JP6805767B2 - Vehicle control system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle control system.

Conventionally, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-115484 is known as a technique for controlling an own vehicle in consideration of peripheral vehicles of the own vehicle. This publication describes a driving support device that controls the operation of the own vehicle when it is predicted that the surrounding vehicle deviates from the normal running.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-115484

By the way, in recent years, a vehicle control system that controls the behavior of the own vehicle according to a preset travel plan has been known. Here, in the conventional driving support device described above, the own vehicle is controlled in order to avoid causing a risk to the own vehicle due to the behavior of the surrounding vehicle, but the risk to the peripheral vehicle due to the influence of the control of the behavior of the own vehicle. May occur. In particular, the following vehicle traveling behind the own vehicle is strongly influenced by the behavior of the own vehicle. However, the conventional vehicle control system does not consider the risk of the following vehicle caused by controlling the behavior of the own vehicle according to the travel plan.

Therefore, it is desired to provide a vehicle control system capable of suppressing the occurrence of risk to the following vehicle.

The present invention is a vehicle control system that controls the behavior of the own vehicle according to a travel plan generated in advance, and includes a vehicle state recognition unit that recognizes the vehicle state of the own vehicle and an object condition around the own vehicle. The road environment recognition unit that recognizes the road environment, the following vehicle judgment unit that determines whether or not there is a following vehicle following the own vehicle based on the road environment, and the behavior of the own vehicle is controlled according to the driving plan. If it is determined that there is a following vehicle by the following vehicle judgment, whether or not the following vehicle poses a risk if the own vehicle behaves according to the driving plan based on the driving plan and the road environment. When it is determined by the following vehicle risk determination unit and the following vehicle risk determination unit that there is a risk to the following vehicle, the risk of the following vehicle is suppressed based on the road environment and the vehicle condition. It is equipped with a vehicle control unit that controls the behavior of the vehicle, and the following vehicle risk determination unit is equipped with a pedestrian trying to cross the pedestrian in front of the own vehicle, and the own vehicle detects a pedestrian, so a deceleration travel plan is made. If it is generated, it is determined that there is a risk that the following vehicle that intends to overtake or overtake the own vehicle will come into contact with pedestrians due to the deceleration of the own vehicle according to the travel plan, and the own vehicle is waiting for a right turn at the intersection. If there is an oncoming vehicle going straight from the front and a driving plan is generated to turn the own vehicle to the right before the oncoming vehicle arrives, the following vehicle will turn right at the intersection of the own vehicle according to the driving plan. Judging that there is a risk of contact with the vehicle, there is congestion around the intersection, the vehicle is located in front of the intersection, there is one empty space in the lane ahead across the intersection, and the empty space is self. When a travel plan for stopping a vehicle is generated, it is determined that there is a risk that the following vehicle will come into contact with another vehicle entering the intersection due to the stoppage of the own vehicle in an empty space after the intersection progresses according to the travel plan. When there is a stopped vehicle in front of the own vehicle, there is a second oncoming vehicle going straight from the front, and the own vehicle is generating a travel plan to overtake the stopped vehicle before the second oncoming vehicle comes. , Judging that there is a risk that the following vehicle trying to overtake following the own vehicle will come into contact with the second oncoming vehicle due to overtaking of the own vehicle according to the driving plan, there is a falling object in front of the own vehicle, and the falling object When a traveling plan for driving the own vehicle is generated so as to avoid the above, it is determined that there is a risk that the following vehicle comes into contact with a falling object due to the traveling of the own vehicle according to the traveling plan .

According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of risk to the following vehicle.

It is a block diagram which shows the vehicle control system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a top view which shows the scene where a risk occurs in a following vehicle. It is a flowchart which shows the following vehicle risk suppression control of a vehicle control system.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a vehicle control system according to the present embodiment. The vehicle control system 100 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on a vehicle such as a passenger car and controls the behavior of the vehicle (own vehicle). The behavior of the own vehicle includes the running (acceleration, deceleration, steering) of the own vehicle and the lighting of the brake lamp, the turn signal, and the hazard. The vehicle control system 100 controls the behavior of the own vehicle according to a travel plan generated in advance. The travel plan will be described later.

