JP5293685B2 - Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle control system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique that allows a road-side device to easily recognize each vehicle forming a vehicle group in a vehicle control device for controlling a user's own vehicle so that the user's own vehicle travels in the vehicle group in which other vehicles also travel in the same direction. <P>SOLUTION: In a vehicle control system, when a plurality of vehicles travel in a vehicle group, an on-vehicle device obtains information on approach of a leading vehicle in a recognition area where an ETC road-side device recognizes each vehicle (S120), and outputs information for widening an inter-vehicle distance with another vehicle more than a distance that has been kept before approaching the recognition area when obtaining the information on the approach to the recognition area (S140). The vehicle control system outputs the information for widening the inter-vehicle distance when the leading vehicle approaches the recognition area, and so a user's own vehicle can widen the inter-vehicle distance before reaching the recognition area in response to the output. Therefore, the ETC road-side device can easily recognize each vehicle forming the vehicle group compared to a case where the user's own vehicle does not widen the inter-vehicle distance. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle control device and a vehicle control system that control a host vehicle so that the host vehicle travels in the same direction together with another vehicle.

  The vehicle control apparatus as described above is widely known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 3602959

  By the way, in the vehicle control apparatus as described above, in order for each vehicle constituting the vehicle group to contribute to alleviation of traffic congestion and air resistance, it is preferable to shorten the distance between the vehicles forming the vehicle group as much as possible. Are known. However, when the inter-vehicle distance is extremely short, for example, when a roadside device arranged on the roadside at a tollgate or the like tries to recognize individual vehicles forming a vehicle group, there is a problem in reading the number plate and communication with the vehicles. This may make it difficult to recognize each vehicle.

  Therefore, in view of such problems, in a vehicle control device that controls a host vehicle so that the host vehicle travels in the same direction together with other vehicles, the roadside device recognizes each vehicle forming the vehicle group. It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique that facilitates this.

In the vehicle control apparatus configured to achieve such an object, the approach acquisition means is recognized outside the own vehicle by an external device that is arranged outside the own vehicle and has a function of recognizing each vehicle that runs the vehicle group. The fact that the host vehicle has approached the recognition area representing the area is acquired. When the approach output means obtains the fact that it has approached the recognition area, the approach output means outputs the information indicating that the inter-vehicle distance from the other vehicle is wider than before the approach to the recognition area, and passes through the recognition area. The vehicle group traveling is temporarily ended, and an output to the effect of allowing the driver to drive the vehicle is performed .
Further, the passage acquisition means acquires that the own vehicle and the other vehicles constituting the vehicle group have passed through the recognition area, and the standby means is the other vehicle that constitutes the vehicle group after the own vehicle has passed the recognition area. Until all of the vehicle passes through the recognition area, the host vehicle is decelerated (Claim 1).

  According to such a vehicle control device, when the own vehicle approaches the recognition area, an output to increase the inter-vehicle distance is performed. Therefore, the inter-vehicle distance can be increased until the own vehicle reaches the recognition area according to the output. it can. Therefore, compared with the case where the inter-vehicle distance is not widened, it is possible to make it easier for the external device to recognize each vehicle forming the vehicle group.

  The approach output means may output the signal to the inside of the own vehicle (the part that manages the vehicle group traveling), but this output is also output to the outside of the own vehicle (the other vehicle that performs the vehicle group traveling). You may make it perform.

By the way, in the vehicle control device, the approach output means may end the vehicle group traveling and perform an output indicating that the driver operates the host vehicle (claim 2).
In other words, when a driver performs a driving operation, it is necessary for the driver himself to ensure safety, so that the inter-vehicle distance tends to be wider than the inter-vehicle distance set by the vehicle control device. doing.

According to such a vehicle control device, it is possible to increase the inter-vehicle distance of each vehicle that travels in a vehicle group with a simple process, and it is easy for an external device to recognize each vehicle that forms the vehicle group.
Further, in the vehicle control device, the approach output means may output that the distance between the vehicle and the vehicle traveling immediately before the host vehicle is widened without ending the vehicle group traveling. ).

  According to such a vehicle control device, it is possible to increase the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the vehicle that travels immediately before. At this time, since the approach output means only needs to output within the own vehicle, the process for increasing the inter-vehicle distance within the own vehicle can be completed.

