JP7397408B2 - Vehicle control device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle control device, and particularly to a vehicle control device that supports a driver in driving a vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, vehicle control devices that perform vehicle speed control as vehicle driving support control are known (for example, see Patent Document 1). Generally, in such driving support control, a vehicle is controlled to travel at a predetermined set vehicle speed that is set to a target speed. When the vehicle catches up with the preceding vehicle while driving at the target speed (set vehicle speed), the target speed is changed from the set vehicle speed to the speed of the preceding vehicle, and the vehicle's speed is controlled at the new target speed (speed of the preceding vehicle). be exposed. In addition, in this kind of driving support control, the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle are set according to the inter-vehicle distance and relative speed between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle, thereby preventing the vehicle and the preceding vehicle from rapidly approaching each other. Instead, a predetermined inter-vehicle distance or inter-vehicle time is maintained.

Furthermore, in the vehicle control device described in Patent Document 1, in such speed control, when the speed of the vehicle is smaller than a set vehicle speed, the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle is equal to or greater than a predetermined set distance. During this period, the acceleration of the vehicle is set to a predetermined fixed acceleration, and when the inter-vehicle distance becomes less than the set distance, the acceleration of the vehicle is set to be smaller than the fixed acceleration. In this manner, the vehicle control device described in Patent Document 1 controls the acceleration of the vehicle when the vehicle approaches the preceding vehicle.

JP2019-59360A

However, in conventional speed control, if the distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle is equal to or greater than the set distance, the vehicle is accelerated to the set vehicle speed (target speed), and when the vehicle catches up with the preceding vehicle (for example, the following distance is reaches a set distance), the vehicle is decelerated. In other words, with conventional speed control, the vehicle is unnecessarily accelerated to the set vehicle speed even if it is expected to decelerate due to the presence of a preceding vehicle in front. This gave the driver a sense of discomfort.

The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and is capable of suppressing unnecessary acceleration when catching up with a preceding vehicle in a vehicle control device for executing speed control using driving assistance. The purpose of this invention is to provide a vehicle control device that is easy to use.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a vehicle control device for supporting vehicle driving, the vehicle control device controlling the speed of the vehicle so that the vehicle runs at a set target speed. When a preceding vehicle is running in front of the vehicle, the vehicle speed is set to a predetermined set vehicle speed or less so that the time interval to the preceding vehicle does not become smaller than a predetermined set time. The vehicle is configured to make the vehicle follow the vehicle in front at The vehicle is characterized in that it is configured to set a second set vehicle speed, which is larger than the speed of the preceding vehicle and smaller than the set vehicle speed, as the target speed.

According to the present invention configured in this way, when a preceding vehicle is running in front of the vehicle, but the inter-vehicle time of the vehicle with respect to the preceding vehicle is greater than the set time, the second setting smaller than the set vehicle speed is set. Vehicle speed control is performed using the vehicle speed as a target speed. Thereby, in the present invention, unnecessary acceleration can be suppressed in the process of the vehicle catching up with the preceding vehicle.

In the present invention, preferably, the second set vehicle speed is such that the first additional speed set according to the inter-vehicle time and the second additional speed set according to the relative speed are added to the speed of the preceding vehicle. Calculated by

According to the present invention configured in this way, by setting the additional speed for each of the inter-vehicle time and relative speed, it is possible to set an appropriate second set vehicle speed.

In the present invention, the first additional speed is preferably set so that it decreases as the time between vehicles decreases and becomes zero when the time between vehicles becomes equal to the set time. Further, in the present invention, preferably, the second additional speed is set to decrease as the relative speed increases, and to become zero when the relative speed is equal to zero.

According to the present invention configured in this way, the target speed in the process of the vehicle catching up with the preceding vehicle and the target speed when following the vehicle after catching up can be calculated using the same calculation method. Therefore, in the present invention, the speed change until the vehicle catches up with the preceding vehicle becomes smooth, and the speed control process is simplified.

In the present invention, preferably, the vehicle control device calculates a target travel route over a predetermined period of time, calculates a corrected travel route over a predetermined time period based on the target travel route under predetermined constraint conditions, and also causes the vehicle to move along the corrected travel route. The vehicle control device is configured to calculate a control target value for the vehicle to drive the vehicle, and when calculating the corrected driving route, the vehicle control device calculates an evaluation function for evaluating the corrected driving route under constraint conditions. The second set vehicle speed is calculated based on the speed of the preceding vehicle. It is calculated by adding a first additional speed that is set according to the inter-vehicle time, a second additional speed that is set according to the relative speed, and a third additional speed that is a fixed value.

According to the present invention configured in this way, when calculating a travel route for speed control such as following a preceding vehicle by predicting the future behavior of the vehicle over a predetermined period of time, the second set vehicle speed is By further adding 3 additional speeds, it is possible to avoid taking more time than necessary until the vehicle reaches a state where it follows the preceding vehicle.

According to the vehicle control device of the present invention, unnecessary acceleration when catching up with a preceding vehicle can be suppressed.

1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing details of a driver operation section of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a control block diagram of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of control target calculation processing in the vehicle control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a corrected travel route in the vehicle control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a vehicle model in the vehicle control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of obstacle avoidance by correcting a target travel route in the vehicle control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the clearance and the allowable upper limit value of the passing speed between an obstacle and a vehicle when avoiding an obstacle in the vehicle control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a processing flow of driving support control in a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the running state of a vehicle and a preceding vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a change in speed of a vehicle according to a comparative example. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a change in speed of a vehicle according to the present embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a first additional speed according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a second additional speed according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a processing flow of target speed calculation processing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First, the configuration of the vehicle control device will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1A is a configuration diagram of the vehicle control device, FIG. 1B is a diagram showing details of a driver operation section, and FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the vehicle control device.

The vehicle control device 100 of this embodiment is configured to provide different driving support control in a plurality of driving support modes to the vehicle 1 (see FIG. 4, etc.) equipped with the vehicle control device 100. The driver can select a desired driving support mode from a plurality of driving support modes.

As shown in FIG. 1A, a vehicle control device 100 is installed in a vehicle 1, and includes a vehicle control calculation unit (ECU) 10, a plurality of sensors and switches, a plurality of control systems, and a user control unit for driving support modes. A driver operation section 35 is provided for inputting information. The plurality of sensors and switches include an in-vehicle camera 21, a millimeter wave radar 22, and a plurality of behavior sensors that detect the behavior of the vehicle (vehicle speed sensor 23, acceleration sensor 24, yaw rate sensor 25, steering angle sensor 26, accelerator sensor 27, brake A sensor 28), a positioning system 29, and a navigation system 30 are included. Further, the plurality of control systems include an engine control system 31, a brake control system 32, and a steering control system 33.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the driver operation unit 35 is provided in the cabin of the vehicle 1 so as to be operable by the driver, and is a mode for selecting a desired driving support mode from a plurality of driving support modes. Functions as a setting operation section. The driver operation unit 35 includes an ISA switch 36a for setting the speed limit mode, a TJA switch 36b for setting the preceding vehicle following mode, an ACC switch 36c for setting the automatic speed control mode, and a lane control mode. A LAS switch 36d is provided for setting the keep control mode. Further, the driver operation unit 35 includes a distance setting switch 37a for setting the inter-vehicle distance in the preceding vehicle following mode (substantially, the inter-vehicle time instead of the inter-vehicle distance), and a distance setting switch 37a for setting the vehicle speed in the automatic speed control mode, etc. A vehicle speed setting switch 37b is provided for controlling the vehicle speed.

