JP2024129880A - Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To improve operability regarding lane change instructions. [Solution] A vehicle control device includes a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle, an intention detection unit that detects an intention to change lanes based on a predetermined operation of an operator by the driver of the host vehicle, a determination unit that determines whether or not the host vehicle can change lanes from the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling to an adjacent lane based on the surrounding conditions when the intention to change lanes is detected, and a driving control unit that controls at least the steering of the host vehicle and the speed based on the result determined by the determination unit to execute a lane change from the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling to the adjacent lane, and the determination unit determines not to stop processing related to the lane change if the predetermined operation of the operator continues after determining that a lane change from the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling to the adjacent lane is not possible. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program.

In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that take into consideration vulnerable traffic participants have been gaining momentum. To achieve this, efforts are being made to further improve traffic safety and convenience through research and development of autonomous driving technology. In relation to this, conventionally, there are known technologies that start lane change assistance control when the duration that the turn signal lever is held in the first operating position is equal to or longer than the assistance request confirmation time, or that determine the timing to start lane change based on whether a predetermined time has passed or whether the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance since the intention to change lanes was detected (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

JP 2018-103767 A JP 2019-036086 A

However, in autonomous driving technology, even if a lane change instruction is received from a vehicle occupant, if it is determined that the lane change cannot be executed due to the conditions at the lane change destination, the lane change control is canceled. This means that the occupant is required to issue the lane change instruction again, which can place an operational burden on the occupant, creating an issue.

In order to solve the above problems, one of the objectives of this application is to provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program that can improve operability regarding lane change instructions. This will ultimately contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

A vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program according to the present invention employ the following configuration.
(1): A vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; an intention detection unit that detects an intention to change lanes based on a predetermined operation of an operator by the driver of the vehicle; a judgment unit that, when the intention to change lanes is detected, determines whether or not the vehicle can change lanes from the lane in which the vehicle is traveling to an adjacent lane based on the surrounding conditions; and a driving control unit that controls at least the steering and speed of the vehicle based on the result determined by the judgment unit to execute a lane change from the lane in which the vehicle is traveling to the adjacent lane, wherein the judgment unit determines not to discontinue processing related to the lane change when the predetermined operation of the operator continues after determining that a lane change from the lane in which the vehicle is traveling to the adjacent lane is not possible.

(2): In the above aspect (1), the determination unit sets a first target position in the adjacent lane that is a candidate lane change destination for the vehicle, determines whether or not a lane change is possible for the set first target position, and if it determines that the lane change is not possible and a predetermined operation of the operator continues and the processing related to the lane change is not stopped after determining that the lane change is not possible, sets a second target position different from the first target position in the adjacent lane, and determines whether or not a lane change is possible for the set second target position.

(3): In the aspect of (1) above, the driving control unit executes a lane change to the adjacent lane when the determination unit determines that a lane change to the adjacent lane is possible.

(4): In the above aspect (1), the driving control unit cancels a predetermined operation of the operating element that is ongoing when executing a lane change to the adjacent lane.

(5): In the above aspect (2), the second target position is set in an area forward or rearward of other vehicles before and after the first target position when it is determined that a lane change from the driving lane to the adjacent lane is not possible.

(6): In the above aspect (1), the present invention further includes an estimation unit that estimates the remaining time until a lane change to the adjacent lane becomes possible, and an output control unit that outputs information related to speed control of the vehicle to execute the lane change and information indicating the remaining time to an output unit.

(7): In the above aspect (1), when the number of times that the determination unit determines that the lane change is not possible is equal to or exceeds a predetermined number, the driving control unit stops the process related to the lane change even if a predetermined operation of the operating element is continuing.

(8): A vehicle control method according to another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control method in which a computer recognizes the surrounding conditions of a host vehicle, detects an intention to change lanes based on a predetermined operation of an operator by a driver of the host vehicle, and, when the intention to change lanes is detected, determines whether or not the host vehicle can change lanes from the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling to an adjacent lane based on the surrounding conditions, and, based on the result of the determination, controls at least the steering of the host vehicle, out of the steering and speed, to execute a lane change from the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling to the adjacent lane, and, when the predetermined operation of the operator continues after determining that a lane change from the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling to the adjacent lane is not possible, determines not to discontinue processing related to the lane change.

(9): A program according to another aspect of the present invention is a program that causes a computer to recognize the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle, detect an intention to change lanes based on a predetermined operation of an operator by the driver of the host vehicle, determine whether or not the host vehicle can change lanes from the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling to an adjacent lane based on the surrounding conditions when the intention to change lanes is detected, control at least the steering of the host vehicle and the speed based on the result of the determination to change lanes from the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling to the adjacent lane, and determine not to stop processing related to the lane change if the predetermined operation of the operator continues after determining that the lane change from the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling to the adjacent lane is not possible.

According to the above aspects (1) to (9), it is possible to improve the operability of issuing lane change instructions.

1 is a configuration diagram mainly showing a vehicle control device 100 according to an embodiment. 11 is a diagram for explaining the position of a winker lever 84. FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the content of driving control according to the embodiment. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM10 displayed on the display unit 32 when a lane change cannot be executed. FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a state in which a new lane change target position is set. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM20 indicating the remaining time until a lane change can be executed. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM30 indicating that processing related to a lane change has been stopped. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by the vehicle control device 100 according to the embodiment.

Below, an embodiment of the vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[Overall configuration]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram mainly showing a vehicle control device 100 according to an embodiment. The vehicle control device 100 is mounted on a vehicle, for example. The vehicle is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, four-wheeled, or other vehicle, and its driving source is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination of these. The electric motor operates using power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or discharged power from a secondary battery or a fuel cell. In addition to the vehicle control device 100, the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the host vehicle M) is equipped with, for example, an object detection device 10, a vehicle sensor 20, an HMI 30, a turn signal device (directional indicator) 40, a driving operator 80, a driving force output device 200, a brake device 210, a steering device 220, and other configurations. Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and some of the configurations may be omitted, or other configurations may be added. The HMI 30 is an example of an "output unit".

