JP4277899B2 - Vehicle driving assistance device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention generally relates to a driving assistance device for a vehicle capable of causing the host vehicle to follow a specific vehicle, and in particular, to stop following driving when the possibility of crossing with another vehicle exceeds a predetermined value. The present invention relates to a vehicular driving assistance device.

Conventionally, when the host vehicle travels following the preceding vehicle (following target vehicle), information obtained by inter-vehicle communication with the preceding vehicle instead of or in addition to the inter-vehicle distance information detected by the radar or the like An apparatus or a system that performs follow-up running control using a vehicle is known (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-13507 JP-A-11-20499

  By the way, in the field of vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle information such as position and speed transmitted from surrounding vehicles is acquired using vehicle-to-vehicle communication, and based on this, the possibility of crossing between the host vehicle and other vehicles is determined. An apparatus or system that performs control for avoiding some kind of collision (for example, providing information to a driver) when the possibility of crossing is high is known.

  However, in the conventional following traveling control, the possibility of crossing with other vehicles, particularly the risk of collision with crossing vehicles, is not considered.

  If the possibility of crossing with other vehicles increases during follow-up driving, i.e., if there is a high risk of collision with other vehicles if you continue to drive, it will follow the preceding vehicle without any collision avoidance action. It is extremely dangerous to continue running.

  The present invention is for solving such a problem, and provides a vehicle driving assistance device that executes control for collision avoidance when the possibility of crossing with another vehicle increases during follow-up traveling with respect to a preceding vehicle. The main purpose is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, the first aspect of the present invention is capable of causing the own vehicle to perform a follow-up running with a specific vehicle as the follow-up target vehicle. A driving assistance device for a vehicle that changes control related to the following traveling of the host vehicle when the possibility of crossing reaches a predetermined value or more, wherein the other vehicle is the host vehicle. When the crossing path of the vehicle to be followed is crossed, when the possibility of crossing becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the vehicle to be followed is requested to be controlled to reduce the possibility of crossing using inter-vehicle communication. This is a vehicle driving assistance device.

In the first embodiment, the vehicle driving assist system, for example, by utilizing the inter-vehicle communication, the follow-up target vehicle by the crossing possibility to send information about the control that reduces the Control is required to reduce the possibility of crossing .

In the first aspect, when the control target vehicle does not execute the required control to reduce the possibility of crossing , for example, A) a predetermined parameter is maintained during the execution of the follow-up traveling The following condition which is a condition relating to the target value or target range to be changed may be changed, or B) the following traveling may be temporarily stopped, or C) the following traveling may be stopped completely. Good. In the case of the above B), when the possibility of crossing becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the setting as the vehicle to be followed for the specific vehicle is retained, and the crossing is performed after the follow-up running is temporarily stopped. When the possibility becomes less than the predetermined value, it is preferable to resume the follow-up running with the specific vehicle as the follow-up vehicle.

  According to the first aspect, when the possibility of crossing with another vehicle increases to a predetermined value or more, the preceding vehicle has the possibility of crossing the traveling state (for example, traveling speed) of the preceding vehicle. Since it is possible to request control (for example, increase the traveling speed) to reduce, it is possible to avoid a collision with another vehicle while continuing the following traveling without changing the following condition.

In the first aspect, it is preferable to maintain inter-vehicle communication between the host vehicle and the tracking target vehicle even after requesting a control that reduces the possibility of crossing .

  In the third aspect, the following condition may be changed by changing the own vehicle speed, changing the traveling speed difference between the own vehicle and the following vehicle, and the distance between the own vehicle and the following vehicle. At least one of the changes is included.

  In the third aspect, when the following condition cannot be changed, the vehicle driving assistance device may, for example, 1) temporarily stop the following traveling, or 2) The follow-up driving may be stopped completely.

  According to the third aspect, when the possibility of crossing with another vehicle increases to a predetermined value or more, the initial following condition (for example, the inter-vehicle distance) is changed so that the crossing possibility is reduced (for example, Therefore, it is possible to avoid a collision with another vehicle while continuing the follow-up running.