The ECU 10 shown in FIG. 1A is constituted by a computer including a processor, a memory for storing various programs, an input/output device, and the like. The ECU 10 controls the engine control system 31, brake control system 32, and steering control system 33 based on the driving support mode selection signal and set vehicle speed signal received from the driver operation unit 35, and signals received from a plurality of sensors and switches. In contrast, they are configured to be able to output request signals for operating the engine system, brake system, and steering system as appropriate.

The vehicle-mounted camera 21 images the surroundings of the vehicle 1 and outputs the captured image data. The ECU 10 identifies objects (e.g., vehicles, pedestrians, roads, division lines (lane boundaries, white lines, yellow lines), traffic signals, traffic signs, stop lines, intersections, obstacles, etc.) based on image data. do. Furthermore, in this embodiment, an in-vehicle camera is also provided as the on-vehicle camera 21 to take an image of the driver driving the vehicle. Note that the ECU 10 may acquire information about the object from the outside via an in-vehicle communication device using traffic infrastructure, inter-vehicle communication, or the like.

The millimeter wave radar 22 is a measuring device that measures the position and speed of objects (especially preceding vehicles, parked vehicles, pedestrians, obstacles, etc.), and transmits radio waves (transmission waves) toward the front of the vehicle 1. Then, the reflected wave generated when the transmitted wave is reflected by the object is received. The millimeter wave radar 22 measures the distance between the vehicle 1 and the object (for example, the inter-vehicle distance) and the relative speed of the object with respect to the vehicle 1 based on the transmitted wave and the received wave. Note that in this embodiment, instead of the millimeter wave radar 22, a laser radar, an ultrasonic sensor, or the like may be used to measure the distance and relative speed to the object. Further, the position and velocity measuring device may be configured using a plurality of sensors.

Vehicle speed sensor 23 detects the absolute speed of vehicle 1.
The acceleration sensor 24 detects acceleration of the vehicle 1 (longitudinal acceleration in the front-rear direction, lateral acceleration in the lateral direction). Note that the acceleration includes an acceleration side (positive) and a deceleration side (negative).
Yaw rate sensor 25 detects the yaw rate of vehicle 1.
The steering angle sensor 26 detects the rotation angle (steering angle) of the steering wheel of the vehicle 1 .
The accelerator sensor 27 detects the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal.
Brake sensor 28 detects the amount of depression of the brake pedal.

The positioning system 29 is a global positioning satellite system (GNSS) and/or a gyro system, and detects the position of the vehicle 1 (current vehicle position information). Furthermore, the positioning system 29 may include position information acquisition means using dead reckoning or road-to-vehicle communication (using Wi-Fi or the like).

The navigation system 30 stores map information therein and can provide the map information to the ECU 10. The ECU 10 identifies roads, intersections, traffic signals, buildings, etc. that exist around the vehicle 1 (particularly ahead in the direction of travel) based on map information and current vehicle position information. The map information may be stored within the ECU 10.

Engine control system 31 is a controller that controls the engine of vehicle 1. When it is necessary to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle 1, the ECU 10 outputs an engine output change request signal requesting a change in engine output to the engine control system 31.

The brake control system 32 is a controller for controlling the brake device of the vehicle 1. When it is necessary to decelerate the vehicle 1, the ECU 10 outputs a brake request signal requesting the brake control system 32 to generate a braking force on the vehicle 1.

The steering control system 33 is a controller that controls the steering device of the vehicle 1. When the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 needs to be changed, the ECU 10 outputs a steering direction change request signal requesting a change in the steering direction to the steering control system 33.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ECU 10 is a single CPU or processor that functions as an input processing section 10a, a peripheral target detection section 10b, a target travel route calculation section 10c, a driving operation judgment section 10e, and a control target calculation section 10f. It is equipped with Note that in this embodiment, a single CPU is configured to execute a plurality of the above functions, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of CPUs can be configured to execute these functions.

The input processing unit 10a is configured to process input information input from various sensor/switch groups including the in-vehicle camera 21 and the driver operation unit 35. The input processing unit 10a functions as an image analysis unit that analyzes the image taken by the camera 21 of the road surface and detects the lane in which the vehicle 1 is traveling (demarcation lines on both sides of the lane).

The peripheral target detection unit 10b is configured to detect peripheral targets based on input information from the millimeter wave radar 22, camera 21, and the like.
The target travel route calculation unit 10c is configured to calculate a target travel route for the vehicle based on input information from the millimeter wave radar 22, the vehicle-mounted camera 21, the sensor group, and the like.

When an occupant operates an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, or a steering wheel while automatic speed control and/or automatic steering control is being executed as driving support control, the driving operation determination unit 10e prioritizes the operation by the occupant. The system is configured to output a request signal to the control systems 31 to 33 in response to an operation by the occupant. That is, the driving operation determination unit 10e allows the occupant to override the automatic driving support control and perform the driving operation himself/herself.

The control target calculation unit 10f corrects the target travel route calculated by the target travel route calculation unit 10c, calculates a corrected travel route, and outputs a request signal to the control systems 31 to 33 based on the corrected travel route. It is configured as follows.

For example, when a peripheral target to be avoided is detected by the peripheral target detection unit 10b, the control target calculation unit 10f corrects the target travel route and calculates a corrected travel route. Furthermore, even when the target travel route itself is changed due to a change in the driving support mode, the control target calculation unit 10f corrects the new target travel route and calculates a corrected travel route. By traveling on this corrected travel route, the vehicle 1 joins the new target travel route. That is, the corrected travel route in this case is a transitional route for adapting the current vehicle behavior (steering angle, acceleration, etc.) to the vehicle behavior on the new target travel route.

The control target calculation unit 10f uses a predetermined evaluation function to calculate the corrected travel route. The control target calculation unit 10f evaluates a plurality of candidate travel routes using an evaluation function based on the target travel route, and calculates one corrected travel route that is optimized to satisfy a predetermined constraint condition (or constraint condition). Calculate the route. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the evaluation function and constraint conditions are appropriately set based on the selected driving support mode, surrounding targets, and the like.

The ECU 10 generates a request signal for at least one or more of the engine control system 31, the brake control system 32, and the steering control system 33 in order to drive on the optimal corrected travel route determined by the control target calculation unit 10f. and output.

Next, the driving support mode included in the vehicle control device 100 according to this embodiment will be explained. In this embodiment, five modes (lane keep control mode, preceding vehicle following mode, automatic speed control mode, speed limit mode, and basic control mode) are provided as driving support modes.

<Lane keep control mode>
The lane keep control mode is a mode in which steering is controlled so that the vehicle 1 runs near the center of the lane, and is accompanied by automatic steering control and speed control (engine control, brake control) by the vehicle control device 100.

In this embodiment, when the lane keep control mode is selected (that is, when the LAS switch 36d is operated or pressed), different controls are performed depending on whether or not both ends of the driving lane can be detected. That is, while detecting both lane ends, the ECU 10 performs steering control and speed control so that the vehicle 1 travels near the center of the travel lane. However, if both lane edges are not detected, the driving support mode is switched to the basic control mode (off mode). In the basic control mode, the driver performs steering, accelerator, and brake operations.

Note that both lane ends are the ends of the lane in which the vehicle 1 is traveling (demarcation lines such as white lines, road edges, curbs, median strips, guardrails, etc.), and are the boundaries with adjacent lanes, sidewalks, etc. . The ECU 10 detects both ends of the lane from image data captured by the on-vehicle camera 21. Alternatively, both ends of the lane may be detected from the map information of the navigation system 30.

