JP7792833B2 - Driving assistance device, driving assistance method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a driving assistance device, a driving assistance method, and a program.

In recent years, inventions have been disclosed for vehicle control devices that perform automatic deceleration control and automatic steering control (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-50010

Vehicles that can perform automatic steering control in addition to automatic deceleration control have a higher probability of being able to respond quickly to sudden changes in the vehicle's surrounding environment, resulting in a relatively high degree of control leeway. On the other hand, if there is no avoidance space to the side of the target object, automatic steering control becomes difficult, and the degree of control leeway is the same as for vehicles that only perform automatic deceleration control. Conventional technology has sometimes been unable to operate in response to such differences in the environment.

The present invention was made in consideration of these circumstances, and one of its objectives is to provide a driving assistance device, driving assistance method, and program that can perform appropriate preparatory actions according to the surrounding conditions of a target object.

A driving assistance device, a driving assistance method, and a program according to the present invention employ the following configuration.
(1): A driving assistance device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a braking control unit that refers to an output of a detection device that detects the presence of an object present ahead of a vehicle, and instructs a braking device of the vehicle to stop the vehicle when a proximity between a target object among the objects and the vehicle satisfies a first condition, and a steering avoidance control unit that instructs the steering device of the vehicle to avoid contact with the target object by steering. The braking control unit includes a first preparatory movement control unit and a second preparatory movement control unit. The first preparatory movement control unit performs a first preparatory movement when the proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition but does not satisfy a specific condition, and performs a first preparatory movement with the first preparatory movement suppressed when the proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies the second condition and also satisfies the specific condition. The second preparatory movement control unit When the degree of proximity satisfies a third condition, and when the third condition is satisfied, it is determined that there is no space in any of the lanes to the side of the target object in which the vehicle can proceed after performing the steering to avoid the object, and the specific condition is not satisfied, a second preparatory movement is performed; when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies the third condition, and when the third condition is satisfied, it is determined that there is no space in any of the lanes to the side of the target object in which the vehicle can proceed after performing the steering to avoid the object, and the specific condition is satisfied, a second preparatory movement in which the second preparatory movement is suppressed is performed; the first condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the second condition, the second condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the third condition, and the specific condition is that the vehicle encounters a situation in which acceleration is required.

(2): In the above aspect (1), the specific condition is that the vehicle encounters a situation in which another vehicle is accelerating or the speed of the vehicle is being restricted.

(3): In the above (1) or (2) aspect, the scene is a scene in which the vehicle is traveling on an uphill road, has passed the entrance to a toll road, has passed the exit of a toll road, has passed the exit of a service area, is merging from a branch line onto a main line, or is merging from a main line onto a branch line.

(4): In any of the above aspects (1) to (3), suppressing the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement means delaying the timing of performing the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement.

(5): In the above aspect (4), the first preparatory action or the second preparatory action is an action to increase the deceleration rate of the vehicle or an action to notify the driver of the vehicle.

(6): In any of the above aspects (1) to (5), the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement is a movement that increases the degree of deceleration of the vehicle, and suppressing the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement is suppressing the degree of increase in the degree of deceleration.

(7): In any of the above aspects (1) to (6), the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement is an movement to notify the driver of the vehicle, and suppressing the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement means suppressing the degree of notification to the driver of the vehicle.

(8): In any of the above aspects (1) to (7), the first preparatory movement control unit or the second preparatory movement control unit determines the degree or manner of suppression depending on the type of scene.

(9): In any of the above aspects (1) to (8), the scene is a scene in which the vehicle is traveling on an uphill road, and the first preparatory movement control unit or the second preparatory movement control unit determines the degree or manner of suppression depending on the gradient of the uphill road.

(10): A driving assistance method according to one aspect of the present invention includes a driving assistance device that refers to the output of a detection device that detects the presence of an object ahead of a vehicle, and if a degree of proximity between a target object among the objects and the vehicle satisfies a first condition, instructs a braking device of the vehicle to stop the vehicle and instructs a steering device of the vehicle to avoid contact with the target object by steering, and if a degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition but does not satisfy a specific condition, performs a first preparatory movement, and if a degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies the second condition and satisfies the specific condition, performs a first preparatory movement that suppresses the first preparatory movement, and if a degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition and the third condition is satisfied, If it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object to allow progress after the steering-based evasion is performed and the specific condition is not met, a second preparatory movement is performed; the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle meets a third condition; at the point in time when the third condition is met, it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object to allow progress after the steering-based evasion is performed and the specific condition is met, a second preparatory movement is performed in which the second preparatory movement is suppressed; the first condition is met when the degree of proximity is higher than the second condition, the second condition is met when the degree of proximity is higher than the third condition, and the specific condition is that the vehicle encounters a situation where acceleration is required.

(11): A program according to one aspect of the present invention includes the following steps: referring to the output of a detection device that detects the presence of an object in front of a vehicle; and, if the degree of proximity between a target object and the vehicle satisfies a first condition, instructing the braking device of the vehicle to stop the vehicle; instructing the steering device of the vehicle to avoid contact with the target object by steering; performing a first preparatory movement if the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition but does not satisfy a specific condition; performing a first preparatory movement with the first preparatory movement suppressed if the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies the second condition and the specific condition; and performing a first preparatory movement if the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition and the third condition is satisfied. and a process of performing a second preparatory movement when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object after performing the steering-based evasion and the specific condition is not satisfied; and a process of performing a second preparatory movement in which the second preparatory movement is suppressed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition and, at the time the third condition is satisfied, it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object after performing the steering-based evasion and the specific condition is satisfied; the first condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the second condition, the second condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the third condition, and the specific condition is that the vehicle encounters a situation that requires acceleration.

