JP6497284B2 - Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle control method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method for detecting other vehicles existing in a lane adjacent to a lane in which the host vehicle travels.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) has been realized in which a preceding vehicle is selected from other vehicles around the own vehicle in the traveling direction of the own vehicle, and the preceding vehicle follows the preceding vehicle. In ACC, acceleration / deceleration control is performed so that the distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle is constant so that the vehicle follows the selected preceding vehicle. Further, when there is no preceding vehicle, control is performed to keep the speed of the host vehicle constant so that the speed set by the driver, the speed limit of the road, and the like are obtained.

  There exists a vehicle control apparatus of patent document 1 regarding this ACC. In the vehicle control device disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is determined whether or not another vehicle is present on the own lane using the own lane probability map indicating the own lane probability that is the probability that the other vehicle exists on the own lane. In this own lane probability map, the highest value of the own lane probability is set in a region in the vicinity of the vertical axis passing through the center of the own vehicle, and the value of the own lane probability is set smaller in the lateral direction. In addition, the lane width is estimated based on the front image from the image processing apparatus, the own lane probability map is offset according to the lane width, and the left lane probability map and the right lane probability map are provided. By using these left lane probability map and right lane probability map, it is possible to obtain the probability that another vehicle exists in the left lane and the probability that the other vehicle exists in the right lane.

JP 2001-93098 A

  In the vehicle control device described in Patent Literature 1, the own lane probability map and the adjacent lane probability map are set based on the vertical axis passing through the center of the own vehicle. The relative position of the map and the adjacent lane probability map with respect to the road changes. As a result, the detection accuracy of vehicles existing in the own lane and the adjacent lane is lowered.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a main object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method capable of accurately detecting other vehicles existing in adjacent lanes. .

  The present invention is a vehicle control device that determines the presence of another vehicle in an adjacent lane adjacent to the own lane that is the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling, and is an area for determining whether or not another vehicle exists in the adjacent lane. An area setting unit for setting a certain adjacent lane area around the own vehicle, wherein the area setting unit obtains a deviation direction of the own vehicle from the center of the own lane in the left-right direction; It is set by moving in the direction opposite to the direction of displacement.

  When the vehicle travels near the end of its own lane, such as when changing lanes, the adjacent lane area set around the own vehicle is changed to the adjacent lane according to the amount of deviation from the center of its own lane. In contrast, it is set to be shifted. In the above configuration, the direction of deviation of the own vehicle from the center of the own lane is obtained, and the adjacent lane area is moved in a direction opposite to the direction of the deviation, so the deviation of the adjacent lane area based on the deviation of the own vehicle is cancelled. be able to. Therefore, the adjacent lane area can be set with high accuracy with respect to the adjacent lane, and other vehicles existing in the adjacent lane can be detected with high accuracy.

It is a schematic block diagram of a vehicle control apparatus. It is a figure explaining the outline | summary of a lane probability map. It is a figure which shows the positional relationship of an adjacent lane probability map and another vehicle at the time of not performing the correction process of an adjacent lane probability map. It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the correction process of an adjacent lane probability map. It is a figure which shows the positional relationship of an adjacent lane probability map and another vehicle at the time of performing the correction process of an adjacent lane probability map. It is a flowchart which shows a series of processes which a vehicle control apparatus performs.

  A vehicle control apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The vehicle control device has an ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) function, and causes the host vehicle to follow the vehicle so that the detected distance to the other vehicle becomes a target value of the inter-vehicle distance according to the vehicle speed. If no other vehicle is detected, control is performed so that the vehicle speed set as the target value is obtained.

  In FIG. 1, the vehicle control device 10 is a computer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an I / O, and the like. In the vehicle control device 10, these functions are realized by the CPU executing a program installed in the ROM.

  The vehicle is provided with an imaging device 21 and a radar device 22 as object detection devices. The imaging device 21 is an in-vehicle camera, and includes a CCD camera, a CMOS image sensor, a near infrared camera, and the like. The imaging device 21 captures the surrounding environment including the traveling road of the vehicle, generates image data representing the captured image, and sequentially outputs the image data to the vehicle control device 10. The imaging device 21 is installed in the vicinity of the upper end of the windshield of the host vehicle, for example, and captures an area that extends in a range of a predetermined angle toward the front of the vehicle around the imaging axis. Note that the imaging device 21 may be a monocular camera or a stereo camera.