<Leading vehicle following mode>
The preceding vehicle following mode is basically a mode in which the vehicle 1 follows the traveling trajectory of the preceding vehicle while maintaining a predetermined inter-vehicle distance or inter-vehicle time between the vehicle 1 and the preceding vehicle according to the vehicle speed. , accompanied by automatic steering control and speed control (engine control, brake control) by the vehicle control device 100.

In this embodiment, the ECU 10 detects a preceding vehicle using image data from the on-vehicle camera 21 and measurement data from the millimeter wave radar 22 . Specifically, other vehicles traveling ahead are detected as traveling vehicles based on image data from the vehicle-mounted camera 21. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, if the distance between the vehicle 1 and another vehicle is less than or equal to a predetermined distance (for example, 400 to 500 m), the other vehicle is detected as a preceding vehicle based on the data measured by the millimeter wave radar 22. Ru. Alternatively, the vehicle-mounted camera 21 and/or the millimeter wave radar 22 may detect the preceding vehicle and output preceding vehicle information such as the position of the preceding vehicle to the ECU 10.

In this embodiment, when the preceding vehicle following mode is selected (that is, the TJA switch 36b is operated or pressed), different controls are performed depending on whether a preceding vehicle is detected. That is, while the preceding vehicle is being detected, the ECU 10 performs steering control and speed control so that the vehicle 1 follows the preceding vehicle. However, while the preceding vehicle is not detected, the ECU 10 performs speed control so that the vehicle 1 travels at the set vehicle speed (constant speed) as the target speed, and the driver performs a steering operation. Note that the set vehicle speed can be set by, for example, the vehicle speed setting switch 37b. Alternatively, the driving assistance mode is switched to the basic control mode (off mode) while no preceding vehicle is detected.

Further, in the alternative preceding vehicle following mode, different control may be performed depending on whether or not a preceding vehicle can be detected at both ends of the lane. For example, in the alternative preceding vehicle following mode, when both ends of the lane and the preceding vehicle are detected, the ECU 10 does not cause the vehicle 1 to follow the traveling trajectory of the preceding vehicle, but instead maintains a predetermined inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle 1 and the preceding vehicle. Steering control and speed control are performed so that the vehicle 1 travels near the center of the driving lane while maintaining the following. On the other hand, if the preceding vehicle has been detected, but both ends of the lane have not been detected, the ECU 10 performs steering control and speed control so that the vehicle 1 follows the traveling trajectory of the preceding vehicle. Furthermore, if both ends of the lane have been detected but no preceding vehicle has been detected, the ECU 10 performs steering control and speed control so that the vehicle 1 travels near the center of the travel lane at a set vehicle speed. Further, if neither the preceding vehicle nor the ends of the lane are detected, the ECU 10 performs speed control so that the vehicle 1 travels at the set vehicle speed, and the driver performs a steering operation.

<Automatic speed control mode>
Further, the automatic speed control mode is a mode in which speed control is performed so as to maintain a predetermined set vehicle speed (constant speed) set in advance by the driver using the vehicle speed setting switch 37b as a target speed, and the vehicle control device 100 automatic speed control (engine control, brake control), but steering control is not performed. In this automatic speed control mode, the vehicle 1 travels so as to maintain the set vehicle speed, but the speed can be increased to exceed the set vehicle speed by the driver's depression of the accelerator pedal. Further, when the driver performs a brake operation, the driver's intention is given priority and the vehicle speed is decelerated from the set vehicle speed. In addition, when the vehicle catches up with the vehicle in front, the speed is controlled to follow the vehicle in front while maintaining the distance or time depending on the vehicle speed, and when the vehicle in front disappears, the vehicle speed returns to the set speed. The speed is controlled by.

<Speed limit mode>
In addition, the speed limit mode is a mode in which the speed of the vehicle 1 is controlled so as not to exceed the speed limit indicated by a speed sign or a set vehicle speed set by the driver. control), but no steering control is performed. The speed limit may be specified by the ECU 10 performing image recognition processing on image data of a speed sign or speed display on the road surface captured by the on-vehicle camera 21, or may be received by wireless communication from the outside. In the speed limit mode, even if the driver depresses the accelerator pedal to exceed the speed limit, the vehicle 1 is only accelerated up to the speed limit.

<Basic control mode>
The basic control mode is a mode (off mode) when no driving support mode is selected by the driver operation unit 35, and automatic steering control and speed control by the vehicle control device 100 are not performed.

Next, the target travel route calculated by the vehicle control device 100 according to this embodiment will be explained. In the present embodiment, the target travel route calculation unit 10c provided in the ECU 10 is configured to repeatedly calculate the following first travel route R1 to third travel route R3 over time (for example, 0.1 every second). In this embodiment, the ECU 10 calculates a travel route from the current time until a predetermined period of time (for example, 3 seconds) has elapsed based on information from sensors and the like. The driving route Rx (x=1, 2, 3) is specified by the target position (Px_k) and target speed (Vx_k) of the vehicle 1 on the driving route that is set at predetermined intervals (for example, every 0.3 seconds). (k=0, 1, 2,..., n). Further, at each target position, target values are specified for a plurality of variables (acceleration, jerk, yaw rate, steering angle, vehicle angle, etc.) in addition to the target speed.

Note that the first to third travel routes are determined without taking into account detection information of peripheral targets on the travel road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling or targets around the travel route (obstacles such as parked vehicles and pedestrians). , is calculated based on the shape of the driving road, the driving trajectory of the preceding vehicle, the driving behavior of the vehicle 1, and the set vehicle speed. In this manner, in this embodiment, information on surrounding targets is not taken into account in calculations, so the overall calculation load for these plurality of travel routes can be kept low.

(First driving route)
The first travel route R1 is set for a predetermined period of time in accordance with the road shape so that the vehicle 1 maintains travel within the travel lane. Specifically, the first travel route R1 is basically set so that the vehicle maintains travel near the center of the lane.

The target travel route calculation unit 10c executes image recognition processing on image data of the surroundings of the vehicle 1 captured by the on-vehicle camera 21, and detects both ends of the lane. As described above, both ends of the lane are a marking line (such as a white line), a road shoulder, or the like. The target travel route calculation unit 10c sets a plurality of target positions P1_k of the first travel route R1 so that the widthwise center portion (for example, center of gravity position) of the vehicle 1 passes through the widthwise center portion of both lane ends. do. Further, the target speed V1_k at each target position P1_k on the first travel route R1 is, in principle, the speed set by the driver using the vehicle speed setting switch 37b of the driver operation unit 35, or the speed set in advance by the vehicle control device 100. The vehicle speed is set to a predetermined set speed (constant speed).

(Second driving route)
The second travel route R2 is set for a predetermined period of time so as to follow the travel trajectory of the preceding vehicle. The target driving route calculation unit 10c acquires preceding vehicle information (position, speed, acceleration, etc. of the preceding vehicle) based on image data from the on-vehicle camera 21, measurement data from the millimeter wave radar 22, and vehicle speed of the vehicle 1 measured by the vehicle speed sensor 23. Then, based on the preceding vehicle information, the driving behavior of the preceding vehicle over a predetermined period in the future is estimated or predicted. Specifically, the target travel route calculation unit 10c assumes, as the predicted travel behavior of the preceding vehicle, that the preceding vehicle will continue to travel for a predetermined period of time from now while maintaining its current traveling behavior.

