Control apparatus for vehicle, control method for vehicle, and computer-readable recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020282989-A1
Application number	US-202016735850-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 7, 2020
Priority date	Mar 8, 2019
Publication date	Sep 10, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A control apparatus for a vehicle includes a skill level acquiring unit and an inter-vehicle distance controller. The skill level acquiring unit is configured to acquire a driving skill level of a driver of a first vehicle other than a second vehicle. The second vehicle is an own vehicle. The inter-vehicle distance controller is configured to control an inter-vehicle distance from the first vehicle to the second vehicle on the basis of the driving skill level acquired by the skill level acquiring unit.

First claim

1 . A control apparatus for a vehicle, the control apparatus comprising:
a skill level acquiring unit configured to acquire a driving skill level of a driver of a first vehicle other than a second vehicle, the second vehicle being an own vehicle; and an inter-vehicle distance controller configured to control an inter-vehicle distance from the first vehicle to the second vehicle on a basis of the driving skill level acquired by the skill level acquiring unit.

2 . The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the inter-vehicle distance controller is configured to cause the inter-vehicle distance to be greater as the acquired driving skill level is lower.

3 . The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first vehicle is preceding the second vehicle.

4 . The control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the inter-vehicle distance controller is configured to cause the inter-vehicle distance to be longer when the second vehicle is performing automatic driving.

5 . The control apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a skill level determining unit configured to perform determination of a driving skill level of a driver of the second vehicle; and a transmission process unit configured to transmit, to the first vehicle, a result of the determination performed by the skill level determining unit.

6 . The control apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the transmission process unit is configured to transmit the result of the determination to the first vehicle and prompt the first vehicle to change a setting of the inter-vehicle distance.

7 . The control apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the first vehicle is following the second vehicle.

8 . The control apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the transmission process unit is configured to transmit the result of the determination to the first vehicle when the automatic driving of the second vehicle is stopped.

9 . A control apparatus for a vehicle, the control apparatus comprising:
a skill level acquiring unit configured to acquire a driving skill level of a driver of a first vehicle other than a second vehicle, the second vehicle being an own vehicle; and a lane change unit configured to perform lane change of the second vehicle when a predetermined condition based on the driving skill level acquired by the skill level acquiring unit is satisfied.

10 . The control apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the first vehicle is traveling side by side with the second vehicle.

11 . The control apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the lane change unit is configured to perform the lane change of the second vehicle to cause the second vehicle to travel in front of the first vehicle.

12 . The control apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a contact time period estimating unit configured to estimate a contact time period, the contact time period being a period of time to a time at which the second vehicle comes into contact with the first vehicle when the lane change is to be performed, wherein
the predetermined condition is satisfied when the contact time period is equal to or greater than a predetermined time period.

13 . The control apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the lane change unit is configured to change the predetermined time period on a basis of the acquired driving skill level.

14 . The control apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the lane change unit is configured to cause the predetermined time period to be longer as the acquired driving skill level is lower.

15 . The control apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein
the lane change unit is configured to accelerate the second vehicle on a condition that the contact time period is shorter than the predetermined time period and a vehicle speed of the first vehicle is lower than a vehicle speed of the second vehicle, and perform the lane change when the contact time period becomes equal to or longer than the predetermined time period after the second vehicle is accelerated.

16 . The control apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the lane change unit is configured to perform the lane change when the second vehicle is performing automatic driving.

17 . A control method for a vehicle, the control method comprising:
acquiring a driving skill level of a driver of a first vehicle other than a second vehicle, the second vehicle being an own vehicle; and controlling an inter-vehicle distance from the first vehicle to the second vehicle on a basis of the acquired driving skill level.

18 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium containing a program, the program causing, when executed by a computer, the computer to implement a method, the method comprising:
acquiring a driving skill level of a driver of a first vehicle other than a second vehicle, the second vehicle being an own vehicle; and controlling an inter-vehicle distance from the first vehicle to the second vehicle on a basis of the acquired driving skill level.

Assignees

• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Sugiyama Akiko
• Torii Takeshi
• Sumikawa Ryuichi
• Sato Noeru

Classifications

• B60W2556/65

  Data transmitted between vehicles · CPC title

• B60W2754/30

  Longitudinal distance · CPC title

• B60W30/18163 Primary

  Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres · CPC title

• B60W2554/404

  Characteristics · CPC title

• B60W40/09

  Driving style or behaviour · CPC title