The above aspect allows for appropriate preparatory movements to be performed according to the surrounding conditions of the target object.

1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle equipped with a driving assistance device according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an outline of functions of the driving assistance device. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an operating scene of a steering avoidance control unit. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a preparatory movement. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a flow of processing executed by the driving assistance device. FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 1) for explaining control that is executed when a specific condition is satisfied. FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 2) for explaining control that is executed when a specific condition is satisfied. FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 3) for explaining control that is executed when a specific condition is satisfied. FIG. 11 is a diagram (part 4) for explaining control that is executed when a specific condition is satisfied. FIG. 11 is a diagram (part 4) for explaining control that is executed when a specific condition is satisfied. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a scene where a main line merges into a support line. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of control pattern information 140. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of control pattern information 142.

Embodiments of the driving assistance device, driving assistance method, and program of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[Overall configuration]
1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle M equipped with a driving assistance device 100 according to an embodiment. The vehicle M may be, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its drive source may be an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination thereof. 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.

Vehicle M is equipped with, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, vehicle sensors 40, a navigation device 50, driving controls 80, a driving assistance device 100, a driving force output device 200, a braking device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and equipment are connected to each other via multiplexed communication lines such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, serial communication lines, a wireless communication network, etc. Note that the configuration shown in Figure 1 is merely an example, and some of the configuration may be omitted, or additional configuration may be added.

Camera 10 is a digital camera that uses a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). Camera 10 is attached to any location on the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as vehicle M) in which vehicle system 1 is installed. When capturing images of the front, camera 10 is attached to the top of the front windshield, the back of the rearview mirror, or the like. Camera 10, for example, periodically captures images of the surroundings of vehicle M. Camera 10 may also be a stereo camera.

The radar device 12 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 object's position (distance and direction). The radar device 12 may be mounted at any location on the vehicle M. The radar device 12 may also detect the object's position and speed using the FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

The LIDAR 14 irradiates the area around the vehicle M with light (or electromagnetic waves with wavelengths similar to light) and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time between light emission and light reception. The irradiated light is, for example, pulsed laser light. The LIDAR 14 can be attached to any location on the vehicle M.

The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the camera 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 to recognize the position, type, speed, etc. of the object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition results to the driving assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results from the camera 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 directly to the driving assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the vehicle system 1. Some or all of the camera 10, radar device 12, LIDAR 14, and object recognition device 16 are examples of "detection devices."

The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupants of the vehicle M and accepts input operations by the occupants. The HMI 30 includes various display devices, speakers, buzzers, vibration generators (vibrators), touch panels, switches, keys, etc.

The vehicle sensors 40 include a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the 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 orientation of the vehicle M.

The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver, a guidance control unit, and a memory unit that stores map information. The GNSS receiver determines the position of the vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M may be determined or supplemented by an INS (Inertial Navigation System) that uses the output of the vehicle sensors 40. The guidance control unit, for example, determines a route from the position of the vehicle M determined by the GNSS receiver (or any input position) to a destination input by the occupant by referring to map information, and outputs guidance information to the HMI 30 so that the vehicle M travels along the route. The map information is, for example, information that represents road shapes using links indicating roads and nodes connected by the links. The map information may also include road curvature and POI (Point of Interest) information. The navigation device 50 may transmit the current position and destination of the vehicle M to a navigation server via a communication device and obtain the route from the navigation server.

The driving operators 80 include, for example, an accelerator pedal, brake pedal, steering wheel, shift lever, and other operators. The driving operators 80 are fitted with sensors that detect the amount of operation or whether or not an operation has been performed, and the detection results are output to some or all of the driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220.

The driving force output device 200 outputs driving force (torque) to the drive wheels to drive the vehicle. The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and a transmission, and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls these. The ECU controls the above components according to information input from the driving assistance 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 an ECU. The ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from the driving assistance device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80, so that 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 operation of 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 also be an electronically controlled hydraulic brake device that controls an actuator according to information input from the driving assistance 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 force to a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steered wheels. The steering ECU drives the electric motor to change the direction of the steered wheels in accordance with information input from the driving assistance device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80.

[Driving assistance device]
The driving assistance device 100 includes, for example, a braking control unit 110, a steering avoidance control unit 120, and a second preparatory movement control unit 130. The braking control unit 110 includes a first preparatory movement control unit 112, and the second preparatory movement control unit 130 includes a steering avoidance feasibility determination unit 132. These functional units are realized, for example, by a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Furthermore, 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 a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device with a non-transitory storage medium) such as the HDD or flash memory of the driving assistance 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 driving assistance device 100 by inserting the storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) into a drive device.

The driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 are configured internally so that instructions from the driving assistance device 100 to them are executed with priority over detection results from the driving operator 80. Regarding braking, if the braking force based on the amount of brake pedal operation is greater than the instruction from the driving assistance device 100, the latter may be configured to be executed with priority. Furthermore, communication priority on the in-vehicle LAN may be used as a mechanism for prioritizing the execution of instructions from the driving assistance device 100.