Then, the target travel route calculation unit 10c calculates an inter-vehicle distance (actually, an inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle) according to the speed of the vehicle 1 at a position behind the preceding vehicle based on the predicted traveling behavior of the preceding vehicle. The second travel route R2 (target position P2_k, target speed V2_k) is calculated so as to maintain the following distance between the two vehicles.

(Third driving route)
The third travel route R3 is set for a predetermined period of time based on the current driving state of the vehicle 1 by the driver. That is, the third travel route R3 is set based on the position and speed estimated from the current travel behavior or vehicle motion of the vehicle 1.

The target travel route calculation unit 10c calculates a third travel route R3 for a predetermined period based on the speed and yaw rate of the vehicle 1. Specifically, the third travel route R3 is calculated so that the vehicle 1 makes a steady circular turn on an arcuate route defined by the turning radius R (=V/φ) while maintaining the current speed V and yaw rate φ. be done. Therefore, the target speed V3_k of the third traveling route R3 is set to the current speed V, and the target position P3_k is set to the passing position at every predetermined time when the vehicle 1 travels on the circular arc route at the speed V. .

Next, the relationship between the driving support mode and the travel route in the vehicle control device 100 according to the present embodiment will be explained. In this embodiment, when the driver selects one driving support mode by operating the driver operation unit 35, one of the first to third driving routes is set to the target driving route depending on the selected driving support mode. It is configured to be selected as

When the lane keep control mode is selected, if both ends of the lane are detected, the first travel route is selected. In this case, the set vehicle speed set by the vehicle speed setting switch 37b becomes the target speed.
Furthermore, when the preceding vehicle following mode is selected, if a preceding vehicle is detected, the second travel route is selected. In this case, the target speed is set according to the vehicle speed of the preceding vehicle. Further, when the preceding vehicle following mode is selected, if the preceding vehicle is not detected, the first or third traveling route is selected depending on whether both ends of the lane can be detected, and the set vehicle speed becomes the target speed.

Furthermore, when the automatic speed control mode is selected, the third travel route is selected. The automatic speed control mode is a mode in which speed control is automatically executed as described above, and the set vehicle speed set by the vehicle speed setting switch 37b becomes the target speed. Furthermore, steering control is executed based on the driver's operation of the steering wheel.

Further, the third travel route is also selected when the speed limit mode is selected. The speed limit mode is also a mode in which speed control is automatically executed as described above, and the target speed is set in a range below the speed limit according to the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal by the driver. Furthermore, steering control is executed based on the driver's operation of the steering wheel.

Furthermore, when the basic control mode (off mode) is selected, the third travel route is selected. The basic control mode is basically the same as the speed limit mode in which no speed limit is set.

Next, the control target calculation process executed in the control target calculation unit 10f of the ECU 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the control target calculation process, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the corrected travel route, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the vehicle model. In this embodiment, the control target calculation process includes a driving route correction process.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the control target calculation unit 10f corrects the target travel route R according to the external environment (obstacle 3, etc.) and changes in the driving support mode, and calculates a corrected travel route Rc. . Then, the control target calculation unit 10f calculates control target values (acceleration target, steering angle target) of predetermined control amounts for the vehicle 1 to travel on this corrected travel route Rc, and calculates the control target values (acceleration target, steering angle target) for the vehicle 1 based on the control target. Outputs a request signal to the control system. Note that FIG. 4 shows an exemplary target travel route R and corrected travel route Rc over a predetermined period (for example, 3 seconds). On each route R, Rc, a target position P and a corrected target position Pc are shown at predetermined time intervals (for example, every 0.3 seconds), respectively.

Specifically, the control target calculation unit 10f receives various information from the sensor/switch group, receives the target travel route R from the target travel route calculation unit 10c, and receives information regarding peripheral targets from the peripheral target detection unit 10b. . Based on this information, the control target calculation unit 10f performs a corrected driving process that is optimized so that the amount of deviation from the target driving route R is reduced while satisfying the constraint conditions (avoiding collisions with surrounding targets, etc.). A route Rc is calculated using model predictive control. That is, in the present embodiment, the control target calculation unit 10f uses a solver configured to solve an optimization problem of minimizing the evaluation value of a predetermined evaluation function J under constraint conditions (or under constraint conditions). include. For this reason, the control target calculation unit 10f includes an optimization calculation unit 11a and a model prediction unit 11b.

In this embodiment, roughly speaking, the optimization calculation unit 11a is configured to avoid constraint conditions (obstacles, etc.) based on the current behavior (velocity, position, acceleration, steering angle, etc.) of the vehicle 1. A candidate corrected travel route is set, and physical quantities (acceleration, steering angle) at each candidate target position on the candidate corrected travel route are provided as input values to the model prediction unit 11b. The model prediction unit 11b calculates the behavior of the vehicle 1 on the candidate corrected travel route by applying the input value to the vehicle model, specifies each candidate target position on the candidate corrected travel route, and adjusts the vehicle behavior. Various physical quantities based on the optimization calculation unit 11a are fed back to the optimization calculation unit 11a. Each candidate target position is calculated by adding up the movement distance between adjacent candidate target positions.

The vehicle model defines the physical motion of the vehicle 1, and is described by the following equation of motion. This vehicle model is a two-wheel model shown in FIG. 5 in this example. The physical movement of the vehicle 1 is defined by the vehicle model.

In Figure 5 and equations (1) and (2), m is the mass of vehicle 1, I is the yawing moment of inertia of vehicle 1, l is the wheelbase, l _f is the distance between the vehicle center of gravity and the front axle, and l _r is The distance between the vehicle center of gravity and the rear axle, K _f is the tire cornering power per front wheel, K _r is the tire cornering power per rear wheel, V is the vehicle speed of vehicle 1, δ is the actual steering angle of the front wheels, β is the sideslip angle of the vehicle center of gravity, r is the yaw angular velocity of the vehicle 1, θ is the yaw angle of the vehicle 1, y is the lateral displacement of the vehicle 1 with respect to absolute space, and t is time.

The optimization calculation unit 11a evaluates the candidate corrected travel route using the evaluation function J based on feedback representing the behavior of the vehicle 1 on the candidate corrected travel route. In this embodiment, the evaluation function J includes an evaluation term JE regarding the evaluation of the corrected travel route and a constraint term JC regarding the constraint conditions. Evaluation item JE has multiple evaluation factors. Furthermore, the constraint term JC has a plurality of constraint factors. The control target calculation unit 10f sets the evaluation function J differently depending on the driving support mode being executed, sensor information, and the like.

The plurality of evaluation factors include a plurality of physical quantities representing the behavior of the vehicle 1 at the target position P (for example, speed (vertical and lateral directions), acceleration (vertical and lateral directions), jerk (vertical and lateral directions), Yaw rate, lateral position relative to the lane center, vehicle angle, steering angle, steering angle speed, and other soft constraints). The evaluation factors include a first evaluation factor in which the smaller the difference between the physical quantities between the target travel route and the corrected travel route, the higher the evaluation, and a second evaluation factor in which the smaller the size of the physical quantity itself, the higher the evaluation. In this embodiment, the smaller the evaluation value, the higher the evaluation.

The first evaluation factor is an evaluation factor for minimizing the difference between the target travel route and the corrected travel route, and the physical quantities of the first evaluation factor are, for example, speed (vertical and horizontal directions), lateral position, etc. . On the other hand, the second evaluation factor is an evaluation factor for minimizing a predetermined physical quantity, and the physical quantities of the second evaluation factor are, for example, acceleration (vertical and lateral directions), jerk (vertical and lateral directions), These include the rudder angle and rudder angular speed.

