TRAVEL CONTROL APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE

• US 20150360684A1
• Filed: 06/15/2015
• Published: 12/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: MATSUNO, Koji, EZOE, Shiro, OYAMA, Hajime, HORIGUCHI, Harunobu, NAGASE, Takayuki, TAKASO, Yasushi, MIZOGUCHI, Masato
• Granted Patent: US 9,809,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18163 Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres

Abstract

A travel control apparatus for a vehicle detects a vehicle to be passed that is an target of passing and is located in front of a vehicle equipped with the travel control apparatus in a traveling lane thereof on the basis of peripheral environment information and travel information, detects a following vehicle that is behind the vehicle in the traveling lane thereof as a following vehicle in the original lane on the basis of the peripheral environment information, monitors the vehicle to be passed and the following vehicle in the original lane, and variably controls a passing maneuver with respect to the vehicle to be passed on the basis of a monitoring result.

Claims

1. A travel control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a peripheral environment recognition unit that recognizes peripheral environment information on peripheral environment in which a vehicle equipped with the travel control apparatus is traveling;

a travel information detection unit that detects travel information on travel of the vehicle;

a vehicle to be passed detection unit that detects a vehicle to be passed on the basis of the peripheral environment information and the travel information, the vehicle to be passed being a target of passing located in front of the vehicle in a traveling lane thereof;

a following vehicle in original lane detection unit that detects a following vehicle behind the vehicle in the traveling lane, as a following vehicle in an original lane, on the basis of the peripheral environment information, the original lane being the traveling lane;

a passing control unit that monitors the vehicle to be passed and the following vehicle in the original lane, and variably controls a passing maneuver with respect to the vehicle to be passed, on the basis of a monitoring result; and

a notification unit that issues a notification about a control status performed by the passing control unit.

2. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein in at least either one of the case where passing control with respect to the vehicle to be passed has been started and the case where lane changing has been made for the purpose of passing control, the passing control unit implements control for suspending the passing maneuver, when at least either one of the followings is detected:

there is a large change in the relative speed of the following vehicle in the original lane with respect to the vehicle in a direction in which the following vehicle is approaching to the vehicle; and

the following vehicle in the original lane intends to perform lane changing in the same direction as the direction of lane changing that the vehicle performs in order to pass the vehicle to be passed.

3. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the control for suspending the passing maneuver is at least either one of control for limiting acceleration control, and suspension of lane changing control that a steering control unit performs in order to pass the vehicle to be passed by.

4. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein in the case where the vehicle performs lane changing in order to pass the vehicle to be passed and then substantially suspends acceleration control with respect to the vehicle to be passed, the passing control unit is allowed to implement return control by the steering control unit to return to the original lane behind the following vehicle in the original lane, when the following vehicle in the original lane passes the vehicle and it is possible to ensure a predetermined distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle in the original lane.

5. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein in the case where the vehicle performs lane changing in order to pass the vehicle to be passed and then substantially suspends acceleration control with respect to the vehicle to be passed, the passing control unit is allowed to implement return control by the steering control unit to return to the original lane behind the following vehicle in the original lane, when the following vehicle in the original lane passes the vehicle and it is possible to ensure a predetermined distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle in the original lane.

6. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein in the case where the vehicle performs lane changing in order to pass the vehicle to be passed and then substantially suspends acceleration control with respect to the vehicle to be passed, the passing control unit is allowed to implement return control by the steering control unit to return to the original lane behind the following vehicle in the original lane, when the following vehicle in the original lane passes the vehicle and it is possible to ensure a predetermined distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle in the original lane.

7. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein in the case where the vehicle performs lane changing in order to pass the vehicle to be passed and substantially suspends acceleration control with respect to the vehicle to be passed, the passing control unit is allowed to implement return control by the steering control unit to return to the original lane in front of the following vehicle in the original lane, when the following vehicle in the original lane is behind the vehicle by more than a predetermined distance and the relative speed of the following vehicle in the original lane with respect to the vehicle indicates that between the vehicle and the following vehicle in the original lane are becoming distant from each other.

8. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein in the case where the vehicle performs lane changing in order to pass the vehicle to be passed and substantially suspends acceleration control with respect to the vehicle to be passed, the passing control unit is allowed to implement return control by the steering control unit to return to the original lane in front of the following vehicle in the original lane, when the following vehicle in the original lane is behind the vehicle by more than a predetermined distance and the relative speed of the following vehicle in the original lane with respect to the vehicle indicates that between the vehicle and the following vehicle in the original lane are becoming distant from each other.

9. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein in the case where the vehicle performs lane changing in order to pass the vehicle to be passed and substantially suspends acceleration control with respect to the vehicle to be passed,

the passing control unit is allowed to implement return control by the steering control unit to return to the original lane in front of the following vehicle in the original lane, when the following vehicle in the original lane is behind the vehicle by more than a predetermined distance and the relative speed of the following vehicle in the original lane with respect to the vehicle indicates that between the vehicle and the following vehicle in the original lane are becoming distant from each other.

10. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the passing control unit continues acceleration control until the vehicle passes the vehicle to be passed and reaches a position ahead of the vehicle to be passed, and implements control for limiting the acceleration control when the vehicle to be passed is positioned behind the vehicle and a vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the vehicle to be passed becomes longer.

11. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the passing control unit continues acceleration control until the vehicle passes the vehicle to be passed and reaches a position ahead of the vehicle to be passed, and implements control for limiting the acceleration control when the vehicle to be passed is positioned behind the vehicle and a vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the vehicle to be passed becomes longer.

12. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the passing control unit continues acceleration control until the vehicle passes the vehicle to be passed and reaches a position ahead of the vehicle to be passed, and implements control for limiting the acceleration control when the vehicle to be passed is positioned behind the vehicle and a vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the vehicle to be passed becomes longer.

13. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the passing control unit is allowed to implement return control by the steering control unit to return to the original lane in front of the vehicle to be passed, when the vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the vehicle to be passed becomes longer and determination is made that it is possible to ensure a predetermined space in front of the vehicle to be passed.

14. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the passing control unit is allowed to implement return control by the steering control unit to return to the original lane in front of the vehicle to be passed, when the vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the vehicle to be passed becomes longer and determination is made that it is possible to ensure a predetermined space in front of the vehicle to be passed.

15. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the passing control unit is allowed to implement return control by the steering control unit to return to the original lane in front of the vehicle to be passed, when the vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the vehicle to be passed becomes longer and determination is made that it is possible to ensure a predetermined space in front of the vehicle to be passed.