  In the second and third aspects, when the possibility of crossing is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the vehicle driving assistance device maintains inter-vehicle communication between the own vehicle and the tracking target vehicle. It is preferable to do.

  In the first to third aspects, the follow-up traveling of the own vehicle with respect to the follow-up target vehicle is set using, for example, inter-vehicle communication.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the driving assistance apparatus for vehicles which performs control for collision avoidance when the possibility of crossing with another vehicle increases during the follow-up driving | running | working with respect to a preceding vehicle can be provided.

  Embodiments 1 to 3 of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. As described above, the present invention pays attention to the relationship between the collision avoidance system and the following traveling system when they are used at the same time, and various proposals have already been made regarding specific control contents in each system. Since this is considered to be known to those skilled in the art, detailed description thereof is omitted herein.

  First, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a vehicle driving assistance device and its following traveling control according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a vehicle driving assistance device 100 according to the present embodiment.

  The driving assistance apparatus 100 includes a follow-up running control unit 101 for causing the own vehicle to follow following a specific vehicle as a follow-up target. The follow-up travel control unit 101 is configured to perform accelerator control and brake based on information such as the traveling speed of the host vehicle and the following vehicle and the inter-vehicle distance obtained from the inter-vehicle distance detection unit 102 and the inter-vehicle communication unit 103 described later. Control and so on. Various proposals have already been made for the specific configuration and control method for realizing the follow-up traveling, and the illustration and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  The driving assistance device 100 further includes an inter-vehicle distance detection unit 102 including a radar device for measuring an inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and a vehicle traveling in front of the host vehicle. The inter-vehicle distance detection unit 102 provides the detected inter-vehicle distance information to the following traveling control unit 101.

  In the present embodiment, the follow-up traveling may be performed using only inter-vehicle communication. In other words, the inter-vehicle distance detection unit 102 is not an essential component.

  The driving assistance device 100 further uses vehicle-to-vehicle communication to transmit vehicle information (for example, current position, traveling speed, traveling direction, And the like. The inter-vehicle communication unit 103 preferably broadcasts vehicle information about the host vehicle via the antenna 104 in order to use the other vehicle using inter-vehicle communication.

  The driving assistance device 100 further includes a crossability determination unit 105 that determines the possibility of crossing between the host vehicle and another vehicle, that is, the risk of collision, based on the received vehicle information of surrounding vehicles. For example, when the possibility of crossing with another vehicle increases above a predetermined value when passing an intersection or entering a junction, the collision avoidance system is activated, and information according to the level of crossing possibility by an information providing unit (not shown) or A warning is provided to the driver visually and / or audibly.

  In the present invention, the specific method of determining what parameters the crossing possibility determination unit 105 monitors and determining that the crossing possibility is high when what conditions are established is not questioned. In this field, various determination criteria and algorithms have been proposed for determining the possibility of such crossing, and any of them can be used here.

  Next, the flow of the following traveling control executed by the driving assistance device 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the following description, an example of the traffic situation schematically shown in FIG.

  First, the host vehicle selects a vehicle to be tracked and starts inter-vehicle communication with the vehicle (S301). Of course, in addition to the information acquired using inter-vehicle communication, the inter-vehicle distance information detected by the inter-vehicle distance detection unit 102 may be used.

  Here, it is assumed that the own vehicle B has started following travel with the preceding vehicle A as the subject vehicle. This follow-up traveling is performed under following conditions such as keeping the speed difference with the preceding vehicle A within a predetermined value or range and / or keeping the inter-vehicle distance with the preceding vehicle A within a predetermined value or range. It is realized by target control based on the above.

  Next, it is monitored whether or not there is another vehicle whose crossing possibility determined by the crossing possibility determination unit 105 exceeds a predetermined value (S302). If there is no other vehicle whose crossing possibility is equal to or higher than the predetermined value (“NO” in S302), the normal follow-up running control is continued.