[Vehicle control system configuration]
As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle control system 100 according to the present embodiment includes an ECU [Electronic Control Unit] 10 that comprehensively manages the system. The ECU 10 is an electronic control unit having a CPU [Central Processing Unit], a ROM [Read Only Memory], a RAM [Random Access Memory], a CAN [Controller Area Network] communication circuit, and the like. In the ECU 10, for example, various functions are realized by loading the program stored in the ROM into the RAM and executing the program loaded in the RAM in the CPU.

The ECU 10 is connected to a GPS receiving unit 1, an external sensor 2, an internal sensor 3, a map database 4, an actuator 5, and a communication unit 6.

The GPS receiving unit 1 measures the position of its own vehicle (for example, the latitude and longitude of its own vehicle) by receiving signals from three or more GPS satellites. The GPS receiving unit 1 transmits the measured position information of the own vehicle to the ECU 10.

The external sensor 2 is a detection device that detects the situation around the own vehicle. The external sensor 2 includes at least one of a camera and a radar sensor.

The camera is an imaging device that captures the external situation of the own vehicle. The camera is provided behind the windshield of the own vehicle. The camera transmits the imaging information regarding the external condition of the own vehicle to the ECU 10. The camera may be a monocular camera or a stereo camera. The imaging information of the stereo camera also includes information in the depth direction.

The radar sensor uses radio waves (for example, millimeter waves) or light to detect objects around the vehicle. The radar sensor detects an object by transmitting radio waves or light to the periphery of the own vehicle and receiving radio waves or light reflected by the object. The radar sensor transmits the detected object information to the ECU 10. Objects include fixed obstacles such as guardrails and buildings, as well as moving obstacles such as pedestrians, bicycles, and other vehicles.

The internal sensor 3 is a detection device that detects the running state of the own vehicle. The internal sensor 3 includes a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a yaw rate sensor. The vehicle speed sensor is a detector that detects the speed of the own vehicle. As the vehicle speed sensor, for example, a wheel speed sensor provided on a wheel of the own vehicle or a drive shaft that rotates integrally with the wheel or the like and detects the rotation speed of the wheel is used. The vehicle speed sensor transmits the detected vehicle speed information (wheel speed information) to the ECU 10.

The acceleration sensor is a detector that detects the acceleration of the own vehicle. The acceleration sensor includes, for example, a front-back acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration in the front-rear direction of the own vehicle and a lateral acceleration sensor that detects the lateral acceleration of the own vehicle. The acceleration sensor transmits, for example, the acceleration information of the own vehicle to the ECU 10. The yaw rate sensor is a detector that detects the yaw rate (rotational angular velocity) around the vertical axis of the center of gravity of the own vehicle. As the yaw rate sensor, for example, a gyro sensor can be used. The yaw rate sensor transmits the detected yaw rate information of the own vehicle to the ECU 10.

The map database 4 is a database that stores map information. The map database 4 is formed in, for example, an HDD [Hard Disk Drive] mounted on the own vehicle. The map information includes road position information, road shape information (for example, curve, type of straight line portion, curvature of curve, etc.), position information of intersections and branch points, position information of structures, and the like.

The actuator 5 includes at least a throttle actuator, a brake actuator, and a steering actuator. The throttle actuator controls the amount of air supplied to the engine (throttle opening degree) in response to the control signal from the ECU 10, and controls the driving force of the own vehicle. When the own vehicle is a hybrid vehicle, in addition to the amount of air supplied to the engine, a control signal from the ECU 10 is input to the motor as a power source to control the driving force. When the own vehicle is an electric vehicle, a control signal from the ECU 10 is input to the motor as a power source to control the driving force. The motor as a power source in these cases constitutes the actuator 5.

The brake actuator controls the brake system in response to the control signal from the ECU 10 and controls the braking force applied to the wheels of the own vehicle. As the braking system, for example, a hydraulic braking system can be used. The steering actuator controls the drive of the assist motor that controls the steering torque in the electric power steering system according to the control signal from the ECU 10. As a result, the steering actuator controls the steering torque of the own vehicle.

The communication unit 6 is a communication device that performs vehicle-to-vehicle communication with another vehicle having a vehicle-to-vehicle communication function. The communication unit 6 may perform road-to-vehicle communication with the traffic radio network. The communication unit 6 does not necessarily have to be provided.