  The radar device 22 used as a distance measuring device is a detection device that detects an object by transmitting an electromagnetic wave as a transmission wave and receiving the reflected wave, and is configured by a millimeter wave radar in this embodiment. The radar device 22 is attached to the front portion of the host vehicle, and scans a region extending over a range of a predetermined angle from the front of the vehicle with the optical axis as a center by using a radar signal. In this scanning, an object existing in a range from the own vehicle to about 200 m is detected. Then, ranging data is created based on the time from when an electromagnetic wave is transmitted toward the front of the host vehicle until the reflected wave is received, and the created ranging data is sequentially output to the vehicle control device 10. The distance measurement data includes information on the direction in which the object exists, the distance to the object, and the relative speed.

  The lane marking detection unit 11 of the vehicle control device 10 detects a lane marking drawn on the road surface around the host vehicle based on the image acquired from the imaging device 21. Specifically, in order to extract feature points indicating the presence of lane markings in the image acquired from the imaging device 21, edge points are extracted based on the luminance information of the captured image, and Hough transform is performed on the extracted edge points. I do. In the Hough transform, for example, points on a straight line in which a plurality of edge points are continuously arranged are extracted as feature points. Then, the shape of the lane marking is obtained by connecting the feature points. In addition, the lane marking detection unit 11 obtains the distance between the own vehicle and the lane marking. This distance is calculated based on the distance from the center in the left-right direction to the lane marking in the image, assuming that the imaging device 21 is provided in the center in the left-right direction of the host vehicle. Note that this is not the case when the imaging device 21 is not provided at the center in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

  The object detection unit 12 detects the position and type of an object around the host vehicle based on distance measurement data acquired from the radar device 22 and an image acquired from the imaging device 21. Specifically, the position of the object is acquired based on the distance measurement data, and the type of the object and the position of the object in the image are acquired based on the image. If a position based on the distance measurement data and a position based on the image exist in the vicinity, they are associated with each other as being based on the same object. When the position based on the distance measurement data and the position based on the image exist in the vicinity, it is highly possible that the object is present at the position based on the distance measurement data, and it can be said that the position of the object can be obtained with high accuracy. For distance measurement data, the distance in the traveling direction of the host vehicle is acquired as a vertical distance, and the distance in the direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the host vehicle is acquired as a lateral distance. Note that examples of types of objects include vehicles, passers-by, road structures, and the like, and the types are specified by pattern matching or the like.

  The area setting unit 13 indicates the own lane probability map for obtaining the own lane probability that is a probability indicating whether or not another vehicle exists in the own lane, and indicates whether or not another vehicle exists in the adjacent lane. An adjacent lane probability map for acquiring an adjacent lane probability that is a probability is set. The own lane probability map and the adjacent lane probability map are regions provided in front of the own vehicle in the traveling direction based on the position of the own vehicle. The own lane probability map and the adjacent lane probability map will be described with reference to FIG.

  The own lane probability map 50 uses the course of the own vehicle 40 as a central axis (x-axis), and it is determined that the left-right direction (y-axis direction) orthogonal to the central axis exists in the own lane as the distance from the central axis increases. It is provided so that the value becomes difficult. The width in the left-right direction of the own lane probability map 50 is determined as conforming to the lane width of the road on which the own vehicle 40 travels. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the width of the own lane probability map 50 is set to the same value as the lane width (for example, 3.5 m). The lane width may be acquired based on an image acquired from the imaging device 21, or may be acquired from map information included in a car navigation device or the like included in the host vehicle 40.

  The adjacent lane probability map is provided by shifting the own lane probability map 50 in the left-right direction by the lane width with reference to the position of the own lane probability map 50. At this time, the left lane probability map 52 is provided on the left side of the own lane probability map 50, and the right lane probability map 51 is provided on the right side of the own lane probability map 50. In the left lane probability map 52, similarly to the own lane probability map 50, the highest probability value is set in the vicinity of the center line 51a, and the probability value is set to be smaller toward the end. Yes. Also in the right lane probability map 51, the highest probability value is set in the vicinity of the center line 52a, and the probability value is set to be smaller toward the end.

  Note that both the own lane probability map and the adjacent lane probability maps 51 and 52 are regions set around the own vehicle, and can also be referred to as an own lane region and an adjacent lane region, respectively.