Further, in the vehicle control device, the passage acquisition means for acquiring that the own vehicle has passed the recognition area, and the inter-vehicle distance before the own vehicle approaches the recognition area when the fact that the own vehicle has passed the recognition area is acquired. And a passage output means for performing an output indicating that the vehicle group travels at ( 1 ).

According to such a vehicle control device, it is possible to return to the original vehicle group traveling after passing through the recognition region.
In addition, the vehicle control device may include fee settlement means for performing fee settlement by performing communication with an external device in the recognition area ( claim 3 ).

According to such a vehicle control device, the fee can be settled in the recognition area. At this time, the external device can easily recognize the host vehicle.
In order to achieve the above object, a management device that manages the traveling state of each vehicle that performs a vehicle group traveling and a vehicle that is mounted on the vehicle and receives the output from the management device in the same direction as the other vehicle. You may comprise as a vehicle control system provided with the vehicle control apparatus which controls the own vehicle so that the vehicle group driving | running | working driving | running | working may be performed. In this case, the management device only needs to include the approach acquisition means and the approach output means described above ( claim 4 ).

According to such a vehicle control system, the same effect as that of the vehicle control device according to claim 1 can be obtained. Further, the management device can manage the inter-vehicle distance of the entire vehicle group.
In the present invention, the management device may be arranged outside the vehicle, or may be mounted on a representative vehicle such as a leading vehicle constituting a vehicle group, for example. When the management device is mounted on the vehicle, the management device may have a function of the vehicle control device.

Further, in the above vehicle control system, the management device may simultaneously output to each vehicle in the vehicle group traveling to increase the inter-vehicle distance, but only the head vehicle recognizes the approach output means of the management device. Outputs the distance between the leading vehicle and the next vehicle so as to enter the area, and whenever a vehicle in the recognition area passes this recognition area, only the next vehicle enters the recognition area. as to, I may be repeated an output that makes spread inter-vehicle distance between the next vehicle and the next vehicle (claim 5).

  According to such a vehicle control system, when the inter-vehicle distance is increased, the inter-vehicle distance is increased one by one. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the total length of the vehicle group from becoming long before the recognition area.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle control system 1 to which the present invention is applied. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the area | region used as a blind spot when recognizing a vehicle in a recognition area. It is the flowchart (a) which shows the distance control transmission process, and the flowchart (b) which shows the distance control reception process. It is a flowchart which shows a temporary cancellation | release transmission process. It is a flowchart which shows a temporary reception process.

Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
[Configuration of First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle control system 1 to which the present invention is applied.

  The vehicle control system 1 includes an in-vehicle device 10 (vehicle control device, management device) mounted on each of a plurality of vehicles traveling on a road, and an ETC (registered trademark, Electronic) that is a roadside device provided on the road side such as a toll gate. Toll Collection) roadside machine 90.

  The in-vehicle device 10 of each vehicle is configured to be able to perform inter-vehicle communication with the in-vehicle device 10 of another vehicle. In addition, since all the vehicle-mounted devices 10 of each vehicle have the same configuration, only one vehicle-mounted device 10 is illustrated in detail in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the in-vehicle device 10 includes an in-vehicle communication device 11, a position specifying unit 12, a calculation processing unit 13, an ETC in-vehicle device 14 (fee settlement means), a vehicle control unit 15, a radar 16, and the like.
The in-vehicle communication device 11 is configured as a wireless communication device, and transmits vehicle information of the host vehicle to another in-vehicle device 10 according to a command from the arithmetic processing unit 13 and receives vehicle information from the other in-vehicle device 10. Car-to-vehicle communication. Here, the in-vehicle communication device 11 includes, as vehicle information, information such as the position of the own vehicle, whether or not the vehicle group is configured, and the position of the own vehicle in the vehicle group (the number of vehicles from the front or rear). Are communicated with each other periodically (for example, every 100 ms).

  The position specifying unit 12 specifies the current location and traveling direction of the host vehicle based on detection signals from a vehicle speed sensor, a GPS receiver, an optical beacon, a gyroscope, etc. (not shown), and inputs the specified data to the arithmetic processing unit 13. . The ETC in-vehicle device 14 has an automatic fee collection function for receiving a known automatic fee collection by performing wireless communication with the ETC roadside device 90.

