JP7275285B2 - Driving support device - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a driving assistance device that provides driving assistance such that, when an own vehicle stops, the vehicle is stopped with an appropriate inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle.

Conventionally, there has been disclosed a technique for notifying a required inter-vehicle distance to a preceding vehicle so that the own vehicle does not stop at an intersection, a pedestrian crossing, or a side street (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).

JP 2007-219659 A

For example, if there is a side road on the side of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling and the traffic volume in the oncoming lane is small, few vehicles enter the side road from the oncoming lane. In this case, there is often no problem even if the own vehicle stops at the entrance to the side road. However, in Patent Literature 1, regardless of the traffic volume of the road, since the necessary inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle is notified so that the own vehicle does not stop at the entrance to the side road, congestion occurs on the road with many side roads. there is a possibility. As described above, conventionally, when the own vehicle stops, it cannot be said that an appropriate inter-vehicle distance is kept between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle depending on the situation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and is a driving support device capable of maintaining an appropriate inter-vehicle distance from a preceding vehicle according to the situation when the own vehicle stops. The purpose is to provide

In order to solve the above problems, the driving support system according to the present invention includes an own vehicle position information acquisition unit that acquires own vehicle position information indicating the current position of the own vehicle; A preceding vehicle position information acquiring unit that acquires preceding vehicle position information indicating a position, a map information acquiring unit that acquires map information including at least road information, a peripheral information acquiring unit that acquires peripheral information of the own vehicle, and the own vehicle. The own vehicle position information obtained by the position information obtaining unit, the preceding vehicle position information obtained by the preceding vehicle position information obtaining unit, the map information obtained by the map information obtaining unit, and the surrounding information obtained by the surrounding information obtaining unit an obstruction determination unit that determines whether or not other vehicles other than the preceding vehicle will be obstructed when the own vehicle stops following the stop of the preceding vehicle, and an obstruction determination unit if the own vehicle impedes the other vehicle from traveling. when determined, an inter-vehicle distance determining unit that determines the inter-vehicle distance between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle that has stopped so that the own vehicle does not hinder the running of the other vehicle, and informs the inter-vehicle distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determining unit. , and automatically stopping the own vehicle by increasing the inter-vehicle distance, wherein the peripheral information includes information about the scheduled travel route of the other vehicle, and the obstruction determination unit is configured to: Based on the scheduled travel route information, it is determined whether or not the travel of other vehicles is impeded, and the surrounding information includes a vehicle attribute indicating whether the other vehicle is a general vehicle or an emergency vehicle. Control is performed according to the attribute, and the control unit performs control to vary the content of the notification according to the vehicle attribute .

According to the present invention, when the obstruction determining unit determines that the own vehicle impedes the running of the other vehicle, the driving support device adjusts the distance between the own vehicle and the stopped preceding vehicle so that the own vehicle does not obstruct the running of the other vehicle. In order to control at least one of an inter-vehicle distance determination unit that determines the distance, notification of the inter-vehicle distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determination unit, and automatic stopping of the own vehicle after increasing the inter-vehicle distance, When the self-vehicle stops, it is possible to keep an appropriate inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle depending on the situation.

Objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the driving assistance device by Embodiment 1 of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the driving assistance device by Embodiment 1 of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the driving assistance device by Embodiment 1 of this invention. 4 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the driving assistance device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the driving assistance device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the driving assistance device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of notification by the driving support device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of notification by the driving support device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; 4 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the driving assistance device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; 4 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the driving assistance device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the driving support device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the driving assistance device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the driving assistance device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention; FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of a driving support device according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention; FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention; FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of a driving support device according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention; FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of a driving assistance device according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention; 1 is a block diagram showing an example hardware configuration of a driving support device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example hardware configuration of a driving support device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. It is a block diagram showing an example of composition of a driving support system by an embodiment of the invention.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

<Embodiment 1>
<1-1. Configuration>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a driving assistance device 1 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG. It should be noted that the driving support device 1 is assumed to be mounted on the own vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 1, the driving assistance device 1 includes an own vehicle position information acquisition unit 2, a preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3, a map information acquisition unit 4, a peripheral information acquisition unit 5, and an obstacle determination unit 6. , an inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 and a control unit 8 . Also, the control unit 8 is connected to the notification device 9 .

The own vehicle position information acquisition unit 2 acquires own vehicle position information indicating the current position of the own vehicle. For example, the vehicle position information acquisition unit 2 acquires vehicle position information based on position information obtained from a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellite (not shown). The own vehicle position information acquisition unit 2 may calculate a more accurate current position of the own vehicle by adding the speed, movement distance, steering direction, etc. of the own vehicle to the position information acquired from the GNSS satellites. good. Each information such as the speed of the own vehicle, the moving distance, and the steering direction is acquired from various sensors provided on the own vehicle.

The preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3 acquires preceding vehicle position information indicating the current position of the preceding vehicle that is present immediately in front of the own vehicle. For example, the preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3 acquires preceding vehicle position information from the preceding vehicle. The preceding vehicle position information acquiring unit 3 adds the current position of the own vehicle acquired by the own vehicle position information acquiring unit 2 to the distance between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle obtained from at least one of a sensor and a camera (not shown). The current position of the preceding vehicle may be calculated by adding .

The map information acquisition unit 4 acquires map information including at least road information. Note that the map information acquisition unit 4 may store map information in advance, or may acquire map information from the outside as necessary.

The peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires various types of information about the surroundings of the vehicle as peripheral information. In the first embodiment, a case will be described in which the surrounding information acquisition unit 5 acquires traffic information as the surrounding information, but the surrounding information is not limited to traffic information as described in other embodiments. The traffic information may be obtained from an external device such as VICS (registered trademark), or may be obtained from a navigation device mounted on the vehicle.

The obstruction determination unit 6 includes the own vehicle position information acquired by the own vehicle position information acquisition unit 2, the preceding vehicle position information acquired by the preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3, the map information acquired by the map information acquisition unit 4, Based on the peripheral information acquired by the peripheral information acquisition unit 5, it is determined whether or not the stopping of the own vehicle will impede the running of other vehicles other than the preceding vehicle.

An inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines an inter-vehicle distance between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle so that the own vehicle does not hinder the other vehicle from traveling when the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the own vehicle impedes the other vehicle from traveling. .

The control unit 8 controls the notification device 9 to notify the inter-vehicle distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 . The notification device 9 is, for example, a HUD (Head Up Display), a display device provided in a car navigation device, a speaker, or a combination thereof.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 8 may be connected to the vehicle control device 10 . In this case, the control unit 8 controls the vehicle control device 10 so that the vehicle is automatically stopped with the distance between the vehicles determined by the vehicle distance determining unit 7 left. The vehicle control device 10 controls at least braking among acceleration, steering, and braking of the host vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the controller 8 may be connected to the notification device 9 and the vehicle control device 10 . In this case, the control unit 8 controls the notification device 9 so as to notify the vehicle-to-vehicle distance determined by the vehicle-to-vehicle distance determination unit 7, and automatically moves the vehicle away from the vehicle-to-vehicle distance determined by the vehicle-to-vehicle distance determination unit 7. and/or control the vehicle control device 10 to stop the vehicle.

<1-2. Operation>
FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIG.

In step S11, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines whether or not the preceding vehicle is stopped. Specifically, the hindrance determination unit 6 determines whether or not the preceding vehicle is stopped based on the temporal change in the preceding vehicle position information acquired by the preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3 . If the preceding vehicle is stopped, the process proceeds to step S12. On the other hand, if the preceding vehicle is not stopped, the process of step S11 is repeated.

In step S12, the peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires, as peripheral information, traffic information of the oncoming lane on the road on which the vehicle is traveling. Traffic information includes at least congestion information.

In step S13, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines the vehicle position information acquired by the vehicle position information acquisition unit 2, the preceding vehicle position information acquired by the preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3, and the map information acquisition unit 4. Based on the map information and the traffic information acquired by the peripheral information acquisition unit 5, it is determined whether or not the vehicle stops following the preceding vehicle, thereby hindering the other vehicle from traveling. When the own vehicle stops following the preceding vehicle, it means that the own vehicle stops behind the preceding vehicle with a sufficient inter-vehicle distance between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle to prevent another vehicle from cutting in. In the following explanation, it is assumed that the other vehicle is a vehicle traveling in the opposite lane on the road on which the own vehicle is traveling, but the other vehicle is not limited to this. If the own vehicle impedes the running of the other vehicle, the process proceeds to step S14. On the other hand, if the own vehicle does not hinder the running of the other vehicle, the process returns to step S11.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5, it is assumed that the road on which the vehicle 11 is traveling is connected to a side road, and the preceding vehicle 12 is stopped near the entrance of the side road. The other vehicles 13 to 15 are vehicles stopped in front of the preceding vehicle 12 . Other vehicles 16 to 20 are traveling in opposite lanes.

In the example of FIG. 5, other vehicles 16 to 20 are running in the oncoming lane, and the traffic volume is high. When the own vehicle 11 stops following the preceding vehicle 12 in such a situation, the own vehicle 11 blocks the entrance of the side road, and other vehicles running on the opposite lane cannot enter the side road. In this case, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the own vehicle 11 obstructs the other vehicle from traveling.

On the other hand, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, only the other vehicles 21 and 22 are running in the oncoming lane, and the traffic volume is small. Conceivable. In this case, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the own vehicle 11 does not obstruct the other vehicle from traveling. In this case, the host vehicle 11 stops following the preceding vehicle 12 .

In step S14, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle. Specifically, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the inter-vehicle distance based on the own vehicle position information, the preceding vehicle position information, and the map information so that the own vehicle does not hinder the running of other vehicles. For example, in the example of FIG. 5, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle 11 and the preceding vehicle 12 so that the vehicle 11 does not stop at the entrance of a side road. In this case, it is assumed that the map information includes information on the width of the side road.

In step S15, the control unit 8 controls the notification device 9 to notify the recommended stop position, which is a position separated from the preceding vehicle by the inter-vehicle distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7. The notification device 9 displays a recommended stop position 23 as shown in FIG. 7, for example. Note that FIG. 7 shows a case where the notification device 9, which is a HUD, displays the recommended stop position 23. As shown in FIG. The driver of the own vehicle drives so as to stop the own vehicle at the recommended stop position 23 displayed on the notification device 9 .

In addition, although the case where the control unit 8 controls the notification device 9 so as to notify the recommended stop position has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the control unit 8 may control the notification device 9 to notify a stopping non-recommended area, which is an area corresponding to the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle. In this case, the notification device 9 displays a stop non-recommended area 24 as shown in FIG. 8, for example. Note that FIG. 8 shows a case where the notifying device 9, which is a HUD, displays the stop non-recommended area 24. As shown in FIG. The driver of the own vehicle drives so that the own vehicle does not stop in the stop non-recommended area 24 displayed on the notification device 9, that is, the own vehicle stops before the stop non-recommended area 24.例文帳に追加

7 and 8 show the case where the notification device 9 is a HUD, but it is not limited to this. For example, if the notification device 9 is a display device provided in a car navigation device, information indicating the inter-vehicle distance such as a recommended stopping position or non-recommended stopping area may be displayed on the display device. Further, the notification device 9 may display information indicating the inter-vehicle distance and output a warning sound or voice guidance to guide the host vehicle to stop at the recommended stop position.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIG. Note that steps S21 to S24 in FIG. 9 correspond to steps S11 to S14 in FIG. 4, so description thereof will be omitted here. Step S25 will be described below.

In step S25, the control unit 8 controls the vehicle control device 10 so that the host vehicle automatically stops at the distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 from the preceding vehicle. The vehicle control device 10 controls the vehicle to stop with the vehicle-to-vehicle distance determined by the vehicle-to-vehicle distance determination unit 7 in accordance with the instruction from the control unit 8 .

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIG. Note that steps S31 to S34 in FIG. 10 correspond to steps S11 to S14 in FIG. 10 corresponds to step S15 in FIG. 4, and step S36 in FIG. 10 corresponds to step S25 in FIG. In addition, step S35 and step S36 may replace the order of a process.