The object detection device 10 includes, for example, some or all of a camera, a radar device, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), a sensor fusion device, etc. The object detection device 10 is a device for detecting objects around at least the vehicle M. The camera is, for example, a digital camera using a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The camera is attached to any location of the vehicle M. For example, when capturing an image of the front of the vehicle M, the camera is attached to the top of the front windshield or the back of the room mirror. When capturing an image of the rear of the vehicle M, the camera is attached to the top of the rear windshield or the back door. When capturing an image of the side and rear of the vehicle, the camera is attached to a door mirror, etc. The camera periodically and repeatedly captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle M. The camera may be, for example, a stereo camera or a distance sensor.

The radar device emits radio waves such as millimeter waves around the vehicle M and detects radio waves reflected by objects (reflected waves) to detect at least the position (distance and direction) of the object. The radar device may detect the position and speed of the object using the FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

LIDAR irradiates light (or electromagnetic waves with wavelengths close to that of light) around the vehicle M and measures the scattered light. LIDAR detects the distance to the target based on the time between light emission and reception. The irradiated light is, for example, pulsed laser light.

The sensor fusion device performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the cameras, radar devices, and LIDAR to recognize the position, type, speed, etc. of an object. Instead of the sensor fusion device, the object detection device 10 may be equipped with an image analysis device that exclusively analyzes camera images. This image analysis device may be a function of the vehicle control device 100. The object detection device 10 outputs the detection results to the vehicle control device 100.

The vehicle sensor 20 includes, for example, a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the host vehicle M, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects the angular velocity around a vertical axis, and a direction sensor that detects the direction of the host vehicle M. The vehicle sensor 20 may also include a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle of the host vehicle M (which may be the angle of the steering wheel or the operation angle of the steering wheel). The vehicle sensor 20 may also include a position sensor that acquires the position of the host vehicle M. The position sensor is, for example, a sensor that acquires position information (longitude and latitude information) from a GPS (Global Positioning System) device. The position sensor may also be a sensor that acquires position information using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver. The GNSS receiver identifies the position of the host vehicle M based on a signal received from a GNSS satellite. The position of the host vehicle may be identified or complemented by an INS (Inertial Navigation System) that uses the output of the vehicle sensor 20. Each sensor included in the vehicle sensor 20 outputs a detection result to the vehicle control device 100.

The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupant of the vehicle M and accepts input operations by the occupant. The HMI 30 includes, for example, a display unit 32 and a speaker 34. The display unit 32 is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display device. The display unit 32 is, for example, provided near the front of the driver's seat (the seat closest to the steering wheel) in the instrument panel, and is installed in a position where the occupant can see it through the gap in the steering wheel or through the steering wheel. The display unit 32 may be installed in the center of the instrument panel or may be a HUD (Head Up Display). The display unit 32 displays an image generated by the HMI control unit 160 described later. The display unit 32 may also accept input operations by the occupant as a touch panel device. The speaker 34 outputs sound generated by the HMI control unit 160. The HMI 30 may include a microphone, buzzer, switches, keys, etc.

The turn signal device 40 includes, for example, a turn signal ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 42 and a turn signal 44. The turn signal ECU 42 controls the operation of the turn signal 44 according to information input from the vehicle control device 100 or information input from the driving operation device 80. The turn signal 44 is a lamp that indicates the direction of a right or left turn or a lane change to the surroundings by flashing. When the occupant operates a turn signal lever 84 described later, the turn signal ECU 42 activates the turn signal 44 corresponding to the lever position detected by the lever position detection unit 84a. Furthermore, while the turn signal 44 is activated, the turn signal ECU 42 outputs information indicating that the turn signal 44 is activated to the vehicle control device 100.

The driving operators 80 include, for example, a steering wheel 82 and a turn signal lever 84. The turn signal lever 84 is an example of an "operator." The driving operators 80 also include an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a shift lever, and other operators. The driving operators 80 are fitted with sensors that detect the amount of operation or the presence or absence of operation.

The steering wheel 82 is an example of an "operator that accepts steering operations by the driver." The operator does not necessarily have to be annular, and may be in the form of an irregular steering wheel, a joystick, a button, or the like. A steering grip sensor (not shown) is attached to the steering wheel 82. The steering grip sensor is realized by a capacitance sensor or the like, and outputs a signal that can detect whether the occupant (driver) is gripping the steering wheel 82 (meaning that the driver is in contact with the steering wheel in a state where force can be applied) to the vehicle control device 100. The turn signal lever 84 is provided with a lever position detection unit 84a. The lever position detection unit 84a detects the position of the turn signal lever 84. In addition, the detection units provided on the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal detect the amount of pedal depression, and the detection unit provided on the steering wheel detects the steering angle and steering torque of the steering wheel 82. Then, each detection unit (including the lever position detection unit 84a) outputs a detection signal indicating the detection result to the vehicle control device 100, or to one or both of the driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220.

Figure 2 is a diagram for explaining the position of the turn signal lever 84. In the figure, the X-axis indicates the forward and backward direction (front and rear) of the vehicle M, the Y-axis indicates the vehicle width direction (horizontal) of the vehicle M, and the Z-axis indicates the up and down direction (vertical) of the vehicle M. For example, one end of the turn signal lever 84 is supported at a predetermined location (e.g., the steering column). When operated by the occupant, the turn signal lever 84 rotates in the up and down direction (Z direction) from the support location at one end as a starting point.

As shown in the example, when the turn signal lever 84 rotates upward from the neutral position P0 to the half-pressed position (first left operating position) P1 or the full-pressed position (second left operating position) P2, the turn signal 44 on the left side of the vehicle M is activated. "Activation" refers to the action of turning on or blinking the lamp (turn lamp) that functions as the turn signal 44.