Further, the plurality of constraint factors are set corresponding to the plurality of physical quantities, respectively. The constraint factor is estimated as a penalty value according to the amount by which the physical quantity exceeds the limit range (lower limit to upper limit) defined for the corresponding physical quantity. Therefore, the larger the excess amount, the larger the penalty value (that is, the larger the evaluation value becomes).

For example, multiple physical quantities including speed (longitudinal and lateral), acceleration (longitudinal and lateral), jerk (longitudinal and lateral), steering angle, steering angle velocity, and yaw rate are each fixed in principle. A limited range is specified. However, the limit range may be changed to a narrower range than the fixed limit range. For example, when the speed distribution area described below (see FIG. 6) is applied, the speed limit range with respect to the target object 3 is changed depending on the position of the vehicle 1.

The evaluation function J (=JE+JC) is described by the following formula.

Regarding the evaluation term JE, in the formula, Wk (Xk - Xrefk) ² is the evaluation factor, Xk is the physical quantity of the candidate corrected travel route, Xrefk is the physical quantity of the target travel route or 0 (zero value), and Wk is the weighting coefficient of the evaluation factor ( For example, 0≦Wk≦1) (where k=1 to n). Therefore, the evaluation term JE of the present embodiment is calculated from the physical quantities of the candidate corrected travel route to the physical quantity of the target travel route (in the case of an evaluation factor that minimizes the difference from the target travel route) or zero for the physical quantities of the n evaluation factors. It corresponds to the value obtained by weighting the sum of the squares of the differences obtained by subtracting the value (in the case of an evaluation factor that minimizes the physical quantity itself) and summing the sum over the travel route length for a predetermined period (for example, N=3 seconds). Note that the weighting coefficient Wk is set differently depending on each driving support mode.

On the other hand, the constraint term JC corresponds to a value obtained by summing the total value of evaluation values according to the amount of excess of a plurality of physical quantities from the limit range over the travel route length for a predetermined period (for example, N=3 seconds). Each evaluation value can be, for example, a value obtained by multiplying a value obtained by squaring the amount of excess by a predetermined weighting coefficient W. Note that the limit range of the predetermined physical quantity may vary depending on surrounding targets and the like.

In this embodiment, the evaluation function J is a Lagrangian function incorporating a constraint term JC. Therefore, the optimization calculation unit 11a is configured to solve an unconstrained optimization problem, and can derive an optimal solution with good convergence. If the evaluation function J does not include the constraint term JC and the feedback from the model prediction unit 11b does not satisfy the constraint condition, the feedback will not contribute to the convergence of the optimization problem. In this case, there is a possibility that the optimal solution may not be obtained within the predetermined calculation time.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, even if the feedback does not completely satisfy the constraint conditions, the optimization calculation unit 11a evaluates the candidate corrected travel route using the evaluation function J in consideration of the constraint conditions. I can do it. Thereby, in this embodiment, convergence can be improved. For example, it is possible to reliably evaluate a candidate corrected travel route that slightly exceeds the constraint conditions due to noise errors in sensor information, etc., errors in road environment evaluation, errors caused by model functions, and the like. However, in this embodiment, by setting the weighting coefficient of the constraint term JC to a large value, the constraint term JC can reliably function as a constraint condition.

In this embodiment, the optimization calculation unit 11a calculates the evaluation value for the candidate corrected travel route using the evaluation function J based on the feedback from the model prediction unit 11b. The optimization calculation unit 11a sets a new candidate target travel route according to the evaluation value, and provides the corrected input value to the model prediction unit 11b based on this new candidate corrected travel route. In this embodiment, by repeating such feedback between the optimization calculation unit 11a and the model prediction unit 11b multiple times, a correction is made in which the evaluation value of the evaluation function J is minimized (or optimized). A travel route Rc is calculated. Note that the maximum number of feedback repetitions may be limited to a predetermined number of times.

Next, obstacle avoidance processing according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of obstacle avoidance by correcting the target driving route, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the allowable upper limit value of the passing speed between the obstacle and the vehicle when avoiding the obstacle and the clearance. be. In FIG. 6, the vehicle 1 is traveling on a travel road (lane) 7, passing by a vehicle 3 that is running or stopped, and is attempting to overtake the vehicle 3.

Generally, when passing (or overtaking) an obstacle on or near the road (e.g., a preceding vehicle, a parked vehicle, a pedestrian, etc.), the driver of the vehicle 1, in the lateral direction perpendicular to the direction of travel, A predetermined clearance or interval (lateral distance) is maintained between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle, and the speed is reduced to a speed that the driver of the vehicle 1 feels safe. Specifically, in order to avoid dangers such as the vehicle in front suddenly changing course, a pedestrian coming out of the blind spot of an obstacle, or the door of a parked vehicle opening, the smaller the clearance, the more the driver will be able to avoid the obstacle. Relative velocity is reduced.

Generally, when approaching a preceding vehicle from behind, the driver of the vehicle 1 adjusts the speed (relative speed) according to the inter-vehicle distance (vertical distance) along the traveling direction. Specifically, when the inter-vehicle distance is large, the approach speed (relative speed) is maintained high, but when the inter-vehicle distance becomes small, the approach speed is reduced. Then, the relative speed between the two vehicles becomes zero at a predetermined inter-vehicle distance. This also applies even if the preceding vehicle is a parked vehicle.

In this way, the driver can drive the vehicle 1 without causing any danger while considering the relationship between the distance between the obstacle and the vehicle 1 (including the lateral distance and the longitudinal distance) and the relative speed. ing.

Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. and the forward area) or at least between the obstacle and the vehicle 1, to set a two-dimensional distribution (speed distribution area 40) that defines a permissible upper limit value for the relative speed in the traveling direction of the vehicle 1. There is. In the speed distribution region 40, a permissible upper limit value V _lim of relative speed is set at each point around the obstacle.

As can be seen from FIG. 6, the velocity distribution region 40 is such that, in principle, the smaller the horizontal and vertical distances from the obstacle (the closer to the obstacle), the smaller the allowable upper limit value of the relative velocity. Set. Further, in FIG. 6, for ease of understanding, a constant relative velocity line connecting points having the same allowable upper limit value is shown. The constant relative speed lines a, b, c, and d correspond to allowable upper limit values V _lim of 0 km/h, 20 km/h, 40 km/h, and 60 km/h, respectively. In this example, each equal relative velocity region is set to have a substantially rectangular shape.

In this embodiment, in all driving support modes, the target travel route is corrected so that the relative speed of the vehicle 1 with respect to an obstacle does not exceed the allowable upper limit value V _lim within the speed distribution region 40. That is, the speed distribution area 40 becomes a constraint on the speed of the vehicle 1. Specifically, when an obstacle to be avoided (surrounding target) is detected by the surrounding target detecting unit 10b, the control target calculation unit 10f sets a speed distribution area 40 for the obstacle. Then, the control target calculation unit 10f corrects the target travel route R calculated by the target travel route calculation unit 10c so that it does not exceed the allowable upper limit value V _lim defined by the speed distribution region 40, and corrects the target travel route R. Calculate the driving route Rc. FIG. 6 shows exemplary corrected travel routes Rc1, Rc2, and Rc3.

Note that the speed distribution area 40 does not necessarily have to be set over the entire circumference of the obstacle, but at least behind the obstacle and on one side in the lateral direction of the obstacle where the vehicle 1 is present (in FIG. (right area).

