JPH06135259A - Vehicle running control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To safely and smoothly continue a follow-up run even though a vehicle changes between a running lane and a passing lane during the follow-up run with the use of a running control device for allowing a vehicle following up a vehicle going ahead, which maintaining a distance between the vehicles. CONSTITUTION:An ECU 14 controls a throttle actuator 20 or a brake actuator 22 in accordance with detection signal from a radar device 10 and a vehicle speed sensor 20, and allows a vehicle to follow up a vehicle going ahead. When a winker switch 16 is manipulated during change between lanes, a vehicle speed at that time, is stored in a memory 18 as a running lane speed VRIGHT or a passing lane speed LEFT. During change from the passing lane into the passing lane, the vehicle speed is controlled at VRIGHT until the distance between the vehicles and the relative speed therebetween are fixed, thereby it is possible to prevent the vehicle from abruptly approaching the vehicle going ahead, with the traffic stream on the running lane.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle running control device,
Particularly, it relates to improvement of the following running performance when changing lanes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various devices have been developed and installed for the purpose of reducing the driving operation of a driver and improving safety. The distance between the preceding vehicle and the preceding vehicle is detected and the vehicle speed is determined according to the distance. One of them is a travel control device that controls the vehicle to automatically follow the preceding vehicle while maintaining a safe inter-vehicle distance.
In such a traveling control device, a preceding vehicle is detected by a radar device such as a microwave radar or a laser radar mounted on the front part of the vehicle, but the detection area is limited to the front of the vehicle in the traveling direction. When making a change, the field of view deviates from the lane and the guardrail or the adjacent lane is seen at a very short distance, which makes it impossible to accurately detect the inter-vehicle distance.

Therefore, for example, in the inter-vehicle distance control device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-61348, the inter-vehicle distance control function is provided while the turn signal switch is on and for a predetermined time after the turn signal switch is turned off. A configuration has been proposed in which control is performed so as to maintain the speed immediately before the turn signal switch is turned on unless the accelerator is turned off or the accelerator or brake is operated.

[0004]

However, on an expressway or the like, the passing lanes (speeds) of the passing lane and the traveling lane are generally greatly different. Therefore, when the lane change is performed from the overtaking lane to the traveling lane during the follow-up traveling by controlling the inter-vehicle distance, in the configuration that holds the speed for a predetermined time after the turn signal switch is turned off as in this conventional technique,
There is a problem of suddenly approaching the vehicle in front of the slow lane. In other words, the speed of the overtaking lane is higher, and therefore, if the speed is maintained and the lane is changed to the traveling lane, it is not possible to follow the traffic flow of the traveling lane. The same applies when the lane is changed from the driving lane to the overtaking lane, and there is a possibility that a following vehicle may suddenly approach the own vehicle after the lane change.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems of the prior art, and an object thereof is safe and smooth even when the lane is changed from the traveling lane to the overtaking lane or from the overtaking lane to the traveling lane. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle travel control device capable of maintaining smooth following travel.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle traveling control device according to the present invention is for a vehicle which travels following a preceding vehicle by controlling its own vehicle speed based on an inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle. In the travel control device, an inter-vehicle distance detecting means for detecting an inter-vehicle distance to a preceding vehicle, a speed detecting means for detecting an own vehicle speed, and a direction indicator of the own vehicle when the lane is changed from the first lane to the second lane. The first storage means for storing the first lane speed, which is the own vehicle speed at this time, and the second lane speed, which is the own vehicle speed when the turn indicator of the own vehicle is actuated when the lane is changed from the second lane to the first lane. Second storage means for storing; determination means for determining whether or not the difference between the first lane speed and the second lane speed is a predetermined value or more; and when the determination means determines a predetermined value or more, When the lane is changed, the predetermined time is stored in the first or second storage means. And having a control means for controlling the vehicle speed to lane speed corresponding to the lane, the.

[0007]

As described above, in the vehicle travel control device of the present invention, the turn signal is activated when changing the lane from the first lane to the second lane and when changing the lane from the second lane to the first lane. At this time, the own vehicle speed in each lane is stored in the storage means, and the flow of the vehicle in the first lane and the second lane is evaluated based on the difference between these own vehicle speeds. When the difference is equal to or more than the predetermined value, it is determined that there is a significant speed difference, the speed after lane change is controlled to the lane speed stored corresponding to the lane, and the vehicle travels following the lane.

