WO2018003304A1 - Vehicle control device, computer program, and vehicle control method - Google Patents

Abstract

This vehicle control device comprises: a host-vehicle information acquisition unit which acquires, for a host vehicle, vehicle information, including vehicle position information and vehicle auto part information, as host-vehicle information; a lane information acquisition unit which acquires lane information for a road that the host vehicle travels on; and a lane determination unit which determines a lane to be traveled on by the host vehicle on the basis of the host-vehicle information acquired by the host-vehicle information acquisition unit and the lane information acquired by the lane information acquisition unit.

Description

Vehicle control apparatus, computer program, and vehicle control method

The present invention relates to a vehicle control device, a computer program, and a vehicle control method.
This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-1332038 filed on July 1, 2016, and incorporates all the description content described in the above Japanese application.

In Patent Document 1, when a preceding vehicle traveling in front of a vehicle is detected, a threshold is used to determine whether the driver has an intention to overtake the preceding vehicle. A vehicle control device that performs automatic driving in a mode of following a preceding vehicle when the time to follow is equal to or greater than the threshold is disclosed.

JP 2014-46748 A

The vehicle control device according to the present disclosure includes a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information including vehicle position information and information related to the equipment of the vehicle as vehicle information about the vehicle, and lane information of a road on which the vehicle travels A lane information acquisition unit that acquires the lane information acquisition unit, and a lane determination unit that determines the lane on which the host vehicle travels based on the host vehicle information acquired by the host vehicle information acquisition unit and the lane information acquired by the lane information acquisition unit With.

The vehicle control device according to the present disclosure includes a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information including vehicle position information and information related to the equipment of the vehicle as one vehicle information for one vehicle, and a road on which the one vehicle travels. A lane information acquisition unit that acquires lane information, and the one vehicle information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit and the lane on which the one vehicle travels are determined based on the lane information acquired by the lane information acquisition unit. A lane determining unit.

A computer program of the present disclosure is a computer program for causing a computer to control traveling of a vehicle. The computer program includes vehicle information including vehicle position information and information on equipment of the vehicle for one vehicle. A vehicle information acquisition unit acquired as information, a lane information acquisition unit that acquires lane information of a road on which the one vehicle travels, and the one vehicle traveling based on the acquired one vehicle information and the lane information It functions as a lane determining unit that determines a lane to be operated.

In the vehicle control method of the present disclosure, a vehicle information acquisition unit acquires vehicle information including vehicle position information and information related to the equipment of the vehicle as one vehicle information for one vehicle, and the road on which the one vehicle travels is acquired. A lane information acquisition unit acquires lane information, and a lane determination unit determines a lane on which the one vehicle travels based on the acquired one vehicle information and the acquired lane information.

It is a mimetic diagram showing an example of composition of a vehicle control system containing vehicles in which a vehicle control device of a 1st embodiment is carried. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the vehicle control apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the vehicle information of the own vehicle and another vehicle. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of environmental information. It is a schematic diagram which shows the 1st example of the lane determination by the vehicle control apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the 2nd example of lane determination by the vehicle control apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the 3rd example of the lane determination by the vehicle control apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the 4th example of the lane determination by the vehicle control apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the 5th example of the lane determination by the vehicle control apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the 6th example of lane determination by the vehicle control apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the 7th example of the lane determination by the vehicle control apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the determination of the travel speed by the vehicle control apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process sequence of the vehicle control apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the server as a vehicle control apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process sequence of the server as a vehicle control apparatus of 2nd Embodiment.

In recent years, autonomous driving technology has been developed as a technology that contributes to reducing traffic accidents, smoothing traffic flow, or reducing fuel consumption.

[Problems to be solved by the present disclosure]
Although the device of Patent Document 1 can execute automatic driving reflecting the driver's intention, further smoothing of traffic flow is desired by advancement of automatic driving technology.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle control device capable of performing automatic driving so as to smooth traffic flow, a computer program for realizing the vehicle control device, and a vehicle control method.

[Effects of the present disclosure]
According to the present disclosure, it is possible to perform automatic driving that facilitates smooth traffic flow.

[Description of Embodiment of Present Invention]
The vehicle control device according to the present embodiment includes a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information including vehicle position information and information related to the equipment of the vehicle as vehicle information about the vehicle, and a road on which the vehicle travels. A lane information acquisition unit that acquires the lane information of the vehicle, and the lane on which the host vehicle travels is determined based on the host vehicle information acquired by the host vehicle information acquisition unit and the lane information acquired by the lane information acquisition unit. A lane determining unit.

The vehicle control device according to the present embodiment includes a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information including position information of a vehicle and information related to the equipment of the vehicle as one vehicle information for one vehicle, and the one vehicle travels A lane information acquisition unit that acquires lane information of a road to be performed, and the lane in which the one vehicle travels based on the one vehicle information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit and the lane information acquired by the lane information acquisition unit A lane determining unit for determining the lane.

The computer program according to the present embodiment is a computer program for causing a computer to control the traveling of a vehicle, and the computer uses the vehicle information including vehicle position information and information related to the equipment of the vehicle for one vehicle. A vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires as one vehicle information, a lane information acquisition unit that acquires lane information of a road on which the one vehicle travels, and the one vehicle information based on the acquired one vehicle information and the lane information. It functions as a lane determining unit that determines the lane in which the vehicle travels.

In the vehicle control method according to the present embodiment, the vehicle information acquisition unit acquires vehicle information including vehicle position information and information related to the equipment of the vehicle as one vehicle information for one vehicle, and the one vehicle travels. A lane information acquisition unit acquires lane information of a road to be performed, and a lane determination unit determines a lane on which the one vehicle travels based on the acquired one vehicle information and the lane information.

The own vehicle information acquisition unit acquires the vehicle information including the position information of the vehicle and information related to the equipment of the vehicle as the own vehicle information about the own vehicle. When the vehicle control device is mounted on the vehicle, the vehicle is the host vehicle. Further, when the vehicle control device is not mounted on the vehicle, the host vehicle can be read as any one vehicle. The equipment is equipment that affects the automatic driving of the vehicle. For example, equipment such as tires or lights, a sensor for detecting the periphery of the vehicle, or a communication device for vehicle-to-vehicle communication or road-to-vehicle communication. Etc.

The lane information acquisition unit acquires lane information of the road on which the host vehicle is traveling. The road lane information is, for example, the number of lanes in the direction in which the host vehicle travels (the number of travel lanes). For example, when the host vehicle is traveling on an up three lane road and two down lane roads with a total of five lanes, the number of lanes is three. Road lanes include three lanes on one side, two lanes on one side, and four lanes on one side. Lane information can be acquired based on the position information of the host vehicle, road map information, and the like. Lane information can also be acquired from an external roadside device or the like.