The neutral position P0 is a position in which the turn signal 44 is not activated, and this position is maintained unless the turn signal lever 84 is operated.

The half-pressed position P1 is a position for activating the left turn signal 44 of the vehicle M. This position is maintained while the turn signal lever 84 is being operated, and when the turn signal lever 84 is no longer being operated, the position of the turn signal lever 84 moves to the neutral position P0. When the occupant pushes the turn signal lever 84 up to the half-pressed position P1 with his/her hand, the left turn signal 44 may be activated and may light or flash a predetermined number of times (e.g., three times) or for a predetermined period of time (e.g., several seconds). When the occupant releases his/her hand in this state, the turn signal lever 84 moves to the neutral position P0 by itself, and the activated left turn signal 44 stops. The half-pressed position P1 is positioned, for example, when the vehicle M is to change lanes from the driving lane to the adjacent lane on the left.

The full press position P2 is a position for activating the left turn signal 44 of the vehicle M, and this position is maintained unless the turn signal lever 84 is operated. In other words, once the occupant pushes the turn signal lever 84 up to the full press position P2, the left turn signal 44 continues to operate until the occupant pushes the turn signal lever 84 down. The full press position P2 is positioned, for example, when the vehicle M is to turn left.

Also, as shown in the example, when the turn signal lever 84 rotates downward from the neutral position P0 and moves to the half-pressed position P1# or the full-pressed position P2#, the turn signal 44 on the right side of the vehicle M is activated.

The half-pressed position (right first operating position) P1# is a position for activating the right turn signal 44 of the vehicle M. This position is maintained while the turn signal lever 84 is being operated, and the position of the turn signal lever 84 moves to the neutral position P0 when the turn signal lever 84 is no longer being operated. For example, when the occupant presses the turn signal lever 84 down to the half-pressed position P1# by hand, the right turn signal 44 may be activated and may light or flash a predetermined number of times (e.g., three times) or for a predetermined period of time (e.g., several seconds). When the occupant releases his/her hand in this state, the turn signal lever 84 moves to the neutral position P0 by itself, and the activated right turn signal 44 stops. The half-pressed position P1# is positioned, for example, when the vehicle M is to change lanes from the driving lane to the adjacent lane on the right.

The full press position (second right operating position) P2# is a position for activating the right turn signal 44 of the vehicle M, and this position is maintained unless the turn signal lever 84 is operated. In other words, once the occupant presses the turn signal lever 84 down to the full press position P2#, the right turn signal 44 continues to operate until the occupant presses the turn signal lever 84 up. The full press position P2# is positioned, for example, when the vehicle M is to turn right.

The lever position detection unit 84a detects in which position the turn signal lever 84 is located, for example, neutral position P0, half-pressed position P1, fully-pressed position P2, half-pressed position P1#, and fully-pressed position P2#.

After moving to the full-press position P2 or P2#, the turn signal lever 84 may return to the neutral position P0 by itself when the steering wheel returns to the neutral position by utilizing the rotation of the steering wheel shaft (rotation axis). In other words, the turn signal lever 84 may have an auto-canceller function.

Returning to FIG. 1, the vehicle control device 100 includes, for example, a recognition unit 110, an intention detection unit 120, a determination unit 130, an estimation unit 140, a driving control unit 150, an HMI control unit 160, and a memory unit 180. The recognition unit 110, the intention detection unit 120, the determination unit 130, the estimation unit 140, the driving control unit 150, and the HMI control unit 160 are each realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). In addition, some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be realized by cooperation between software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device with a non-transient storage medium) such as the HDD or flash memory of the vehicle control device 100, or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the vehicle control device 100 by mounting the storage medium (non-transient storage medium) in a drive device. The HMI control unit 160 is an example of an "output control unit".

The storage unit 180 may be realized by the above-mentioned various storage devices, or a solid state drive (SSD), an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), a read only memory (ROM), or a random access memory (RAM). The storage unit 180 stores, for example, programs and various other information. The storage unit 180 may also store map information in which location information such as latitude and longitude is associated with road shape (road or division line line type, curvature, curvature radius, number of lanes, width, gradient, etc.), road structures, POI (Point Of Interest) information, etc. The map information may be updated at any time, for example, by a communication device (not shown) mounted on the vehicle M communicating with an external device.

The recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M based on the output of the object detection device 10. For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the lane (driving lane) on which the vehicle M is traveling, the curvature (or curvature radius) of the driving lane (or the road including the driving lane), other vehicles (surrounding vehicles), and the like. For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the left and right road dividing lines (as seen from the vehicle M) based on the vehicle M from an image captured by a camera (hereinafter, camera image), and recognizes the driving lane based on the position of the recognized road dividing lines. The recognition unit 110 may also recognize adjacent lanes adjacent to the driving lane based on the recognized road dividing lines. The recognition unit 110 may also recognize the driving lane by recognizing landmarks (road boundaries, road boundaries) that can identify the lane position, including road shoulders, curbs, median strips, guardrails, fences, walls, etc., from the analysis results of the camera image, not limited to road dividing lines.

Based on the output of the object detection device 10, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position (relative position to the vehicle M), speed (relative speed to the vehicle M), acceleration, and other states of objects (e.g., other vehicles, pedestrians, etc.) present around the vehicle M (within a specified distance from the vehicle M). The position of the object is recognized as a position on an absolute coordinate system with a representative point of the vehicle M (center of gravity, center of drive shaft, etc.) as the origin, and is used for control. The position of the object may be represented by a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the object, or may be represented by an area. The "state" of the object may include the acceleration or jerk of the object, or the "behavior state" (e.g., whether or not another vehicle is changing lanes or is about to change lanes). The recognition unit 110 may also recognize stop lines, obstacles, red lights, toll booths, and other road events.

The recognition unit 110 may also recognize other vehicles traveling in adjacent lanes among the other vehicles present around the vehicle M.

