicle stops at a predetermined deceleration,
According to claim 1 or 2, when the stopping position is located ahead of the position of the obstacle in the traveling direction of the own vehicle, the driving environment from the position of the obstacle to the stopping position is recognized. Driving support method described. The processor includes:
Claim: The stopping position is calculated as the sum of a travel distance until the host vehicle starts the stopping operation and a travel distance from the time the host vehicle starts the stopping action until the host vehicle stops. The driving support method described in 3. The processor includes:
Calculating an avoidance end position when the own vehicle moves with a predetermined lateral acceleration and ends the avoidance operation,
The driving support method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the driving environment from the position of the obstacle to the avoidance end position is recognized. The processor includes:
6. The driving support method according to claim 5, wherein the avoidance end position is calculated based on the traveling speed of the own vehicle and the amount of movement in the width direction of the road required to end the avoidance operation. The processor includes:
The sum of the travel distance of the host vehicle until the start of the avoidance operation and the travel distance of the host vehicle after the start of the avoidance operation until the host vehicle moves with the lateral acceleration and finishes the avoidance operation. The driving support method according to claim 5, wherein the avoidance end position is calculated. The processor includes:
Calculating a stopping position when the own vehicle stops at a predetermined deceleration,
Calculating an avoidance end position when the own vehicle moves with a predetermined lateral acceleration and ends the avoidance operation,
If the stopping position is further forward in the traveling direction of the own vehicle than the position of the obstacle, the stop position is further away from the obstacle position among the stopping position and the avoidance end position. The driving support method according to claim 1, further comprising recognizing the driving environment up to the position of the driver. The processor includes:
2. The driving support method according to claim 1, wherein if the driving environment cannot be recognized, the host vehicle is decelerated until the driving environment can be recognized. The processor includes:
If the driving environment cannot be recognized, the own vehicle is located in front of the obstacle based on the driving speed of the preceding vehicle, the estimated upper limit deceleration of the preceding vehicle, and the position of the preceding vehicle. The driving support method according to claim 1, further comprising estimating a travelable range. The processor includes:
When the position of the preceding vehicle in the width direction of the road is close to the position where the avoidance operation ends, it is estimated that the range within which the host vehicle can travel is longer than when the position of the preceding vehicle in the width direction of the road is closer to the position where the avoidance operation ends. The driving support method according to claim 10. The processor includes:
Obtaining the flashing state of the direction indicator of the preceding vehicle;
If it is determined from the flashing state that the preceding vehicle is about to turn right or left, or stop, the range within which the own vehicle can travel is shorter than when it is determined that the preceding vehicle is about to proceed straight. The driving support method according to claim 10, wherein the driving support method estimates that. a recognition unit that recognizes a driving environment in front of the obstacle when the own vehicle traveling in parallel with the preceding vehicle avoids the obstacle through autonomous driving control;
If the recognition unit cannot recognize the driving environment, drive the own vehicle along a driving trajectory that continues to avoid the obstacles;
When the recognition unit is able to recognize the driving environment, and the determination unit determines that it is possible to travel in front of the obstacle based on the recognized driving environment, the determination unit performs an avoidance operation of the host vehicle. A driving support device, comprising: a control unit for terminating the operation.