  The radar 16 is configured as a well-known radar that detects an inter-vehicle distance from another vehicle by irradiating an electromagnetic wave such as a radio wave or laser light in the traveling direction (front) of the host vehicle and detecting the reflected wave. . The radar 16 detects the inter-vehicle distance from another vehicle at regular intervals (for example, 100 ms), and sends the detection result to the arithmetic processing unit 13.

  The arithmetic processing unit 13 and the vehicle control unit 15 are configured as a known microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like. In particular, the arithmetic processing unit 13 uses various detection results such as an inter-vehicle control transmission process and an inter-vehicle control reception process described later based on a program stored in its own ROM or the like while using the detection results of the position specifying unit 12 and the radar 16. Implement the process. At this time, the arithmetic processing unit 13 can grasp which position in the vehicle group the other vehicle constituting the host vehicle and the vehicle group is traveling on the basis of the vehicle information described above. The arithmetic processing unit 13 is a representative vehicle in which the host vehicle is a representative of the vehicle group (for example, a vehicle that travels at the head of the vehicle group (when forming a vehicle group with an unspecified number of vehicles), or a preset vehicle. It is also possible to grasp information on whether or not the vehicle is a vehicle (when forming a vehicle group only with a specific vehicle).

Further, the vehicle control unit 15 performs driving support such as vehicle group traveling control in accordance with a program stored in its own ROM or the like.
The vehicle group running control is a platooning for controlling the behavior of the own vehicle so that the behavior of the own vehicle is substantially the same as that of the first vehicle in the platoon or the vehicle immediately before the own vehicle, a parallel running that runs alongside other vehicles, and the own vehicle. Indicates that the host vehicle is controlled so that the host vehicle travels in the same direction together with the other vehicle, such as group traveling that travels with other vehicles belonging to the same group.

  In the vehicle group traveling control, the vehicle control unit 15 is based on the position information of the other vehicle obtained by the radar 16 or the inter-vehicle communication and the position information of the own vehicle obtained by the position specifying unit 12 of the own vehicle. Outputs actions (acceleration / deceleration, turning, etc.) that the vehicle should take. That is, the output for the own vehicle to follow the behavior of the other vehicle is performed in accordance with the behavior of the other vehicle constituting the vehicle group.

  In particular, in the present embodiment, the vehicle control unit 15 controls each part of the host vehicle (accelerator, brake, steering, etc.) so that the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the vehicle just before traveling is the preset target inter-vehicle distance. The controlled part) is controlled. When receiving a command to change the target inter-vehicle distance from the arithmetic processing unit 13, the vehicle control unit 15 controls the operation of each part of the host vehicle at the target inter-vehicle distance according to the command.

In addition, since the technique regarding the process which controls the behavior of the own vehicle so that another vehicle follows a vehicle group driving | running | working is a known technique, the detail of this process is abbreviate | omitted in this embodiment.
[Process of First Embodiment]
In such a vehicle control system 1, recognition that an external device such as a toll booth (including the ETC roadside device 90 in this embodiment) recognizes each vehicle (including the case where each vehicle is identified, identified, authenticated, etc.). In the region, a process of increasing the inter-vehicle distance of each vehicle that performs vehicle group traveling is performed.

  The reason why the inter-vehicle distance is increased in the recognition area in this way is to make it easier for the external device to recognize each vehicle constituting the vehicle group. For example, when a vehicle is recognized by communicating with a vehicle when collecting a fee within the recognition area, if the distance between the vehicles constituting the vehicle group is close, the external device (antenna) will see it. In some cases, a certain vehicle enters the blind spot of the vehicle just before it and cannot communicate normally.

  In the example shown in FIG. 2A, when an antenna for transmitting and receiving radio waves is provided above the vehicle (for example, at a position 5 m from the road surface), if the vehicle height of the immediately preceding vehicle is high (when 3.8 m), It shows that a blind spot area (hatched part) is formed behind the immediately preceding vehicle.