The lane determining unit determines the lane in which the host vehicle travels based on the acquired host vehicle information and lane information. For example, there are three lanes, and the left lane, center lane, and right lane are sequentially arranged from the left in the traveling direction. In left-handed countries, such as Japan, vehicles generally run slower on the left lane than on the right lane. For example, if there is a failure in the equipment installed in the host vehicle, it is possible that the vehicle's travel control during automatic driving will be hindered. Occurs. That is, it is considered that the traffic flow can be smoothed by traveling on the left lane. Therefore, for example, when the host vehicle is traveling in the central lane, the lane determining unit determines a lane to travel to change the lane to the left lane. Thereby, automatic driving | operation which can aim at smoothing of a traffic flow can be performed. In addition, by facilitating traffic flow, it is possible to perform automatic driving that reduces the occurrence of traffic accidents. In right-handed countries such as the United States, the left and right are reversed.

The vehicle control device according to the present embodiment includes an other vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information as other vehicle information for one or more other vehicles, and the lane determination unit is acquired by the other vehicle information acquisition unit. A lane in which the host vehicle travels is determined based on other vehicle information of the other vehicle.

The other vehicle information acquisition unit acquires vehicle information as other vehicle information for one or more other vehicles. The lane determining unit determines a lane in which the host vehicle travels based on the acquired other vehicle information of the other vehicle. That is, the lane determining unit determines the lane in which the host vehicle travels based on the host vehicle information and the other vehicle information.

For example, it is assumed that the host vehicle and other vehicles are traveling in the central lane. For example, if there is a failure in the equipment installed in the host vehicle and there is no failure in the equipment installed in the other vehicle, it is possible for the vehicle to travel more smoothly in the lane on the left side than the other vehicle. It is considered possible. Therefore, for example, the lane determining unit determines the lane so that the host vehicle travels in the left lane. Conversely, if there is no failure in the equipment installed in the host vehicle and there is a failure in the equipment installed in the other vehicle, it is easier for the other vehicle to travel in the lane on the left side of the host vehicle to smooth the traffic flow. It is thought that you can. Therefore, the lane determination unit determines the lane so that the host vehicle travels in the right lane, for example. Thereby, even when other vehicles exist in the vicinity of the own vehicle, it is possible to perform an automatic driving that can smooth the traffic flow. In addition, by facilitating traffic flow, it is possible to perform automatic driving that reduces the occurrence of traffic accidents.

In the vehicle control device according to the present embodiment, the vehicle information includes information on the equipment failure.

Vehicle information includes information on equipment failures. Equipment failure includes, for example, tire puncture, light failure, sensor failure or communication device failure. If the equipment is out of order, it may be possible that the vehicle travel control during automatic driving will be hindered and information necessary for automatic driving may be lost. By including information on equipment failure in the vehicle information, it is possible to determine the lane in order to make the vehicle travel more smoothly or safely (automatic driving travel).

In the vehicle control device according to the present embodiment, the vehicle information includes information on a sensor that is mounted on the vehicle and detects information outside the vehicle.

Vehicle information includes information related to a sensor that is mounted on a vehicle (the host vehicle or another vehicle) and detects information outside the vehicle. The sensor includes, for example, a camera, a millimeter wave sensor (millimeter wave radar), a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), and the like. The information about the sensor includes the presence / absence of the sensor, the type of the sensor, the presence / absence of the sensor failure, and the like. For example, the amount of information necessary for automatic driving that can be acquired by the vehicle varies depending on whether or not the sensor is mounted. By including information about the sensor in the vehicle information, it is possible to determine a lane in order to make the vehicle travel more smoothly or safely (automatic driving travel).

In the vehicle control device according to the present embodiment, the vehicle information includes information related to a communication device mounted on the vehicle.

Vehicle information includes information related to a communication device mounted on a vehicle (the own vehicle or another vehicle). The information related to the communication device includes, for example, the type of communication device (for example, communication band, communication speed, number of connectable communication devices, etc.). Specifically, as a type of communication device, for example, 3G (3rd generation mobile communication), LTE (Long Termination Evolution) or 4G (4th generation mobile communication), 5G (5th generation mobile communication), etc. is there. For example, the amount of information necessary for automatic driving that can be acquired by the vehicle varies depending on the type of communication device installed. By including information about the communication device in the vehicle information, it is possible to determine the lane in order to make the vehicle travel more smoothly or safely (automatic driving travel).

The vehicle control device according to the present embodiment includes a physical information acquisition unit that acquires information related to the physical state of the driver of the vehicle, and the lane determination unit is based on the physical information acquired by the physical information acquisition unit. A lane in which the host vehicle travels is determined.

The body information acquisition unit acquires information related to the physical state of the driver of the vehicle (the own vehicle or another vehicle). The physical condition includes, for example, conditions such as sleepiness, drunkenness, distraction, and poor physical condition. Since the probability of a traffic accident is considered to change according to the physical condition, the lane should be determined in order to make the vehicle run more smoothly or safely (automatic driving) by considering information on the physical condition of the driver. Can do.

In the vehicle control device according to the present embodiment, the lane determining unit determines a lane in which the host vehicle travels based on other vehicle information of the other vehicle in a predetermined area.

The lane determining unit determines a lane in which the host vehicle travels based on other vehicle information of other vehicles in a predetermined area. For example, the predetermined area can be a range in which the distance from the host vehicle is within a predetermined value (for example, 200 m). Thereby, even when other vehicles exist in the vicinity of the own vehicle, it is possible to perform an automatic driving that can smooth the traffic flow.

The vehicle control device according to the present embodiment includes a determining unit that determines whether or not the lane determining unit determines a lane based on the number of the other vehicles in a predetermined area.

The determining unit determines whether or not the lane determining unit determines a lane based on the number of other vehicles in the predetermined area. For example, the predetermined area can be a range in which the distance from the host vehicle is within a predetermined value (for example, 200 m). When the number of other vehicles in the predetermined area is small, the host vehicle can travel in any lane, and the traveling lane can be maintained as it is. That is, when the number of other vehicles in the predetermined area is small, the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling is not determined. In addition, when the number of other vehicles in the predetermined area is large, the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling is determined in order to determine which of the host vehicle and the other vehicle is prioritized. Accordingly, it is possible to realize an automatic driving in which the lane is determined according to the priority as the number of other surrounding vehicles increases, and the lane can be freely changed as the number of other surrounding vehicles decreases.

The vehicle control device according to the present embodiment includes a weather information acquisition unit that acquires weather information, and the lane determination unit determines a lane in which the host vehicle travels based on the weather information acquired by the weather information acquisition unit. decide.

The weather information acquisition unit acquires weather information. The weather information can be appropriately determined based on whether or not there is a possibility of affecting the travel of the vehicle. The information that does not affect the running of the vehicle can include, for example, clear or cloudy. In addition, the information affecting the running of the vehicle can include, for example, rain, snow, strong wind, and the like.