Next, the functional configuration of the ECU 10 will be described. The ECU 10 includes a vehicle position recognition unit 11, a vehicle state recognition unit 12, a road environment recognition unit 13, a travel plan generation unit 14, a following vehicle determination unit 15, a following vehicle risk determination unit 16, and a vehicle control unit 17. ..

The vehicle position recognition unit 11 recognizes the position of the own vehicle on the map based on the position information of the GPS receiving unit 1 and the map information of the map database 4. In addition, the vehicle position recognition unit 11 uses the position information of fixed obstacles such as utility poles included in the map information of the map database 4 and the detection result of the external sensor 2 to use SLAM [Simultaneous Localization and Mapping] technology. The position of the vehicle may be recognized. The vehicle position recognition unit 11 may also recognize the position of the own vehicle on the map by a well-known method. The vehicle position recognition unit 11 recognizes the position of the own vehicle on the map based on the position information of the GPS receiving unit 1 and the map information of the map database 4. In addition, the vehicle position recognition unit 11 uses the position information of fixed obstacles such as utility poles included in the map information of the map database 4 and the detection result of the external sensor 2 to use SLAM [Simultaneous Localization and Mapping] technology. Recognize the position of the vehicle. The vehicle position recognition unit 11 may also recognize the position of the own vehicle on the map by a well-known method.

The vehicle state recognition unit 12 recognizes the state of the running vehicle based on the detection result of the internal sensor 3. The vehicle condition includes the vehicle speed of the own vehicle, the acceleration of the own vehicle, and the yaw rate of the own vehicle. Specifically, the vehicle state recognition unit 12 recognizes the vehicle speed of the own vehicle based on the vehicle speed information of the vehicle speed sensor. The vehicle state recognition unit 12 recognizes the acceleration (front-rear acceleration and lateral acceleration) of the own vehicle based on the acceleration information of the acceleration sensor. The vehicle state recognition unit 12 recognizes the yaw rate of its own vehicle based on the yaw rate information of the yaw rate sensor.

The road environment recognition unit 13 recognizes the road environment around the own vehicle based on the position on the map of the own vehicle recognized by the vehicle position recognition unit 11, the map information of the map database 4, and the detection result of the external sensor 2. .. The road environment includes the condition of objects around the vehicle. The object situation is a situation such as the position of the object with respect to the own vehicle, the relative velocity of the object with respect to the own vehicle, and the direction of movement of the object with respect to the own vehicle. The object status also includes the type of object (type of vehicle, pedestrian, falling object, etc.). The road environment recognition unit 13 recognizes the object condition around the own vehicle by a well-known method based on the image captured by the camera and the object information of the radar or the rider. The road environment also includes the road shape (curves, intersections, branch roads, etc.) in front of the own vehicle, the distinction between multiple lanes and single lanes, and the road width.

The travel plan generation unit 14 has a preset target route, a position on the map of the own vehicle recognized by the vehicle position recognition unit 11, map information of the map database 4, a vehicle state recognized by the vehicle state recognition unit 12, and a vehicle state. Based on the road environment recognized by the road environment recognition unit 13, the travel plan of the own vehicle is generated. The target route may be set by the driver and may be proposed by the vehicle control system 100 using well-known techniques. When the travel plan generation unit 14 determines that it is necessary to generate a travel plan due to a change in the road environment, the travel plan generation unit 14 regenerates the travel plan. The travel plan can be generated by a well-known technique.

The following vehicle determination unit 15 determines whether or not there is a following vehicle following the own vehicle based on the road environment (object condition) recognized by the road environment recognition unit 13. The following vehicle is another vehicle that travels one behind the own vehicle on the lane in which the own vehicle travels. When the distance between the own vehicle and the following vehicle is equal to or greater than a predetermined determination distance (for example, 200 m), the following vehicle determination unit 15 may determine that the following vehicle does not exist. In addition, TTC [Time to collision] may be used instead of the inter-vehicle distance.

When the following vehicle risk determination unit 16 determines that the following vehicle exists when the behavior of the own vehicle is controlled according to the travel plan, the following vehicle risk determination unit 16 determines that the own vehicle behaves according to the travel plan. It is determined whether or not there is a risk to the following vehicle by doing so. The following vehicle risk determination unit 16 makes the following vehicle act according to the traveling plan based on the traveling plan generated by the traveling plan generation unit 14 and the road environment recognized by the road environment recognition unit 13. Determine if there is a risk.