  The lane probability acquisition unit 14 determines the own lane probability and the adjacent lane of each other vehicle based on the own lane probability map 50 and the adjacent lane probability maps 51 and 52 set by the region setting unit 13 and the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the own vehicle. Get the probability.

  The vehicle selection unit 15 includes an own vehicle preceding vehicle that is a preceding vehicle in the lane (own vehicle lane) on which the vehicle is traveling, a right vehicle preceding vehicle that is a preceding vehicle in the right lane (right lane) of the own vehicle, and the own vehicle lane. The left lane preceding vehicle that is the preceding vehicle in the left lane (left lane) is selected. At this time, among the other vehicles having the own lane probability acquired from the own lane probability map 50 that is greater than a predetermined value, the one having the smallest relative distance to the own vehicle is selected as the own lane preceding vehicle. Similarly, among other vehicles having a right lane probability larger than a predetermined value acquired from the right lane probability map 51, the vehicle having the smallest relative distance to the host vehicle is selected as the right lane preceding vehicle, and the left lane probability map 52 Of the other vehicles having the left lane probability larger than the predetermined value, the vehicle having the smallest relative distance to the host vehicle is selected as the left lane preceding vehicle.

  If the vehicle is traveling in the leftmost lane, the left lane preceding vehicle is not selected, and if the vehicle is traveling in the rightmost lane, the right lane preceding vehicle is not selected. . Further, when the host vehicle is traveling on a one-lane road, neither the left lane preceding vehicle nor the right lane preceding vehicle is selected. The left lane preceding vehicle and the right lane preceding vehicle may be collectively referred to as the adjacent lane preceding vehicle.

  The follow-up control unit 16 transmits a control command to the engine 31 and the brake 32 in order to keep the distance from the vehicle ahead of the own lane constant. Specifically, when the inter-vehicle distance with the preceding vehicle becomes small, a command to reduce the output is transmitted to the engine 31 to decelerate. When the inter-vehicle distance with the preceding vehicle becomes large, a command for increasing the output is transmitted to the engine 31 to perform acceleration. In addition, when the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle is rapidly reduced, a command to make the fuel injection amount zero is transmitted to the engine 31 and a command to operate the brake 32 is issued. When the road is a curved section, a control command is transmitted to the steering 33 so as to follow the movement locus of the preceding vehicle to be followed.

  When the lane change detection unit 17 receives a lane change instruction from the driver via the turn signal 23, the lane change detection unit 17 specifies one of the left and right sides of the own vehicle as the lane change destination, and transmits a control command to the steering 33 to perform steering control. . At this time, if the distance between the adjacent vehicle in the adjacent lane and the own vehicle is less than the predetermined value, or if the relative speed in the approaching direction exceeds the predetermined value, the lane change is not performed or sufficient deceleration is performed in the own vehicle. The lane is changed after it is done. And when the position of the lane line which the lane line detection part 11 detected shows that the own vehicle straddled the lane line, it determines with the lane change having been complete | finished.

  When the lane change detection unit 17 performs lane change control, the tracking control unit 16 changes the tracking target to a preceding vehicle in the adjacent lane, and the engine 31 so that the distance from the changed tracking target is constant. And a control command is transmitted to the brake 32. At this time, the lane may be changed by an operation of the steering wheel 33 by the driver. In this case as well, as in the case of automatic steering, the engine 31 and the brake are set so that the distance from the changed tracking target is constant. A control command is transmitted to 32.

  With the movement of the host vehicle, the relative position of the preceding vehicle selected as the adjacent lane leading vehicle is determined as being located in the own lane by the own lane probability map. Then, the follow-up control unit 16 sets the preceding vehicle selected as the adjacent lane preceding vehicle as the own lane preceding vehicle, and performs follow-up control on the own lane preceding vehicle.

  The follow-up control unit 16 controls the vehicle speed based on the vehicle speed set by the driver, the speed limit of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, or the like when there is no preceding vehicle in the own lane. . Similarly, even when there is no preceding vehicle in the adjacent lane when the lane change is performed, the vehicle speed is similarly controlled.

  In this way, when selecting an adjacent lane preceding vehicle that is subject to follow-up control when changing lanes, if the adjacent lane probability map is moved along with the movement of the own vehicle in the left-right direction, Since the position changes, the relative position of the adjacent lane probability map to the road also changes. If it is determined whether or not another vehicle exists in the adjacent lane using the adjacent lane probability map whose relative position has changed, an erroneous determination may occur.