  Here, the intersection vehicle C is about to enter the intersection where the preceding vehicle A and the host vehicle B are about to enter (FIG. 2A), and the intersection vehicle C acquired by the cross possibility determination unit 105 through inter-vehicle communication. It is assumed that the possibility of crossing between the own vehicle B and the crossing vehicle C is equal to or greater than a predetermined value based on the speed and position (“YES” in S302).

  Then, the follow-up travel control unit 101 stops the follow-up travel (S303). More specifically, accelerator control and brake control for satisfying the following condition are not performed. Thereby, for example, a driver who has received a warning from the collision avoidance system activated by increasing the possibility of crossing can decelerate or stop the host vehicle, and the collision can be avoided.

  At this time, the vehicle-to-vehicle communication unit 103 continues the vehicle-to-vehicle communication with the preceding vehicle A (S303). More specifically, the follow-up travel control unit 101 and the inter-vehicle communication unit 103 retain the setting that sets the preceding vehicle A as the follow-up target vehicle even when the follow-up travel is stopped. And reception of the vehicle information from a tracking object vehicle is continued continuously.

  In other words, the host vehicle B temporarily suspends the follow-up traveling with respect to the preceding vehicle A due to the appearance of the crossing vehicle C, but does not completely abandon the follow-up traveling control and waits for the restart as a standby state.

  Next, it waits for the determined possibility of crossing to fall below a predetermined value (S304). For example, as shown in FIG. 2B, when the driver of the own vehicle B receives a warning and stops the vehicle before the intersection, if the intersection vehicle C passes the intersection, the own vehicle B and the intersection vehicle The possibility of crossing with C is almost zero, and this condition is satisfied.

  In the example shown in FIG. 2 (b), it is assumed that the preceding vehicle A has continued to travel as before, and the inter-vehicle distance between AB is larger than that in the following traveling shown in FIG. 2 (a). Since the follow-up running has already been stopped, the follow-up running system naturally allows even if the inter-vehicle distance between AB increases to such an extent that the follow-up condition is not satisfied.

  Thus, when the possibility of crossing becomes sufficiently low (“YES” in S304), the own vehicle B uses the vehicle information of the preceding vehicle A that is continuously received from the preceding vehicle A using inter-vehicle communication. Based on this, the follow-up traveling with respect to the preceding vehicle A is resumed (S305).

  More specifically, for example, the follow-up traveling is performed along the route traveled by the preceding vehicle A while maintaining the traveling speed of the following condition. In this case, when the following condition includes an inter-vehicle distance within a predetermined range, the accelerator control may be performed so that the inter-vehicle distance within the predetermined range is realized while maintaining the speed within the predetermined range. .

  When the follow-up running is resumed in this way, the follow-up run control as usual is continued (S306) unless there is a reason such as the follow-up run being ended by the driver's selection (“YES” in S306). "NO").

  Thus, according to the present embodiment, when a vehicle having a high possibility of crossing with the own vehicle appears when the own vehicle is following the specific vehicle, the following traveling is stopped and the collision is avoided. In addition to making it possible to take action, it is possible to resume tracking at any time by using vehicle-to-vehicle communication and continuously receiving vehicle information from the tracking target vehicle. it can.

  Next, the vehicle driving assistance device and the following traveling control thereof according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  Since the driving assistance device according to the present embodiment has the same configuration as that of the driving assistance device 100 according to the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, description of the device configuration is omitted. In the description of the present embodiment, the traffic situation example shown in FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the follow-up running control process according to the present embodiment. The processing in S401 and S402 is the same as the processing in S301 and S302 shown in FIG.

  When it is determined that the possibility of crossing of the own vehicle B with the crossing vehicle C has increased to a predetermined value or more (“YES” in S402; FIG. 2A), the own vehicle B is applied to follow-up traveling with respect to the preceding vehicle A. It is determined whether or not the following tracking condition can be changed (S403).