As shown in FIG. 7, when the vehicle 1 travels at a certain absolute speed, the allowable upper limit value V _lim set in the lateral direction of the obstacle is 0 (zero) until the clearance X reaches D ₀ (safety distance). km/h, and increases quadratically above D ₀ (V _lim =k(X-D ₀ ) ² , where X≧D ₀ ). That is, to ensure safety, when the clearance X is less than D ₀ , the relative speed of the vehicle 1 becomes zero. On the other hand, when the clearance X is greater than or equal to D ₀ , the larger the clearance, the more vehicles 1 are allowed to pass each other at a higher relative speed.

In the example of FIG. 7, the allowable upper limit value of the obstacle in the lateral direction is defined as V _lim =f(X)=k(X-D ₀ ) ² . Note that k is a gain coefficient related to the degree of change of V _lim with respect to X, and is set depending on the type of obstacle and the like. Further, D ₀ is also set depending on the type of obstacle and the like.

Note that in this embodiment, V _lim is defined as a quadratic function of X, but is not limited to this and may be defined as another function (for example, a linear function, etc.). Further, although the permissible upper limit V _lim in the horizontal direction of the obstacle has been described with reference to FIG. 7, it can be similarly set in all radial directions including the vertical direction of the obstacle. At this time, the coefficient k and the safety distance D ₀ can be set depending on the direction from the obstacle.

Note that the speed distribution region 40 can be set based on various parameters. As parameters, for example, consider the relative speed of the vehicle 1 and the obstacle, the type of the obstacle, the traveling direction of the vehicle 1, the moving direction and speed of the obstacle, the length of the obstacle, the absolute speed of the vehicle 1, etc. I can do it. That is, based on these parameters, the coefficient k and the safety distance D ₀ can be selected.

In the present embodiment, obstacles include vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, cliffs, grooves, holes, fallen objects, and the like. Furthermore, vehicles can be distinguished as cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Pedestrians can be distinguished as adults, children, and groups.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the vehicle 1 is traveling on the road 7, the surrounding target detection unit 10b built in the ECU 10 of the vehicle 1 detects obstacles (vehicles) based on image data from the on-vehicle camera 21. 3) Detect. At this time, the type of obstacle (in this case, vehicle or pedestrian) is specified.

Further, the surrounding target detection unit 10b calculates the position, relative speed, and absolute speed of the obstacle (vehicle 3) with respect to the vehicle 1 based on the measurement data of the millimeter wave radar 22 and the vehicle speed data of the vehicle speed sensor 23. Note that the position of the obstacle includes an x-direction position (vertical distance) along the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 and a y-direction position (lateral distance) along the horizontal direction orthogonal to the traveling direction.

The control target calculation unit 10f sets a speed distribution area 40 for each detected obstacle (vehicle 3 in the case of FIG. 6). The control target calculation unit 10f then corrects the target travel route R so that the speed of the vehicle 1 does not exceed the allowable upper limit value _Vlim of the speed distribution region 40.

That is, when the vehicle 1 travels the target travel route R, if the target speed exceeds the allowable upper limit defined by the speed distribution area 40 at a certain target position, the target speed is reduced without changing the target position. (route Rc1 in FIG. 6), or change the target position on the detour route so that the target speed does not exceed the allowable upper limit without changing the target speed (route Rc3 in FIG. 6). Both speeds are changed (route Rc2 in FIG. 6).

Generally, in the evaluation function J, the corrected travel route Rc1 is calculated when the weighting coefficient of the evaluation factor for minimizing the steering angular velocity is large, and the weighting of the evaluation factor for minimizing the longitudinal acceleration is calculated. When the coefficient is large, a corrected travel route Rc3 is calculated.

For example, FIG. 6 shows a case where the calculated target travel route R is a route in which the vehicle travels at a widthwise center position (target position) of the travel path 7 at 60 km/h (target speed). In this case, the parked vehicle 3 exists in front as an obstacle, but as described above, this obstacle is not taken into consideration in the step of calculating the target travel route R in order to reduce the calculation load.

When the vehicle 1 travels along the target travel route R, the vehicle 1 crosses the constant relative speed lines d, c, c, and d of the speed distribution region 40 in this order. That is, the vehicle 1 traveling at 60 km/h enters a region inside the constant relative speed line d (allowable upper limit value V _lim =60 km/h). Therefore, the control target calculation unit 10f corrects the target travel route R so as to limit the target speed at each target position of the target travel route R to the allowable upper limit value V _lim or less, and generates a corrected travel route Rc1. That is, in the corrected travel route Rc1, the target speed gradually decreases to less than 40 km/h as it approaches the vehicle 3 so that the target speed becomes equal to or less than the allowable upper limit value V _lim at each target position, and then the vehicle As the target speed moves away from 3, the target speed is gradually increased to the original 60 km/h.

In addition, the corrected travel route Rc3 does not change the target speed (60 km/h) of the target travel route R, and is therefore set to travel outside the constant relative speed line d (corresponding to a relative speed of 60 km/h). This is the route taken. In order to maintain the target speed of the target travel route R, the control target calculation unit 10f corrects the target travel route R so as to change the target position so that the target position is located on or outside the constant relative speed line d. Then, a corrected travel route Rc3 is generated. Therefore, the target speed of the corrected travel route Rc3 is maintained at 60 km/h, which was the target speed of the target travel route R.

Further, the corrected travel route Rc2 is a route in which both the target position and target speed of the target travel route R have been changed. In the corrected travel route Rc2, the target speed is not maintained at 60 km/h, but gradually decreases as it approaches the vehicle 3, and then gradually increases to the original 60 km/h as it moves away from the vehicle 3. be done.

A correction that does not change the target position of the target travel route R and only changes the target speed, such as the corrected travel route Rc1, involves speed control but can be applied to a driving support mode that does not involve steering control ( For example, automatic speed control mode, speed limit mode, basic control mode).
In addition, a correction that does not change the target speed of the target travel route R and only changes the target position, such as the corrected travel route Rc3, can be applied to a driving support mode that involves steering control (for example, following a preceding vehicle). mode).
In addition, a correction that changes both the target position and target speed of the target travel route R, such as the corrected travel route Rc2, can be applied to a driving support mode that involves speed control and steering control (for example, in the preceding vehicle following mode ).

Next, with reference to FIG. 8, a processing flow of driving support control in the vehicle control device 100 of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a processing flow of driving support control.
The ECU 10 repeatedly executes the processing flow shown in FIG. 8 at predetermined intervals (for example, 0.1 seconds). First, the ECU 10 (input processing unit 10a) executes information acquisition processing (S11). In the information acquisition process, the ECU 10 acquires current vehicle position information and map information from the positioning system 29 and the navigation system 30 (S11a), and acquires the vehicle camera 21, millimeter wave radar 22, vehicle speed sensor 23, acceleration sensor 24, and yaw rate sensor. 25, sensor information is acquired from the driver operation unit 35, etc. (S11b), and switch information is acquired from the steering angle sensor 26, accelerator sensor 27, brake sensor 28, etc. (S11c).

Next, the ECU 10 (input processing unit 10a, peripheral target detection unit 10b) executes a predetermined information detection process (S12) using the various information acquired in the information acquisition process (S11). In the information detection process, the ECU 10 collects running road information (presence or absence of straight sections and curved sections, length of each section, curve radius of curvature of the section, lane width, position of both lane ends, number of lanes, presence or absence of intersections, speed limit specified by curve curvature, etc.), driving regulation information (speed limit, red light, etc.), preceding vehicle information (of the preceding vehicle) (position, velocity, acceleration, etc.) and surrounding target information are detected (S12a).