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the functions of the driving assistance device 100. Each part of the driving assistance device 100 will be described below with reference to this diagram and Fig. 1. In Fig. 2, vehicle M is traveling on a three-lane road and is in lane L2, which is the center lane. D _M is the traveling direction of vehicle M.

The braking control unit 110 references the output of a detection device (described above) that detects the presence of an object ahead of the vehicle M, and if the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies a first condition, instructs the brake device 210 and/or the driving force output device 200 to decelerate and stop the vehicle M. The target object TO is an object that is on the same road as the vehicle M and in the direction of travel of the vehicle M, excluding objects that the vehicle M can climb over, such as manholes, and that the vehicle M must avoid contacting. The braking control unit 110 extracts such an object and sets it as the target object TO. In the example of Figure 2, the other vehicle at the rear of the vehicle is set as the target object TO in the conventional example. A road is, for example, a lane, but it may also be a virtual lane that the vehicle M sets virtually on a road surface without road dividing lines. The same applies to the following explanation.

The "degree of proximity" is expressed by various index values that indicate the degree of proximity between objects. For example, the "degree of proximity" is TTC (Time To Collision), an index value calculated by dividing distance by relative velocity (positive in the direction of approaching each other). If the relative velocity is negative (moving away from each other), the TTC is provisionally set to infinity. The smaller the TTC value, the higher the "degree of proximity." Satisfying the "first condition" means, for example, that the TTC is less than a first threshold value Th1. The first threshold value Th1 is, for example, a value of approximately a few tenths of a second. Instead of TTC, index values with similar properties, such as headway, distance, or other index values, may be used as the "degree of proximity." Furthermore, TTC adjusted to account for acceleration and jerk may also be used as the "degree of proximity." In the following explanation, the "degree of proximity" will be described as TTC.

When the TTC is less than the first threshold value Th1, the braking control unit 110 instructs the brake device 210 and/or the driving force output device 200 to output a braking force that decelerates the vehicle M at a first deceleration B1, for example. The first deceleration B1 is, for example, a deceleration of approximately tenths of a second [G] (close to 1). This causes the braking control unit 110 to quickly decelerate and stop the vehicle M, avoiding contact with the target object TO. The ECUs of the brake device 210 and the driving force output device 200 have the function of calculating the brake output, regenerative control amount, engine braking amount, etc. from the instructed deceleration, and the ECUs determine the respective control amounts based on the instructed deceleration and the speed of the vehicle M. This is a publicly known technology and will not be described in detail here.

The operation of the first preparatory movement control unit 112 will be described later, and the steering avoidance control unit 120 will be explained first.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of an operating situation of the steering avoidance control unit 120. When the braking control unit 110 determines that it will be difficult to stop the vehicle M before the target object TO, the steering avoidance control unit 120 determines whether there is space available for the vehicle M on the road to the side of the target object TO (e.g., lanes L1 and L2). If it determines that space exists, it generates an avoidance trajectory ET and instructs the steering device 220 to move the vehicle M along the avoidance trajectory ET (steering avoidance). For example, the steering avoidance control unit 120 determines whether there is an object in the lateral areas extending from slightly in front of the target vehicle TO to the rear on both sides of the target vehicle TO, such as areas A2L and A2R shown in Figure 3. If no object exists, it determines that there is space available for the vehicle M on the road to the side of the target object TO. The determination of whether it will be difficult for the braking control unit 110 to stop the vehicle M before the target object TO may be made by the braking control unit 110 or by the steering avoidance control unit 120. The steering avoidance control unit 120 also recognizes the boundaries of the road, for example by recognizing white lines and road shoulders in camera images, and may determine that an object exists in the area if either of the drivable areas A2L and A2R does not exist, for example if either of the lanes L1 and L3 does not exist.

Steering avoidance is performed when there is a sudden change in the vehicle's surrounding environment, such as when the target object TO decelerates unexpectedly, or when an object other than the recognized target object TO comes between the vehicle M and the target object TO and is set as the new target vehicle TO. In such situations, the deceleration calculated in advance to stop the vehicle in front of the target vehicle TO may not be sufficient, but having the steering avoidance function increases the probability of being able to respond to sudden changes in the vehicle's surrounding environment.

[Preparatory Action]
The following describes the processing of the first preparatory movement control unit 112 and the second preparatory movement control unit 130. Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the preparatory movements.

When the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies a second condition (e.g., when the TTC is less than the second threshold value Th2), the first preparatory movement control unit 112 performs a first preparatory movement to notify the driver of the vehicle M of the presence of the target object TO. The first preparatory movement is, for example, an operation to instruct the brake device 210 and/or the driving force output device 200 to output a braking force that decelerates the vehicle M at a second deceleration B2 during the period from when the TTC becomes less than the second threshold value Th2 to when it becomes less than the first threshold value Th1. The second deceleration B2 is a deceleration that is smaller (closer to zero) than the first deceleration B1. The second threshold value Th2 is a value greater than the first threshold value Th1. Therefore, the first condition is a condition that is met when the degree of proximity is higher than the second condition.

The second preparatory movement control unit 130 performs a second preparatory movement to notify the driver of the vehicle M of the presence of the target object TO when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies the third condition (for example, the TTC is less than the third threshold value Th3) and it is determined that there is no space available on any of the lanes to the side of the target object TO after steering to avoid the target object TO at the time the third condition is satisfied. The determination regarding the available space is made by the steering avoidance feasibility determination unit 132. The third threshold value Th3 is a value greater than the second threshold value Th2. Therefore, the second condition is a condition that is met when the degree of proximity is higher than the third condition.