Therefore, when the speed difference between the first lane and the second lane is large, when the lane is changed from the first lane to the second lane, when the lane is changed from the second lane to the first lane last time. The own vehicle speed is controlled by the second lane speed stored in the second storage means, or the second lane is changed to the first lane speed.
When changing the lane to the lane, the own vehicle speed is controlled by the first lane speed stored in the first storage means when the lane was changed from the first lane to the second lane last time.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of a vehicle travel control device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the configuration of this embodiment. A radar device 10 using microwaves, laser light, or the like is mounted at a predetermined position on the front of the vehicle, detects a predetermined range ahead of the traveling direction, and detects a preceding vehicle. The detection signal is E
The relative speed that is supplied to the CU 14 and is obtained by differentiating the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle and the inter-vehicle distance is calculated. Further, a vehicle speed sensor 12 is also mounted, and the detected vehicle speed signal is also transmitted to the ECU 14
Is supplied to. Further, the winker signal from the switch 16 for operating the turn signal (turn signal) is also transmitted to the ECU 14
Is supplied to.

The ECU 14 is the radar device 1 as described above.
Based on the detection signal from 0, the inter-vehicle distance and the relative speed to the preceding vehicle are detected, and the throttle actuator 20 to the brake actuator 22 are controlled to maintain the safe inter-vehicle distance to increase or decrease the own vehicle speed and follow the preceding vehicle. To do. In addition,
In the present embodiment, the ECU 14 is configured to control the throttle actuator 20 and the brake actuator 22, but of course it is also possible to perform follow-up running in which only the throttle actuator 20 is controlled in order to perform simpler control. . On the other hand, the ECU 14 in the present embodiment detects whether or not the host vehicle changes lanes based on the signal from the direction indicator actuation switch 16, and the host vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 12 when the direction indicator operates. Are stored in the memory 18. As the mode of the direction indicator operation at the time of changing lanes, there are a right direction indicator operation when changing the lane from the driving lane to the overtaking lane and a left direction indicator operation when changing the lane from the overtaking lane to the driving lane. There are two. E
When the CU 14 detects from the signal from the direction indicator operation switch 16 that the right direction indicator is currently operating, the vehicle speed obtained from the lane sensor 12 is the traveling lane speed when traveling in the traveling lane. It is stored in the memory 18 as VRIGHT. On the other hand, when it is detected that the left turn signal is currently operating by the signal from the turn signal actuating switch 16, the ECU 14 outputs the vehicle speed from the vehicle speed sensor 12 when the vehicle is traveling in the overtaking lane. Overlane speed VLE
It is stored in the memory 18 as FT. Generally, the flow of vehicles in the overtaking lane is faster than the flow of vehicles in the traveling lane. Therefore, compared with the traveling lane speed VRIGHT which is the speed when the vehicle is following the preceding vehicle while traveling in the traveling lane, the overtaking lane speed V when the vehicle is following the overtaking lane
LEFT has a larger value. In this way, when there is a large difference between the flow of vehicles on the traveling lane and the flow of vehicles on the overtaking lane, special processing is required for vehicle speed control when changing lanes.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for changing the lane from the traveling lane to the overtaking lane, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for changing the lane from the overtaking lane to the traveling lane. . In FIG. 3, consider the case where the host vehicle is traveling on the traveling lane and is following the preceding vehicle A at the speed VRIGHT. When the speed of the preceding vehicle A is slow and the driver tries to change lanes to the overtaking lane, the driver activates the right turn signal,
Then move to the overtaking lane. If the preceding vehicle B exists on the overtaking lane, the vehicle will follow the preceding vehicle B this time.
It takes a certain amount of time for the inter-vehicle distance and the relative speed with the preceding vehicle B required for the follow-up traveling to be determined, and therefore, on the overtaking lane where the vehicle flow is fast during this period, the inter-vehicle distance with the following vehicle is It may decrease sharply. The same applies when the lane is changed from the overtaking lane to the traveling lane. As shown in FIG. 4, the vehicle is traveling on the overtaking lane following the preceding vehicle B, and when the lane is changed to the traveling lane, driving is performed. The person operates the left turn signal, and then shifts to the driving lane. But,
Since the flow of vehicles on the traveling lane is slower than that on the overtaking lane, in order to follow the preceding vehicle D in the traveling lane, the distance between the preceding vehicle D and the preceding vehicle D is determined until the distance and the relative speed with the preceding vehicle D are determined. The distance may decrease sharply.