The lane determining unit determines the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling based on the acquired weather information. For example, in the case of rain, snow, etc. where the weather information affects driving, the lane on which the vehicle travels is set as the left lane. Thereby, a lane can be determined in order to run a vehicle more smoothly or safely (automatic driving run).

The vehicle control device according to the present embodiment includes a speed determining unit that determines the traveling speed of the host vehicle in the lane determined by the lane determining unit.

The speed determination unit determines the traveling speed of the host vehicle in the determined lane. For example, when it is determined that the vehicle is traveling on the left lane, the traveling speed is set to a low speed (for example, 50 to 60 km / h). When the lane is determined to travel on the central lane, the traveling speed is set to a medium speed (for example, 60 to 70 km / h). In addition, when it is determined that the vehicle is traveling on the right lane, the traveling speed is set to a high speed (for example, 70 to 80 km / h). Note that the traveling speed in the traveling lane may be changed regardless of which traveling lane is traveled. Thereby, a vehicle can be drive | worked more smoothly or safely (automatic driving driving | running | working).

In the vehicle control device according to the present embodiment, the speed determination unit determines a traveling speed based on a time zone during which the host vehicle travels.

The speed determining unit determines the traveling speed based on the time zone in which the host vehicle travels. The time zone includes, for example, a day time zone, a night time zone, and an evening time zone when the surroundings are dark. Driving a vehicle at night or in the evening is considered more likely to encounter a traffic accident than driving in the daytime. Therefore, by determining the traveling speed based on the time zone, the vehicle can travel more smoothly or safely (automatic driving traveling).

In the vehicle control device according to the present embodiment, the vehicle information acquisition unit acquires the vehicle information as other vehicle information for one or more other vehicles, and the lane determination unit acquires the other vehicle information. Based on this, the lane in which the one vehicle travels is determined.

The vehicle information acquisition unit acquires vehicle information as other vehicle information for one or more other vehicles, and the lane determination unit determines a lane on which one vehicle travels based on the other vehicle information. Thereby, even when other vehicles exist in the vicinity of one vehicle, it is possible to perform an automatic driving that can facilitate the traveling of the one vehicle.

[Details of the embodiment of the present invention]
(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings illustrating embodiments. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a vehicle control system including a vehicle 1 on which a vehicle control device 100 according to the first embodiment is mounted. The vehicle 1 on which the vehicle control device 100 is mounted is also referred to as the own vehicle 1, and the vehicle 2 other than the vehicle 1 is also referred to as another vehicle 2. That is, in this specification, the vehicle 1 is the host vehicle 1 and the vehicle 2 is the other vehicle 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 1 can communicate with other vehicles 2 and 2 (for example, inter-vehicle communication). Moreover, the vehicle 1 can communicate between the roadside apparatus 200 and the server 300 (for example, road-to-vehicle communication).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the vehicle control device 100 of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle control device 100 includes a control unit 10 that controls the entire device, a host vehicle information acquisition unit 11, another vehicle information acquisition unit 12, an environment information acquisition unit 13, a storage unit 14, and an automatic driving control unit. 15, a lane determining unit 16, a traveling speed determining unit 17, a navigation unit 18, and the like. The navigation unit 18 includes a GPS reception unit 181 and map information 182.

Further, the vehicle control device 100 is connected to a communication device 21, a sensor unit 22, and an equipment 23 as communication devices. In the example of FIG. 2, the sensor unit 22 is mounted on the vehicle 1, but there is also a vehicle 1 that does not include the sensor unit 22.

The types of communication devices 21 include, for example, 3G system (3rd generation mobile communication), LTE system (LongTerm Evolution), 4G system (4th generation mobile communication), 5G system (5th generation mobile communication), wireless LAN ( For example, there is WiFi) or ITS wireless system. The communication device 21 may be any of these types.

The sensor unit 22 includes, for example, a camera (for example, a monocular camera or a stereo camera), a millimeter wave sensor (millimeter wave radar), a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), a motion sensor, and the like. The sensor unit 22 may be all or a part of a monocular camera, a stereo camera, a millimeter wave sensor (millimeter wave radar), a motion sensor, and LiDAR.

Equipment 23 includes tires, lights, child seats and the like.

The own vehicle information acquisition unit 11 acquires the vehicle information including the position information of the vehicle and the information related to the equipment of the vehicle as the own vehicle information about the own vehicle 1. When the vehicle control device 100 is mounted on a vehicle, the vehicle is the host vehicle 1. Further, when the vehicle control device 100 is not mounted on a vehicle, the host vehicle 1 can be read as any one vehicle. The equipment is equipment that affects the automatic driving of the vehicle. For example, the equipment 23 such as a tire, a light, or a child seat, the sensor unit 22 for detecting the periphery of the vehicle, or inter-vehicle communication or road-vehicle communication. Communication equipment 21 and the like. Note that the vehicle information of the host vehicle 1 can be acquired from the navigation unit 18, the communication device 21, the sensor unit 22, and the equipment 23.

Other vehicle information acquisition part 12 acquires vehicle information as other vehicle information about one or a plurality of vehicles 2 (other vehicles). The vehicle information of the other vehicle 2 may be acquired directly from the other vehicle 2 through inter-vehicle communication, or may be acquired from the roadside device 200 or the server 300 through road-to-vehicle communication. In addition, in this specification, the vehicle information of the own vehicle 1 is synonymous with the own vehicle information, and the vehicle information of the other vehicle 2 is synonymous with the other vehicle information.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of vehicle information of the host vehicle 1 and the other vehicle 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle information includes the presence / absence of the sensor unit 22 (more specifically, the presence / absence of a monocular camera, stereo camera, millimeter wave sensor, LiDAR, and motion sensor), and the type of the sensor unit 22 (monocular camera). , Stereo camera, millimeter wave sensor, LiDAR, motion sensor, etc.), presence / absence of failure of sensor unit 22 (more specifically, presence / absence of failure of monocular camera, stereo camera, millimeter wave sensor, LiDAR, motion sensor) ), Whether or not the equipment 23 (tires, lights, etc.) has failed, whether the equipment 23 (child seat) is installed, the type of the communication device 21 (communication band, communication speed, the number of connectable devices, etc.) Version (new or old), vehicle performance (acceleration, braking distance or deceleration, whether hybrid, etc.), driver's body Status (including mental status), passenger information (eg, number of people, age, gender, etc.), remaining gasoline and battery level, billing for automatic driving (payment fee for automatic driving support, etc.) . For convenience, the position information is omitted in FIG. The vehicle information is also referred to as static information.

The own vehicle information acquisition unit 11 has a function as a physical information acquisition unit, and acquires information related to the physical state of the driver of the own vehicle 1 and / or the other vehicle 2. The physical condition of the driver includes, for example, conditions such as drowsiness, drunkenness, distraction, and poor physical condition. Since the occurrence probability of traffic accidents is considered to change according to the physical condition, it is possible to determine the lane in order to make the vehicle travel more safely (automatic driving) by considering information on the physical condition of the driver. .