The recognition unit 110 may refer to map information stored in the memory unit 180 based on the position of the vehicle M detected by the vehicle sensor 20, for example, and recognize the lanes around the vehicle M, including the lane in which the vehicle M is traveling. The recognition unit 110 may also recognize road dividing lines that divide the lane, or may recognize adjacent lanes adjacent to the lane or road dividing lines that divide the adjacent lanes. The recognition unit 110 may also recognize the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M by integrating or comparing the recognition results based on the output information of the object detection device 10 and the recognition results based on the map information.

The intention detection unit 120 detects the driver's intention based on a predetermined operation of the driving operator 80 by the driver. For example, when the intention detection unit 120 detects the operation of the turn signal lever 84 by the driver, it detects that there is an intention to change lanes or turn right or left. For example, when the intention detection unit 120 detects that the turn signal lever 84 is positioned at the half-pressed position P1 or P1# by the lever position detection unit 84a, it detects the driver's intention to change lanes in the direction corresponding to the detected position. Also, when the intention detection unit 120 detects that the turn signal lever 84 is positioned at the full-pressed position P2 or P2# by the lever position detection unit 84a, it detects the driver's intention to turn left or right in the direction corresponding to the detected position.

In addition, when the intention detection unit 120 detects an operation to return the turn signal lever 84 to its original state (a manual operation rather than an auto-cancellation function) after the driver operates the turn signal lever 84, it detects the intention to cancel a lane change or a right or left turn.

The determination unit 130 determines whether or not to cause the driving control unit 150 to execute driving control based on the recognition result by the recognition unit 110 and the detection result by the intention detection unit 120. For example, when the intention detection unit 120 detects the driver's intention to change lanes, the determination unit 130 determines whether or not the driver can change lanes to the adjacent lane indicated by the driver based on the recognition result by the recognition unit 110.

When the determination unit 130 determines that the vehicle M cannot change lanes, the estimation unit 140 estimates the remaining time until the vehicle M can change lanes by the driving control unit 150 based on the condition of the adjacent lane at the lane change destination recognized by the recognition unit 110.

The driving control unit 150 controls the steering or speed of the vehicle M or both based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110, the detection result of the intention detection unit 120, the judgment result of the judgment unit 130, etc., to drive the vehicle M. For example, the driving control unit 150 performs lane keeping control (LKAS: Lane Keeping Assist System) of the vehicle M so that a reference point (e.g., center of gravity or center) of the vehicle M is positioned in the center of the lane in which the vehicle M is traveling, based on the surrounding conditions. In this control, for example, if the steering torque applied by the occupant to the steering wheel 82 is in a direction in which the vehicle M deviates from the center of the lane, a reaction force is applied to the steering operation in that direction to suppress the deviation. The driving control unit 150 may stop lane keeping control while the turn signal lever 84 is moved to the full-press position P2, P2# or the half-press position P1, P1# and the turn signal 44 is on or flashing, or may maintain lane keeping control if the turn signal lever 84 is moved to the half-press position P1, P1# but a predetermined action is not performed due to a lane change.

The driving control unit 150 also performs Auto Lane Change Assist (ALCA) to assist the host vehicle M in changing lanes from the driving lane to an adjacent lane based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 110. For example, when the turn signal lever 84 is in the half-pressed position P1 or P1# for a first predetermined time or more, the driving control unit 150 determines whether or not it is possible to change lanes to the adjacent lane on the turn signal side (e.g., the right adjacent lane if the right turn signal 44 is activated) on the right or left side of the host vehicle M, whichever is activated depending on the position of the turn signal lever 84. For example, the driving control unit 150 determines that a lane change is possible when a predetermined determination condition is met, and determines that a lane change is not possible when the predetermined determination condition is not met.

When the driving control unit 150 determines that the predetermined conditions are met, it controls the driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220 to change the lane of the host vehicle M to an adjacent lane for which it has been determined that a lane change is possible, without relying on the driver's operation of the steering wheel 82 (steering operation). At this time, the driving control unit 150 activates the turn signal 44 corresponding to the direction of the lane change destination.

The HMI control unit 160 notifies the occupants (including the driver) of predetermined information through the HMI 30. The predetermined information includes, for example, information related to the running of the vehicle M, such as information related to the state of the vehicle M and information related to driving control. The information related to the state of the vehicle M includes, for example, the speed of the vehicle M, engine speed, shift position, etc. The information related to the driving control includes, for example, the driving control status, an inquiry about whether or not to change lanes, a state in which a lane change cannot be executed or a reason for canceling it, conditions for continuing processing related to a lane change, etc. The predetermined information may also include information that is not related to the running control of the vehicle M, such as television programs, content (for example, movies) stored in a storage medium such as a DVD, etc. The predetermined information may also include, for example, information related to the current position and destination of the vehicle M, the remaining amount of fuel, etc.

For example, the HMI control unit 160 may generate an image including the above-mentioned predetermined information and display the generated image on the display unit 32 of the HMI 30, or may generate a sound indicating the predetermined information and output the generated sound from the speaker 34 of the HMI 30. The HMI control unit 160 may also output the information received by the HMI 30 to the intention detection unit 120, etc.

The driving force output device 200 outputs a driving force (torque) to the drive wheels for driving the host vehicle M. The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and a transmission, and a power ECU that controls these. The power ECU controls the above configuration according to information input from the vehicle control device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80.

The brake device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from the vehicle control device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80, so that a brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel. The brake device 210 may include a backup mechanism that transmits hydraulic pressure generated by operating the brake pedal included in the driving operator 80 to the cylinder via a master cylinder. Note that the brake device 210 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may be an electronically controlled hydraulic brake device that controls an actuator according to information input from the vehicle control device 100 to transmit hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder to the cylinder.

The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor.
The electric motor applies a force to, for example, a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steered wheels. The steering ECU drives the electric motor in accordance with information input from the vehicle control device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80 to change the direction of the steered wheels.