As described above, when there is a large difference between the flow of vehicles in the traveling lane and the flow of vehicles in the overtaking lane, the lane is changed in order to smoothly and safely follow the lane after the lane is changed. It is necessary to anticipate the flow of vehicles in the adjacent lane that should be controlled. In this embodiment, the traveling lane speed when the vehicle is following the traveling lane and the overtaking lane speed when the vehicle is following the traveling lane are stored in the memory 18, and the vehicle speed after the lane change is stored. Prediction control is performed by automatically setting the lane speed corresponding to the lane. That is,
In FIG. 3, when the lane is changed from the traveling lane to the overtaking lane, the right-direction indicator is actuated. At this time, the traveling lane speed V
RIGHT is stored in the memory 18. When the lane is changed from the overtaking lane to the traveling lane again, the vehicle travels in the VRIGHT until the inter-vehicle distance and the relative speed with respect to the preceding vehicle are determined with the VRIGHT as the target vehicle speed after the lane change. Further, the overtaking lane speed VLEFT at the time of operating the left-direction indicator when the lane is changed from the overtaking lane to the traveling lane is stored in the memory 18. When the lane is changed from the traveling lane to the overtaking lane again, the vehicle speed is controlled with this VLEFT as the target vehicle speed until the inter-vehicle distance and the relative speed with respect to the preceding vehicle are determined.

EC will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The operation of U14 will be described in more detail.

FIG. 2 shows the processing for changing the lane from the overtaking lane to the traveling lane. First, it is determined whether or not the right turn signal has changed from OFF to ON (S100). Since the winker is not operated when the vehicle is following on the driving lane or is following on the overtaking lane, it is next determined whether or not the left turn signal has changed from OFF to ON ( S120). Without changing lanes,
When the vehicle is following or running at a constant speed without a preceding vehicle to follow, the winker is not operated, and therefore S1
Follow-up travel (constant speed travel when no preceding vehicle exists) is continued through the flag processing of 30-S150. In the following traveling at this time, the throttle actuator 20 is controlled so as to maintain the safe inter-vehicle distance based on the inter-vehicle distance calculated based on the detection signal from the radar device 10, the relative speed, and the own vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 12. Done by.

When the vehicle follows the traveling lane and changes to the overtaking lane, the driver blinks the right blinker. Therefore, YES is determined in S100, and the vehicle speed at this time, that is, the traveling lane speed when traveling in the traveling lane is stored in the memory 18 as VRIGHT (S11).
0). Then, when changing the lane from the overtaking lane to the traveling lane again, the driver blinks the left turn signal. Therefore S
It is determined to be YES in 120, and the own vehicle speed at this time, that is, the overtaking lane speed when traveling in the overtaking lane is VLE.
It is stored in the memory 18 as FT (S200). After the traveling lane speed VRIGTH and the overtaking lane speed VLEFT are stored in the memory 18, the ECU 14 controls the difference VLEF between them.
It is determined whether T-VRIGHT is greater than or equal to a predetermined value V0 (S210). If the difference between VRIGHT and VLEFT is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, it means that there is a large difference between the flow of vehicles in the traveling lane and the flow of vehicles in the overtaking lane,
Therefore, as described above, when changing the lane from the overtaking lane to the traveling lane, it is necessary to set the speed to match the flow of vehicles in the traveling lane. Therefore, the ECU 14 reads VRIGHT from the memory 18 and sets it to the target speed VT (S220). Then, the flag FLG = 1 is set (S230). After the lane change from the overtaking lane to the driving lane, both S100 and S120 are NO, and since the flag is set to 1 in S230 described above,
Next, it is determined whether or not there is a preceding vehicle (target) (S130, S300). After the lane is changed to the traveling lane, if there is a preceding vehicle in this traveling lane, it is determined whether or not the relative speed is fixed (S310). As described above, the relative speed is obtained by time-differentiating the inter-vehicle distance with respect to the preceding vehicle detected by the radar device 10. The relative speed will not be determined until the calculation. Therefore, follow-up running cannot be performed, and in this case, the host vehicle speed is controlled to VRIGHT set as the target vehicle speed VT, that is, the traveling lane speed (S320). Generally, since VLEFT> VRIGHT, specifically, the throttle is fully closed to perform deceleration control. Similarly, when there is no target to follow, V
The vehicle speed is controlled by RIGHT (S300, S320).