The environmental information acquisition unit 13 has a function as a weather information acquisition unit, and acquires environmental information. The environmental information can be acquired from the roadside device 200 or the server 300 by road-to-vehicle communication, for example.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of environmental information. As shown in FIG. 4, the environmental information includes, for example, the number of surrounding vehicles existing around the host vehicle 1, weather information, time zone, presence / absence of emergency vehicles, presence / absence of dangerous driving vehicles, presence / absence of traffic jams. Information. The environment information is also referred to as dynamic information.

Weather information can be determined as appropriate based on whether or not there is a possibility of affecting the driving of the vehicle. The information that does not affect the running of the vehicle can include, for example, clear or cloudy. In addition, the information affecting the running of the vehicle can include, for example, rain, snow, strong wind, and the like.

Hours include, for example, daytime, nighttime, and evening time when the surroundings are dark.

The navigation unit 18 receives radio waves from a plurality of GPS satellites by the GPS receiving unit 181 and detects the position of the host vehicle 1. Further, the navigation unit 18 estimates the position of the host vehicle 1 based on signals output from a vehicle speed sensor and a gyro sensor (both not shown), and collates with the road data of the map information 182 to check the position of the host vehicle 1. The position can be detected with higher accuracy.

Further, the navigation unit 18 has a function as a lane information acquisition unit, and acquires lane information of a road on which the host vehicle 1 travels. The road lane information is, for example, the number of lanes in the direction in which the host vehicle travels (the number of travel lanes). For example, when the host vehicle is traveling on an up three lane road and two down lane roads with a total of five lanes, the number of lanes is three. Road lanes include three lanes on one side, two lanes on one side, and four lanes on one side. The lane information can be acquired based on the position information of the host vehicle 1 and the road map information of the map information 182. Lane information can also be acquired from an external roadside device 200 or server 300.

The storage unit 14 stores various information acquired by the host vehicle information acquisition unit 11, the other vehicle information acquisition unit 12, the environment information acquisition unit 13, the navigation unit 18, and the like.

The lane determining unit 16 determines the lane in which the host vehicle 1 travels based on the acquired vehicle information and lane information. For example, there are three lanes, and the left lane, center lane, and right lane are sequentially arranged from the left in the traveling direction. In left-handed countries, such as Japan, vehicles generally run slower on the left lane than on the right lane. For example, if there is a failure in the equipment installed in the host vehicle 1, it is possible that the vehicle's travel control during automatic driving will be hindered, and smooth traffic flow can be hindered by traveling on higher speed lanes. Sex occurs. That is, it is considered that the traffic flow can be smoothed by traveling on the left lane. Therefore, for example, when the host vehicle 1 is traveling in the central lane, the lane determining unit 16 determines a lane to travel to change the lane to the left lane. Thereby, automatic driving | operation which can aim at smoothing of a traffic flow can be performed. In addition, by facilitating traffic flow, it is possible to perform automatic driving that reduces the occurrence of traffic accidents. In right-handed countries such as the United States, the left and right are reversed.

Next, the method for determining the lane will be described in detail. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a first example of lane determination by the vehicle control device 100 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, it is assumed that the road on which the vehicle 1 (own vehicle) travels is a three-lane lane (left lane, center lane, right lane). It is assumed that the vehicle 1 is traveling in the central lane by the automatic driving control by the automatic driving control unit 15. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, as vehicle information of the vehicle 1, it is assumed that the sensor unit 22 is not mounted and the communication device 21 is a 3G system.

The lane determining unit 16 can determine a lane based on information about a sensor that is mounted on the vehicle 1 and detects information outside the vehicle. Examples of the sensor include a monocular camera, a stereo camera, a millimeter wave sensor (millimeter wave radar), a motion sensor, and LiDAR (Light （Detection And Ranging). The information about the sensor includes the presence / absence of the sensor, the type of the sensor, the presence / absence of the sensor failure, and the like. For example, the amount of information necessary for automatic driving that can be acquired by the vehicle varies depending on whether or not the sensor is mounted. In the example of FIG. 5, since the vehicle 1 does not have the sensor unit 22, it is considered that the amount of information necessary for automatic driving that can be acquired by the vehicle 1 is small. Therefore, the lane determining unit 16 determines the lane on which the vehicle 1 travels as the left lane. This is because it is considered that smoother and safer driving can be achieved by performing automatic driving at a lower speed because the amount of information necessary for automatic driving is smaller. As a result, the lane can be determined so that the vehicle travels more smoothly or safely (automated driving travel), and automatic driving can be performed so that the traffic flow can be smoothed. In addition, since the traffic flow can be smoothed, automatic driving can be performed to reduce the occurrence of traffic accidents.

Further, although not shown in the example of FIG. 5, when the sensor unit 22 mounted on the vehicle 1 is broken, it can be handled in the same manner as when the sensor unit 22 is not mounted.

For example, the lane determining unit 16 can determine a lane based on information on equipment failure. The equipment failure includes, for example, tire puncture, light failure, sensor unit 22 failure, or communication device 21 failure. If the equipment is out of order, it may be possible that the vehicle travel control during automatic driving will be hindered and information necessary for automatic driving may be lost. By including information on equipment failure in the vehicle information, it is possible to determine the lane in order to make the vehicle run more smoothly or safely (automated driving), and to make the traffic flow smoother. It can be performed. In addition, since the traffic flow can be smoothed, automatic driving can be performed to reduce the occurrence of traffic accidents. Further, when a child seat as equipment is mounted, it can be handled in the same manner as in the case of a puncture such as a tire.

Further, the lane determining unit 16 can determine the lane in which the vehicle 1 travels based on information regarding the communication device 21 mounted on the vehicle 1. The information regarding the communication device 21 includes, for example, the type of the communication device 21 (for example, the communication band, the communication speed, the number of connectable communication devices, etc.). Specifically, examples of the types of communication devices 21 include a 3G system, an LTE system, a 4G system, a 5G system, a wireless LAN, and an ITS wireless system. For example, the amount of information necessary for automatic driving that can be acquired by the vehicle varies depending on the type of the communication device 21 installed. In the example of FIG. 5, since the communication device 21 mounted on the vehicle 1 is a 3G system, it is considered that the amount of information necessary for automatic driving that can be acquired by the vehicle 1 is small. Therefore, the lane determining unit 16 determines the lane on which the vehicle 1 travels as the left lane. As a result, the lane can be determined so that the vehicle travels more smoothly or safely (automated driving travel), and automatic driving can be performed so that the traffic flow can be smoothed. In addition, since the traffic flow can be smoothed, automatic driving can be performed to reduce the occurrence of traffic accidents.

