TRAVEL CONTROL APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE

• US 20160272243A1
• Filed: 02/17/2016
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: MATSUNO, Koji, HORIGUCHI, Harunobu
• Granted Patent: US 9,586,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16

Abstract

A travel control apparatus for a vehicle includes a frontward environment recognition unit, a map information storage unit, a vehicle position information obtaining unit, a traveling road information obtaining unit, a rut information detector, a first course setting unit, a second course setting unit, and a target course setting unit. A target course over a road surface on which a vehicle is to travel is set as a first course on the basis of map information, the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel is set as a second course or a third course on the basis of rut information, the first course is compared with the second and third courses, and the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel is set on the basis of traveling road information and the rut information.

Claims

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

a frontward environment recognition unit that obtains frontward environment information by recognizing a frontward environment of the vehicle on the basis of image information;

a map information storage unit that stores map information;

a vehicle position information obtaining unit that obtains position information indicating a position of the vehicle;

a traveling road information obtaining unit that obtains traveling road information relating to a traveling road of the vehicle on the basis of the map information and the position information of the vehicle;

a rut information detector that detects a rut on a road surface on the basis of the frontward environment information, and obtains information relating to the rut;

a first course setting unit that sets a target course over a road surface on which the vehicle is to travel as a first course on the basis of the map information;

a second course setting unit that sets the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel as a second course on the basis of the rut information; and

a target course setting unit that compares the first course with the second course, and sets the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel on the basis of the traveling road information and the rut information.

2. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the target course setting unit sets the second course as the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel, when a deviation between the first course and the second course in a lateral direction of the road surface equals or exceeds a first predetermined value.

3. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the target course setting unit sets a third course obtained by applying a preset distance offset to the first course in a roadside direction as the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel, when a deviation between the first course and the second course in a lateral direction of the road surface is smaller than a first predetermined value and a groove width of the rut is no greater than a second predetermined value.

4. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the target course setting unit sets a third course obtained by applying a preset distance offset to the first course in a roadside direction as the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel, when the deviation between the first course and the second course in the lateral direction of the road surface is smaller than the first predetermined value and a groove width of the rut is no greater than a second predetermined value.

5. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to any claim 1, wherein the target course setting unit evaluates a traveling stability during travel along the second course, and when determining that the traveling stability is insufficient, sets the first course as the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel.

6. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to any claim 2, wherein the target course setting unit evaluates a traveling stability during travel along the second course, and when determining that the traveling stability is insufficient, sets the first course as the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel.

7. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to any claim 3, wherein the target course setting unit evaluates a traveling stability during travel along the second course, and when determining that the traveling stability is insufficient, sets the first course as the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel.

8. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel, set by the target course setting unit, is a course on which no roadside three-dimensional objects exist near both sides of the target course.

9. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel, set by the target course setting unit, is a course on which no roadside three-dimensional objects exist near both sides of the target course.

10. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel, set by the target course setting unit, is a course on which no roadside three-dimensional objects exist near both sides of the target course.

11. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel, set by the target course setting unit, is a course on which no roadside three-dimensional objects exist near both sides of the target course.

12. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising

an automatic driving controller that executes automatic driving control on the vehicle,

wherein the target course setting unit sets the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel, only when the automatic driving control is being executed by the automatic driving controller.

13. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising

an automatic driving controller that executes automatic driving control on the vehicle,

wherein the target course setting unit sets the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel, only when the automatic driving control is being executed by the automatic driving controller.

14. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising

an automatic driving controller that executes automatic driving control on the vehicle,

wherein the target course setting unit sets the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel, only when the automatic driving control is being executed by the automatic driving controller.

15. The travel control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising

an automatic driving controller that executes automatic driving control on the vehicle,

wherein the target course setting unit sets the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel, only when the automatic driving control is being executed by the automatic driving controller.