<1-3. Effect>
According to the first embodiment, when the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the host vehicle impedes the other vehicle from traveling based on the traffic information, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines whether the subject vehicle impedes the other vehicle from traveling. The inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle is determined so as not to As a result, when the own vehicle stops, it is possible to keep an appropriate inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle depending on the situation.

<Embodiment 2>
<2-1. Configuration>
Since the driving assistance device according to the second embodiment is the same as the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 described in the first embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted here. In the following description, the driving assistance device according to the second embodiment is assumed to be the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIG.

The driving assistance device 1 according to Embodiment 2 is characterized in that the peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires peripheral information including planned travel route information of other vehicles. The planned travel route information is route information on which the vehicle is scheduled to travel from the current position to the destination. The obstruction determination unit 6 determines whether or not the own vehicle obstructs the travel of the other vehicle based on the scheduled travel route information of the other vehicle.

<2-2. Operation>
FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the driving support system 1 according to the second embodiment. Note that steps S41, S44, and S45 in FIG. 11 are the same as steps S11, S14, and S15 in FIG. 4, and therefore description thereof is omitted here. Steps S42 and S43 will be described below.

In step S42, the peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires the scheduled travel route information of the other vehicle. The peripheral information acquisition unit 5 may directly acquire the planned traveling route information from other vehicles through inter-vehicle communication, or may acquire the planned traveling route information from an external server that collects and stores the planned traveling route information of a plurality of vehicles. may be obtained.

In step S43, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines the vehicle position information acquired by the vehicle position information acquisition unit 2, the preceding vehicle position information acquired by the preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3, and the map information acquisition unit 4. Based on the map information and the planned travel route information acquired by the peripheral information acquisition unit 5, it is determined whether or not the vehicle will hinder the travel of other vehicles if the host vehicle stops following the preceding vehicle. If the own vehicle impedes the other vehicle from traveling, the process proceeds to step S44. On the other hand, if the own vehicle does not hinder the running of the other vehicle, the process returns to step S41.

For example, as shown in FIG. 12, it is assumed that the road on which the vehicle 11 is traveling is connected to a side road, and the preceding vehicle 12 is stopped near the entrance of the side road. The other vehicles 13 to 15 are vehicles stopped in front of the preceding vehicle 12 . The other vehicle 25 is traveling in the oncoming lane.

In the example of FIG. 12, the other vehicle 25 is traveling along the scheduled travel route 26 and is scheduled to enter a side road. When the own vehicle 11 stops following the preceding vehicle 12 in such a situation, the own vehicle 11 blocks the entrance of the side road, and other vehicles running on the opposite lane cannot enter the side road. In this case, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the own vehicle 11 obstructs the other vehicle from traveling.

The obstruction determination unit 6 determines whether the own vehicle 11 will follow the preceding vehicle 12 based on the estimated time of arrival of the vehicle 11 at the entrance/exit of the side road and the estimated time of arrival of the other vehicle 25 at the entrance/exit of the side road. It may be determined whether or not the other vehicle 25 will be obstructed when the vehicle stops. For example, when the other vehicle 25 is scheduled to arrive at the entrance/exit of the side road within a predetermined time after the own vehicle 11 reaches the entrance/exit of the side road, the hindrance determination unit 6 determines whether the own vehicle 11 is driving the other vehicle 25 . may be judged to hinder

In addition, although the case where the driving assistance device 1 according to the second embodiment is the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIG. 1 has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the driving assistance device 1 according to the second embodiment is the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, as shown in step S25 in FIG. 9 or step S36 in FIG. The vehicle control device 10 may be controlled so as to automatically stop the host vehicle by increasing the inter-vehicle distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7.

<2-3. Effect>
According to the second embodiment, when the hindrance determination unit 6 determines that the host vehicle will impede the travel of the other vehicle based on the scheduled travel route information of the other vehicle, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines that the host vehicle To determine the inter-vehicle distance between one's own vehicle and a preceding vehicle so as not to hinder the running of the vehicle. As a result, when the own vehicle stops, it is possible to keep an appropriate inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle depending on the situation.

<Embodiment 3>
<3-1. Configuration>
Since the driving assistance device according to the third embodiment is the same as the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 described in the first embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted here.

In the driving support device 1 according to Embodiment 3, the peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires peripheral information including scheduled travel route information of other vehicles and vehicle attributes indicating whether the other vehicle is a general vehicle or an emergency vehicle. is characterized by obtaining Emergency vehicles refer to predetermined vehicles that travel for urgent purposes, such as police vehicles, fire engines, and ambulance vehicles. General vehicles refer to vehicles other than emergency vehicles. The control unit 8 performs control according to vehicle attributes.

<3-2. Operation>
FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the driving assistance device 1 according to Embodiment 3, and shows the operation of the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIG. Since steps S51 and S54 in FIG. 13 correspond to steps S11 and S14 in FIG. 4, the description thereof is omitted here. Steps S52, S53, and S55 will be described below.

In step S52, the peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires the scheduled travel route information and vehicle attributes of other vehicles. The peripheral information acquisition unit 5 may directly acquire the planned traveling route information and vehicle attributes from other vehicles through inter-vehicle communication, or may acquire the planned traveling route information and vehicle attributes of a plurality of vehicles from an external source that collects and stores the planned traveling route information and vehicle attributes. The scheduled travel route information and vehicle attributes may be acquired from the server.

In step S53, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines the vehicle position information acquired by the vehicle position information acquisition unit 2, the preceding vehicle position information acquired by the preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3, and the map information acquisition unit 4. Based on the map information and the planned travel route information acquired by the peripheral information acquisition unit 5, it is determined whether or not the vehicle will hinder the travel of other vehicles if the host vehicle stops following the preceding vehicle. Specifically, the same processing as step S43 in FIG. 11 described in the second embodiment is performed. If the own vehicle impedes the other vehicle from traveling, the process proceeds to step S54. On the other hand, if the own vehicle does not hinder the running of the other vehicle, the process returns to step S51.

At step S55, the control unit 8 determines whether or not the other vehicle is an emergency vehicle. If the other vehicle is an emergency vehicle, the process proceeds to step S56. On the other hand, if the other vehicle is not an emergency vehicle, the process proceeds to step S57.