In the example of FIG. 5, as vehicle information of the vehicle 1, the lane may be determined based on one of the sensor unit 22 not mounted and the type of the communication device 21. The lane may be determined based on both types of the devices 21. When lanes are determined based on both, it is possible to weight each piece of information. The vehicle information is not limited to the example of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a second example of lane determination by the vehicle control device 100 of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, it is assumed that the road on which the vehicle 1 (own vehicle) travels is a three-lane lane (left lane, center lane, right lane). It is assumed that the vehicle 1 is traveling in the central lane by the automatic driving control by the automatic driving control unit 15. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 6, as vehicle information of the vehicle 1, LiDAR is mounted in the sensor part 22, the communication apparatus 21 is a 5G system, and there is no failure of equipment.

The lane determining unit 16 can determine a lane based on information about a sensor that is mounted on the vehicle 1 and detects information outside the vehicle. In the example of FIG. 6, since the vehicle 1 is equipped with LiDAR, it is considered that there is a large amount of information necessary for automatic driving that can be acquired by the vehicle 1, so the lane determination unit 16 causes the vehicle 1 to travel. The lane is determined as the right lane. This is because it is considered that smooth and safe driving can be performed even if automatic driving is performed at a higher speed because of the large amount of information necessary for automatic driving. As a result, the lane can be determined so that the vehicle travels more smoothly or safely (automated driving travel), and automatic driving can be performed so that the traffic flow can be smoothed. In addition, since the traffic flow can be smoothed, automatic driving can be performed to reduce the occurrence of traffic accidents.

Further, the lane determining unit 16 can determine the lane in which the vehicle 1 travels based on information regarding the communication device 21 mounted on the vehicle 1. In the example of FIG. 5, since the communication device 21 mounted on the vehicle 1 is a 5G system, it is considered that there is a large amount of information necessary for automatic driving that can be acquired by the vehicle 1. Therefore, the lane determining unit 16 determines the lane on which the vehicle 1 is traveling as the right lane. As a result, the lane can be determined so that the vehicle travels more smoothly or safely (automated driving travel), and automatic driving can be performed so that the traffic flow can be smoothed. In addition, since the traffic flow can be smoothed, automatic driving can be performed to reduce the occurrence of traffic accidents.

Further, the lane determining unit 16 can determine a lane based on information on equipment failure. In the example of FIG. 6, since there is no equipment failure, there is very little possibility of hindrance to vehicle driving control during automatic driving, and it is considered that smooth and safe driving can be performed even if automatic driving is performed at a higher speed. Because it is. Therefore, the lane determining unit 16 determines the lane on which the vehicle 1 is traveling as the right lane. As a result, the lane can be determined so that the vehicle travels more smoothly or safely (automated driving travel), and automatic driving can be performed so that the traffic flow can be smoothed. In addition, since the traffic flow can be smoothed, automatic driving can be performed to reduce the occurrence of traffic accidents.

In the example of FIG. 6, the lane may be determined based on part or all of the type of sensor unit 22, the type of communication device 21, and the presence or absence of equipment failure. Moreover, when using several vehicle information, such as the kind of sensor part 22, the kind of communication apparatus 21, and the presence or absence of equipment failure, each information can also be weighted. The vehicle information is not limited to the example of FIG.

Next, a case where another vehicle 2 is traveling around the host vehicle 1 will be described.

The lane determining unit 16 determines the lane in which the host vehicle 1 travels based on the acquired vehicle information of the host vehicle 1 and the vehicle information of the other vehicle 2. For example, the lane determination unit 16 determines the lane in which the host vehicle 1 travels based on the vehicle information of the host vehicle 1 when the other vehicle 2 is not traveling around the host vehicle 1. The automatic driving control unit 15 controls automatic driving of the host vehicle 1 traveling in the lane determined by the lane determining unit 16. Thereafter, when the other vehicle 2 travels around the own vehicle 1, the lane determining unit 16 further refers to the vehicle information of the other vehicle 2 and maintains the lane in which the own vehicle 1 travels, or It is determined whether to change the lane, and the lane in which the vehicle 1 travels is determined.

For example, it is assumed that the host vehicle 1 and the other vehicle 2 are traveling in the central lane. For example, when there is a failure in the equipment installed in the own vehicle 1 and there is no failure in the equipment installed in the other vehicle 2, the traffic flow is smoother when the own vehicle 1 travels on the left lane than the other vehicle 2. It is thought that we can plan. Therefore, for example, the lane determining unit 16 determines the lane so that the host vehicle 1 travels in the left lane.

On the other hand, when there is no failure in the equipment installed in the own vehicle 1 and there is a failure in the equipment installed in the other vehicle 2, it is more smooth for the other vehicle 2 to travel on the left lane than the own vehicle 1. It is thought that it can be achieved. Therefore, for example, the lane determining unit 16 determines the lane so that the host vehicle 1 travels in the right lane. Thereby, even when the other vehicle 2 exists in the circumference | surroundings of the own vehicle 1, the automatic driving | operation which can aim at smoothing of a traffic flow can be performed. In addition, since the traffic flow can be smoothed, automatic driving can be performed to reduce the occurrence of traffic accidents.

Next, a method for determining a lane when another vehicle 2 exists will be described in detail. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a third example of lane determination by the vehicle control device 100 according to the first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 7, it is assumed that the host vehicle 1 travels in the left lane and the other vehicle 2 travels ahead of the host vehicle 1 by the automatic driving control by the automatic driving control unit 15. In addition, as vehicle information of the host vehicle 1, it is assumed that the type of the communication device 21 is 3G and LTE, and the sensor unit 22 includes a millimeter wave sensor. In addition, as the vehicle information of the other vehicle 2, it is assumed that the sensor unit 22 is out of order.

In the case illustrated in FIG. 7, the lane determination unit 16 temporarily changes the lane to the center lane because the other vehicle 2 in which the sensor unit 22 has failed travels ahead of the host vehicle 1. After overtaking 2, determine the lane so that you can drive in the original left lane. In this case, it is conceivable that the own vehicle 1 travels following the other vehicle 2, but when the own vehicle 1 performing the automatic driving control detects the road condition ahead, it is detected by the other vehicle 2 in front. It is thought that the amount of information that can be reduced. In addition, since the sensor unit 22 of the other vehicle 2 is out of order, it is also impossible to acquire information regarding the road condition ahead from the other vehicle 2. Therefore, the vehicle passes the other vehicle 2, travels in the original left lane, and transmits information related to the road condition ahead detected by the millimeter wave sensor of the host vehicle 1 to the following vehicle. Thereby, the automatic driving of the own vehicle 1 is smoothly performed, the safety of the automatic driving is increased, and information on the necessary road condition can be provided to the other vehicle 2.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a fourth example of lane determination by the vehicle control device 100 of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, it is assumed that the own vehicle 1 travels in the right lane by automatic driving control by the automatic driving control unit 15, and an emergency vehicle (another vehicle 2) approaches from the rear of the own vehicle 1. Further, as the vehicle information of the host vehicle 1, it is assumed that the type of the communication device 21 is a 5G system, and the sensor unit 22 is equipped with LiDAR. For emergency vehicle identification, for example, emergency vehicle identification information may be acquired by inter-vehicle communication.