  Here, the follow-up condition is a control condition for performing follow-up running while maintaining a predetermined parameter within what target value or target range. The parameters include, for example, the speed of the own vehicle, the own vehicle, and the like. For example, the difference in travel speed with the vehicle to be followed, the inter-vehicle distance, and the like.

  Here, it is assumed that upper and lower limits are defined for these parameters, and whether or not the own vehicle B can change the following condition of the own vehicle in light of these upper and lower limit values and traffic conditions. to decide.

  When it is determined that it is possible (“YES” in S403), the host vehicle B changes the following condition in a direction in which the possibility of crossing with the intersecting vehicle C is reduced (S404). For example, changes such as increasing / decreasing the traveling speed and / or decreasing / expanding the inter-vehicle distance can be considered.

  If the possibility of crossing becomes less than the predetermined value after the follow-up condition is changed (“YES” in S405), follow-up running is continued (S406). FIG. 2C schematically shows an example of a situation in which the possibility of crossing becomes substantially zero by changing the follow-up condition of reducing the inter-vehicle distance, and the follow-up running is continued without interruption.

  The changed following condition may be returned to the original condition at an appropriate timing such as after a predetermined time has elapsed since the change, or after a predetermined time has elapsed since the possibility of crossing has become substantially zero.

  If the possibility of crossing does not become less than the predetermined value even if the following condition is changed (“NO” in S405), the process returns to S403, and the processes of S403 to S405 are repeated as long as further change is possible. If the possibility of crossing does not fall below a predetermined value even if the following condition is changed to the limit (“NO” in S403), the subsequent S407 to S410 are the same as S303 to S306 in FIG. 3 described in the first embodiment. The same processing is executed, and the follow-up traveling is temporarily interrupted to avoid a collision.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a vehicle having a high possibility of crossing with the own vehicle appears when the own vehicle is following the specific vehicle, the collision is performed by changing the following condition. The following traveling can be continued without interruption while avoiding the above. Further, when the collision cannot be avoided by changing the follow-up conditions, the follow-up running can be temporarily suspended so that the follow-up running can be resumed.

  Next, a vehicle driving assistance device and its following traveling control according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  Since the driving assistance device according to the present embodiment has the same configuration as that of the driving assistance device 100 according to the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, description of the device configuration is omitted. In the description of the present embodiment, the traffic situation example shown in FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the follow-up running control process according to the present embodiment. The processing in S501 and S502 is the same as the processing in S301 and S302 shown in FIG.

  When it is determined that the possibility of crossing of the own vehicle B with the crossing vehicle C has increased to a predetermined value or more (“YES” in S502; FIG. 2A), the own vehicle B uses the inter-vehicle communication to advance Control request information is transmitted to the vehicle A (S503).

  Here, the control request information is information including the content for requesting the preceding vehicle A to execute some control related to the traveling state such as control for increasing the traveling speed.

  During follow-up driving, for example, when the preceding vehicle A, which is the target vehicle of the own vehicle B, increases the running speed according to the request of the own vehicle B, the following running control function that keeps the speed difference and / or the inter-vehicle distance within a predetermined range. This increases the traveling speed of the host vehicle B. Therefore, the host vehicle B makes a control request to the preceding vehicle A such that the possibility of crossing the intersecting vehicle C is less than a predetermined value.

  If the possibility of crossing becomes less than the predetermined value after the control request (“YES” in S504), the follow-up running is continued (S508). When the preceding vehicle A is requested to execute the control for increasing the traveling speed, and the preceding vehicle A responds to the request, the possibility of crossing becomes substantially zero, and the following traveling is continued without any change without changing the following condition. An example is schematically shown in FIG.

  Here, the preceding vehicle A that has received the control request information does not necessarily have to respond to the request. The preceding vehicle A only needs to respond to the request when there is no problem in executing the requested control in consideration of traffic regulations and the possibility of crossing with the surrounding vehicle of the preceding vehicle A itself.