In step S56, the control unit 8 controls the vehicle control device 10 so that the host vehicle automatically stops at the distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 from the preceding vehicle.

In step S57, the control unit 8 controls the notification device 9 to notify the recommended stop position, which is a position separated from the preceding vehicle by the inter-vehicle distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, it is assumed that the road on which the vehicle 11 is traveling is connected to a side road, and the preceding vehicle 12 is stopped near the entrance of the side road. The other vehicles 13 to 15 are vehicles stopped in front of the preceding vehicle 12 . Other vehicles 27 and 29 are traveling in opposite lanes. Further, the other vehicle 27 is a general vehicle, and the other vehicle 29 is an emergency vehicle.

In the example of FIG. 14, another vehicle 27, which is a general vehicle, is traveling along a scheduled travel route 28 and is scheduled to enter a side road. In this case, the control unit 8 controls the notification device 9 so as to notify the recommended stop position, which is a position separated from the preceding vehicle 12 by the inter-vehicle distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 . Thereby, the driver can stop the own vehicle 11 at the recommended stop position.

On the other hand, in the example of FIG. 15, the other vehicle 29, which is an emergency vehicle, is traveling along the scheduled travel route 30 and is scheduled to enter a side road. In this case, the control unit 8 controls the vehicle control device 10 so that the host vehicle is automatically stopped with the distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 from the preceding vehicle 12 . As a result, the own vehicle 11 can be automatically stopped.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the driving assistance device 1 according to Embodiment 3, and shows the operation of the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIG. Note that steps S61 to S65 in FIG. 16 correspond to steps S51 to S55 in FIG. 13, so description thereof will be omitted here. Steps S66 and S67 will be described below.

In step S66, the control unit 8 controls the notification device 9 to display the recommended stop position 23 as shown in FIG. 7, for example.

In step S67, the control unit 8 controls the notification device 9 so as to display the stop non-recommended area 24 as shown in FIG.

In addition, although the case where the peripheral information acquisition part 5 acquires the travel plan route information of another vehicle was demonstrated above, it does not restrict to this. For example, the peripheral information acquisition unit 5 may acquire position information of the emergency vehicle or the sound of the siren emitted by the emergency vehicle instead of the planned travel route information of the emergency vehicle. In this case, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines whether an emergency vehicle is approaching the own vehicle based on at least one of these pieces of information, and if the emergency vehicle is approaching the own vehicle, the own vehicle is in an emergency state. It may be determined that the movement of the vehicle is hindered.

<3-3. Effect>
According to the third embodiment, when the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the host vehicle impedes the travel of the other vehicle based on the scheduled travel route information of the other vehicle and the vehicle attributes, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 To determine the inter-vehicle distance between one's own vehicle and a preceding vehicle so that the vehicle does not hinder the traveling of other vehicles. As a result, when the own vehicle stops, it is possible to keep an appropriate inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle depending on the situation.

<Embodiment 4>
<4-1. Configuration>
A driving assistance device according to the fourth embodiment is the same as the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 described in the first embodiment, so detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

The driving support device 1 according to Embodiment 4 is characterized in that the peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires peripheral information including facility information, which is information about facilities. The facility information includes facility types such as hospitals and supermarkets. The obstruction determination unit 6 determines whether or not the own vehicle obstructs the other vehicle from traveling based on the facility information.

<4-2. Operation>
FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the driving assistance device 1 according to Embodiment 4, and shows the operation of the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIG. Note that steps S71, S74, and S75 in FIG. 17 correspond to steps S11, S14, and S15 in FIG. 4, and therefore description thereof is omitted here. Steps S72 and S73 will be described below.

In step S72, the peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires facility information. For example, the peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires facility information from an external server that stores facility information.

In step S73, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines the host vehicle position information acquired by the host vehicle position information acquisition unit 2, the preceding vehicle position information acquired by the preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3, and the map information acquisition unit 4. Based on the map information and the facility information acquired by the peripheral information acquisition unit 5, it is determined whether or not the vehicle will hinder the other vehicle from traveling if it stops following the preceding vehicle. If the own vehicle impedes the other vehicle from traveling, the process proceeds to step S74. On the other hand, if the own vehicle does not hinder the running of the other vehicle, the process returns to step S71.

For example, as shown in FIG. 18, it is assumed that there is a hospital 32 along the road on which the vehicle 11 is traveling, and the preceding vehicle 12 is stopped near the entrance of the hospital 32 . The other vehicles 13 to 15 are vehicles stopped in front of the preceding vehicle 12 . The other vehicle 31 is traveling in the oncoming lane.

In the example of FIG. 18, if the facility is a hospital 32, it is considered desirable to keep a space near the entrance of the hospital 32 at all times. In this case, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the own vehicle 11 obstructs the other vehicle 31 from traveling.

FIG. 19 assumes that there is a supermarket 34 along the road on which the vehicle 11 is traveling, and that the preceding vehicle 12 is stopped near the entrance of the supermarket 34 . The other vehicles 13 to 15 are vehicles stopped in front of the preceding vehicle 12 . The other vehicle 33 is traveling in the oncoming lane.

In the example of FIG. 19, if the facility is a supermarket 34, it is considered that there is no need to always leave a space near the entrance/exit of the supermarket 34. In this case, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the own vehicle 11 does not obstruct the other vehicle 33 from traveling.

The facility information may include the business hours of the facility or the congestion status of the facility. For example, as shown in FIG. 20, if the opening hours of the supermarket 36 are from 9:00 to 17:00, it is considered desirable to leave a space near the entrance/exit of the supermarket 36 between 9:00 and 17:00. In this case, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the own vehicle 11 obstructs the other vehicle 35 from traveling between 9:00 and 17:00.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 21, when the supermarket 38 is closed because it is out of business hours, it is considered that there is no need to leave a space near the entrance/exit of the supermarket 38 during the non-business hours. In this case, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the own vehicle 11 does not interfere with the other vehicle 37 during non-business hours.

In the above description, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines whether or not the own vehicle obstructs the other vehicle from traveling based on the business hours of the facility, but the present invention is not limited to this. The obstruction determination unit 6 may determine whether or not the own vehicle obstructs other vehicles from traveling based on the congestion status of the facility. The congestion status of the facility indicates the number of users of the facility at regular time intervals. The facility congestion status may be a real-time congestion status or a congestion status estimated from the past number of users. The obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the own vehicle obstructs other vehicles from traveling when the facility is congested.