The ECU 10 also detects vehicle operation information (rudder angle, accelerator pedal depression amount, brake pedal depression amount, etc.) regarding the vehicle operation by the driver from the switch information (S12b), and further detects the vehicle operation information from the switch information and sensor information. Driving behavior information (vehicle speed, longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration, yaw rate, etc.) regarding behavior No. 1 is detected (S12c).

Next, the ECU 10 (target travel route calculation unit 10c) executes a target travel route calculation process based on the information obtained by calculation (S13). In the target driving route calculation process, as described above, the first driving route R1, the second driving route R2, and the third driving route R3 are calculated, and the selected driving support mode and sensor information ( The target travel route R is selected depending on the vehicle in front (the vehicle in front, both ends of the lane, etc.).

The target travel route calculation process includes a target speed calculation process (S13a) that sets a target speed. In this target speed calculation process, the set vehicle speed set by the vehicle speed setting switch 37b is basically set as the target speed, but as will be described later, if a preceding vehicle is detected, the set vehicle speed may be lower than the set vehicle speed. The second set vehicle speed may be set to the target speed.

Next, the ECU 10 (control target calculation unit 10f) executes a control target calculation process based on the target travel route R, surrounding target information, various sensor information, etc. (S14). In the control target calculation process, as described above, the corrected travel route Rc is calculated, and the control targets (acceleration target, steering angle target) of predetermined control amounts at each corrected target position Pc on this corrected travel route Rc are generated. Ru.

Finally, the ECU 10 (control target calculation unit 10f) executes the system control process based on the generated control target for the corrected travel route Rc (S15), and ends the process. In the system control process, request signals (engine request signal, brake request signal, steering request signal) are generated according to the control target in the corrected travel route Rc, and the generated request signals are sent to the control systems 31 to 33 of the vehicle 1. Output.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 9 to 12, a description will be given of application of the transient set vehicle speed when the vehicle of this embodiment catches up with a preceding vehicle. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the running state of the vehicle and the preceding vehicle, FIG. 10A is an explanatory diagram of the speed change of the vehicle according to the comparative example, and FIG. 10B is an explanatory diagram of the speed change of the vehicle according to the present embodiment. FIG. 11A is an explanatory diagram of the first additional speed, and FIG. 11B is an explanatory diagram of the second additional speed. FIG. 12 is a processing flow of target speed calculation processing.

In FIG. 9, the vehicle 1 is traveling at a speed V0, and the preceding vehicle is traveling at a speed Vp lower than the vehicle 1 (Vp<V0). The preceding vehicle 3 is traveling far away from the vehicle 1. That is, the inter-vehicle time THW between the preceding vehicle 3 and the vehicle 1 is larger than the set time Ts (for example, 2 seconds) set as the target value of the inter-vehicle time in the preceding vehicle following mode and the automatic speed control mode (THW> Ts). Further, in the vehicle 1, the set vehicle speed is set to Vs by the vehicle speed setting switch 37b (Vs>V0, Vs>Vp). Note that the inter-vehicle time THW is calculated by dividing the inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle 3 and the vehicle 1 by the current speed V0 of the vehicle 1.

The comparative example shown in FIG. 10A shows the target travel route calculated when the set vehicle speed Vs is set to the target speed when automatic speed control is performed (for example, when the TJA switch 36b or the ACC switch 36c is selected). It shows the velocity at each target point. In this case, the vehicle 1 is accelerated toward the set vehicle speed Vs (target speed). Then, at time t1, the speed of the vehicle 1 reaches the set vehicle speed Vs. Thereafter, when the vehicle 1 catches up with the preceding vehicle 3, it starts decelerating at a relatively large deceleration, and reaches the speed Vp of the preceding vehicle 3 at time t2. In this case, the vehicle 1 catches up with the preceding vehicle 3 at an early stage, but after catching up, the vehicle 1 ends up decelerating significantly. Therefore, in the example of FIG. 10A, the vehicle 1 is accelerated more than necessary, and this is also uneconomical in terms of fuel consumption.

Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10B, when the vehicle 1 detects the preceding vehicle 3, the transient second set vehicle speed Vs2 (Vp<Vs2<Vs) is set to the automatic speed instead of the set vehicle speed Vs. Set to target speed in control. FIG. 10B shows the speed at each target point on the target travel route calculated when the second set vehicle speed Vs2 is set to the target speed. In this case, the vehicle 1 is accelerated using the second set vehicle speed Vs2 as the target speed, and reaches the second set vehicle speed Vs2 at time t3. Thereafter, when the vehicle 1 catches up with the preceding vehicle 3, it starts to slowly decelerate, and reaches the speed Vp of the preceding vehicle 3 at time t4. Therefore, in this embodiment, unnecessary acceleration in the process of the vehicle 1 catching up with the preceding vehicle 3 can be suppressed.

In this embodiment, the second set vehicle speed Vs2 is calculated using the following formula.
Vs2=Vp+V1+V2+V3
Here, V1 is the first additional speed, V2 is the second additional speed, and V3 is the third additional speed (V1≧0, V2≧0, V3≧0).

The first additional speed V1 is set according to the inter-vehicle time THW, as shown in FIG. 11A. That is, when the inter-vehicle time THW is less than or equal to a predetermined first threshold Tth1 (Tth1>0), V1 is zero (V1=0), and when the inter-vehicle time THW is greater than or equal to the first threshold Tth1, the larger the inter-vehicle time THW becomes. , V1 are set large (V1=k1·(THW−Tth1), k1>0). The first threshold Tth1 functions as a dead zone and is set to a value larger than the set time Ts (Tth1>Ts). For example, when Ts is 2 seconds, Tth1 is 3 seconds. Therefore, the larger the inter-vehicle time THW, the faster the vehicle can catch up with the preceding vehicle 3, so the first additional speed V1 is set to a larger value. On the other hand, when the vehicle 1 catches up with the preceding vehicle 3, the first additional speed V1 becomes zero.

The second additional speed V2 is set according to the relative speed Vrel of the vehicle 1 with respect to the preceding vehicle 3 (Vrel=V0-Vp), as shown in FIG. 11B. That is, when the relative velocity Vrel is equal to or greater than the predetermined second threshold value Vth2 (Vth2<0), V2 is zero (V2=0), and when the relative velocity Vrel is equal to or less than the second threshold value Vth2, the smaller the relative velocity Vrel becomes. , V2 are set large (V2=k2·(Vth2−Vrel), k2>0). The second threshold Vth2 functions as a dead zone and is set to a predetermined negative value (for example, −10 km/h). Therefore, the slower the vehicle 1 is than the preceding vehicle 3, the faster it can catch up with the preceding vehicle 3, so the second additional speed V2 is set to a larger positive value. On the other hand, when the vehicle 1 and the preceding vehicle 3 are at approximately the same speed or the vehicle 1 is faster than the preceding vehicle 3, the second additional speed V2 becomes zero.

The third additional speed V3 is set to a fixed value (for example, V3=2 km/h). In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10B, the position and speed at each target point on the target travel route R are calculated so that the target speed of the vehicle 1 gradually reaches the second set vehicle speed Vs2. At this time, if the target travel route R is calculated using the second set vehicle speed Vs2 itself as the target speed, it takes time for the speed at the target point of the target travel route R to reach the second set vehicle speed Vs2. Therefore, by adding the third additional speed V3, the speed at the target point of the target travel route R is made to reach the second set vehicle speed Vs2 at an early stage.