[Drive control]
The contents of the driving control according to the embodiment will be specifically described below. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the contents of the driving control according to the embodiment. In the example of FIG. 3, among the lanes L1 and L2 that can proceed in the same direction (X-axis direction in the figure), the host vehicle M traveling on the lane L1 at a speed VM, and the other vehicles m1 traveling on the lane L2 at a speed Vm1 and m2 traveling on the lane L2 at a speed Vm2 are shown. The lane L1 is divided by the dividing lines LL and CL, and the lane L2 is divided by the dividing lines CL and RL. The dividing line CL is a dividing line that allows lane change between the lanes L1 and L2. In the example of FIG. 3, the lane L1 is a driving lane on which the host vehicle M travels, and the lane L2 is an adjacent lane adjacent to the driving lane. In the following description, the time t1 is assumed to be earlier than the time t2. The positions of the host vehicle M and the other vehicles m1 and m2 at time t* are represented as M(t*), m1(t*), and m2(t*), respectively, and the speeds of the host vehicle M and the other vehicles m1 and m2 are represented as VM(t*), Vm1(t*), and Vm2(t*), respectively. Furthermore, it is assumed that, at a time prior to time t1, the driving control unit 150 is executing lane keeping control so that the host vehicle M travels on the lane L1.

At time t1, the driver of the vehicle M moves the turn signal lever 84 to the half-pressed position P1# (an example of a predetermined operation) to change lanes from lane L1 to lane L2. The intention detection unit 120 detects the driver's intention to change lanes from the position of the turn signal lever 84 detected by the lever position detection unit 84a. Next, the determination unit 130 determines whether or not a lane change is possible based on the traffic conditions of the adjacent lane (lane L2 in the figure) in the operation direction of the turn signal lever 84. At this point in time, the driving control unit 150 continues the lane keeping control that is being executed, while the determination unit 130 determines whether or not a lane change can be executed (an example of processing related to lane change). In the following determination process, the first determination condition out of the above-mentioned predetermined determination conditions is used for explanation, but a determination including other conditions may be performed.

For example, the determination unit 130 selects two other vehicles from among the multiple other vehicles traveling on the lane L2 based on the recognition result by the recognition unit 110, and sets a target position (first target position) TA1, which is a candidate for the lane change destination, between the two selected other vehicles. The target position TA1 is the position of the host vehicle M, which is the target lane change destination, and is the relative position of the host vehicle M and the other vehicles m1 and m2. In the example of FIG. 3, the other vehicles m1 and m2 are traveling on adjacent lanes, so the determination unit 130 sets the target position TA1 between the other vehicles m1 and m2. Note that if there is only one other vehicle on the lane L2, the determination unit 130 may set the target position TA1 at an arbitrary position in front of or behind the other vehicle. Also, if there is no other vehicle on the lane L2, the determination unit 130 may set the target position TA1 at an arbitrary position on the lane L2.

When the target position TA1 is set, the determination unit 130 generates a target trajectory for changing lanes of the host vehicle M. In the example of FIG. 3, it is assumed that the other vehicle m1, which is the forward reference vehicle, and the other vehicle m2, which is the rear reference vehicle, each travel at a predetermined speed model, and based on the speed models of the other vehicles m1 and m2 and the speed of the host vehicle M, a target trajectory is generated so that the host vehicle M will be at the target position TA1 at a certain time in the future. Then, the determination unit 130 determines whether or not a lane change to the target position TA1 is possible based on the generated target trajectory.

For example, the determination unit 130 sets a prohibited area RA1 that prohibits the presence of other vehicles in the lane L2, and determines that a lane change is possible if the other vehicles m1 and m2 are not even partially present in the prohibited area RA1 and the time to collision (TTC) between the vehicle M and the other vehicles m1 and m2 is greater than a threshold value. The prohibited area RA1 is an area that includes the target position TA1 and is wider in both the front and rear and left and right directions than the target position TA1. The time to collision TTC is a time derived by dividing the relative distance by the relative speed in the relationship between the vehicle M and each of the other vehicles m1 and m2. The position of the vehicle M that is the basis for the relative distance is, for example, the position of the vehicle M when it is assumed that the vehicle M is present at the set target position TA1.

The determination unit 130 determines that a lane change is possible if neither of the other vehicles m1, m2 is present in the prohibited area RA1 and the time to contact (TTC) for each of the other vehicles m1, m2 is greater than a threshold value. In addition, if at least one of the other vehicles m1, m2 is present in the prohibited area RA1, or if at least one of the time to contact (TTC) for each of the other vehicles m1, m2 is equal to or less than a threshold value, the determination unit 130 determines that a lane change is not possible (impossible).

In addition to the above-mentioned judgment conditions, the judgment unit 130 may include some or all of the following conditions: "The dividing line separating the lane to which the lane is to be changed from the own lane is not a road marking indicating a prohibition on lane changes (prohibition on going beyond the lane)", "The lane to which the lane is to be changed is recognized (is actually present)", "The yaw rate detected by the vehicle sensor 20 is less than a threshold value", "The radius of curvature of the road on which the vehicle is traveling is equal to or greater than a predetermined value", "The speed of the own vehicle M is within a predetermined speed range", and "No other driving assistance control having a higher priority than the steering assistance control for lane changes is being performed".

When the determination unit 130 determines that a lane change is possible, the driving control unit 150 causes the turn signal device 40 to blink the turn signal 44 corresponding to the direction in which the driver operates the turn signal lever 84. The driving control unit 150 also ends the lane keeping control that is being performed, and controls at least the steering or the speed so that the host vehicle M is positioned at the target position TA1 on the lane L2, thereby executing lane change control to make the host vehicle M travel along the target trajectory. After the lane change, the auto-canceller function stops blinking the turn signal 44.