Here, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a scene in which a risk occurs in the following vehicle. FIG. 2 shows the own vehicle M, the following vehicle N, the pedestrian crossing C, and the pedestrian P. In FIG. 2, a pedestrian P is about to cross a pedestrian crossing C in front of the own vehicle M, and since the own vehicle M detects the pedestrian P, a deceleration travel plan is generated and deceleration is performed. In this case, the following vehicle N cannot detect the pedestrian P in front of the own vehicle M, and may overtake (or overtake) the own vehicle M as the own vehicle M decelerates (see the arrow). When the following vehicle N overtakes the own vehicle M, there is a risk of contact between the following vehicle N and the pedestrian P. In the situation shown in FIG. 2, the following vehicle risk determination unit 16 determines that the following vehicle N is at risk due to the deceleration of the own vehicle M (behavior according to the travel plan of the own vehicle M).

The following vehicle risk determination unit 16 may determine that the following vehicle N is at risk on the condition that the following vehicle N is likely to overtake in the situation shown in FIG. The following vehicle risk determination unit 16 determines when the following vehicle N is closing the inter-vehicle distance according to the passage of time, or when the following vehicle N is moving to the right near the center line (following vehicle N and the center line). When the distance is less than or equal to a predetermined distance), it is determined that the following vehicle N has a sign of overtaking.

The vehicle control unit 17 controls the behavior of the own vehicle M according to the travel plan generated by the travel plan generation unit 14. The vehicle control unit 17 controls the behavior of the own vehicle M by transmitting a control signal to the actuator 5. A well-known technique can be adopted for controlling the behavior of the own vehicle M according to the travel plan.

When the following vehicle risk determination unit 16 determines that the following vehicle N is at risk, the vehicle control unit 17 determines the vehicle condition recognized by the vehicle condition recognition unit 12 and the road environment recognized by the road environment recognition unit 13. Based on the above, the behavior of the own vehicle M is controlled so as to suppress the risk of the following vehicle N. The vehicle control unit 17 can control the behavior of the own vehicle M including lighting of the brake lamp, the direction indicator, and the hazard lamp of the own vehicle M in order to suppress the risk of the following vehicle N.

Specifically, in the situation shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle control unit 17 causes the own vehicle M to apply a strong brake as the behavior of the own vehicle M that suppresses the risk of the following vehicle N. As a result, it is possible to notify the following vehicle N, which may overtake, that there is a risk, and it is possible to suppress the risk of the following vehicle N.

Further, when the vehicle control unit 17 determines that the following vehicle N is at risk by the following vehicle risk determination unit 16, when the following vehicle N is a vehicle capable of inter-vehicle communication, the vehicle-to-vehicle communication by the communication unit 6 is performed. , Notifies the following vehicle N of the road environment recognized by the road environment recognition unit 13. This notification is not mandatory.

Subsequently, a scene in which a risk occurs in the following vehicle N when the own vehicle M behaves according to the travel plan and the behavior of the own vehicle M in that case will be described.

<Scene of turning right at an intersection>
Consider a scene in which the own vehicle M is waiting for a right turn at an intersection, and there is an oncoming vehicle traveling straight from the front, but if only the own vehicle M is present, there is room for a right turn. At this time, in the traveling plan, it is conceivable that the own vehicle M is turned right before the oncoming vehicle arrives.

In this scene, the following vehicle risk determination unit 16 causes the following vehicle N to behave according to the travel plan because there is a risk that the following vehicle N will come into contact with the oncoming vehicle when the following vehicle N makes a right turn following the right turn of the own vehicle M. It is determined that a risk occurs in the following vehicle N by performing the above. In this case, the vehicle control unit 17 waits for the own vehicle M until the oncoming vehicle passes by, as a behavior of the own vehicle M that suppresses the risk of the following vehicle N. As a result, the risk of the following vehicle N coming into contact with the oncoming vehicle can be suppressed.

<Scene at intersection congestion>
Consider a scene in which there is a traffic jam around an intersection and the own vehicle M is located in front of the intersection, and there is an empty space for one vehicle in the lane in front of the intersection. At this time, in the traveling plan, it is conceivable that the own vehicle M is advanced into the intersection and the own vehicle M is stopped in the empty space in front of the intersection.