For example, when the TTC falls below the third threshold value Th3, the steering avoidance feasibility determination unit 132 determines whether an object exists in the lateral areas extending from slightly in front of to slightly behind the target vehicle TO on both sides of the target vehicle TO, such as areas A1L and A1R shown in FIG. 4. If no object exists, the steering avoidance feasibility determination unit 132 determines that there is space available for vehicle M to proceed on the road to the side of the target object TO. Areas A1L and A1R are set larger than areas A2L and A2R, for example, taking into account future uncertainties. Like the steering avoidance control unit 120, the steering avoidance feasibility determination unit 132 also recognizes road boundaries by, for example, recognizing white lines and road shoulders in camera images. If either of the drivable areas A1L and A1R does not exist, for example, if either of the lanes L1 and L3 does not exist, the steering avoidance feasibility determination unit 132 may determine that an object exists in that area. In the example of Figure 4, since there is no object in area A1R, the steering avoidance feasibility determination unit 132 determines that there is space in the road to the side of the target object TO where the vehicle M can proceed.

The second preparatory operation is, for example, an operation in which, during the period from when the TTC falls below the third threshold value Th3 until when it falls below the first threshold value Th1, the brake device 210 and/or the driving force output device 200 are first instructed to output a braking force that decelerates the vehicle M at a third deceleration B3, and then the brake device 210 and/or the driving force output device 200 are instructed to output a braking force that decelerates the vehicle M at a fourth deceleration B4. The third deceleration B3 is, for example, a deceleration smaller (close to zero) than the second deceleration B2, and the fourth deceleration B4 is a deceleration greater than or approximately the same as the second deceleration and smaller than the first deceleration B1. The timing of switching from the third deceleration B3 to the fourth deceleration B4 may be set arbitrarily. For example, if the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies the 1.5 condition (for example, if the TTC is less than the threshold value Th1.5), the deceleration is switched from the third deceleration B3 to the fourth deceleration B4. The 1.5 condition is a condition that is met when the degree of proximity is higher than the second condition. If the second condition is met, the deceleration may be switched from the third deceleration B3 to the fourth deceleration B4.

In this way, the second preparatory movement is initiated earlier and in multiple stages compared to the first preparatory movement. As described above, in situations where steering avoidance is possible, there is a higher probability that the vehicle will be able to respond quickly to sudden changes in the environment around the vehicle, resulting in a relatively high degree of control leeway. On the other hand, if there is no evasive space to the side of the target object, even if the vehicle is equipped with a steering avoidance function, it will be difficult to execute that function, and the degree of control leeway will be the same as for vehicles that can only perform automatic stopping. In other words, in situations where steering avoidance is difficult, it is preferable to alert the driver of vehicle M more quickly and effectively than in situations where steering avoidance is possible. According to this embodiment, by initiating the second preparatory movement earlier and in multiple stages compared to the first preparatory movement, appropriate preparatory movement can be performed according to the surrounding conditions of the target object.

Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow executed by the driving assistance device 100.

First, the braking control unit 110 identifies the target object TO (step S1). Next, the second preparatory movement control unit 130 determines whether the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the third threshold value Th3 (step S2). If the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is equal to or greater than the third threshold value Th3, the process returns to step S1.

If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the third threshold value Th3, the steering avoidance determination unit 132 of the second preparatory movement control unit 130 determines whether there is space on the road to the side of the target object TO where the vehicle M can proceed (step S3).

If it is determined that there is no space on the road to the side of the target object TO that allows the vehicle M to proceed, the second preparatory movement control unit 130 executes the second preparatory movement (step S4). Next, the second preparatory movement control unit 130 determines whether the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO has increased to equal to or greater than the third threshold value Th3 (step S5). If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO has increased to equal to or greater than the third threshold value Th3, the process returns to step S1.

If it is not determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO has increased to or exceeded the third threshold value Th3, the braking control unit 110 determines whether the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the first threshold value Th1 (step S6). If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is greater than or equal to the first threshold value Th1, the process returns to step S3. If a positive determination is obtained in step S3, the second preparatory movement is stopped, and the processes from step S8 onwards are executed. If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the first threshold value Th1, the braking control unit 110 outputs a braking force to the brake device 210 and/or the driving force output device 200 to decelerate the vehicle M at a first deceleration B1, thereby slowing and stopping the vehicle M (step S7). At this time, as described above, steering avoidance may be performed instead of (or in addition to) decelerating and stopping the vehicle M.

If a positive determination is obtained in step S3, i.e., if the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the third threshold value Th3 and there is space on the road to the side of the target object TO where the vehicle M can proceed, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 of the braking control unit 110 determines whether the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the second threshold value Th2 (step S8). If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is equal to or greater than the second threshold value Th2, processing returns to step S1.

If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the second threshold value Th2, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 executes the first preparatory movement (step S9). Next, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 determines whether the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO has increased to equal to or greater than the second threshold value Th2 (step S10). If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO has increased to equal to or greater than the second threshold value Th2, the process returns to step S1.

