Vehicle control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018281803-A1
Application number	US-201815936642-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 27, 2018
Priority date	Mar 31, 2017
Publication date	Oct 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle control device is equipped with an intersection detection unit configured to detect an intersection that is on a planned travel route of a host vehicle, and in which it is intended to turn to the right or left from a first travel lane across a first oncoming lane, and a driving control unit configured to carry out a travel control automatically, so as to avoid a situation in which the host vehicle is left remaining within the detected intersection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle control device configured to control traveling of a host vehicle at least partially automatically, comprising:
an intersection detection unit configured to detect an intersection that is on a planned travel route of the host vehicle, and in which it is intended to turn to right or left from a first travel lane across a first oncoming lane opposed to the first travel lane; and a driving control unit configured to perform a travel control automatically, so as to avoid a situation in which the host vehicle is left remaining within the intersection that is detected by the intersection detection unit.

2 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a possibility determining unit configured to make a determination concerning a possibility for the host vehicle to be left remaining within the intersection; wherein, in a case it is determined by the possibility determining unit that the possibility is relatively high, the driving control unit performs a travel control that differs from a case in which it is determined that the possibility is relatively low.

3 . The vehicle control device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
an information acquisition unit configured to acquire traffic signal information in relation to an illumination time of a traffic signal installed at the intersection; wherein, using the traffic signal information acquired by the information acquisition unit, the possibility determining unit makes the determination concerning the possibility by evaluating a time concerned with right or left turning of the host vehicle.

4 . The vehicle control device according to claim 3 , wherein:
the information acquisition unit further acquires traffic flow information in relation to a flow of traffic in the first oncoming lane; wherein, further using the traffic flow information acquired by the information acquisition unit, the possibility determining unit makes the determination concerning the possibility by evaluating a time concerned with right or left turning of the host vehicle.

5 . The vehicle control device according to claim 2 , wherein:
the possibility determining unit makes the determination concerning the possibility during a period in which the host vehicle has not yet reached the intersection; and in the case it is determined that the possibility is relatively low, the driving control unit performs a travel control to cause the host vehicle to enter into the intersection, whereas in the case it is determined that the possibility is relatively high, the driving control unit performs a travel control to cause the host vehicle to stop in front of the intersection.

6 . The vehicle control device according to claim 5 , wherein, in the case it is determined that the possibility is relatively high, the driving control unit performs a request control to issue a request with respect to a driver of the host vehicle to take over responsibility for manual driving, while the host vehicle is being decelerated, or is in a state in which the host vehicle is stopped.

7 . The vehicle control device according to claim 2 , wherein:
in a case that the host vehicle makes a right or left turn at the intersection by moving from the first travel lane into a second travel lane that intersects with the first travel lane, while crossing over the first oncoming lane, the possibility determining unit makes the determination concerning the possibility during a period in which the host vehicle exists in an intersection region of the first travel lane with a second oncoming lane opposed to the second travel lane.

8 . The vehicle control device according to claim 7 , wherein, in the case it is determined that the possibility is relatively low, the driving control unit performs a travel control to continue to stop the host vehicle, whereas in the case it is determined that the possibility is relatively high, the driving control unit performs a travel control to cause the host vehicle to move to within an intersection region of the first travel lane with the second travel lane.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• MUKAI Takuyuki
• Tanaka Jun
• Honda Shigehiro
• Ibuka Jun

Classifications

• B60W60/0053

  from vehicle to occupant · CPC title

• B60W50/082

  Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling · CPC title

• B60W30/18154 Primary

  Approaching an intersection · CPC title

• B60W60/0027

  using trajectory prediction for other traffic participants · CPC title

• G08G1/056 Primary

  with provision for distinguishing direction of travel · CPC title