In addition, if the determination unit 130 determines that a lane change is not possible, the HMI control unit 160 generates information indicating that a lane change cannot be performed, and outputs the generated information to the HMI 30. In addition to the information indicating that a lane change cannot be performed, the HMI control unit 160 may also generate information indicating information regarding conditions for continuing processing related to the lane change (e.g., determining whether or not a lane change can be performed), and output the information to the HMI 30.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM10 that is displayed on the display unit 32 when a lane change cannot be performed. Note that the display content, layout, design, and other display modes shown in image IM10 are not limited to the example in Figure 4. The same applies to the other images IM20 and IM30 shown below. Image IM10 shown in Figure 4 includes text information indicating that a lane change cannot be performed, and indicating that operation of the turn signal lever 84 (operation of moving the turn signal lever 84 to the half-pressed position P1#) should be continued as a condition for continuing the lane change processing.

Also, instead of (or in addition to) displaying the above-mentioned image IM10 on the display unit 32, the HMI control unit 160 may generate sound corresponding to the information shown in the image IM10 and output it from the speaker 34. The same applies to the other images IM20 and IM30 described below.

By notifying the driver with the above-mentioned information (images and audio), the driver can more accurately understand the control status of the vehicle M and the conditions for continuing the lane change. This makes it possible to prevent the driver from performing erroneous driving operations. Furthermore, the vehicle control device 100 can realize appropriate vehicle control according to the driver's intentions.

If the driver continues to position the turn signal lever 84 in the half-pressed position P1# (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the "half-hold state") after the above-mentioned image IM10 is displayed (in other words, if the driver's intention to change lanes is still being detected), the determination unit 130 determines not to stop the lane change processing (determination of whether or not the lane change can be performed), and the lane change processing continues. In this case, the determination unit 130 sets another new target position based on the recognition result by the recognition unit 110, and determines whether or not a lane change to the set target position is possible. The HMI control unit 160 may also cause the HMI 30 to output information indicating that the lane change processing is continuing.

The driving control unit 150 executes speed control such as deceleration or acceleration to move the host vehicle M to the vicinity of the new target position (within a predetermined distance). For example, the driving control unit 150 executes acceleration control when the new target position is set ahead of the other vehicle m1 based on the surrounding situation, and executes deceleration control when the new target position is set behind the other vehicle m2. For example, the driving control unit 150 executes deceleration control when there is a leading vehicle in front of the host vehicle M and no trailing vehicle behind the host vehicle M, and executes acceleration control when there is no leading vehicle but a trailing vehicle. In addition, the driving control unit 150 may execute deceleration control when it is possible to move behind the other vehicle m2 faster than moving ahead of the other vehicle m1 based on the relative distance and relative speed between the other vehicles m1 and m2, and execute acceleration control when it is possible to move ahead of the other vehicle m1 faster than moving behind the other vehicle m2. In addition, the driving control unit 150 may execute acceleration control or deceleration control to move to the direction where there is a larger area by comparing the area ahead of the other vehicle m1 with the area behind the other vehicle.

Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining the state in which a new lane change target position is set. The example in Figure 5 shows the state at time t2, a predetermined time after time t1. Time t2 is the time when the determination unit 130 determines that a lane change to lane L2 can be executed. In the example in Figure 5, the host vehicle M (t2) is positioned behind another vehicle m2 (t2) due to deceleration control by the driving control unit 150 based on the surrounding conditions.

If the half-hold state of the turn signal lever 84 continues until the state shown in FIG. 5 is reached, the determination unit 130 performs the above-mentioned lane change execution possibility determination based on the target position (second target position) TA2 and the prohibited area RA2. Note that the target position TA2 and the prohibited area RA2 are different positions from the target position TA1 and the prohibited area RA1, and are set in an area forward or rearward of the other vehicles m1 and m2 that exist before and after the target position TA1. In the example of FIG. 5, the target position TA2 and the prohibited area RA2 are set rearward of the other vehicles m1 and m2. Then, if it is determined that a lane change is possible, the driving control unit 150 executes a lane change to the target position TA2. Note that the driving control unit 150 releases the ongoing half-hold state when executing a lane change to lane L2.

In this way, by the driver continuing to half-hold the turn signal lever 84, the lane change processing from time t1 to time t2 can be performed continuously without interruption. Furthermore, when a lane change is not possible, smoother control can be achieved than if the turn signal operation is received again to detect the driver's intention and then a new determination is made as to whether or not to execute a lane change.

Here, when the determination unit 130 determines that a lane change to the target position TA1 cannot be executed, the estimation unit 140 may estimate the remaining time ΔT until the time t2 when it is predicted that a lane change to the next target TA2 can be executed. For example, the estimation unit 140 estimates the remaining time ΔT based on the road shape, the positions and speeds of other vehicles (vehicle in front, vehicle following) traveling in front of and behind the host vehicle M on the lane L1, the positions and speeds of other vehicles m1, m2 and other vehicles traveling on the lane L2, the predicted status of future speed control of the host vehicle M, and the like. The estimation unit 140 may repeatedly estimate the remaining time ΔT at a predetermined cycle.

The HMI control unit 160 may generate information indicating the remaining time ΔT estimated by the estimation unit 140 and output the generated information to the HMI 30. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM20 indicating the remaining time until a lane change can be performed. Image IM20 is an image that is displayed on the display unit 32, for example, when the driver continues to half-hold the turn signal lever 84 even after image IM10 is displayed.

Image IM20 includes information indicating that lane change processing is continuing (for example, information indicating the content of the control being executed to execute lane change) and information indicating the remaining time ΔT. In the example of FIG. 6, image IM20 displays that deceleration control is being executed to execute lane change (more specifically, to move to the vicinity of the next lane change target position) and that there are 5 seconds left until lane change is possible. Note that the remaining time ΔT may be displayed as information indicating that it is a value estimated by the system, such as "5 seconds left (estimated)". This makes it easier for the driver to recognize that the host vehicle M is continuing lane change processing and the remaining time until lane change is possible. In addition, by notifying the driver of the remaining time ΔT, it is easier for the driver to understand the time for which the half-hold state of the turn signal lever 84 will continue, thereby suppressing erroneous operation by the driver.