Although the operation of the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIG. 1 has been described above, the operation may be performed by the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIG. In this case, when the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the own vehicle impedes the traveling of the other vehicle, the control unit 8 may stop the own vehicle at the recommended stop position.

<4-3. Effect>
According to the fourth embodiment, when the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the host vehicle impedes the other vehicle from traveling based on the facility information, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines whether the subject vehicle impedes the other vehicle from traveling. The inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle is determined so as not to As a result, when the own vehicle stops, it is possible to keep an appropriate inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle depending on the situation.

<Embodiment 5>
<5-1. Configuration>
FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the driving support device 39 according to the fifth embodiment. The driving support device 39 is characterized in that the vehicle-to-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the vehicle-to-vehicle distance based on the peripheral information acquired by the peripheral information acquisition unit 5 . Other configurations and operations are the same as those of the first or second embodiment, so detailed descriptions thereof are omitted here.

The peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires peripheral information including road shape information indicating the shape of the road. The peripheral information acquisition unit 5 may acquire the road shape information from an external map database, or may acquire the road shape information from a sensor such as a camera (not shown) provided in the own vehicle. In addition, the peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires peripheral information including at least one of the traffic information described in the first and second embodiments, the scheduled travel route information of other vehicles, and the vehicle attributes of other vehicles.

The inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the inter-vehicle distance based on the own vehicle position information, the preceding vehicle position information, the map information, and the road shape information so that the own vehicle does not hinder the running of other vehicles.

<5-2. Operation>
FIG. 23 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the driving support device 39 according to the fifth embodiment. Since steps S81 and S85 in FIG. 23 correspond to steps S11 and S15 in FIG. 4, the description thereof is omitted here. Steps S82, S83, and S84 will be described below.

In step S82, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines the vehicle position information acquired by the vehicle position information acquisition unit 2, the preceding vehicle position information acquired by the preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3, and the map information acquisition unit 4. Based on the map information and at least one of the traffic information acquired by the peripheral information acquisition unit 5, the scheduled travel route information of the other vehicle, and the vehicle attributes of the other vehicle, when the own vehicle stops following the preceding vehicle, the other vehicle to determine whether or not to hinder the running of the vehicle. The judgment method by the inhibition judgment section 6 is the same as the judgment method by the inhibition judgment section 6 described in the first or second embodiment. If the own vehicle impedes the other vehicle from traveling, the process proceeds to step S83. On the other hand, if the host vehicle does not impede the running of the other vehicle, the process returns to step S81.

In step S83, the peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires road shape information.

In step S84, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle. Specifically, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the inter-vehicle distance based on the own vehicle position information, the preceding vehicle position information, the map information, and the road shape information so that the own vehicle does not hinder the running of other vehicles. .

For example, as shown in FIGS. 24 and 25, it is assumed that the road on which the vehicle 11 is traveling is connected to a side road, and the preceding vehicle 12 is stopped near the entrance of the side road. The other vehicle 13 is a vehicle stopped in front of the preceding vehicle 12 . The other vehicles 40, 42 are traveling in opposite lanes.

In the example of FIG. 24 , the connection angle formed by the first road, which is the road on which the vehicle 11 is traveling, and the second road, which is a side road connected to the road, is an acute angle when viewed from the other vehicle 40 . Therefore, it is considered that the width indicated by the space 41 is necessary for the other vehicle 40 to enter the side road. In this case, the vehicle-to-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the distance for the space 41 as the vehicle-to-vehicle distance.

In the example of FIG. 25, the connection angle between the road on which the vehicle 11 is traveling and the side road connected to the road is an obtuse angle when viewed from the other vehicle 42. It is considered that the width indicated by the space 43 is necessary for entering. In this case, the vehicle-to-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the distance for the space 43 as the vehicle-to-vehicle distance.

Although the case where the control unit 8 controls the notification device 9 to notify the recommended stop position has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the controller 8 may control the vehicle control device 10 so that the host vehicle stops at the recommended stop position.

<5-3. Effect>
According to the fifth embodiment, when the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the own vehicle obstructs the other vehicle from traveling, the inter-vehicle distance determining unit 7 determines whether the vehicle obstructs the other vehicle from traveling based on the road shape information. The inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle is determined so as not to As a result, when the own vehicle stops, it is possible to keep an appropriate inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle depending on the situation.

<Embodiment 6>
<6-1. Configuration>
Since the driving support device according to the sixth embodiment is the same as the driving support device 39 shown in FIG. 22 described in the fifth embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted here.

The peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires peripheral information including the number of lanes of the road on which the vehicle is traveling and the lane on which the vehicle is traveling. The peripheral information acquisition unit 5 may acquire the number of lanes of the road on which the vehicle is traveling and the lane on which the vehicle is traveling from an external map database. The number of lanes of the road on which the vehicle is traveling and the lane on which the vehicle is traveling may be acquired from sensors such as the . In addition, the peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires peripheral information including at least one of the traffic information, scheduled travel route information of other vehicles, vehicle attributes of other vehicles, and facility information described in the first to third embodiments. do.

Based on the vehicle position information, the preceding vehicle position information, the map information, the number of lanes on the road on which the vehicle is traveling, and the lane on which the vehicle is traveling, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines whether the vehicle is traveling ahead of other vehicles. Determine the inter-vehicle distance so as not to hinder

<6-2. Operation>
FIG. 26 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the driving support device 39 according to the sixth embodiment. Note that steps S91 and S95 in FIG. 26 correspond to steps S11 and S15 in FIG. 4, and therefore description thereof is omitted here. Steps S92, S93, and S94 will be described below.

In step S92, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines the host vehicle position information acquired by the host vehicle position information acquisition unit 2, the preceding vehicle position information acquired by the preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3, and the map information acquisition unit 4. Based on the map information and at least one of the traffic information acquired by the peripheral information acquisition unit 5, the scheduled travel route information of other vehicles, the vehicle attributes of the other vehicles, and the facility information, the own vehicle follows the preceding vehicle. It is determined whether or not stopping the vehicle hinders the running of other vehicles. The judgment method by the inhibition judgment unit 6 is the same as the judgment method by the inhibition judgment unit 6 described in the second or third embodiment. If the own vehicle impedes the other vehicle from traveling, the process proceeds to step S83. On the other hand, if the host vehicle does not impede the running of the other vehicle, the process returns to step S81.