In the case illustrated in FIG. 8, the lane determining unit 16 temporarily changes the lane on which the host vehicle 1 travels to the central lane because the emergency vehicle has approached, and then changes to the original right lane after the emergency vehicle has passed. The lane can be determined to do. When an emergency vehicle approaches, priority is given to the travel of the emergency vehicle to secure the travel space of the emergency vehicle to realize smooth travel of the emergency vehicle and temporarily change the lane in which the host vehicle 1 travels. Since the emergency vehicle is avoided by changing to, the safety of automatic driving of the host vehicle 1 is increased.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a fifth example of lane determination by the vehicle control device 100 of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, it is assumed that the own vehicle 1 travels in the central lane by the automatic operation control by the automatic operation control unit 15, and the other vehicle 2 travels in front of the own vehicle 1. In addition, as vehicle information of the host vehicle 1, it is assumed that the type of the communication device 21 is 3G and LTE, and the sensor unit 22 includes a millimeter wave sensor. Further, as the vehicle information of the other vehicle 2, it is assumed that the type of the communication device 21 is a 5G system, and the sensor unit 22 is equipped with LiDAR.

The lane determination unit 16 compares the vehicle information of the host vehicle 1 with the vehicle information of the other vehicle 2, and from the viewpoint of automatic driving control, which vehicle information has more information amount required for automatic driving, Alternatively, it is possible to determine which vehicle information is less likely to interfere with automatic driving, and based on the determination result, the amount of information required for automatic driving may be greater, or it may interfere with automatic driving. Priority control is performed to give priority to the vehicle having the lower performance (specifically, a lane that can travel at a higher speed is determined as a lane to travel).

In the example of FIG. 9, since neither the own vehicle 1 nor the other vehicle 2 has any equipment failure, it can be determined that the possibility of hindering automatic driving is comparable. On the other hand, the vehicle information of the own vehicle 1 is that the type of the communication device 21 is 3G and LTE, and the sensor unit 22 is equipped with a millimeter wave sensor, whereas the vehicle information of the other vehicle 2 is the communication device. The type 21 is a 5G system, and the sensor unit 22 is equipped with LiDAR. In this case, it is considered that the other vehicle 2 can acquire a larger amount of information necessary for automatic driving than the own vehicle 1. Therefore, the lane determining unit 16 determines the lane to change the travel lane of the host vehicle 1 from the center lane to the left lane with priority given to the other vehicle 2 over the host vehicle 1. Thereby, even when the other vehicle 2 exists in the circumference | surroundings of the own vehicle 1, the automatic driving | operation which can aim at smoothing of a traffic flow can be performed. In addition, since the traffic flow can be smoothed, automatic driving can be performed to reduce the occurrence of traffic accidents.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a sixth example of lane determination by the vehicle control device 100 of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, it is assumed that the own vehicle 1 travels in the central lane by the automatic operation control by the automatic operation control unit 15 and the other vehicle 2 is traveling in front of the own vehicle 1. In addition, as vehicle information of the host vehicle 1, it is assumed that the type of the communication device 21 is 3G and LTE, and the sensor unit 22 includes a millimeter wave sensor. Further, as vehicle information of the other vehicle 2, the type of the communication device 21 is 3G and LTE, and the sensor unit 22 is not mounted.

In the example of FIG. 10, neither the own vehicle 1 nor the other vehicle 2 has any equipment failure, so it can be determined that the possibility of hindering automatic driving is comparable. On the other hand, the vehicle information of the own vehicle 1 is that the type of the communication device 21 is 3G and LTE, and the sensor unit 22 is equipped with a millimeter wave sensor, whereas the vehicle information of the other vehicle 2 is the communication device. The types 21 are 3G and LTE systems, and the sensor unit 22 is not mounted. In this case, it is considered that the host vehicle 1 can acquire a larger amount of information necessary for automatic driving than the other vehicle 2. Therefore, the lane determining unit 16 prioritizes the host vehicle 1 over the other vehicle 2, and determines the lane to change the travel lane of the host vehicle 1 from the center lane to the right lane. Thereby, even when the other vehicle 2 exists in the circumference | surroundings of the own vehicle 1, the automatic driving | operation which can aim at smoothing of a traffic flow can be performed. In addition, since the traffic flow can be smoothed, automatic driving can be performed to reduce the occurrence of traffic accidents.

Further, the lane determining unit 16 can determine the lane in which the host vehicle 1 travels based on the vehicle information of the other vehicle 2 in the predetermined area. For example, the predetermined area can be a range in which the distance from the vehicle 1 is within a predetermined value (for example, 200 m). Thereby, even when the other vehicle 2 exists in the circumference | surroundings of the own vehicle 1, the automatic driving | operation which can aim at smoothing of a traffic flow can be performed. In addition, since the traffic flow can be smoothed, automatic driving can be performed to reduce the occurrence of traffic accidents.

Further, the lane determining unit 16 has a function as a determining unit, and determines whether or not to determine a lane based on the number of other vehicles 2 in a predetermined area. For example, the predetermined area can be a range in which the distance from the vehicle 1 is within a predetermined value (for example, 200 m). When the number of other vehicles 2 in the predetermined area is small, the host vehicle 1 can travel in any lane, and the traveling lane can be maintained as it is. That is, when the number of other vehicles 2 in the predetermined area is small, the lane in which the host vehicle 1 travels is not determined. When the number of other vehicles 2 in the predetermined area is large, the lane in which the own vehicle 1 travels is determined in order to determine which of the own vehicle 1 and the other vehicle 2 has priority. This realizes an automatic driving in which the lane is determined according to the priority as the number of other vehicles 2 in the vicinity increases, and the lane can be freely changed as the number of other vehicles 2 in the vicinity decreases. Can do.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a seventh example of lane determination by the vehicle control device 100 of the first embodiment. In the seventh example, the vehicle information includes information indicating whether the vehicle (the host vehicle 1 or the other vehicle 2) is a manually operated vehicle, a partially autonomously operated vehicle, or a fully autonomously operated vehicle. For example, it is assumed that the host vehicle 1 is a fully automatic driving vehicle, the other vehicle 2A is a partially automatic driving vehicle, and the other vehicle 2B is a manual driving vehicle.

When the host vehicle 1 is a fully automatic driving vehicle, the driving lane of the own vehicle 1 is determined as the right lane (the highest priority lane, the fully automatic driving vehicle lane), so that the vehicle traveling in the right lane is fully automatic. It is possible to limit to driving vehicles, and the amount of information processing necessary for safe driving that must be predicted, such as unexpected behavior of manually driven vehicles, can be reduced, so the traveling speed is fast with a close distance between vehicles Smooth running is possible.