If it is not determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO has increased to or exceeded the second threshold value Th2, the braking control unit 110 determines whether the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the first threshold value Th1 (step S11). If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is greater than or equal to the first threshold value Th1, the process returns to step S3. If a negative determination is obtained in step S3, the first preparatory movement is stopped and the processes from step S4 onwards are executed. If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the first threshold value Th1, the braking control unit 110 outputs a first deceleration B1 to the brake device 210 and/or the driving force output device 200 to decelerate and stop the vehicle M (step S7).

According to the embodiment described above, if the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies the third condition, and if it is determined at the time the third condition is satisfied that there is no space in any of the lanes to the side of the target object TO that can be used to proceed after steering to avoid the target object TO, a second preparatory movement is performed that is initiated earlier than the first preparatory movement, thereby making it possible to perform an appropriate preparatory movement according to the surrounding conditions of the target object TO.

In the above embodiment, during either the first or second preparatory movement, instead of outputting braking force, a warning display, audio output, vibration output, etc. may be performed. In this case, examples of performing the second preparatory movement in multiple stages include, instead of outputting braking force in stages while changing the deceleration rate as described above, differentiating the attention level (contrast, brightness, color, etc.) of the first display screen from the second and subsequent display screens, differentiating the content or volume of the first audio output from the second and subsequent audio outputs, or making the vibration output larger from the second and subsequent times than the first.

In the above embodiment, if the branching route to the destination set in the navigation device 50 is on either the left or right side of the lane in which the vehicle M is traveling, a lane change may be forced during the preparatory movement. This will ultimately move the vehicle M in a direction closer to the destination and guide the vehicle M to a state where no objects that could become target objects are near the vehicle M.

In the above example, the processing performed when vehicle M does not satisfy a specific condition was described. When vehicle M satisfies a specific condition, it performs processing that is different from when the specific condition is not satisfied. The specific condition is when vehicle M encounters a situation that requires acceleration. Vehicle M encountering a situation that requires acceleration may mean, for example, that vehicle M is currently encountering the situation, or that vehicle M will encounter the situation after a predetermined time (or after traveling a predetermined distance).

The specific condition is when vehicle M encounters a situation in which another vehicle is accelerating, or when vehicle M's speed is being restricted. Examples of situations that correspond to the specific condition include traveling on an uphill road, passing through the entrance to a toll road, passing through the exit to a toll road, passing through the exit to a service area, merging from a branch line onto a main line, and merging from a main line onto a branch line.

[Control executed when specific conditions are met (1)]
The first preparatory movement control unit 112 performs the above-mentioned first preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle M satisfies the second condition but does not satisfy the specific condition, and performs a first preparatory movement that suppresses the above-mentioned first preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle M satisfies the second condition and also satisfies the specific condition.

Suppression includes one or both of suppression method 1 and suppression method 2. Suppression method 1 involves delaying the timing of performing the preparatory movement. Suppression method 2 involves suppressing the rate of increase in the deceleration rate below the rate of increase in the deceleration rate performed in the first preparatory movement (or the second preparatory movement). Suppression method 2 may also involve suppressing the level of notification below the level of notification performed in the first preparatory movement (or the second preparatory movement). Examples of these methods are described below.

Figure 6 is a diagram (part 1) for explaining the control that is executed when a specific condition is met. If the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M meets the second condition and also meets the specific condition, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 does not perform the first preparatory movement, but if the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M meets the second # condition (for example, if the TTC is less than the second threshold Th2#), it performs the first preparatory movement to notify the driver of the vehicle M of the presence of the target object TO. The second threshold Th2# is a value that is smaller than the second threshold Th2 and larger than the first threshold Th1. Therefore, the second # condition is a condition that is met when the degree of proximity is higher than the second condition.

In the example of Figure 6, vehicle M is traveling on an uphill gradient UH. The same applies to Figures 7 to 9, which will be described later. In the example of Figure 6, target object TO is located on the uphill gradient UH, but target object TO does not have to be located on the uphill gradient UH. Vehicle M also does not have to be located on the uphill gradient UH, or it may be located on the uphill gradient UH. When the speed of vehicle M is suppressed, the first preparatory movement (or second preparatory movement) is suppressed.

Figure 7 is a diagram (part 2) for explaining the control executed when a specific condition is met. The following explanation focuses on the differences from Figure 6. The first preparatory movement control unit 112 performs the first preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M meets the second condition and also meets the specific condition. In this case, the intensity of the first preparatory movement is reduced compared to the first preparatory movement performed when the specific condition is not met. For example, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 controls the vehicle M at deceleration B2 when the specific condition is not met, and controls the vehicle M at deceleration B2# when the specific condition is met. Deceleration B2# is a deceleration smaller than deceleration B2. The first preparatory movement control unit 112 may control the deceleration to deceleration B2 when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M meets the second # condition and also meets the specific condition.

In the above example, an example was described in which the deceleration was suppressed, but instead (or in addition) the degree of notification may be suppressed. Furthermore, the process of suppressing the degree of deceleration or notification and the process of delaying the timing of deceleration or notification may be performed in combination. For example, the timing of deceleration or notification may be delayed, and at that time the degree of deceleration or notification may be suppressed.