In step S93, the peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires the number of lanes of the road on which the vehicle is traveling and the lane on which the vehicle is traveling.

In step S94, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle. Specifically, the vehicle-to-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the vehicle distance based on the vehicle position information, the preceding vehicle position information, the map information, the number of lanes on the road on which the vehicle is traveling, and the lane on which the vehicle is traveling. determines the inter-vehicle distance so as not to hinder the running of other vehicles.

For example, as shown in FIG. 27, assume that there is a supermarket 45 along the road on which the vehicle 11 is traveling, and the preceding vehicle 12 is stopped near the entrance of the supermarket 45 . The other vehicles 13 to 15 are vehicles stopped in front of the preceding vehicle 12 . The other vehicle 44 is traveling in the oncoming lane. The own vehicle 11 is traveling in the lane closest to the supermarket 45 .

In the example of FIG. 27, the other vehicle 44 is about to enter the supermarket 45 across the lane in which the own vehicle 11 is traveling. In this case, it is considered that the width indicated by the space 46 is necessary for the other vehicle 44 to enter the supermarket 45 . In this case, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the distance for the space 46 as the inter-vehicle distance.

Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 28, it is assumed that there is a supermarket 49 along the road on which the vehicle 11 is traveling, and other vehicles 15 and 47 and the preceding vehicle 12 are stopped near the entrance of the supermarket 49. do. The other vehicles 13 and 14 are vehicles stopped in front of the preceding vehicle 12 . The other vehicle 48 is traveling in the oncoming lane. The other vehicles 15 and 47 are traveling in the lane closest to the supermarket 49 , and the own vehicle 11 and the preceding vehicle 12 are traveling in lanes adjacent to the lane closest to the supermarket 49 .

In the example of FIG. 28, the other vehicle 48 is about to enter the supermarket 49 by crossing the lane in which the own vehicle 11 is traveling and the lane in which the other vehicles 15 and 47 are traveling. In this case, it is considered that a space 50 wider than the space 46 between the other vehicles 15 and 47 is required between the own vehicle 11 and the preceding vehicle 12 in order for the other vehicle 48 to enter the supermarket 49 . In this case, the vehicle-to-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the distance of 50 minutes as the vehicle-to-vehicle distance.

Although the case where the control unit 8 controls the notification device 9 to notify the recommended stop position has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the controller 8 may control the vehicle control device 10 so that the host vehicle stops at the recommended stop position.

<6-3. Effect>
According to the sixth embodiment, when the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the host vehicle impedes the travel of the other vehicle, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the number of lanes of the road on which the host vehicle is traveling and the number of lanes of the host vehicle. determines the inter-vehicle distance between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle based on the lane in which the vehicle is traveling so that the vehicle does not obstruct the traveling of other vehicles. As a result, when the own vehicle stops, it is possible to keep an appropriate inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle depending on the situation.

<Embodiment 7>
<7-1. Configuration>
A driving assistance device according to Embodiment 7 is the same as the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 described in Embodiment 1, so detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

The driving assistance device 1 according to Embodiment 7 is characterized in that the peripheral information acquiring unit 5 acquires peripheral information including disaster information that is information relating to disasters. The obstruction determination unit 6 determines whether or not the own vehicle obstructs the other vehicle from traveling based on the disaster information. In the following description, the other vehicle is assumed to be an emergency vehicle.

<7-2. Operation>
FIG. 29 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the driving assistance device 1 according to Embodiment 7, and shows the operation of the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIG. Note that step S101 in FIG. 29 corresponds to step S21 in FIG. 9, so description thereof will be omitted here. Steps S102 to S105 will be described below.

In step S102, the peripheral information acquisition unit 5 acquires disaster information.

In step S103, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines the vehicle position information acquired by the vehicle position information acquisition unit 2, the preceding vehicle position information acquired by the preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3, and the map information acquisition unit 4. Based on the map information and the disaster information acquired by the surrounding information acquisition unit 5, it is determined whether or not the vehicle stops following the preceding vehicle, thereby hindering the running of the emergency vehicle, which is another vehicle. If the own vehicle impedes the emergency vehicle from traveling, the process proceeds to step S104. On the other hand, if the own vehicle does not hinder the emergency vehicle from traveling, the process returns to step S101.

For example, as shown in FIG. 30, when a disaster occurs while the own vehicle 11 is traveling, if the own vehicle 11 is in the center of the lane, the emergency vehicle 51 is prevented from traveling. In this case, the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the own vehicle 11 obstructs the emergency vehicle 51 from traveling.

In step S104, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle. Specifically, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines the inter-vehicle distance based on the own vehicle position information, the preceding vehicle position information, and the map information so that the own vehicle does not hinder the emergency vehicle from running.

In step S<b>105 , the control unit 8 controls the vehicle control device 10 so that the host vehicle is automatically stopped with the following distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 from the preceding vehicle 12 . At this time, as shown in FIG. 30, the vehicle control device 10 is controlled so that the host vehicle 11 moves toward the edge of the road so as to clear the center of the road. The vehicle control device 10 increases the inter-vehicle distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 and moves the vehicle to the edge of the road to stop the vehicle according to the instruction of the control unit 8 .

As shown in FIG. 31, when a disaster occurs while the own vehicle 11 is traveling on a bridge that crosses both banks of a river, the control unit 8 is located away from the bridge and on the road. Control may be performed to stop the own vehicle 11 so that the center is vacant.

Although the operation of the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIG. 2 has been described above, the driving assistance device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 may be used. In this case, when the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the own vehicle impedes the traveling of the other vehicle, the control unit 8 may control the notification device 9 to notify the recommended stop position.

<7-3. Effect>
According to the seventh embodiment, when the obstruction determination unit 6 determines that the host vehicle impedes the other vehicle from traveling based on the disaster information, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7 determines that the subject vehicle impedes the other vehicle from traveling. The inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle is determined so as not to As a result, when the own vehicle stops, it is possible to keep an appropriate inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle depending on the situation.