  Further, when the vehicle is recognized by imaging the vehicle number plate in the recognition area, the vehicle as viewed from the external device (imaging device) if the inter-vehicle distance of each vehicle constituting the vehicle group is approaching. May enter the blind spot of the vehicle just before that and the number plate may not be imaged normally. In the example shown in FIG. 2 (b), when the number plate at the front part of the vehicle is imaged from the left side of the road, a blind spot area (hatched part) where the number plate cannot be imaged is formed behind the immediately preceding vehicle.

  In the present embodiment, control is performed to change the inter-vehicle distance so that the vehicle does not enter such a blind spot area in the recognition area. Specifically, this will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3A is a flowchart showing an inter-vehicle control transmission process executed by the arithmetic processing unit 13 of the representative vehicle, and FIG. 3B is a flowchart showing an inter-vehicle control reception process executed by each vehicle constituting the vehicle group. .

  In the inter-vehicle control transmission process, first, the position of the host vehicle is detected by acquiring the detection result by the position specifying unit 12 (S110). Then, it is determined whether or not the host vehicle has reached the toll gate (S120: approach acquisition means). Specifically, it is determined whether or not a predetermined distance (for example, about 100 m) is reached in front of a recognition area at the toll gate (an area where automatic fee collection and number plate imaging is performed).

  At the time of this determination, the arithmetic processing unit 13 is provided with position information of a toll gate (recognition area) in advance, and the position information and the position information of the own vehicle are compared. What is necessary is just to employ | adopt the structure etc. which notify information (information of approaching) from the ETC roadside machine 90 side by radio | wireless communication etc.

Subsequently, the variable i is set to 2 (S130). The variable i represents the number of vehicles from the beginning of the vehicle group to which the host vehicle belongs. If the variable i is 2, the second vehicle from the beginning is represented.
Next, a command to increase the inter-vehicle distance from the (i-1) th vehicle is sent to the ith vehicle (S140: approach output means). In particular, in this process of the present embodiment, the i-th vehicle is instructed to eventually slow down so that the vehicles enter the recognition area of the toll gate one by one.

  In order to identify and communicate with the i-th vehicle, an ID for identifying the vehicle is attached to the communication between the in-vehicle devices 10 (including communication between the in-vehicle device 10 and the roadside device). Exchange data.

  Next, an attempt is made to acquire passage information indicating that the (i-1) th vehicle has finished the processing related to automatic toll collection (S150: passage acquisition means). Each vehicle (on-vehicle device 10) constituting the vehicle group is configured to transmit passing information indicating that the processing related to automatic toll collection has been completed at the toll gate to other vehicles via the calculation processing unit 13 of the own vehicle. Has been. Further, the vehicle that has passed through the toll booth is set to wait while slowing down until all the vehicles constituting the vehicle group pass through the toll booth.

  Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the (i-1) th vehicle has passed through the toll gate (S160: passage acquisition means). Here, whether or not the (i-1) th vehicle has passed the toll gate is determined by whether or not the passage information has been acquired.

  If the (i-1) th vehicle has not passed through the toll gate (S160: NO), the process returns to S150. If the (i-1) th vehicle has passed the toll gate (S160: YES), a command to return the inter-vehicle distance to the distance before the processing of S140 is transmitted to the ith vehicle ( S170: Passing output means).

  Then, the variable i is incremented (S180), and the variable i is compared with the number n of vehicles constituting the vehicle group (S190). If the variable i exceeds the number n of vehicles constituting the vehicle group (S190: YES), the processing for increasing the inter-vehicle distance and the processing for returning to the original inter-vehicle distance are completed for all the vehicles constituting the vehicle group. Therefore, the inter-vehicle control transmission process is terminated.

Further, if the variable i is equal to or less than the number n of vehicles constituting the vehicle group (S190: NO), since there is a vehicle that has not finished the above processing, the processing from S140 is repeated.
Subsequently, the inter-vehicle control reception process will be described. As shown in FIG. 3B, in the inter-vehicle control reception process, first, it is determined whether or not an instruction to increase the inter-vehicle distance addressed to itself has been received (S210).