In the example of FIG. 11, the other vehicle 2 </ b> B that is a manually operated vehicle travels in the left lane, and the other vehicle 2 </ b> A that is a partially automatically driven vehicle travels in the center lane. When 1 is a partially autonomous driving vehicle, the traveling lane may be determined as a central lane, and when the host vehicle 1 is a manually operated vehicle, the traveling lane may be determined as a left lane. Further, when the server 150 as a vehicle control device of the second embodiment described later determines the lane, the travel lanes of the vehicles 1, 2A, and 2B can be determined as shown in FIG.

Further, the lane determining unit 16 can determine the lane in which the host vehicle 1 travels based on the acquired weather information. For example, in the case of rain, snow, etc. where the weather information affects driving, the lane on which the vehicle travels is set as the left lane. Thereby, a lane can be determined in order to run a vehicle more smoothly or safely (automatic driving run).

The traveling speed determination unit 17 has a function as a speed determination unit, and determines the traveling speed of the host vehicle 1 in the lane determined by the lane determination unit 16. For example, when it is determined that the driving lane is the left lane, the driving speed is set to a low speed (for example, 50 to 60 km / h). In addition, when it is determined that the traveling lane is the central lane, the traveling speed is set to a medium speed (for example, 60 to 70 km / h). Further, when it is determined that the travel lane is the right lane, the travel speed is set to a high speed (for example, 70 to 80 km / h). In addition, you may make it change the driving speed in the lane in which the own vehicle 1 is drive | working irrespective of which driving | running lane it drive | works. Thereby, a vehicle can be drive | worked more smoothly or safely (automatic driving driving | running | working).

The traveling speed determination unit 17 can determine the traveling speed of the host vehicle 1 based on the environment information.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of determination of the traveling speed by the vehicle control device 100 according to the first embodiment. The traveling speed determination unit 17 can determine the traveling speed of the host vehicle 1 based on the weather information. For example, in the case of rain, snow, etc. where the weather information affects driving, the traveling speed can be reduced, and when the weather is clear, the traveling speed can be increased. Thereby, a vehicle can be drive | worked more smoothly or safely (automatic driving driving | running | working).

Further, the traveling speed determination unit 17 can determine the traveling speed based on the time zone during which the host vehicle 1 travels. The time zone includes, for example, a day time zone, a night time zone, and an evening time zone when the surroundings are dark. Driving a vehicle at night or in the evening is considered more likely to encounter a traffic accident than driving in the daytime. Therefore, for example, when the time zone is daytime, the traveling speed is set to high speed, and when the time zone is nighttime, the traveling speed is set to low speed. Thus, by determining the traveling speed based on the time zone, the vehicle can travel more smoothly or safely (automatic driving traveling).

Further, the traveling speed determination unit 17 can determine the traveling speed of the host vehicle 1 based on the number of other vehicles 1 that travel around the host vehicle 1. When the number of other vehicles 2 is relatively large, there is a possibility that the possibility of encountering an accident increases when the speed of the host vehicle 1 is increased. Therefore, when the number of other vehicles 2 around the host vehicle 1 is large, the traveling speed is set to a low speed, and when the number of other vehicles 2 around the host vehicle 1 is small, the traveling speed is set to a high speed. Thereby, a vehicle can be drive | worked more smoothly or safely (automatic driving driving | running | working).

Further, the traveling speed determination unit 17 can determine the traveling speed of the host vehicle 1 according to the presence or absence of traffic jam. When there is a traffic jam, it is safe to follow the other vehicle 2 and travel at a low speed. If the speed of the host vehicle 1 is increased, the possibility of encountering an accident may increase. Therefore, when there is a traffic jam, the travel speed is set to a low speed (or may be a speed following the vehicle ahead), and when there is no traffic jam, the travel speed is set to a high speed. Thereby, a vehicle can be drive | worked more smoothly or safely (automatic driving driving | running | working).

Next, the operation of the vehicle control device 100 of the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure of the vehicle control device 100 according to the first embodiment. Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience, the subject of processing will be described as the control unit 10. The control unit 10 starts automatic driving (S11), acquires host vehicle information that is vehicle information of the host vehicle 1 (S12), and acquires lane information of a road on which the host vehicle 1 travels (S13).

The control unit 10 performs priority control based on the acquired own vehicle information and lane information (S14). The priority control includes, for example, determining a lane in which the host vehicle 1 travels, or determining a lane in which the host vehicle 1 travels and performing automatic driving control while traveling the determined lane.

The control unit 10 determines whether there is another vehicle 2 around the host vehicle 1 (S15). When there is another vehicle 2 (YES in S15), the control unit 10 acquires other vehicle information that is vehicle information of the other vehicle 2 (S16), and changes the priority control based on the own vehicle information and the other vehicle information. (S17). The change in priority control includes, for example, changing the lane in which the host vehicle 1 travels, or changing the lane in which the host vehicle 1 travels and performing automatic driving control while traveling the changed lane. Depending on the own vehicle information and the other vehicle information, the lane in which the own vehicle 1 travels may be maintained without being changed.

If there is no other vehicle 2 (NO in S15), the control unit 10 performs Step S18 described later without performing the processes of Steps S16 and S17. The control unit 10 acquires environment information (S18), and changes priority control based on the acquired environment information (S19). Note that the priority control is changed in the same manner as in step S17.

The control unit 10 determines whether or not to end the automatic operation (S20). If it is determined that the automatic operation is not to be ended (NO in S20), the control unit 10 performs the processes after step S12. If it is determined that the automatic operation is to be ended (YES in S20), the process is ended.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of the server 150 as the vehicle control device of the second embodiment. The vehicle control device of the second embodiment is not mounted on the vehicle. As illustrated in FIG. 14, the server 150 includes a control unit 30 that controls the entire server, a vehicle information acquisition unit 31, an environment information acquisition unit 32, a storage unit 33 that stores map information 331, a lane determination unit 34, and a travel speed determination. The unit 35 is provided. The functions of the vehicle information acquisition unit 31, the environment information acquisition unit 32, the lane determination unit 34, and the travel speed determination unit 35 are the vehicle information acquisition unit 11, the other vehicle information acquisition unit 12 of the vehicle control device 100 of the first embodiment, Since it is the same as that of the environment information acquisition part 13, the lane determination part 16, and the travel speed determination part 17, description is abbreviate | omitted. As shown in FIG. 14, the server 150 is capable of bidirectional communication with a plurality of vehicles 2, 2, 2.

As in the case of the first embodiment, each vehicle 1 is equipped with a navigation unit, a communication device, a sensor unit, and accessories (all not shown).

Vehicle information acquisition unit 31 acquires vehicle information of one or more vehicles. The lane determining unit 34 determines the lane in which each of the plurality of vehicles travels based on the vehicle information of each of the plurality of vehicles. As a result, even when other vehicles exist around a certain vehicle, it is possible to perform an automatic operation that reduces the occurrence of traffic accidents in each of the plurality of vehicles.