For example, when traveling up an uphill gradient UH, the vehicle M may accelerate to avoid excessive deceleration on the uphill gradient UH. In this case, if the first preparatory movement (or the second preparatory movement) is performed without being suppressed, it may place an excessive burden on the occupants of the vehicle M. For example, the vehicle M may not travel smoothly, and it may not be desirable to perform the first preparatory movement (or the second preparatory movement) without being suppressed. Therefore, in this embodiment, as described above, the driving assistance device 100 suppresses the first preparatory movement when a specific condition is met, thereby enabling an appropriate preparatory movement to be performed in accordance with the surrounding conditions of the target object.

[Control executed when specific conditions are met (2)]
FIG. 8 is a diagram (part 3) for explaining control executed when a specific condition is satisfied. The second preparatory movement control unit 130 does not perform the second preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies the third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object TO after steering to avoid the target object TO at the time the third condition is satisfied, and when a specific condition is satisfied (for example, when the TTC is less than the third threshold Th3#), the second preparatory movement control unit 130 performs the second preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies the third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object TO after steering to avoid the target object TO at the time the third condition is satisfied (for example, when the TTC is less than the third threshold Th3#), and when a specific condition is satisfied. The third threshold Th3# is a value smaller than the third threshold Th and larger than the threshold Th1.5. Therefore, the third condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the third condition.

Figure 9 is a diagram (part 4) for explaining the control executed when a specific condition is satisfied. The following focuses on the differences from Figure 8. The second preparatory movement control unit 130 performs the second preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies the third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the lanes to the side of the target object TO after steering to avoid the collision, and when the specific condition is satisfied. In this case, the intensity of the second preparatory movement is reduced compared to the second preparatory movement performed when the specific condition is not satisfied. For example, the second preparatory movement control unit 130 controls the vehicle M at deceleration B3 when the specific condition is not satisfied, and controls the vehicle M at deceleration B3# when the specific condition is satisfied. Deceleration B3# is a deceleration smaller than deceleration B3. The second preparatory movement control unit 130 may control the deceleration to deceleration B3 when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies condition 3# and the specific condition.

In this embodiment, as described above, the driving assistance device 100 suppresses the second preparatory movement when certain conditions are met, thereby enabling an appropriate preparatory movement to be performed in accordance with the surrounding conditions of the target object.

[Control executed when specific conditions are met (3)]
As described above, the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement may also be suppressed when the vehicle M passes through the entrance or exit of a toll road (or a road with an entrance or exit). FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 5) for explaining control that is executed when a specific condition is satisfied. The following description will focus on differences from FIG. 9 . As shown in FIG. 10 , when the vehicle M passes through the entrance or exit of a toll road, other vehicles may accelerate to ensure smooth traffic in the area where the entrance or exit has been passed, and it is preferable for the vehicle M to also accelerate. In such a case, the driving assistance device 100 may suppress the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement.

As described above, when specific conditions are met, the driving assistance device 100 suppresses the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement, thereby enabling appropriate preparatory movements to be performed according to the surrounding conditions of the target object.

[Control executed when specific conditions are met (4)]
The specific scene may be a scene in which a vehicle merges from a main lane to a support lane. Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a scene in which a vehicle merges from a main lane to a support lane. In the example of Fig. 11, a vehicle M and a target object TO are present on a lane L1, which is a branch lane. The target object TO is present in a connection area AR. The lane L1 disappears ahead of the target object TO.

In situations such as the one shown in FIG. 11, it may be desirable for vehicle M to accelerate in order to merge smoothly. In such cases, if the first preparatory movement (or the second preparatory movement) is activated without being suppressed, it may not be desirable for smooth merging. For this reason, when specific conditions are met, driving assistance device 100 can suppress the first preparatory movement (or the second preparatory movement) to perform an appropriate preparatory movement according to the surrounding conditions of the target object. FIG. 11 shows an example in which the timing of performing the first preparatory movement is delayed.

Although not shown in the figures, the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement may also be suppressed as described above when vehicle M approaches the exit of a service area (entering the main line). Furthermore, the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement may also be suppressed as described above when vehicle M enters a branch line branching off from the main line. For example, consider a case where the main line is congested, the branch line is not congested, and vehicle M enters the branch line from the main line. When vehicle M travels from the main line to the branch line, it may accelerate and proceed onto the branch line. If the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement is not suppressed in such a situation, the driver may feel uncomfortable. In this embodiment, when specific conditions are met, driving assistance device 100 suppresses the first preparatory movement (or the second preparatory movement) to perform an appropriate preparatory movement according to the surrounding conditions of the target object.

[Control executed when specific conditions are met (5)]
The first preparatory movement control unit 112 or the second preparatory movement control unit 130 may change the suppression pattern depending on the type of scene. The first preparatory movement control unit 112 or the second preparatory movement control unit 130 determines the control pattern, for example, by referring to control pattern information 140 stored in a storage device of the driving assistance device 100. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the control pattern information 140. The control pattern information 140 includes restriction pattern information for the first preparatory movement and restriction pattern information for the second preparatory movement. The restriction pattern information for the first preparatory movement and the restriction pattern information for the second preparatory movement are each associated with a control pattern for each scene.

The control pattern for each scene is, for example, information that associates the timing (delay) of the first or second preparatory movement with the deceleration or level of notification corresponding to the movement. The control pattern is, for example, information generated experimentally or based on the behavior of the vehicle when passing through a specific area. The control pattern is generated, for example, to reduce the driver's discomfort and prevent excessive first or second preparatory movement. For example, if the scene is an uphill slope, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 employs pattern A, and if the scene is the entrance to a toll road, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 employs pattern B. This allows for a more appropriate preparatory movement to be performed according to the surrounding conditions of the target object.