As shown in FIG. 12, the ECU 10 (target travel route calculation unit 10c) executes the target speed calculation process (S13a) in the process flow of FIG. First, the ECU 10 obtains the set vehicle speed Vs set by the vehicle speed setting switch 37b (S131), and determines whether the current speed V0 of the vehicle 1 is smaller than the set vehicle speed Vs (S132). However, if the set vehicle speed Vs exceeds the legal speed limit set for the road, the legal speed limit may be used instead of the set vehicle speed Vs.

If the current speed V0 is already equal to or higher than the set vehicle speed Vs (S132; No), the ECU 10 sets the set vehicle speed Vs to the target speed. On the other hand, if the current speed V0 is smaller than the set vehicle speed Vs (S132; Yes), the ECU 10 calculates the second set vehicle speed Vs2 as described above (S133), and the second set vehicle speed Vs2 is smaller than the set vehicle speed Vs. It is determined whether or not (S134).

If the second set vehicle speed Vs2 is equal to or higher than the set vehicle speed Vs (S134; No), the ECU 10 sets the set vehicle speed Vs to the target speed, and ends the process. On the other hand, if the second set vehicle speed Vs2 is smaller than the set vehicle speed Vs (S134; Yes), the ECU 10 sets the second set vehicle speed Vs2 to the target speed and ends the process. In this way, only when the calculated second set vehicle speed Vs2 is smaller than the set vehicle speed Vs, the second set vehicle speed Vs2 is adopted as the target speed.

Next, the operation of the vehicle control device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be explained.
A vehicle control device 100 for supporting the driving of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured to control the speed of the vehicle 1 so that the vehicle 1 runs at a set target speed. When the preceding vehicle 3 is traveling in front of the preceding vehicle 3 (see FIG. 9), the vehicle speed is lower than or equal to the predetermined set vehicle speed Vs set as the target speed so that the inter-vehicle time THW with respect to the preceding vehicle 3 does not become smaller than the predetermined set time Ts. The vehicle 1 is configured to follow the preceding vehicle 3 based on the speed, and furthermore, when the speed Vp of the preceding vehicle 3 is smaller than the set vehicle speed Vs and the inter-vehicle time THW is larger than the set time Ts, the inter-vehicle time THW (FIG. 11A ) and the relative speed Vrel of the vehicle 1 with respect to the preceding vehicle 3 (see FIG. 11B), a second set vehicle speed Vs2 that is larger than the speed Vp of the preceding vehicle 3 and smaller than the set vehicle speed Vs is set as the target speed. It is configured as follows.

In this embodiment configured in this way, the preceding vehicle 3 is running in front of the vehicle 1, but if the inter-vehicle time THW of the vehicle 1 with respect to the preceding vehicle 3 is greater than the set time Ts, The speed control of the vehicle 1 is performed using the second set vehicle speed Vs2, which is smaller than the second set vehicle speed Vs2, as the target speed. Thereby, in this embodiment, unnecessary acceleration can be suppressed in the process of the vehicle 1 catching up with the preceding vehicle 3.

Further, in this embodiment, the second set vehicle speed Vs2 is the speed Vp of the preceding vehicle 3, the first additional speed V1 that is set according to the inter-vehicle time THW, and the second set vehicle speed Vs2 that is set according to the relative speed Vrel. It is calculated by adding the additional speed V2.

In this embodiment configured as described above, by setting additional speeds for each of the inter-vehicle time THW and the relative speed Vrel, it is possible to set an appropriate second set vehicle speed Vs2.

Specifically, the first additional speed V1 is set to become smaller as the inter-vehicle time THW becomes smaller, and to become zero when the inter-vehicle time THW is equal to the set time Ts. Further, the second additional speed V2 is set to decrease as the relative speed Vrel increases, and to become zero when the relative speed Vrel is equal to zero. In this embodiment configured as described above, the target speed in the process of the vehicle 1 catching up with the preceding vehicle 3 and the target speed when following the vehicle 1 after catching up with the preceding vehicle 3 can be calculated using the same calculation method. Therefore, in this embodiment, the speed change until the vehicle 1 catches up with the preceding vehicle 3 becomes smooth, and the speed control process is simplified.

Further, in the present embodiment, the vehicle control device 100 calculates a target travel route R over a predetermined period of time, calculates a corrected travel route Rc over a predetermined period based on the target travel route R under predetermined constraint conditions, and 1 is configured to calculate a control target value for the vehicle 1 to travel on the corrected travel route Rc, and when calculating the corrected travel route Rc, the vehicle control device 100 calculates the corrected travel route Rc under constraint conditions. Using the evaluation function J for evaluating the route Rc, corrected travel is performed so as to minimize the difference between the position and speed of the vehicle 1 on the corrected travel route Rc with respect to the position and speed of the vehicle 1 on the target travel route R. The route Rc is calculated, and the second set vehicle speed Vs2 is the speed Vp of the preceding vehicle 3, a first additional speed V1 set according to the inter-vehicle time THW, and a second additional speed V2 set according to the relative speed Vrel. , and the third additional speed V3 which is a fixed value.

In the present embodiment configured in this way, when calculating a travel route for speed control to follow the preceding vehicle 3 by predicting the future behavior of the vehicle 1 over a predetermined period, the second set vehicle speed Vs2 By further adding the third additional speed V3 to the vehicle 1, it is possible to avoid taking more time than necessary until the vehicle 1 reaches a state where it follows the preceding vehicle 3.

1 Vehicle 3 Leading vehicle 10 ECU
100 Vehicle control device R Target travel route Rc Correction travel route Ts Setting time Tth1 First threshold V1 First additional speed V2 Second additional speed V3 Third additional speed Vp Speed of preceding vehicle Vrel Relative speed Vs Set vehicle speed Vs2 Second set vehicle speed Vth2 second threshold

Claims (5)

A vehicle control device for supporting vehicle driving,
The vehicle control device is configured to control the speed of the vehicle so that the vehicle travels at a set target speed,
When a preceding vehicle is running in front of the vehicle, the vehicle is driven at a speed equal to or lower than the predetermined set vehicle speed set to the target speed so that the inter-vehicle time with respect to the preceding vehicle does not become smaller than a predetermined set time. It is configured to follow the vehicle in front,
Furthermore, when the speed of the preceding vehicle is smaller than the set vehicle speed and the time interval is greater than the set time, the speed of the preceding vehicle is set to A vehicle control device configured to set the target speed to a second set vehicle speed that is larger and smaller than the set vehicle speed. The second set vehicle speed is calculated by adding a first additional speed set according to the inter-vehicle time and a second additional speed set according to the relative speed to the speed of the preceding vehicle. The vehicle control device according to claim 1. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein the first additional speed is set to become smaller as the inter-vehicle time becomes smaller, and to become zero when the inter-vehicle time is equal to the set time. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the second additional speed decreases as the relative speed increases, and is set to be zero when the relative speed is equal to zero. The vehicle control device includes:
Calculates a target driving route over a predetermined period of time,
It is configured to calculate a corrected driving route for the predetermined period of time based on the target driving route under predetermined constraint conditions, and to calculate a control target value for the vehicle for driving the vehicle on the corrected driving route. and
When calculating the corrected travel route, the vehicle control device calculates at least the position and speed of the vehicle on the target travel route using an evaluation function for evaluating the corrected travel route under the constraint conditions. calculating the corrected travel route so as to minimize the difference in position and speed of the vehicle on the corrected travel route with respect to
The second set vehicle speed includes, in addition to the speed of the preceding vehicle, a first additional speed that is set according to the inter-vehicle time, a second additional speed that is set according to the relative speed, and a third additional speed that is a fixed value. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control device is calculated by adding speed.

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