Next, the operation of the server 150 will be described. FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure of the server 150 as the vehicle control device of the second embodiment. Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience, the subject of processing will be described as the control unit 30. For convenience, it is assumed that one vehicle (one vehicle) is traveling on the road and no other vehicle is traveling around the vehicle at the stage of starting the processing.

The control unit 30 acquires the vehicle information of the one vehicle (S31), and acquires the lane information of the road on which the vehicle travels (S32). The lane information can be acquired based on the position information and map information included in the vehicle information. Based on the vehicle information and the lane information, the control unit 30 transmits a priority control command for the one vehicle to the vehicle (S33). In addition, the said vehicle can receive a priority control command and can change a lane based on the received priority control command.

The control unit 30 determines whether vehicle information has been acquired from a plurality of vehicles (other vehicles) (S34). That is, it is determined whether vehicle information is acquired from at least one other vehicle in addition to the one vehicle. When vehicle information is acquired from a plurality of vehicles (YES in S34), control unit 30 transmits a priority control command for each vehicle to each vehicle based on the vehicle information of the plurality of vehicles (S35). In this case, for the one vehicle, although priority control is once performed in step S33, the other vehicle travels around the one vehicle. For example, the one vehicle and the other vehicle The priority control of the one vehicle may be changed based on the vehicle information of the vehicle. Each vehicle can receive the priority control command and change the lane based on the received priority control command.

If vehicle information has not been acquired from a plurality of vehicles (NO in S34), the control unit 30 performs the process of step S36 described later without performing the process of step S35. The control unit 30 acquires environmental information (S36), changes the priority control command of the vehicle (each vehicle) based on the acquired environmental information (S37), and transmits the changed priority control command to each vehicle (S38). ). In this case, for the one vehicle, priority control is once performed in step S33, and after the above-described priority control is changed in step S35 according to the situation, the priority control of the one vehicle is changed again. Sometimes it is done.

The control unit 30 determines whether or not to end the process (S39). When it is determined that the process is not to be ended (NO in S39), the control unit 30 performs the processes after step S31, and when it is determined that the process is to be ended (YES in S39), the process is ended.

The vehicle control device of each embodiment described above can also be realized by using a general-purpose computer including a CPU (processor), a RAM, and the like. That is, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 15, a computer program that defines the procedure of each process is loaded into a RAM provided in the computer, and the computer program is executed by a CPU (processor), thereby controlling the vehicle on the computer. An apparatus can be realized.

In this specification, the description is based on the assumption that the road is left-handed and has a right-hand drive, as in Japan. However, the road is right-handed and has a left-hand drive, as in the United States. The description of the left lane in the specification may be read as the right lane and the description of the right lane may be read as the left lane.

The disclosed embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

1 Vehicle (own vehicle)
2 vehicles (other vehicles)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 30 Control part 11 Own vehicle information acquisition part 12 Other vehicle information acquisition part 13, 32 Environmental information acquisition part 14, 33 Storage part 15 Automatic driving control part 16, 34 Lane determination part 17, 35 Traveling speed determination part 18 Navigation part 181 GPS receiver 182, 332 Map information 21 Communication equipment (communication device)
22 Sensor part 23 Equipment 31 Vehicle information acquisition part 100 Vehicle control apparatus 150 Server

Claims (16)

1. A vehicle information acquisition unit for acquiring vehicle information including vehicle position information and information relating to the equipment of the vehicle as vehicle information about the vehicle;
   A lane information acquisition unit for acquiring lane information of a road on which the host vehicle travels;
   A vehicle control device comprising: a vehicle lane determining unit that determines a lane on which the vehicle travels based on the vehicle information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit and the lane information acquired by the lane information acquisition unit.
2. An other vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires the vehicle information as other vehicle information for one or more other vehicles;
   The lane determining unit
   The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein a lane in which the host vehicle travels is determined based on other vehicle information acquired by the other vehicle information acquisition unit.
3. The vehicle information is
   The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control device includes information related to a failure of the equipment.
4. The vehicle information is
   The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising information related to a sensor that is mounted on the vehicle and detects information outside the vehicle.
5. The vehicle information is
   The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising information relating to a communication device mounted on the vehicle.
6. The vehicle information is
   The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the host vehicle or the other vehicle includes information indicating whether the vehicle is a manually operated vehicle, a partially autonomous vehicle, or a fully autonomous vehicle.
7. A physical information acquisition unit for acquiring information related to the physical state of the driver of the vehicle;
   The lane determining unit
   The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a lane in which the host vehicle travels is determined based on physical information acquired by the physical information acquisition unit.
8. The lane determining unit
   The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein a lane in which the host vehicle travels is determined based on other vehicle information of the other vehicle in a predetermined area.
9. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 8, further comprising a determining unit that determines whether or not the lane determining unit determines a lane based on the number of the other vehicles in a predetermined area.
10. It has a weather information acquisition unit that acquires weather information,
    The lane determining unit
    The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a lane in which the host vehicle travels is determined based on weather information acquired by the weather information acquisition unit.
11. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a speed determining unit that determines a traveling speed of the host vehicle in the lane determined by the lane determining unit.
12. The speed determining unit is
    The vehicle control device according to claim 11, wherein a traveling speed is determined based on a time zone during which the host vehicle travels.
13. A vehicle information acquisition unit for acquiring vehicle information including vehicle position information and information on the equipment of the vehicle as one vehicle information for one vehicle;
    A lane information acquisition unit that acquires lane information of a road on which the one vehicle travels;
    A vehicle control device comprising: a lane determining unit that determines a lane in which the one vehicle travels based on the one vehicle information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit and the lane information acquired by the lane information acquisition unit.
14. The vehicle information acquisition unit
    Obtaining the vehicle information as other vehicle information for one or more other vehicles;
    The lane determining unit
    The vehicle control device according to claim 13, wherein a lane in which the one vehicle travels is determined based on the other vehicle information.
15. A computer program for causing a computer to control driving of a vehicle,
    Computer
    A vehicle information acquisition unit for acquiring vehicle information including vehicle position information and information on the equipment of the vehicle as one vehicle information for one vehicle;
    A lane information acquisition unit that acquires lane information of a road on which the one vehicle travels;
    A computer program that functions as a lane determining unit that determines a lane in which the one vehicle travels based on the acquired one vehicle information and the lane information.
16. The vehicle information acquisition unit acquires vehicle information including vehicle position information and information related to the equipment of the vehicle as one vehicle information for one vehicle,
    A lane information acquisition unit acquires lane information of a road on which the one vehicle travels,
    A vehicle control method in which a lane determining unit determines a lane in which the one vehicle travels based on the acquired one vehicle information and the lane information.
    

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