In this scene, when the following vehicle N advances into the intersection following the own vehicle M, the following vehicle risk determination unit 16 has a risk that the following vehicle N will stop in a state of protruding into the intersection. Determines that the following vehicle N is at risk if the vehicle behaves according to the travel plan. In this case, the vehicle control unit 17 starts to apply the brake from the middle of passing through the intersection after traveling into the intersection as the behavior of the own vehicle M that suppresses the risk of the following vehicle N. As a result, it is possible to appeal to the following vehicle N that the vehicle passes the intersection and stops immediately, so that it is possible to suppress the risk that the following vehicle N stops in a state of protruding into the intersection.

The vehicle control unit 17 may wait for the own vehicle M until two or more empty spaces are created in the lane in front of the own vehicle M. This scene is also applicable to railroad crossings rather than intersections.

<Scene of overtaking by own vehicle>
Consider a scene in which there is a stopped vehicle in front of the own vehicle M and an oncoming vehicle traveling straight from the front, but the own vehicle M alone can afford to overtake the stopped vehicle. At this time, in the travel plan, the behavior of the own vehicle M overtaking the stopped vehicle before the oncoming vehicle arrives can be considered.

In this scene, the following vehicle risk determination unit 16 has a risk that the following vehicle N will come into contact with an oncoming vehicle if the following vehicle N tries to overtake the stopped vehicle following the overtaking of the own vehicle M. It is determined that the following vehicle N is at risk if M behaves according to the travel plan. In this case, the vehicle control unit 17 acts as a behavior of the own vehicle M that suppresses the risk of the following vehicle N until it becomes a timing (for example, a state in which there is no oncoming vehicle) in which the following vehicle N can overtake the own vehicle M. Make vehicle M stand by. As a result, the risk of the following vehicle N coming into contact with the oncoming vehicle can be suppressed.

<Scene where your vehicle changes lanes due to lane restrictions>
Consider a scene in which there is a lane regulation in front of the own vehicle M and the own vehicle M changes lanes. At this time, in the traveling plan, it is conceivable that the lane change is performed with the riding comfort of the own vehicle M as the highest priority.

In this scene, the following vehicle risk determination unit 16 has a risk of entering the lane regulation area if the following vehicle N goes straight after changing the lane of the own vehicle M. Therefore, the following vehicle M behaves according to the traveling plan to follow the vehicle. It is determined that the vehicle N is at risk. In this case, the vehicle control unit 17 brings the own vehicle M to the adjacent lane to which the lane is changed earlier than the travel plan as the behavior of the own vehicle M that suppresses the risk of the following vehicle N. In addition, the direction indicator for changing lanes is turned on and the brakes are applied at an early stage. As a result, the following vehicle N can visually recognize the lane regulation in front of the vehicle, so that the risk that the following vehicle N goes straight and enters the lane regulation area can be suppressed.

<Scene with falling objects in front>
Consider a scene in which a falling object is in front of the own vehicle M. At this time, in the travel plan, it is conceivable that the own vehicle M travels so as to avoid falling objects.

In this scene, the following vehicle risk determination unit 16 has a risk that the following vehicle N comes into contact with the falling object after the own vehicle M avoids the falling object. Therefore, the following vehicle M behaves according to the traveling plan to follow the vehicle. It is determined that the vehicle N is at risk. In this case, the vehicle control unit 17 blinks the brake lamp a plurality of times as the behavior of the own vehicle M that suppresses the risk of the following vehicle N. As a result, the following vehicle N is cautious and keeps a distance from the own vehicle M, so that the risk of the following vehicle N coming into contact with a falling object can be suppressed. In addition to blinking the brake lamp a plurality of times, the following vehicle N may be warned to keep a distance between vehicles by a method different from the general stopping action such as turning on the hazard lamp momentarily.

[Vehicle control system following vehicle risk control]
Hereinafter, the following vehicle risk suppression control of the vehicle control system 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the following vehicle risk suppression control of the vehicle control system 100. The flowchart shown in FIG. 3 is executed when the behavior of the own vehicle is controlled according to the travel plan.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ECU 10 of the vehicle control system 100 recognizes the road environment around the own vehicle M by the road environment recognition unit 13 as S10. The road environment recognition unit 13 recognizes the road environment based on the position on the map of the own vehicle recognized by the vehicle position recognition unit 11, the map information of the map database 4, and the detection result of the external sensor 2.