  Whether or not the received command is a command addressed to itself can be determined by detecting the aforementioned ID. If a command to increase the inter-vehicle distance addressed to the vehicle is received (S210: YES), the target inter-vehicle distance when traveling in the vehicle group is set to be wide so that the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the vehicle immediately preceding it is increased. (S220). In particular, in the present embodiment, since vehicles constituting the vehicle group enter the recognition area at the toll gate one by one, the target inter-vehicle distance is sufficiently long so that the host vehicle does not enter the recognition area (slow down). Set.

  On the other hand, if it has not received a command to increase the inter-vehicle distance addressed to itself (S210: NO), the process proceeds to S230. Subsequently, it is determined whether or not an instruction to return the inter-vehicle distance addressed to itself has been received (S230). If this command is received (S230: YES), the inter-vehicle distance is set to be restored (S240), and the inter-vehicle control reception process is terminated. When the process of S240 is thus performed, the host vehicle enters the toll gate recognition area, performs processing related to automatic toll collection, catches up with the immediately preceding vehicle that is slowly traveling, and slowly travels with the immediately preceding vehicle.

On the other hand, if the command to return the inter-vehicle distance addressed to itself has not been received (S230: NO), the inter-vehicle control reception process is immediately terminated.
[Effects of First Embodiment]
In the vehicle control system 1 described in detail above, the in-vehicle devices 10 mounted on a plurality of vehicles are configured to be able to communicate with each other, and the in-vehicle devices 10 mounted on the representative vehicles are used for vehicle traveling in the vehicle group. Manage driving conditions. Then, in response to the output from the in-vehicle device 10 of the representative vehicle, the in-vehicle device 10 of each vehicle controls the host vehicle so that the vehicle group travels in the same direction along with the other vehicles. In particular, in the in-vehicle device 10 of the representative vehicle, the arithmetic processing unit 13 acquires that the leading vehicle has approached the recognition area representing the area in which the ETC roadside device 90 recognizes each vehicle, and indicates that the approaching to the recognition area. When acquired, an output indicating that the inter-vehicle distance with the other vehicle is wider than before the approach to the recognition area is performed. The ETC roadside machine 90 has a function of recognizing each vehicle that performs vehicle group traveling and is disposed outside the host vehicle.

  According to such a vehicle control system 1, when the leading vehicle approaches the recognition area, an output indicating that the inter-vehicle distance is increased is performed. Therefore, the inter-vehicle distance is increased until the own vehicle reaches the recognition area according to the output. Can do. Therefore, compared to the case where the inter-vehicle distance is not widened, the ETC roadside device 90 can easily recognize each vehicle forming the vehicle group. Moreover, the vehicle-mounted device 10 of the representative vehicle can manage the inter-vehicle distance of the entire vehicle group.

Further, in the in-vehicle device 10, the arithmetic processing unit 13 performs an output indicating that the inter-vehicle distance with the vehicle traveling immediately before the host vehicle is increased as an output indicating that the inter-vehicle distance is increased.
According to such an in-vehicle device 10, the inter-vehicle distance can be increased between the own vehicle and the vehicle traveling immediately before the other vehicle. At this time, since the arithmetic processing unit 13 of each vehicle only needs to output within the own vehicle, the processing for widening the inter-vehicle distance within the own vehicle can be completed.

  Further, in the in-vehicle device 10, the arithmetic processing unit 13 acquires that the own vehicle has passed the recognition area. And if it acquires that the recognition area | region was passed, the output to the effect of restarting vehicle group driving | running | working in the inter-vehicle distance before the own vehicle approached the recognition area will be performed.

According to such an in-vehicle device 10, it is possible to return to the original vehicle group traveling after passing through the recognition region.
The in-vehicle device 10 includes an ETC in-vehicle device 14 that performs payment with the ETC roadside device 90 in the recognition area.

According to such an in-vehicle device 10, it is possible to perform fee settlement in the recognition area. At this time, the ETC roadside machine 90 can easily recognize the host vehicle.
Further, the arithmetic processing unit 13 of the in-vehicle device 10 performs an output for widening the inter-vehicle distance between the leading vehicle and the next vehicle so that only the leading vehicle enters the recognition region. Every time it passes through this recognition area, the output for increasing the inter-vehicle distance between the next vehicle and the next vehicle is repeated so that only the next vehicle enters the recognition area.