[Control executed when specific conditions are met (6)]
The first preparatory movement control unit 112 or the second preparatory movement control unit 130 may change the suppression pattern depending on the characteristics of the scene. For example, the suppression pattern may be changed depending on the gradient of an uphill slope. The first preparatory movement control unit 112 or the second preparatory movement control unit 130 determines the control pattern by, for example, referring to control pattern information 142 stored in the storage device of the driving assistance device 100. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the content of the control pattern information 142. The control pattern information 142 includes restriction pattern information for the first preparatory movement and restriction pattern information for the second preparatory movement. The restriction pattern information for the first preparatory movement and the restriction pattern information for the second preparatory movement are each associated with a control pattern for each characteristic of the scene.

The control pattern for each scene characteristic is, for example, information that associates the timing (delay) of the first or second preparatory movement with the deceleration or level of notification corresponding to the movement. The control pattern is, for example, information generated experimentally or based on the behavior of the vehicle when passing through a specific area. The control pattern is generated to, for example, reduce the driver's discomfort or prevent excessive first or second preparatory movements. For example, a scene characteristic is the slope of an uphill slope. If the slope is 1, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 adopts pattern a, and if the slope is 2, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 adopts pattern b. This allows a preparatory movement appropriate to the slope to be performed. Note that if the slope is equal to or less than a threshold, the first or second preparatory movement may not be suppressed. The slope may be information obtained from map information, or may be recognized by the driving assistance device 100 from the recognition results of the object recognition device 16.

As described above, the driving assistance device 100 can perform an appropriate preparatory movement according to the surrounding conditions of the target object by controlling the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement.

The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows.
a storage medium for storing computer-readable instructions;
a processor connected to the storage medium;
The processor executes the computer-readable instructions to:
refer to an output from a detection device that detects the presence of an object present ahead of the vehicle, and when an index value obtained by dividing the distance between a target object among the objects and the vehicle by a relative speed is less than a first threshold value, perform one or both of instructing a braking device of the vehicle to stop the vehicle and instructing a steering device of the vehicle to avoid contact with the target object by steering;
performing a first preparatory movement when the index value is equal to a second threshold value and a specific condition is not satisfied;
performing a first preparatory movement in which the first preparatory movement is suppressed when the index value is equal to a second threshold value and the specific condition is satisfied;
when the index value satisfies a condition that the vehicle is less than a third threshold value and the third threshold value is satisfied, it is determined that there is no space in any of the paths to the side of the target object in which the vehicle can proceed after performing the steering to avoid the target object, and the specific condition is not satisfied, a second preparatory movement is performed;
performing a second preparatory movement in which the second preparatory movement is suppressed when the index value satisfies the third threshold value, and when it is determined that there is no space in any of the paths to the side of the target object in which the vehicle can proceed after performing the steering-based avoidance at the time when the third threshold value is satisfied, and the specific condition is satisfied;
the first threshold is less than the second threshold,
the second threshold is less than the third threshold,
The specific condition is that the vehicle is encountering a situation in which another vehicle is accelerating or a situation in which the speed of the vehicle is being suppressed.
Driving assistance device.

The above describes the form for carrying out the present invention using an embodiment, but the present invention is in no way limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

10 Camera 12 Radar device 14 LIDAR
16 Object recognition device 80 Driving operator 100 Driving support device 110 Braking control unit 112 First preparatory movement control unit 120 Steering avoidance control unit 130 Second preparatory movement control unit 132 Steering avoidance possibility determination unit 200 Traveling drive force output device 210 Braking device 220 Steering device

Claims (10)