In S12, the ECU 10 determines whether or not there is a following vehicle N following the own vehicle M by the following vehicle determination unit 15. The following vehicle determination unit 15 makes the above determination based on the road environment (object condition) recognized by the road environment recognition unit 13. When it is determined that the following vehicle N exists (S12: YES), the ECU 10 shifts to S14. When it is determined that the following vehicle N does not exist (S12: NO), the ECU 10 shifts to S16.

In S14, the ECU 10 determines whether or not the following vehicle N is at risk by the following vehicle risk determination unit 16 in which the own vehicle M behaves according to the travel plan. The following vehicle risk determination unit 16 makes the above determination based on the travel plan generated by the travel plan generation unit 14 and the road environment recognized by the road environment recognition unit 13. When the ECU 10 determines that no risk occurs in the following vehicle N (S14: NO), the ECU 10 shifts to S16. When the ECU 10 determines that a risk occurs in the following vehicle N (S14: YES), the ECU 10 shifts to S18.

In S16, the ECU 10 continues to control the behavior of the own vehicle according to the travel plan by the vehicle control unit 17. The vehicle control unit 17 controls the behavior of the own vehicle according to the travel plan by transmitting a control signal to the actuator 5 based on the travel plan generated by the travel plan generation unit 14. After that, the ECU 10 ends the current process. If the control of the behavior of the own vehicle M according to the travel plan is continued even after a certain period of time has passed, the ECU 10 repeats the process from S10 again.

In S18, the ECU 10 notifies the following vehicle N by the vehicle control unit 17. The vehicle control unit 17 notifies the following vehicle N of the road environment recognized by the road environment recognition unit 13 by vehicle-to-vehicle communication by the communication unit 6. It should be noted that S18 does not necessarily have to be performed.

In S20, the ECU 10 controls the behavior of the own vehicle M so as to suppress the risk of the following vehicle N by the vehicle control unit 17. The vehicle control unit 17 transmits a control signal to the actuator 5 based on the vehicle state recognized by the vehicle state recognition unit 12 and the road environment recognized by the road environment recognition unit 13, thereby reducing the risk of the following vehicle N. The behavior of the own vehicle M is controlled so as to suppress it. After that, the ECU 10 finishes this process and returns to the control of the behavior of the own vehicle M according to the travel plan. If the control of the behavior of the own vehicle M according to the travel plan is continued even after a certain period of time has passed, the ECU 10 repeats the process from S10 again.

[Vehicle control system operation and effect]
According to the vehicle control system 100 according to the present embodiment described above, when the behavior of the own vehicle M is controlled according to the travel plan generated in advance and there is a following vehicle following the own vehicle, It is determined whether or not there is a risk to the following vehicle when the own vehicle behaves according to the traveling plan. When the vehicle control system 100 determines that a risk occurs in the following vehicle when the own vehicle behaves according to the traveling plan, the vehicle control system 100 controls the behavior of the own vehicle so as to suppress the risk of the following vehicle. Therefore, according to the vehicle control system 100, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of risk to the following vehicle when the own vehicle behaves according to the traveling plan.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The present invention can be carried out in various forms having various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, including the above-described embodiment.

For example, the vehicle control system 100 does not necessarily have to include the travel plan generation unit 14. The travel plan may be generated by another system or by a server. In this case, the vehicle control system 100 does not necessarily have to include the vehicle position recognition unit 11 and the map database 4. Further, the road environment recognition unit 13 may recognize the road environment only based on the detection result of the external sensor 2.

The following vehicle risk determination unit 16 is not only the travel plan generated by the travel plan generation unit 14 and the road environment recognized by the road environment recognition unit 13, but also the position on the map of the own vehicle recognized by the vehicle position recognition unit 11. Based on the map information of the map database 4 and the vehicle condition recognized by the vehicle condition recognition unit 12, it is determined whether or not the following vehicle N is at risk if the own vehicle M behaves according to the traveling plan. You may. Specifically, when the map database 4 includes accident-prone map data in which a section in which a traffic accident is likely to occur is embedded in the map in advance, the following vehicle risk determination unit 16 determines the position of the own vehicle M on the map. The determination of S14 may be made based on the accident-prone map data.