  If the possibility of crossing does not become less than the predetermined value after the control request (“NO” in S504), the same processing as S403 to S410 in FIG. 4 according to the second embodiment is executed in subsequent S505 to S512. First, after trying to avoid collision by changing the following condition, the following traveling is temporarily interrupted if necessary.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, when a vehicle having a high possibility of crossing with the own vehicle appears when the own vehicle is following the specific vehicle, the preceding vehicle travels to the preceding vehicle. It is possible to request that the state be controlled so that the possibility of crossing of the own vehicle is reduced, and collision with another vehicle can be avoided while continuing the follow-up running without changing the follow-up condition. Further, if the possibility of crossing is not reduced even after requesting the control of the preceding vehicle, the follow-up running can be continued without interruption by changing the follow-up condition to avoid the collision. Further, when the collision cannot be avoided even by changing the follow-up condition, the follow-up running can be temporarily suspended so that the follow-up running can be resumed.

  As described above, the first to third embodiments according to the present invention have been described. However, in any of the above-described embodiments, it is not an essential requirement of the present invention to restart the follow-up traveling (S305, S409, and S511). That is, if the driver desires, when the follow-up driving is stopped (S303, S407, and S509), the setting that sets the vehicle as the follow-up target vehicle is cleared, and the follow-up control for the vehicle is completely abandoned. It is also possible to set the control content as follows.

  In the first to third embodiments, the crossing vehicle is exemplified as an example of the target moving body whose possibility of crossing with the own vehicle is monitored. However, the application of the present invention is not limited to this example, and the oncoming vehicle (particularly, , A pedestrian with a transmitter that transmits mobile body information including position and speed information similar to the vehicle information described above, or a mobile body such as a bicycle (a person who drives) The possibility of crossing may be determined.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the driving assistance device which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of the traffic condition under tracking driving | running | working execution. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the follow driving | running | working control which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the follow driving | running | working control which concerns on Example 2 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the follow driving | running | working control which concerns on Example 3 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Driving assistance apparatus 101 Follow-up driving control part 102 Inter-vehicle distance detection part 103 Inter-vehicle communication part 104 Antenna 105 Interleaving possibility determination part

Claims (7)

It is possible to cause the vehicle to follow a specific vehicle as a tracking target vehicle,
Driving for a vehicle that determines the possibility of crossing between the own vehicle and another vehicle using inter-vehicle communication, and changes the control related to the following traveling of the own vehicle when the crossing possibility exceeds a predetermined value. An auxiliary device,
When the other vehicle crosses the path of the host vehicle and the tracking target vehicle, the possibility of crossing to the tracking target vehicle is reduced using inter-vehicle communication when the crossing possibility becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined value. A vehicle driving assistance device characterized by requiring such control. The vehicle driving assistance device according to claim 1,
A vehicle driving assistance device that maintains vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the host vehicle and the tracking target vehicle even after requesting a control that reduces the possibility of crossing. A vehicle driving assistance device according to claim 1 or 2,
A vehicle driving assistance device that transmits information related to control that reduces the possibility of crossing to the following target vehicle using inter-vehicle communication. The vehicle driving assistance device according to claim 3,
When the following target vehicle does not execute the required control to reduce the possibility of crossing, the following condition is a condition regarding a target value or target range for maintaining a predetermined parameter during the execution of the following traveling A vehicular driving assistance device characterized by being changed. The vehicle driving assistance device according to claim 3,
The vehicle driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the following traveling is temporarily stopped when the control for reducing the possibility of the crossing requested by the following vehicle is not executed. The vehicle driving assistance device according to claim 5,
When the possibility of crossing is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the setting as a tracking target vehicle for the specific vehicle is maintained,
When the follow-up traveling is temporarily stopped and the possibility of crossing becomes less than the predetermined value, the follow-up running with the specific vehicle as the tracking target vehicle is resumed. Driving assistance device. The vehicle driving assistance device according to claim 3,
The vehicle driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the following traveling is completely stopped when the control for reducing the possibility of the crossing requested by the following target vehicle is not executed.

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