<Hardware configuration>
Own vehicle position information acquisition unit 2, preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3, map information acquisition unit 4, peripheral information acquisition unit 5, obstruction determination unit 6, inter-vehicle distance in driving support device 1 described in each of Embodiments 1 to 7 Each function of the determination unit 7 and the control unit 8 is implemented by a processing circuit. That is, the driving support device 1 acquires the own vehicle position information, the preceding vehicle position information, the map information, the peripheral information, and determines whether the own vehicle will hinder the other vehicle from traveling. a processing circuit for determining the inter-vehicle distance between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle and reporting the inter-vehicle distance. The processing circuit may be dedicated hardware, and includes a processor (CPU (Central Processing Unit), central processing unit, processing unit, arithmetic unit, microprocessor, microcomputer, DSP ( (also referred to as Digital Signal Processor)).

If the processing circuit is dedicated hardware, as shown in FIG. 32, the processing circuit 52 may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). , FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof. Each function of the own vehicle position information acquisition unit 2, the preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3, the map information acquisition unit 4, the peripheral information acquisition unit 5, the obstruction determination unit 6, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7, and the control unit 8 is processed by a processing circuit. 52 , or each function may be collectively implemented by one processing circuit 52 .

When the processing circuit 52 is the processor 53 shown in FIG. 33, the own vehicle position information acquisition unit 2, the preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3, the map information acquisition unit 4, the peripheral information acquisition unit 5, the obstruction determination unit 6, and the inter-vehicle distance determination. Each function of the unit 7 and the control unit 8 is implemented by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. Software or firmware is written as a program and stored in memory 54 . The processor 53 implements each function by reading and executing the program recorded in the memory 54 . That is, the driving assistance device 1 performs steps of acquiring position information of the host vehicle, acquiring position information of the preceding vehicle, acquiring map information, acquiring peripheral information, and preventing the host vehicle from traveling other vehicles. A memory 54 is provided for storing a program that results in a step of determining whether or not, a step of determining the inter-vehicle distance between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and a step of notifying the inter-vehicle distance. Further, these programs include an own vehicle position information acquisition unit 2, a preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3, a map information acquisition unit 4, a peripheral information acquisition unit 5, an obstacle determination unit 6, an inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7, and a control unit 8. It can also be said that the procedure or method of is executed by a computer. Here, memory means non-volatile or volatile memories such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). It may be a flexible semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), or any storage medium that will be used in the future.

In addition, regarding each function of the own vehicle position information acquisition unit 2, the preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3, the map information acquisition unit 4, the surrounding information acquisition unit 5, the obstruction determination unit 6, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7, and the control unit 8, Some functions may be implemented by dedicated hardware, and other functions may be implemented by software or firmware.

Thus, the processing circuitry may implement each of the functions described above through hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

<System configuration>
The driving assistance device described above is an in-vehicle navigation device, that is, not only a car navigation device, but also a PND (Portable Navigation Device) that can be mounted on the vehicle, a server provided outside the vehicle, etc. It can also be applied to a navigation device built as a navigation device or a device other than a navigation device. In this case, each function or each component of the driving assistance device is distributed to each function that constructs the above system.

Specifically, as an example, the functions of the driving assistance device can be arranged in the server. For example, as shown in FIG. 34, the vehicle is provided with a notification device 9 and a vehicle control device 10 . In addition, the server 55 includes the host vehicle position information acquisition unit 2, the preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit 3, the map information acquisition unit 4, the peripheral information acquisition unit 5, the obstruction determination unit 6, the inter-vehicle distance determination unit 7, and the control unit 8. Prepare. By setting it as such a structure, a driving assistance system can be constructed|assembled.

In this manner, even with a configuration in which each function of the driving support device is distributed to each function constituting the system, the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

Also, the software that performs the operations in the above embodiments may be incorporated into a server, for example. A driving support method realized by executing this software on a server obtains own vehicle position information indicating the current position of the own vehicle, and obtains the preceding vehicle position information indicating the current position of a preceding vehicle existing in front of the own vehicle. , acquires map information including at least road information, acquires surrounding information of own vehicle, acquires own vehicle position information, acquires leading vehicle position information, acquires map information, and acquires around information Based on the above, it is determined whether or not the stopping of the own vehicle will impede the running of other vehicles other than the preceding vehicle. At least one of determining the inter-vehicle distance between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle so as not to hinder the vehicle, notifying the determined inter-vehicle distance, and automatically stopping the own vehicle after increasing the inter-vehicle distance is performed. That is.

In this way, the same effect as the above embodiment can be obtained by installing the software for executing the operation in the above embodiment into the server and operating it.

In addition, within the scope of the invention, each embodiment can be freely combined, and each embodiment can be appropriately modified or omitted.

While the present invention has been described in detail, the foregoing description is, in all its aspects, illustrative and not intended to limit the invention. It is understood that numerous variations not illustrated can be envisioned without departing from the scope of the invention.

1 driving support device, 2 own vehicle position information acquisition unit, 3 preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit, 4 map information acquisition unit, 5 surrounding information acquisition unit, 6 obstruction determination unit, 7 inter-vehicle distance determination unit, 8 control unit, 9 notification Device, 10 vehicle control device, 11 host vehicle, 12 preceding vehicle, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 other vehicle, 23 stop non-recommended area, 24 recommended stop position, 25 others vehicle, 26 planned travel route, 27 other vehicle, 28 planned travel route, 29 other vehicle, 30 planned travel route, 31 other vehicle, 32 hospital, 33 other vehicle, 34 supermarket, 35 other vehicle, 36 supermarket, 37 other vehicle, 38 supermarket, 39 driving support device, 40 other vehicle, 41 space, 42 other vehicle, 43 space, 44 other vehicle, 45 supermarket, 46 space, 47, 48 other vehicle, 49 supermarket, 50 space, 51 emergency vehicle, 52 processing circuit, 53 processor, 54 memory, 55 server.