  According to such a vehicle control system 1, when the inter-vehicle distance is increased, the inter-vehicle distance is increased one by one. Therefore, when the inter-vehicle distance is increased, the external device is made to recognize the vehicle well while minimizing the total length of the vehicle group. be able to.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, another embodiment of the vehicle control system 2 will be described. In the present embodiment (second embodiment), only the parts different from the vehicle control system 1 of the first embodiment will be described in detail, and the same parts as those of the vehicle control system 1 of the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals. Therefore, the description is omitted.

[Configuration and Processing of Second Embodiment]
In the present embodiment, the vehicle group is temporarily disbanded (released) instead of the above-described inter-vehicle control transmission process and inter-vehicle control reception process so that the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicles constituting the vehicle group is increased as a result in the recognition region. ) Is controlled. Specifically, this will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a temporary release transmission process executed by the arithmetic processing unit 13 of the representative vehicle, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a temporary reception process executed by each vehicle constituting the vehicle group.

  In the temporary release transmission process, first, the position of the host vehicle is detected by acquiring the detection result by the position specifying unit 12 (S310). Then, it is determined whether or not the host vehicle has reached the toll gate (S320: approach acquisition means). This process is performed in the same manner as the process of S120 described above.

  Subsequently, all the vehicles constituting the vehicle group are instructed to cancel the vehicle group (S330: approach output means). When this instruction is received, each vehicle enters a state where the driving operation is performed by the driver's operation.

  Next, the variable i is set to 2 (S340). The variable i represents the number from the head of the vehicle group to which the host vehicle belongs. Then, it tries to acquire passage information indicating that the processing related to automatic fee collection has been completed from the i-th vehicle (S350: passage acquisition means).

Then, it is determined whether or not the i-th vehicle has passed the toll gate based on whether or not the passage information has been acquired (S360: passage acquisition means).
If the i-th vehicle has not passed through the toll gate (S360: NO), the process returns to S350. If the i-th vehicle has passed the toll gate (S360: YES), a command to re-form the vehicle group at the target inter-vehicle distance before releasing the vehicle group is transmitted to the i-th vehicle ( S370: Passing output means).

  Then, the variable i is incremented (S380), and the variable i is compared with the number n of vehicles constituting the vehicle group (S390). If the variable i exceeds the number n of vehicles constituting the vehicle group (S390: YES), the temporary release transmission process is terminated. If the variable i is equal to or less than the number n of vehicles constituting the vehicle group (S390: NO), the process returns to S350.

  Next, the temporary release reception process will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, in the temporary release reception process, first, traveling (free traveling) is performed by an operation by the driver without performing vehicle group traveling (S510). Then, it is determined whether or not an instruction to perform vehicle group traveling has been received (S520). If this command is received (S520: YES), a vehicle group is formed at a predetermined target inter-vehicle distance (S530), and a follow-up running that runs following the immediately preceding vehicle is performed (S540).

  On the other hand, if the command to perform the vehicle group traveling is not received (S520: NO), the process returns to S510. Further, when the follow-up traveling is being performed, it is determined whether or not a command for canceling the vehicle group has been received (S550).

If this command has not been received (S550: NO), the process returns to S540. If this command is received (S550: YES), the vehicle group is released and the process returns to S510.
[Effects of Second Embodiment]
In the vehicle control system 2 described in detail above, the arithmetic processing unit 13 of the in-vehicle device 10 terminates the vehicle group traveling as an output indicating that the inter-vehicle distance is widened, and causes the driver to drive the host vehicle. Output. That is, when the driver performs a driving operation, it is necessary for the driver himself to ensure safety, so that the inter-vehicle distance tends to be larger than the inter-vehicle distance set by the in-vehicle device 10. doing. In addition, an output to increase the inter-vehicle distance is simultaneously performed on all the vehicles constituting the vehicle group.

  According to such an in-vehicle device 10, it is possible to increase the inter-vehicle distance of each vehicle that travels in a vehicle group with a simple process, and it is possible for the ETC roadside unit 90 to easily recognize each vehicle that forms the vehicle group. .

[Other Embodiments]
Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can take various forms as long as they belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, in the vehicle control system 1 of the first embodiment, as in the vehicle control system 2 of the second embodiment, the in-vehicle device 10 sets the inter-vehicle distance at the same time for each vehicle that performs group traveling. You may perform the output to the effect of extending.