When the vehicle speed is controlled by VRIGHT and the inter-vehicle distance to the target and the relative speed are determined, S31
It is determined to be YES at 0, and it is determined whether or not the left turn signal is OFF (S140). When the left turn signal is OFF, it means that the lane change to the traveling lane has already been completed, and the flag FLG = 0 is set to shift to the normal following traveling (S160). The left turn signal is not OFF, that is, the left turn signal is turned on to change the lane, but the lane change is still in progress (that is, the left turn signal is turned on, but the own vehicle is still on the overtaking lane). Since the flag FLG remains 1, the vehicle speed is controlled by VRIGHT unless the relative speed with the target is fixed.

In this way, when the lane is changed from the overtaking lane to the traveling lane, the left turn signal is turned on and then turned off.
In the meantime, when there is no preceding vehicle that is the target of the follow-up traveling or when the relative speed with respect to the preceding vehicle is not fixed, the vehicle speed is controlled to the traveling lane speed VRIGHT, so that the vehicle traveling in the traveling lane is controlled. It becomes possible to travel along the flow, and it is possible to eliminate the possibility that the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle in the traveling lane is sharply reduced.

The same applies to the case where the lane is changed from the traveling lane to the overtaking lane. In the process of FIG. 2, the same process as S210-S230 is performed after the process of S110 (however, the target vehicle speed VT is set to VLEFT, And flag FLG
= 2), and after the processing of S130, S140 is performed.
-Processing similar to S320 (however, after S130, FLG
= 2, and after S140, right turn signal OF
Whether FL or not is determined. If FLG = 2, S300-
The same process as S320 is performed, and when FLG = 2 is not satisfied, the process proceeds to S140). In this case, until the lane change to the overtaking lane is completed, that is, until the right turn signal is turned off. In the meantime, when there is no preceding vehicle that is the target of the follow-up traveling or when the relative speed with respect to the preceding vehicle is not fixed, the own vehicle speed is set as the overtaking lane speed VLEF.
By controlling the vehicle speed to T, it becomes possible to travel along the flow of the vehicle in the overtaking lane, and it is possible to eliminate the possibility that the inter-vehicle distance to the succeeding vehicle in the overtaking lane is sharply reduced.

[0020]

As described above, according to the vehicle travel control device of the present invention, when the lane is changed from the first lane to the second lane or from the second lane to the first lane during follow-up traveling. However, since it is possible to immediately drive in line with the flow of lanes after changing lanes, it is possible to prevent sudden approach of the preceding vehicle and rapid approach of the following vehicle and continue safe and smooth follow-up running. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a processing flowchart of an ECU of the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a lane change of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a lane change explanatory diagram of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Radar Device 12 Vehicle Speed Sensor 14 ECU 16 Direction Indicator (Winker) Operation Switch 18 Memory 20 Throttle Actuator 22 Brake Actuator

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle travel control device for controlling a vehicle speed based on a vehicle-to-vehicle distance to a preceding vehicle to follow the preceding vehicle, the vehicle-to-vehicle distance detecting means for detecting a vehicle-to-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle, and a vehicle speed Speed detecting means for detecting, first storing means for storing a first lane speed, which is the own vehicle speed when the turn indicator of the own vehicle operates when changing lanes from the first lane to the second lane, and from the second lane Second storage means for storing a second lane speed, which is the own vehicle speed when the turn indicator of the own vehicle is operated when the lane is changed to the first lane, and a difference between the first lane speed and the second lane speed is a predetermined value. A determining means for determining whether or not the above is true, and a predetermined time when changing lanes corresponds to the lane stored in the first or second storing means when the determining means determines that the predetermined value or more A control means for controlling the own vehicle speed to the lane speed, The vehicle control system for.