  An example of a case where an erroneous determination of an adjacent lane preceding vehicle occurs will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). As shown in FIG. 3A, the host vehicle 40 is traveling on a three-lane road, and the lane in which the host vehicle 40 travels is defined as the own lane 60. The lane on the right side of the own lane 60 is defined as the adjacent lane 61. And Furthermore, it is assumed that a far lane 62 is provided farther than the adjacent lane 61. Since the road is three lanes on one side, the own lane 60 is the left lane, the adjacent lane 61 is the central lane, and the far lane 62 is the right lane.

  At this time, the other vehicle 41 is traveling in front of the own vehicle 40 in the own lane 60, the other vehicle 42 is traveling in the adjacent lane 61, and the other vehicle 43 is traveling in the far lane 62. The left side of the own lane 60 is demarcated from the road shoulder by a lane marking 70 that is a solid line, and the own lane 60 and the adjacent lane 61 are demarcated by a lane marking 71 that is a broken line. The adjacent lane 61 and the far lane 62 are demarcated by a demarcation line 72 that is a broken line. Further, the right end of the far lane 62 is separated from the opposite lane by a lane line 73 (center line) which is a solid line. At this time, the own lane probability map 50 is set for the own lane 60, and the right lane probability map 51 is set for the adjacent lane 61. Therefore, the other vehicle 41 traveling on the own lane 60 is selected as the own lane preceding vehicle, and the follow-up control is performed on the other vehicle 41. In addition, the other vehicle 42 traveling in the adjacent lane 61 is selected as the adjacent lane preceding vehicle, and the follow-up control is performed on the other vehicle 42 when the lane is changed.

  When the lane change is started in the own vehicle 40 from the state shown in FIG. 3A, as shown in FIG. 3B, the right lane probability map 51 is generated as the own vehicle 40 moves in the right direction. The relative positional relationship with respect to the road also moves to the right. At this time, the other lane 43 traveling on the far lane 62 is included in the right lane probability map 51, and the adjacent lane preceding vehicle may be switched from the other vehicle 42 to the other vehicle 43. As a result, the inter-vehicle distance and speed of the host vehicle 40 are controlled based on the inter-vehicle distance and relative speed with the other vehicle 43, and the inter-vehicle distance with the other vehicle 42 that actually travels in the adjacent lane 61 is reduced. Or the relative speed may increase in the approaching direction.

  Therefore, in the vehicle control device 10 according to the present embodiment, processing for correcting the positions of the right lane probability map 51 and the left lane probability map 52 based on the relative position of the own vehicle 40 with respect to the own lane 60 is performed. This process will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (c). 4A to 4C, illustration of the own lane probability map 50 and the left lane probability map 52 is omitted.

  FIG. 4A shows a case where the host vehicle 40 travels in the center in the left-right direction of the host lane 60. At this time, the center line 40a in the front-rear direction of the host vehicle 40 coincides with the center line 60a of the host vehicle 60. The center lines 40a and 60a also coincide with the center line of the own lane probability map 50. Further, the center line 61 a of the right lane probability map 51 set for the adjacent lane 61 matches the center line 61 a of the adjacent lane 61.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, when the own vehicle 40 moves in the right end direction of the own lane 60, the right lane probability map 51 also moves in the right direction. At this time, if the deviation amount between the center line 40a of the own vehicle 40 and the center line 60a of the own lane 60 is ΔL, the deviation amount between the center line 51a of the right lane probability map 51 and the center line 61a of the adjacent lane 61 is also ΔL. Become.

  Therefore, the right lane probability map 51 is moved to the left by the amount of the deviation. In FIG. 4C, the right lane probability map 51 before the process of moving to the left is indicated by a two-dot chain line, and the right lane probability map 51 after the process of moving to the left is shown. It is shown with a solid line. At this time, the right lane probability map 51 is moved to the left by the amount ΔL that is the amount of deviation between the center line 40a of the host vehicle 40 and the center line 60a of the host lane 60. The center line 51 a ′ of the probability map 51 coincides with the center line 61 a of the adjacent lane 61.

  When the right lane probability map 51 is set as described above, FIG. 5A shows the own lane preceding vehicle and the adjacent lane leading vehicle selected by the own lane probability map 50 and the right lane probability map 51 when the lane is changed. It demonstrates by-(c).