Here, if the determination unit 130 determines that a lane change is possible and the half-hold state of the turn signal lever 84 is released before the vehicle M performs a predetermined operation associated with the lane change (if the driver stops continuing the turn signal operation), the determination unit 130 and the driving control unit 150 stop the above-mentioned lane change processing. The predetermined operation may be, for example, an operation in which steering control of the vehicle M is started, an operation in which the steering angle of the vehicle M becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined angle, an operation in which at least a part of the vehicle M moves onto the lane L2, or an operation in which the lateral movement amount (movement amount in the lane width direction) of the vehicle M becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. In this case, the HMI control unit 160 generates information indicating that the lane change processing has been stopped and outputs it to the HMI 30. In addition, the driving control unit 150 executes (or continues) lane keeping control for the lane L1 in which the vehicle is traveling (original lane) when the lane change processing is stopped.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM30 indicating that lane-changing processing has been stopped. Image IM30 shown in Figure 7 includes information indicating that lane-changing processing has been stopped and information indicating the reason for the stop. In the example of Figure 7, image IM30 indicates that lane-changing processing has been stopped because the turn signal lever operation was released before lane changing became possible. This makes it easier for the occupant to understand that lane changing has been completed.

[Modification]
In the embodiment, even if the determination unit 130 continues to detect the driver's intention to change lanes (the turn signal lever 84 is in a half-hold state), if the number of times that it is determined that the lane change is not possible in the lane change execution determination is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of times in succession. The predetermined number of times may be a fixed number (e.g., two times) or may be a variable number depending on the road conditions (e.g., the state of other vehicles in the vicinity, the road shape), etc. In addition, in the embodiment, the determination unit 130 may stop the lane change processing regardless of whether the half-hold state continues or not when the remaining time ΔT determined by the estimation unit 140 is equal to or greater than a threshold value. This makes it possible to suppress repeated execution of the lane change execution execution determination in a state in which the lane change cannot be executed, and to reduce the burden on vehicle control. In this case, the HMI control unit can cancel the turn signal operation by the driver by outputting information indicating that the lane change processing has been stopped and the reason for the stop to the HMI 30.

In addition, when the remaining time ΔT is estimated by the estimation unit 140, and the intention to change lanes is continuously detected for a period of time set according to the remaining time ΔT or more, the intention detection unit 120 may determine that the driver's intention to change lanes continues thereafter. For example, when the remaining time ΔT is 10 seconds, if the half-hold state of the turn signal lever 84 continues for 3 seconds or more, even if the half-hold state is subsequently released, it is deemed that the intention to change lanes continues to be detected for a predetermined period of time (e.g., the remaining 7 seconds + α). This can reduce the burden on the driver caused by continuing to operate the turn signal.

In addition, in the embodiment, the intention detection unit 120 may detect the driver's intention to change lanes by, for example, accepting an operation of a predetermined switch (e.g., a switch for executing a lane change) provided on the HMI 30 or the steering wheel 82, instead of the driver's lever operation to position the turn signal lever 84 at the half-pressed position P1 or P1#. In this case, the predetermined switch is an example of an "operator", and continuing to operate the switch is an example of a "predetermined operation". In addition, when an interior camera (not shown) that captures an image of the interior of the vehicle M is provided, the intention detection unit 120 may detect the driver's intention to change lanes when it detects a gesture corresponding to a lane change request by the driver based on the analysis result of an image captured by the interior camera. In this case, the gesture is an example of a "predetermined operation", and an operation using an operator is not performed.

[Processing flow]
The following describes the processing executed by the vehicle control device 100 of the embodiment. The following mainly describes the processing executed by the vehicle control device 100, which is related to lane change based on the driver's intention to change lanes. The processing described below may be repeatedly executed at a predetermined timing or at a predetermined cycle. In addition, the host vehicle M may be executing lane keeping control before executing a lane change.

Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the vehicle control device 100 of the embodiment. In the example of Figure 8, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding situation of the host vehicle M (step S100). Next, the determination unit 130 determines whether the intention detection unit 120 has detected the intention of the driver to change lanes through a predetermined operation (step S102). If it is determined that the intention of changing lanes has been detected, the determination unit 130 determines whether a lane change to an instructed adjacent lane is possible based on the end situation (step S104). If it is determined that a lane change is possible, the driving control unit 150 controls at least the steering or speed of the host vehicle M to execute lane change control to an adjacent lane (step S106).

If it is determined in step S104 that a lane change is not possible, the estimation unit 140 estimates the remaining time ΔT until a lane change becomes possible (step S108). Next, the HMI control unit 160 outputs information including the estimated time to the HMI 30 to notify the occupant (step S110).

Next, the determination unit 130 determines whether the intention to change lanes continues until the remaining time has elapsed (step S112). If it is determined that the intention to change lanes (a predetermined operation of the occupant on the control) continues, the driving control unit 150 maintains the current state (standby) until it is possible to change lanes and does not stop the processing related to the lane change (step S114). Then, the driving control unit 150 executes lane change control when it is possible to change lanes (step S116). Also, if it is determined in the processing of step S112 that the intention to change lanes does not continue until the remaining time ΔT has elapsed, the determination unit 130 and the driving control unit 150 stop the processing related to the lane change (step S118). This ends the processing of the flowchart.

If it is determined in step S102 that an intention to change lanes has not been detected, the process of this flowchart ends. After a lane change is performed in steps S106 and S116, lane keeping control may be performed for the lane to which the lane is to be changed.

