TRAVEL CONTROL APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE

• US 20160114811A1
• Filed: 10/26/2015
• Published: 04/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: MATSUNO, Koji, HORIGUCHI, Harunobu, OYAMA, Hajime, TAKASO, Yasushi, MIZOGUCHI, Masato, NAGASE, Takayuki, SHIRAISHI, Eiichi, EZOE, Shiro, AKIYAMA, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 9,776,641 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18163 Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0225 Failure correction strategy

Abstract

A travel control apparatus for a vehicle includes: a travel environment information acquisition unit that acquires travel environment information on a travel environment where the vehicle travels; a travel information detector that detects travel information on the vehicle; and an overtaking controller that detects an overtaking target vehicle ahead of the vehicle in an identical travel lane on the basis of the travel environment information and the travel information, and overtakes the overtaking target vehicle using automatic driving control. When failures are detected in relation to the travel environment information acquisition and in a steering system of the vehicle during the overtaking control, the overtaking controller modifies the overtaking control by activating required substitute control in accordance with the travel environment information obtained most recently before detecting the travel environment information acquisition failure, information on the overtaking target vehicle, the travel information, and conditions during the overtaking control.

Claims

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

a travel environment information acquisition unit that acquires travel environment information relating to a travel environment in which the vehicle travels;

a travel information detector that detects travel information relating to the vehicle; and

an overtaking controller that detects an overtaking target vehicle in front of the vehicle in an identical travel lane on the basis of the travel environment information and the travel information, and overtakes the overtaking target vehicle using automatic driving control,

wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in a steering system of the vehicle during the overtaking control, the overtaking controller modifies the overtaking control by activating required substitute control in accordance with the travel environment information obtained most recently before detecting the acquisition failure in the travel environment information acquisition unit, information relating to the overtaking target vehicle, the travel information, and conditions during the overtaking control.

2. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in the steering system of the vehicle during a lane change from the travel lane to an overtaking lane after detecting the overtaking target vehicle, the travel controller cancels the lane change from the travel lane to the overtaking lane, and, when a steering angle is not substantially zero, executes yaw brake control to reduce a yaw rate of the vehicle using a brake force.

3. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in the steering system of the vehicle during an overtaking motion performed after detecting the overtaking target vehicle and changing lanes from the travel lane to the overtaking lane, and a determination is made, on the basis of the travel environment information detected most recently by the travel environment information acquisition unit before the acquisition failure, that a lane change back to the travel lane prior to the lane change can be performed safely, the travel controller returns the vehicle to the travel lane prior to the lane change by activating yaw brake control to apply a yaw moment to the vehicle using a brake force, and then executes deceleration control in accordance with a visibility limit of the most recently detected travel environment information.

4. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in the steering system of the vehicle during an overtaking motion performed after detecting the overtaking target vehicle and changing lanes from the travel lane to the overtaking lane, and a determination is made, on the basis of the travel environment information detected most recently by the travel environment information acquisition unit before the acquisition failure, that a lane change back to the travel lane prior to the lane change can be performed safely, the travel controller returns the vehicle to the travel lane prior to the lane change by activating yaw brake control to apply a yaw moment to the vehicle using a brake force, and then executes deceleration control in accordance with a visibility limit of the most recently detected travel environment information.

5. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in the steering system of the vehicle during an overtaking motion performed after detecting the overtaking target vehicle and changing lanes from the travel lane to the overtaking lane, and the overtaking target vehicle exists in the original travel lane according to the travel environment information detected most recently by the travel environment information acquisition unit before the acquisition failure, the overtaking controller executes deceleration control in accordance with a vehicle speed of the overtaking target vehicle so that the vehicle retreats to a predetermined relative position assumed to be behind the overtaking target vehicle, then returns the vehicle to the travel lane prior to the lane change by activating yaw brake control to apply a yaw moment to the vehicle using a brake force, and then executes deceleration control in accordance with a visibility limit of the most recently detected travel environment information.

6. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in the steering system of the vehicle during an overtaking motion performed after detecting the overtaking target vehicle and changing lanes from the travel lane to the overtaking lane, and the overtaking target vehicle exists in the original travel lane according to the travel environment information detected most recently by the travel environment information acquisition unit before the acquisition failure, the overtaking controller executes deceleration control in accordance with a vehicle speed of the overtaking target vehicle so that the vehicle retreats to a predetermined relative position assumed to be behind the overtaking target vehicle, then returns the vehicle to the travel lane prior to the lane change by activating yaw brake control to apply a yaw moment to the vehicle using a brake force, and then executes deceleration control in accordance with a visibility limit of the most recently detected travel environment information.

7. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in the steering system of the vehicle during an overtaking motion performed after detecting the overtaking target vehicle and changing lanes from the travel lane to the overtaking lane, and the overtaking target vehicle exists in the original travel lane according to the travel environment information detected most recently by the travel environment information acquisition unit before the acquisition failure, the overtaking controller executes deceleration control in accordance with a vehicle speed of the overtaking target vehicle so that the vehicle retreats to a predetermined relative position assumed to be behind the overtaking target vehicle, then returns the vehicle to the travel lane prior to the lane change by activating yaw brake control to apply a yaw moment to the vehicle using a brake force, and then executes deceleration control in accordance with a visibility limit of the most recently detected travel environment information.

8. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in the steering system of the vehicle during an overtaking motion performed after detecting the overtaking target vehicle and changing lanes from the travel lane to the overtaking lane, and the overtaking target vehicle exists in the original travel lane according to the travel environment information detected most recently by the travel environment information acquisition unit before the acquisition failure, the overtaking controller executes deceleration control in accordance with a vehicle speed of the overtaking target vehicle so that the vehicle retreats to a predetermined relative position assumed to be behind the overtaking target vehicle, then returns the vehicle to the travel lane prior to the lane change by activating yaw brake control to apply a yaw moment to the vehicle using a brake force, and then executes deceleration control in accordance with a visibility limit of the most recently detected travel environment information.

9. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in the steering system of the vehicle during a lane change back to the original travel lane after detecting the overtaking target vehicle, changing lanes from the travel lane to the overtaking lane, and completing the overtaking motion, the overtaking controller performs a lane change to the original travel lane by activating yaw brake control to apply a yaw moment to the vehicle using a brake force.

10. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in the steering system of the vehicle during a lane change back to the original travel lane after detecting the overtaking target vehicle, changing lanes from the travel lane to the overtaking lane, and completing the overtaking motion, the overtaking controller performs a lane change to the original travel lane by activating yaw brake control to apply a yaw moment to the vehicle using a brake force.

11. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in the steering system of the vehicle during a lane change back to the original travel lane after detecting the overtaking target vehicle, changing lanes from the travel lane to the overtaking lane, and completing the overtaking motion, the overtaking controller performs a lane change to the original travel lane by activating yaw brake control to apply a yaw moment to the vehicle using a brake force.

12. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in the steering system of the vehicle during a lane change back to the original travel lane after detecting the overtaking target vehicle, changing lanes from the travel lane to the overtaking lane, and completing the overtaking motion, the overtaking controller performs a lane change to the original travel lane by activating yaw brake control to apply a yaw moment to the vehicle using a brake force.

13. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in the steering system of the vehicle during the overtaking control, the overtaking controller modifies a characteristic of a braking force generated by a driver during a brake operation.

14. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in the steering system of the vehicle during the overtaking control, the overtaking controller modifies a characteristic of a braking force generated by a driver during a brake operation.

15. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in the steering system of the vehicle during the overtaking control, the overtaking controller modifies a characteristic of a braking force generated by a driver during a brake operation.

16. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein, when an acquisition failure is detected in the travel environment information acquisition unit and a failure is detected in the steering system of the vehicle during the overtaking control, the overtaking controller modifies a characteristic of a braking force generated by a driver during a brake operation.