  Since FIG. 5A is the same as FIG. 3A, the description thereof is omitted. As shown in FIG. 5B, when the lane change of the own vehicle 40 to the adjacent lane 61 is performed, the own lane probability map 50 moves to the right. At this time, the right lane probability map 51 moves leftward based on the amount of deviation of the center line 40a of the host vehicle 40 from the center line 60a of the host lane 60 acquired based on the lane markings 70 and 71. At this time, the center line 51a of the right lane probability map 51 is set to substantially coincide with the center line 61a of the adjacent lane 61. Since the own lane probability map 50 moves to the right as the own vehicle 40 moves in the right direction, a part of the right side of the own lane probability map 50 and a part of the left side of the right lane probability map 51 are overlapped. It will be. Since the right lane probability map 51 is provided in this way, the target of follow-up control when changing lanes is limited to the other vehicle 42 traveling in the adjacent lane 61, and the other vehicle 43 traveling in the far lane 62 follows. It is no longer subject to control.

  Processing for re-setting the right lane probability map 51 and the left lane probability map 52 when the end of the lane change is detected after the selection process of the adjacent lane preceding vehicle following the lane change shown in FIG. 5B is continued. I do. After the lane change, as shown in FIG. 5C, the lane that was the adjacent lane 61 becomes the own lane, and the lane that is adjacent to the adjacent lane 61 and is the own lane 60 and the far lane 62. This is because of the adjacent lane. Then, the right lane probability map 51 is set for the lane that is the far lane 62, and the left lane probability map 52 is set for the lane that is the own lane 60.

  A series of processes executed by the vehicle control device 10 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The process according to the flowchart of FIG. 6 is repeatedly executed every predetermined control cycle.

  First, detection information is acquired from the imaging device 21 and the radar device 22 (S101), and the own lane probability map and the adjacent lane probability map are set around the own vehicle (S102). Subsequently, it is determined whether or not an instruction to change the lane is given by the driver (S103). If no lane change instruction has been given (S103: NO), it is determined whether or not a preceding vehicle exists in the own lane using the relative position between the own vehicle and the other vehicle and the own lane probability map (S104). ). If there is a preceding vehicle in the own lane (S104: YES), follow-up control is performed to keep the distance from the preceding vehicle constant (S105). If there is no preceding vehicle in the own lane (S104: NO), control is performed with the vehicle speed as a set value (S106).

  If an instruction to change the lane is given (S103: YES), the amount of deviation of the position of the own vehicle with respect to the center of the own lane is obtained, and the adjacent lane probability map of the lane change destination is determined by the amount of the deviation. Is moved in the opposite direction (S107). Then, a preceding vehicle selection process is performed using the relative position between the host vehicle and the other vehicle and the adjacent lane probability map set for the adjacent lane to which the lane is changed (S108). At this time, the other vehicle having the smallest distance (vertical distance) in the traveling direction from the own vehicle is selected as the preceding vehicle among the other vehicles having the adjacent lane probability equal to or higher than the predetermined value. If there is no other vehicle having an adjacent lane probability equal to or higher than a predetermined value in the process of S108, the processing is performed assuming that there is no adjacent lane preceding vehicle candidate.

  Subsequently, it is determined whether or not an adjacent lane preceding vehicle has been selected by the processing of S108 (S109). If the adjacent lane preceding vehicle is selected (S109: YES), the steering angle and the vehicle speed are controlled to follow the adjacent lane preceding vehicle (S110). If there is no adjacent lane preceding vehicle (S109: NO), the steering wheel 33 is operated to change the lane (S111), and the vehicle speed is set as the set value (S112). After the lane change control is performed in this way, it is determined whether or not the lane change is completed (S113). If the lane change is not completed (S113: NO), the processing of S107 to S112 is continued. If the lane change has been completed (S113: YES), the adjacent lane probability map shown in FIG. 5C is replaced (S114), and the series of processes is terminated. In addition, after a series of processes about a lane change are complete | finished, the other vehicle selected as an adjacent lane preceding vehicle will be selected as an own lane preceding vehicle, and follow-up control of S105 will be performed.

  With the above configuration, the vehicle control device 10 according to the present embodiment has the following effects.