According to the embodiment described above, the vehicle control device includes a recognition unit 110 that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, an intention detection unit 120 that detects the intention of a lane change by a predetermined operation of the operator (blinker lever 84) by the driver of the vehicle, a determination unit 130 that determines whether or not the lane change from the driving lane of the vehicle to an adjacent lane is possible based on the surrounding conditions when the intention of a lane change is detected, and a driving control unit 150 that controls at least the steering of the vehicle and the speed based on the result determined by the determination unit 130 to execute a lane change from the driving lane of the vehicle to the adjacent lane. The determination unit 130 determines not to stop the processing related to the lane change when the predetermined operation of the operator continues after determining that the lane change from the driving lane to the adjacent lane is not possible, thereby improving the operability of the lane change instruction. Therefore, more appropriate driving assistance can be provided to a driver who wants to continue changing lanes.

For example, in the past, when it was determined that a lane change could not be performed, the driver had to perform an operation again to detect the intention to change lanes. In this embodiment, however, if the driver continues a predetermined operation, even if it is determined that a lane change cannot be performed, the process related to the lane change is not stopped and the lane change is waited until it becomes possible (in other words, a provisional reservation is made). Therefore, according to the embodiment, the processing load can be reduced compared to repeating the process related to the lane change from the beginning, and smoother control of the lane change can be realized. In addition, according to the embodiment, even if the Automated Lane Change Assist Control (ALCA) is canceled once, a retry can be easily performed. In addition, according to the embodiment, the driver is notified that the vehicle M is decelerating or accelerating toward another target position, so that the driver can more accurately grasp the situation, such as whether the vehicle M is about to enter in front of or behind an adjacent vehicle.

The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows.
a storage medium for storing computer-readable instructions;
a processor coupled to the storage medium;
The processor executes the computer-readable instructions to:
Recognize the surroundings of your vehicle,
Detecting an intention to change lanes based on a predetermined operation of an operating element by a driver of the vehicle;
When the intention to change lanes is detected, a determination is made as to whether or not the host vehicle should change lanes from the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling to an adjacent lane based on the surrounding conditions;
Based on the result of the determination, at least the steering of the vehicle and the speed are controlled to execute a lane change from the driving lane of the vehicle to an adjacent lane;
determining that the process related to the lane change should not be stopped when a predetermined operation on the operator is continued after determining that a lane change from the driving lane to the adjacent lane is not possible;
Vehicle control device.

The above describes the form for carrying out the present invention using an embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

10... object detection device, 20... vehicle sensor, 30... HMI, 32... display unit, 34... speaker, 40... turn signal device, 42... turn signal ECU, 44... turn signal, 80... driving operator, 82... steering wheel, 84... turn signal lever, 100... vehicle control device, 110... recognition unit, 120... intention detection unit, 130... determination unit, 140... estimation unit, 150... driving control unit, 160... HMI control unit, 180... memory unit, 200... driving drive force output device, 210... brake device, 220... steering device

Claims (9)

A recognition unit that recognizes a surrounding situation of the host vehicle;
an intention detection unit that detects an intention of a lane change based on a predetermined operation of an operating element by a driver of the vehicle;
a determination unit that, when the intention to change lanes is detected, determines whether or not the host vehicle can change lanes from the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling to an adjacent lane based on the surrounding conditions; and
a travel control unit that controls at least the steering and the speed of the host vehicle based on the result of the determination by the determination unit to execute a lane change from the driving lane of the host vehicle to an adjacent lane,
the determination unit determines not to stop the process related to the lane change when a predetermined operation on the operation element continues after determining that a lane change from the driving lane to the adjacent lane is not possible;
Vehicle control device. The determination unit is
setting a first target position, which is a candidate for a lane change destination of the host vehicle, in the adjacent lane, and determining whether or not a lane change can be made with respect to the set first target position;
when it is determined that the predetermined operation of the operator continues after it is determined that the lane change is not possible and it is determined that the process related to the lane change is not to be stopped, a second target position different from the first target position is set in the adjacent lane, and it is determined whether or not the lane change is possible with respect to the set second target position;
The vehicle control device according to claim 1. The traveling control unit executes a lane change to the adjacent lane when the determination unit determines that a lane change to the adjacent lane is possible.
The vehicle control device according to claim 1. When executing a lane change to the adjacent lane, the traveling control unit cancels a predetermined operation on the operating element that is being continued.
The vehicle control device according to claim 1. the second target position is set in a region forward or rearward of other vehicles before and after the first target position when it is determined that a lane change from the driving lane to the adjacent lane is not possible;
The vehicle control device according to claim 2. an estimation unit that estimates a remaining time until a lane change to the adjacent lane is possible;
and an output control unit that causes an output unit to output information related to a speed control of the vehicle for executing the lane change and information indicating the remaining time.
The vehicle control device according to claim 1. When the number of times that the determination unit has determined that the lane change is not possible is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of times, the traveling control unit stops the process related to the lane change even if a predetermined operation on the operating element is continuing.
The vehicle control device according to claim 1. The computer
Recognize the surroundings of your vehicle,
Detecting an intention to change lanes based on a predetermined operation of an operating element by a driver of the vehicle;
When the intention to change lanes is detected, a determination is made as to whether or not the host vehicle should change lanes from the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling to an adjacent lane based on the surrounding conditions;
Based on the result of the determination, at least the steering of the vehicle and the speed are controlled to execute a lane change from the driving lane of the vehicle to an adjacent lane;
determining that the process related to the lane change should not be stopped when a predetermined operation on the operator is continued after determining that a lane change from the driving lane to the adjacent lane is not possible;
A vehicle control method. On the computer,
Recognize the surrounding situation of the vehicle,
detecting an intention to change lanes based on a predetermined operation of an operating element by a driver of the vehicle;
When the intention to change lanes is detected, a determination is made as to whether or not the vehicle should change lanes from the lane in which the vehicle is traveling to an adjacent lane based on the surrounding conditions;
Based on the result of the determination, at least the steering and the speed of the host vehicle are controlled to execute a lane change from the driving lane of the host vehicle to an adjacent lane;
determining that the process related to the lane change should not be stopped when a predetermined operation on the operator is continued after determining that a lane change from the driving lane to the adjacent lane is not possible;
program.

Images