a braking control unit that refers to an output of a detection device that detects the presence of an object present in front of the vehicle, and instructs a braking device of the vehicle to stop the vehicle when a degree of proximity between a target object among the objects and the vehicle satisfies a first condition;
a steering avoidance control unit that instructs a steering device of the vehicle to avoid contact with the target object by steering;
Equipped with
the braking control unit includes a first preparatory movement control unit and a second preparatory movement control unit,
The first preparatory operation control unit,
performing a first preparatory action when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition but does not satisfy a specific condition;
performing a first preparatory movement in which the first preparatory movement is suppressed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition and also satisfies the specific condition;
The second preparatory operation control unit is
a second preparatory movement is performed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object in which the vehicle can proceed after performing the steering to avoid the object at the time the third condition is satisfied, and the specific condition is not satisfied;
a second preparatory movement in which the second preparatory movement is suppressed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object to allow progression after performing the steering-based avoidance at the time the third condition is satisfied, and the specific condition is satisfied;
the first condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle is higher than the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle is higher than the second condition,
the second condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle is higher than the third condition,
the first preparatory action includes instructing a brake device to output a braking force, instructing a traveling drive force output device to decelerate the vehicle, outputting a display, outputting a sound, or outputting a vibration,
the second preparatory action includes instructing a brake device to output a braking force, instructing a traveling drive force output device to decelerate the vehicle, outputting a display, outputting a sound, or outputting a vibration,
the suppressed first preparatory movement is a process of suppressing a degree of deceleration or delaying a timing of deceleration compared to the first preparatory movement that is performed when a specific condition is not satisfied,
the suppressed second preparatory movement is a process of suppressing a degree of deceleration or delaying a timing of deceleration compared to the second preparatory movement that is performed when a specific condition is not satisfied,
The specific conditions include a situation in which the vehicle is traveling on an uphill road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed an entrance to a toll road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed an exit from a toll road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed an exit from a service area, a situation in which the vehicle is merging from a branch road onto a main road, or a situation in which the vehicle is merging from a main road onto a branch road .
Driving assistance device. The specific condition is a situation in which another vehicle ahead of the vehicle accelerates or a situation in which the speed of the vehicle is suppressed.
The driving assistance device according to claim 1 . The suppression of the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement means delaying a timing of performing the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement.
The driving assistance device according to claim 1 or 2 . The first preparatory action or the second preparatory action is an action of increasing a deceleration rate of the vehicle or an action of notifying a driver of the vehicle.
The driving assistance device according to claim 3 . the first preparatory action or the second preparatory action is an action for increasing a deceleration rate of the vehicle,
The suppression of the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement means suppressing an increase in the rate of deceleration.
The driving assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . the first preparatory action or the second preparatory action is an action for notifying a driver of the vehicle,
The suppression of the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement is suppression of the degree of notification given to the driver of the vehicle.
The driving assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . The first preparatory movement control unit or the second preparatory movement control unit, depending on the type of the scene,
determining the degree or manner of inhibition;
The driving assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 . the scene is a scene in which the vehicle is traveling on an uphill road, and the first preparatory movement control unit or the second preparatory movement control unit determines the degree or manner of suppression according to the gradient of the uphill road.
The driving assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 . Driving assistance devices,
referring to an output of a detection device that detects the presence of an object present in front of the vehicle, and instructing a braking device of the vehicle to stop the vehicle when a degree of proximity between a target object among the objects and the vehicle satisfies a first condition;
instructing a steering device of the vehicle to steer to avoid contact with the target object;
performing a first preparatory action when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition but does not satisfy a specific condition;
performing a first preparatory movement in which the first preparatory movement is suppressed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition and also satisfies the specific condition;
a second preparatory movement is performed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object in which the vehicle can proceed after performing the steering to avoid the object at the time the third condition is satisfied, and the specific condition is not satisfied;
a driving assistance method comprising: performing a second preparatory movement in which the second preparatory movement is suppressed when a degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition; determining that, at a time point when the third condition is satisfied, there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object in which the vehicle can proceed after performing the steering-based avoidance; and when the specific condition is satisfied;
the first condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the second condition,
the second condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of approach is higher than the third condition,
the first preparatory action includes instructing a brake device to output a braking force, instructing a traveling drive force output device to decelerate the vehicle, outputting a display, outputting a sound, or outputting a vibration,
the second preparatory action includes instructing a brake device to output a braking force, instructing a traveling drive force output device to decelerate the vehicle, outputting a display, outputting a sound, or outputting a vibration,
the suppressed first preparatory movement is a process of suppressing a degree of deceleration or delaying a timing of deceleration compared to the first preparatory movement that is performed when a specific condition is not satisfied,
the suppressed second preparatory movement is a process of suppressing a degree of deceleration or delaying a timing of deceleration compared to the second preparatory movement that is performed when a specific condition is not satisfied,
The specific conditions include a situation in which the vehicle is traveling on an uphill road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed through an entrance to a toll road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed through an exit of a toll road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed through an exit of a service area, a situation in which the vehicle is merging from a branch road onto a main road, or a situation in which the vehicle is merging from a main road onto a branch road .
Driving assistance methods. On the computer,
a process of referring to an output of a detection device that detects the presence of an object present ahead of the vehicle, and instructing a braking device of the vehicle to stop the vehicle when a degree of proximity between a target object among the objects and the vehicle satisfies a first condition;
a process of instructing a steering device of the vehicle to steer to avoid contact with the target object;
a process of performing a first preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition but does not satisfy a specific condition;
a process of performing a first preparatory movement in which the first preparatory movement is suppressed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition and also satisfies the specific condition;
a process of performing a second preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object to allow progression after performing the steering-based avoidance at the time the third condition is satisfied, and the specific condition is not satisfied;
a process of performing a second preparatory movement in which the second preparatory movement is suppressed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object to allow progression after performing the steering-based avoidance operation at the time the third condition is satisfied, and the specific condition is satisfied,
the first condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the second condition,
the second condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of approach is higher than the third condition,
the first preparatory action includes instructing a brake device to output a braking force, instructing a traveling drive force output device to decelerate the vehicle, outputting a display, outputting a sound, or outputting a vibration,
the second preparatory action includes instructing a brake device to output a braking force, instructing a traveling drive force output device to decelerate the vehicle, outputting a display, outputting a sound, or outputting a vibration,
the suppressed first preparatory movement is a process of suppressing a degree of deceleration or delaying a timing of deceleration compared to the first preparatory movement that is performed when a specific condition is not satisfied,
the suppressed second preparatory movement is a process of suppressing a degree of deceleration or delaying a timing of deceleration compared to the second preparatory movement that is performed when a specific condition is not satisfied,
The specific conditions include a situation in which the vehicle is traveling on an uphill road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed through an entrance to a toll road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed through an exit of a toll road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed through an exit of a service area, a situation in which the vehicle is merging from a branch road onto a main road, or a situation in which the vehicle is merging from a main road onto a branch road .
program.