  ・ Since the amount of deviation from the center of the vehicle's own lane is obtained and the adjacent lane probability map is moved based on the amount of deviation, the deviation of the adjacent lane area based on the deviation from the center of the vehicle's own lane is offset. can do. Therefore, the adjacent lane probability map can be accurately set for the adjacent lane, and other vehicles existing in the adjacent lane can be detected with high accuracy.

  ・ When the lane change is completed, the adjacent lane probability map is reset on both sides of the own lane, so it is possible to prevent the adjacent lane probability map from being set to the own lane after the lane change is completed. .

<Modification>
In the embodiment, an adjacent lane preceding vehicle is selected, but among objects around the own vehicle, an object existing in the adjacent lane is detected, and when the own vehicle changes the lane, the adjacent lane object It can also be applied to a system that initiates contact. In this case, when the own vehicle changes lanes, if there is an adjacent lane object, processing such as prohibiting the operation of the steering 33 or giving a warning to the driver may be performed.

  In the embodiment, the preceding vehicle in the adjacent lane is selected, but the subsequent vehicle in the adjacent lane may be determined. Specifically, the imaging device 21 and the radar device 22 are also provided at the rear part of the own vehicle, and the area setting unit 13 sets the lane probability map also behind the own vehicle. Then, when the own vehicle changes lanes, the subsequent vehicle in the adjacent lane is selected in the same manner as when the preceding vehicle is selected. In this way, if the following vehicle is approaching at the time of the lane change, the lane change is temporarily prohibited, and the lane change should be performed after the subsequent vehicle has moved to the front of the host vehicle. it can. The lane marking may be detected by the imaging device 21 provided in front of the own vehicle while the position of the other vehicle existing behind the own vehicle is acquired by the radar device 22 provided at the rear of the own vehicle. .

  -In embodiment, the adjacent lane map shall be moved based on the deviation | shift amount of the position of the own vehicle with respect to the centerline of the own lane. In this regard, the adjacent lane probability map may be set along a lane marking that divides the own lane and the adjacent lane. That is, it is set so that the left edge or the vicinity of the left edge of the right lane map follows the lane marking that divides the own lane and the right lane, and the right edge or the right edge of the left lane map corresponds to the lane that divides the own lane and the left lane. It is good also as what sets so that a neighborhood may be followed.

  In the embodiment, the lane line that divides the own lane and the adjacent lane is detected, but the lane line that divides the adjacent lane and the far lane may also be detected. In this case, since a pair of lane markings that divide the adjacent lane are detected, the adjacent lane probability map may be set based on the pair of lane markings.

  -In embodiment, the position of the own vehicle with respect to the own lane is calculated | required by detecting a pair of lane marking which divides the own lane. At this time, if the partition line is a broken line, the detection accuracy may be reduced. Therefore, the position of the own vehicle may be obtained by a lane line that divides the road shoulder and the lane provided at the left end of the plurality of lanes and a lane line (center line) provided at the right end of the plurality of lanes. Moreover, it is good also as what calculates | requires the position of the own vehicle by a guardrail, a median strip, etc., without being restricted to a dividing line. In addition, the position of the own vehicle may be obtained by using both the position based on the pair of lane lines that divide the own lane and the lane lines that divide both ends of the plurality of lanes.

  -In embodiment, the position of the own vehicle with respect to the own lane was calculated | required based on the lane marking. In this regard, the adjacent lane probability map may be moved on the assumption that the other vehicle is traveling in the center of the lane based on the deviation of the own vehicle with respect to the travel locus of the other vehicle.

  In the above embodiment, the relative position of the adjacent lane map with respect to the own vehicle is changed, and the relative position of the own lane probability map with respect to the own vehicle is not changed. However, the own lane map also moves in the same manner as the adjacent lane map. You may let them.

  In the above embodiment, the position of the adjacent lane map is changed when changing the lane, but the position of the adjacent lane map may always be changed. By doing so, it is possible to select an adjacent lane preceding vehicle in advance before the own vehicle changes lanes, and it is possible to improve control responsiveness when changing lanes.

  -In the said embodiment, although the relative position with respect to the own vehicle of an adjacent lane map shall be changed, it is good also as what changes the set probability in an adjacent lane map. Specifically, if the vehicle moves in the right direction, the right lane probability map is decreased in the right direction and the left direction is increased. By doing so, it is possible to shift the region in the adjacent lane probability map in which the probability that the other vehicle is determined to be present in the adjacent lane is set to the left, and an effect equivalent to that of the embodiment can be obtained. .