Claims (6)

an own vehicle position information acquisition unit that acquires own vehicle position information indicating the current position of the own vehicle;
a preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit that acquires preceding vehicle position information indicating the current position of a preceding vehicle that is present in front of the own vehicle;
a map information acquisition unit that acquires map information including at least road information;
a peripheral information acquisition unit that acquires peripheral information of the own vehicle;
the own vehicle position information obtained by the own vehicle position information obtaining unit; the preceding vehicle position information obtained by the preceding vehicle position information obtaining unit; the map information obtained by the map information obtaining unit; an obstacle determination unit that determines, based on the peripheral information acquired by the acquisition unit, whether or not the stop of the own vehicle along with the stop of the preceding vehicle hinders the travel of other vehicles other than the preceding vehicle;
When the obstruction determination unit determines that the own vehicle impedes the running of the other vehicle, the following distance between the own vehicle and the stopped preceding vehicle is determined so that the own vehicle does not hinder the running of the other vehicle. an inter-vehicle distance determination unit to
a control unit that controls at least one of notifying the inter-vehicle distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determining unit and automatically stopping the own vehicle after increasing the inter-vehicle distance;
with
the peripheral information includes information about a planned travel route of the other vehicle;
The obstruction determination unit determines whether or not to obstruct travel of the other vehicle based on the scheduled travel route information ,
the peripheral information includes a vehicle attribute indicating whether the other vehicle is a general vehicle or an emergency vehicle;
The control unit performs control according to the vehicle attribute,
The driving assistance device, wherein the control unit performs control to vary the content of the notification according to the vehicle attribute . When the other vehicle is the general vehicle, the control unit notifies the recommended stop position, which is the position with the inter-vehicle distance, and automatically stops the own vehicle when the other vehicle is the emergency vehicle. 2. The driving support device according to claim 1 , wherein control is performed to stop the vehicle. an own vehicle position information acquisition unit that acquires own vehicle position information indicating the current position of the own vehicle;
a preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit that acquires preceding vehicle position information indicating the current position of a preceding vehicle that is present in front of the own vehicle;
a map information acquisition unit that acquires map information including at least road information;
a peripheral information acquisition unit that acquires peripheral information of the own vehicle;
the own vehicle position information obtained by the own vehicle position information obtaining unit; the preceding vehicle position information obtained by the preceding vehicle position information obtaining unit; the map information obtained by the map information obtaining unit; an obstacle determination unit that determines, based on the peripheral information acquired by the acquisition unit, whether or not the stop of the own vehicle along with the stop of the preceding vehicle hinders the travel of other vehicles other than the preceding vehicle;
When the obstruction determination unit determines that the own vehicle impedes the running of the other vehicle, the following distance between the own vehicle and the stopped preceding vehicle is determined so that the own vehicle does not hinder the running of the other vehicle. an inter-vehicle distance determination unit to
a control unit that controls at least one of notifying the inter-vehicle distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determining unit and automatically stopping the own vehicle after increasing the inter-vehicle distance;
with
The peripheral information includes facility information that is information about facilities,
The obstruction determination unit determines whether or not to obstruct travel of the other vehicle based on the facility information ,
The driving support device , wherein the facility information includes business hours of the facility or congestion status of the facility . 4. The driving support device according to claim 3 , wherein said facility information includes information indicating whether said facility is a facility in which the vicinity of an entrance should always be kept open. an own vehicle position information acquisition unit that acquires own vehicle position information indicating the current position of the own vehicle;
a preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit that acquires preceding vehicle position information indicating the current position of a preceding vehicle that is present in front of the own vehicle;
a map information acquisition unit that acquires map information including at least road information;
a peripheral information acquisition unit that acquires peripheral information of the own vehicle;
the own vehicle position information obtained by the own vehicle position information obtaining unit; the preceding vehicle position information obtained by the preceding vehicle position information obtaining unit; the map information obtained by the map information obtaining unit; an obstacle determination unit that determines, based on the peripheral information acquired by the acquisition unit, whether or not the stop of the own vehicle along with the stop of the preceding vehicle hinders the travel of other vehicles other than the preceding vehicle;
When the obstruction determination unit determines that the own vehicle impedes the running of the other vehicle, the following distance between the own vehicle and the stopped preceding vehicle is determined so that the own vehicle does not hinder the running of the other vehicle. an inter-vehicle distance determination unit to
a control unit that controls at least one of notifying the inter-vehicle distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determining unit and automatically stopping the own vehicle after increasing the inter-vehicle distance;
with
The surrounding information includes road shape information indicating the shape of the road,
The inter-vehicle distance determination unit determines the inter-vehicle distance based on the road shape information,
The road shape information is a connection angle between a first road on which the vehicle is traveling and a second road connected to the first road,
The driving support device, wherein the vehicle-to-vehicle distance determination unit determines the vehicle-to-vehicle distance based on the connection angle. an own vehicle position information acquisition unit that acquires own vehicle position information indicating the current position of the own vehicle;
a preceding vehicle position information acquisition unit that acquires preceding vehicle position information indicating the current position of a preceding vehicle that is present in front of the own vehicle;
a map information acquisition unit that acquires map information including at least road information;
a peripheral information acquisition unit that acquires peripheral information of the own vehicle;
the own vehicle position information obtained by the own vehicle position information obtaining unit; the preceding vehicle position information obtained by the preceding vehicle position information obtaining unit; the map information obtained by the map information obtaining unit; an obstacle determination unit that determines, based on the peripheral information acquired by the acquisition unit, whether or not the stop of the own vehicle along with the stop of the preceding vehicle hinders the travel of other vehicles other than the preceding vehicle;
When the obstruction determination unit determines that the own vehicle impedes the running of the other vehicle, the following distance between the own vehicle and the stopped preceding vehicle is determined so that the own vehicle does not hinder the running of the other vehicle. an inter-vehicle distance determination unit to
a control unit that controls at least one of notifying the inter-vehicle distance determined by the inter-vehicle distance determining unit and automatically stopping the own vehicle after increasing the inter-vehicle distance;
with
the peripheral information includes the number of lanes of the road on which the vehicle is traveling and the lane on which the vehicle is traveling;
The driving support device, wherein the inter-vehicle distance determination unit determines the inter-vehicle distance based on the number of lanes on the road and the lane in which the vehicle is traveling.

Images