The vehicle control system 100 may further include a behavior prediction unit that predicts the behavior of the following vehicle N when the own vehicle M behaves according to the travel plan. The action prediction unit includes not only the travel plan generated by the travel plan generation unit 14 and the road environment recognized by the road environment recognition unit 13, but also the position and map of the own vehicle M recognized by the vehicle position recognition unit 11. Based on the map information of the database 4 and the vehicle state recognized by the vehicle state recognition unit 12, the behavior of the following vehicle N is predicted by a well-known technique. In this case, the following vehicle risk determination unit 16 determines whether or not the following vehicle N is at risk by the own vehicle M behaving according to the traveling plan based on the behavior prediction result of the following vehicle N. , The determination accuracy can be improved. When the following vehicle risk determination unit 16 determines that the following vehicle N and an object (other vehicle, etc.) come into contact with each other by a well-known technique based on the road environment and the behavior prediction result of the following vehicle N, the following vehicle N is at risk. It may be determined that it occurs.

1 ... GPS receiver, 2 ... external sensor, 3 ... internal sensor, 4 ... map database, 5 ... actuator, 6 ... communication unit, 10 ... ECU, 11 ... vehicle position recognition unit, 12 ... vehicle condition recognition unit, 13 ... Road environment recognition unit, 14 ... travel plan generation unit, 15 ... following vehicle determination unit, 16 ... following vehicle risk determination unit, 17 ... vehicle control unit, 100 ... vehicle control system.

Claims (1)

It is a vehicle control system that controls the behavior of the own vehicle according to a travel plan generated in advance.
The vehicle state recognition unit that recognizes the vehicle state of the own vehicle and
The road environment recognition unit that recognizes the road environment including the condition of objects around the own vehicle,
A following vehicle determination unit that determines whether or not there is a following vehicle following the own vehicle based on the road environment.
When the behavior of the own vehicle is controlled according to the travel plan and the following vehicle determination determines that the following vehicle exists, the own vehicle is based on the travel plan and the road environment. A following vehicle risk determination unit that determines whether or not there is a risk that the following vehicle and surrounding objects other than the own vehicle will come into contact with each other by performing the behavior according to the traveling plan.
When the following vehicle risk determination unit determines that the following vehicle is at risk, the behavior of the own vehicle is controlled so as to suppress the risk of the following vehicle based on the road environment and the vehicle condition. Vehicle control unit and
With
In the following vehicle risk determination unit, when a pedestrian is about to cross the pedestrian crossing in front of the own vehicle and the own vehicle detects the pedestrian and generates the traveling plan for deceleration, the traveling It is determined that the deceleration of the own vehicle according to the plan causes a risk that the following vehicle intended to overtake or overtake the own vehicle comes into contact with the pedestrian.
When the own vehicle is in a state of waiting for a right turn at an intersection, there is an oncoming vehicle traveling straight from the front, and the traveling plan for turning the own vehicle to the right before the oncoming vehicle arrives is generated. It is determined that there is a risk that the following vehicle will come into contact with the oncoming vehicle by turning right at the intersection of the own vehicle according to the travel plan.
The area around the intersection is congested, the own vehicle is located in front of the intersection, there is an empty space for one vehicle in the lane in front of the intersection, and the own vehicle is stopped in the empty space. When a travel plan is generated, it is determined that there is a risk that the following vehicle will come into contact with another vehicle entering the intersection due to the stoppage of the own vehicle in the empty space after the intersection of the own vehicle according to the travel plan. ,
There is a stopped vehicle in front of the own vehicle, there is a second oncoming vehicle traveling straight from the front, and the own vehicle overtakes the stopped vehicle before the second oncoming vehicle comes. In this case, it is determined that there is a risk that the following vehicle trying to overtake following the own vehicle will come into contact with the second oncoming vehicle due to overtaking of the own vehicle according to the travel plan.
When there is a falling object in front of the own vehicle and the traveling plan for driving the own vehicle is generated so as to avoid the falling object, the following vehicle is caused by the traveling of the own vehicle according to the traveling plan. A vehicle control system that determines that there is a risk of contact with the falling object .

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