  In the above embodiment, the in-vehicle device 10 of the representative vehicle that functions as the management device is configured to transmit a command to increase the inter-vehicle distance to all the vehicles constituting the vehicle group. Control may be performed to increase the inter-vehicle distance in consideration of only the relationship with the vehicle immediately before the vehicle. That is, each vehicle may perform the inter-vehicle control transmission process and the temporary release transmission process, and a command for changing the inter-vehicle distance may be transmitted only to the own vehicle.

  In the above embodiment, the in-vehicle device 10 has been described as having a function as a management device (a function for performing inter-vehicle control transmission processing and temporary release transmission processing), but the function as the management device is provided outside the vehicle. An external device provided (for example, a roadside device provided beside a road) may be used.

  Even if it carries out as mentioned above, the effect which makes it easy to recognize each vehicle which ETC roadside machine 90 forms a vehicle group is acquired.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2 ... Vehicle control system, 10 ... In-vehicle apparatus, 11 ... In-vehicle communication device, 12 ... Position specification part, 13 ... Calculation processing part, 14 ... ETC on-vehicle machine, 15 ... Vehicle control part, 16 ... Radar, 90 ... ETC Roadside machine.

Claims (5)

A vehicle control device that controls a host vehicle so that the host vehicle travels in a vehicle group, and the host vehicle travels in the same direction together with other vehicles.
An approach acquisition means for acquiring that the external vehicle has approached a recognition area representing an area for recognizing the own vehicle by an external device arranged outside the own vehicle and having a function of recognizing each vehicle that performs vehicle group traveling When,
When the fact that the vehicle has approached the recognition area is acquired , the vehicle group travels until the vehicle passes the recognition area as an output indicating that the inter-vehicle distance from the other vehicle is wider than before the vehicle approaches the recognition area. An approach output means for temporarily outputting and outputting the effect of allowing the driver to drive the vehicle ;
Passage acquisition means for acquiring that the host vehicle and other vehicles constituting the vehicle group have passed through the recognition area;
Waiting means for waiting in a state in which the host vehicle is decelerated until all of the other vehicles constituting the vehicle group pass through the recognition region after the host vehicle has passed through the recognition region;
A vehicle control device comprising: The vehicle control device according to claim 1 ,
When indicating that the vehicle has passed the pre-Symbol recognition region is acquired, and passes the output means for outputting the effect of performing the vehicle group traveling in the inter-vehicle distance before the vehicle is approaching the recognition region,
A vehicle control device comprising: In the vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2 ,
A vehicle control apparatus comprising charge settlement means for performing charge settlement by performing communication with the external device in the recognition area. A management device that manages the traveling state of each vehicle that performs vehicle group traveling, and is installed in the vehicle, and receives the output from the management device so that the vehicle travels in the same direction together with other vehicles. A vehicle control system comprising a vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle,
The management device
The leading vehicle among the vehicles that travel in the vehicle group approaches the recognition area that represents the area in which the external device that has a function of recognizing the vehicle that travels in the vehicle group and recognizes the own vehicle. An approach acquisition means for acquiring the effect,
When the fact that the leading vehicle has approached the recognition area is acquired, the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle is made wider than before each vehicle approaches the recognition area. Until the vehicle passes through the recognition area, the proximity output means that temporarily outputs the vehicle group and outputs to the effect that the driver of each vehicle causes the driver to drive the vehicle .
Passage acquisition means for acquiring that each vehicle constituting the vehicle group has passed through the recognition area;
Waiting means for waiting each vehicle in a decelerated state after each vehicle passes through the recognition area until all of the vehicles constituting the vehicle group pass through the recognition area;
A vehicle control system comprising: The vehicle control system according to claim 4 , wherein
The approach output means includes
So that only the leading vehicle enters the recognition area, an output is made to increase the inter-vehicle distance between the leading vehicle and the next vehicle,
An output that increases the inter-vehicle distance between the next vehicle and the next vehicle so that only the next vehicle enters the recognition region each time a vehicle in the recognition region passes through the recognition region. A vehicle control system characterized by repetition.