  In the above embodiment, the position of the adjacent lane map is corrected by the amount of deviation between the center line of the own vehicle and the center line of the own lane, but the correction amount of the center line of the adjacent lane map is It does not have to match the amount. For example, the correction amount of the center line of the adjacent lane map may be changed stepwise according to the deviation amount.

  In the embodiment, the radar device 22 is used as the distance measuring device. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and any configuration such as a locator or a lidar can be used. Further, the radar device 22 may not be provided, and the imaging device 21 may have a function as a distance measuring device. In this case, the imaging device 21 may be a compound eye camera such as a stereo camera.

  In the embodiment, the vehicle control device 10 is caused to execute the function of ACC, but the function of the vehicle control device is not limited to ACC. LCS (Lane Change Support) that warns the driver or restricts lane changes when the lane of the vehicle is changed, TJA (Traffic Jam Assist) that automates low-speed driving in traffic jams, and the distance between the vehicles ahead is reduced. In such a case, a function such as PCS (Pre Crush Safety) that activates a brake or the like to avoid a collision or reduce a collision damage may be executed. The setting process may be used. In the embodiment, the driver drives a vehicle on which the vehicle control device 10 is mounted. However, the vehicle control device 10 has an automatic driving function or a vehicle having an automatic driving function according to the embodiment. A vehicle control device may be mounted.

  -In each embodiment, although the engine 31 is provided as a drive source of the own vehicle, it also applies to a hybrid vehicle that includes a travel motor in addition to the engine 31 and an electric vehicle that includes only a travel motor as a drive source. The same can be applied.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Vehicle control apparatus, 11 ... Dividing line detection part, 13 ... Area | region setting part, 17 ... Lane change detection part.

Claims (6)

A vehicle control device (10) for determining the presence of another vehicle in an adjacent lane adjacent to the own lane that is the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling,
An area setting unit (13) for setting an adjacent lane area, which is an area for determining whether or not another vehicle exists in the adjacent lane, based on the position of the own vehicle ;
A lane change detection unit (17) for detecting a lane change in the host vehicle,
The region setting unit
When the lane change detection unit detects that a lane change is being made in the host vehicle, a shift direction in the left-right direction from the center of the host vehicle is determined, and the adjacent lane region is defined as the shift direction. Is set by moving in the opposite direction ,
When the lane change detection unit detects the end of the lane change in the host vehicle, the lane of the lane change destination is the host lane, and the adjacent lane region is set in the lane adjacent to the host lane. Control device. Further comprising a lane marking detection unit (11) for detecting a pair of lane markings that divide the lane;
2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the area setting unit obtains a deviation amount of the own vehicle from a center of the own lane based on the lane marking, and moves the adjacent lane area based on the deviation amount. Control device. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the area setting unit sets a width of the adjacent lane area based on a width of the own lane. The area setting unit further sets an own lane area that is an area for determining whether or not another vehicle exists in the own lane around the own vehicle,
The width of the own lane region is set to be the width of the own lane,
The said adjacent lane area | region is a vehicle control apparatus of any one of Claims 1-3 set adjacent to the said own lane area | region, when the said own vehicle is located in the center of the own lane. The region setting unit obtains the deviation direction of the right and left directions from the center of the traveling lane of the vehicle, set by moving to the opposite direction to the said displacement direction the vehicle moving lane area, according to claim 4 Vehicle control device. A vehicle control method executed by a vehicle control device (10) for determining the presence of another vehicle in an adjacent lane adjacent to the own lane that is the lane on which the own vehicle is traveling,
An area setting step for setting an adjacent lane area, which is an area for determining whether or not another vehicle exists in the adjacent lane, based on the position of the own vehicle;
A lane change detection step for detecting a lane change in the host vehicle , and
In the region setting step,
When it is detected by the lane change detection step that a lane change is being made in the host vehicle, a shift direction in the left-right direction from the center of the host vehicle lane is obtained, and the adjacent lane region is defined as the shift direction. Is set by moving in the opposite direction ,
When the end of the lane change in the own vehicle is detected by the lane change detection step, the lane of the lane change destination is set as the own lane, and the adjacent lane area is set in the lane adjacent to the own lane. Control method.

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