Driving assist system for vehicle

• US 6,917,872 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2003
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Egami, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/462,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20030233187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 701/96, 701/70, 340/425.5, 340/435, 340/436, 340/903, 180/170
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/021 with means for providing feel, e.g. by changing pedal force characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/18 including a device to audibly, visibly, or otherwise signal the existence of unusual or unintended speed to the driver of the vehicle devices primarily intended for indicating speed to other traffic B60Q1/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/30 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle driving assist system comprises a traveling situation detection device that detects a vehicle condition and a traveling environment around a subject vehicle; a risk potential calculation device that calculates a risk potential around the subject vehicle based upon detection results of the traveling situation detection device; an accelerator pedal reaction force control device that controls an actuation reaction force which is generated for an accelerator pedal based upon the risk potential which has been calculated by the risk potential calculation device; an actuation amount detection device that detects an actuation amount of the accelerator pedal; and a vehicle distance control device that controls a distance between the subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle present in front of the subject vehicle based upon the accelerator pedal actuation amount which is detected by the actuation amount detection device.

Claims

1. A vehicle driving assist system, comprising:

a traveling situation detection device that detects a vehicle condition and a traveling environment around a subject vehicle;

a risk potential calculation device that calculates a risk potential around the subject vehicle based upon detection results of the traveling situation detection device;

an accelerator pedal reaction force control device that controls an actuation reaction force which is generated for an accelerator pedal based upon the risk potential which has been calculated by the risk potential calculation device;

an actuation amount detection device that detects an actuation amount of the accelerator pedal; and

a vehicle distance control device that controls a vehicle distance between the subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle present in front of the subject vehicle based upon the accelerator pedal actuation amount which is detected by the actuation amount detection device.

2. A vehicle driving assist system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a drive force control device that controls a drive force for the subject vehicle based upon the accelerator pedal actuation amount which is detected by the actuation amount detection device; and

a changeover device that changes over between drive force control by the drive force control device and vehicle distance control by the vehicle distance control device, based upon detection results of the actuation amount detection device and the traveling situation detection device.

3. A vehicle driving assist system according to claim 2, wherein:

the traveling situation detection device detects a subject vehicle speed, the vehicle distance and a relative speed between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle; and

the risk potential calculation device calculates the risk potential based upon the subject vehicle speed, the vehicle distance, and the relative speed which are detected by the traveling situation detection device.

4. A vehicle driving assist system according to claim 2, wherein:

the changeover device selects the vehicle distance control device to perform the vehicle distance control when the preceding vehicle is present in front of the subject vehicle in its own vehicle lane and moreover the accelerator pedal actuation amount is within a predetermined range, while the changeover device selects the drive force control device to perform the drive force control when no preceding vehicle is present or the accelerator pedal actuation amount is outside of the predetermined range, based upon the detection results of the actuation amount detection device and the traveling situation detection device.

5. A vehicle driving assist system according to claim 4, wherein:

the drive force control device calculates a first target drive force to be generated for the subject vehicle according to the accelerator pedal actuation amount, and controls the drive force for the subject vehicle so as to generate the first target drive force; and

the vehicle distance control device calculates a target distance between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle based upon the accelerator pedal actuation amount, calculates a second target drive force to be generated for the subject vehicle based upon the target distance, and controls drive force/braking force for the subject vehicle so as to generate the second target drive force.

6. A vehicle driving assist system according to claim 5, wherein:

the vehicle distance control device sets the second target drive force while taking the first target drive force which is calculated by the drive force control device as an upper limit of the second target drive force.

7. A vehicle driving assist system according to claim 4, wherein:

the drive force control device calculates a first target speed to be generated for the subject vehicle based upon the accelerator pedal actuation amount, calculates a third target drive force for implementing the first target speed, and controls the drive force for the subject vehicle so as to generate the third target drive force; and

the vehicle distance control device calculates a target distance between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle based upon the accelerator pedal actuation amount, calculates a second target speed to be generated for the subject vehicle based upon the target distance, calculates a fourth target drive force for implementing the second target speed, and controls the drive force for the subject vehicle so as to generate the fourth target drive force.

8. A vehicle driving assist system according to claim 7, wherein:

the vehicle distance control device sets the second target speed while taking the first target speed which is calculated by the drive force control device as an upper limit of the second target speed.

9. A vehicle driving assist system according to claim 2, wherein:

the risk potential calculation device predicts a future risk potential around the subject vehicle based upon the detection results of the traveling situation detection device and the actuation amount detection device when the vehicle distance control is selected by the changeover device.

10. A vehicle driving assist system according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle distance control device sets the target distance so that the target distance becomes smaller as the accelerator pedal actuation amount becomes greater.

11. A vehicle driving assist system according to claim 10, wherein:

the vehicle distance control device sets the target distance so that the target distance varies in a stepwise manner with respect to change in the accelerator pedal actuation amount.

12. A vehicle driving assist system according to claim 2, further comprising:

an actuation speed detection device that detects an actuation speed of the accelerator pedal; and

wherein

the accelerator pedal reaction force control device generates the actuation reaction force for the accelerator pedal by adding together a first accelerator pedal reaction force based upon the risk potential and a second accelerator pedal reaction force based upon the accelerator pedal actuation speed which is detected by the actuation speed detection device when the vehicle distance control is selected by the changeover device.

13. A vehicle driving assist system, comprising:

a traveling situation detection means for detecting a vehicle condition and a traveling environment around a subject vehicle;

a risk potential calculation means for calculating a risk potential around the subject vehicle based upon detection results of the traveling situation detection means;

an accelerator pedal reaction force control means for controlling an actuation reaction force which is generated for an accelerator pedal based upon the risk potential which has been calculated by the risk potential calculation means;

an actuation amount detection means for detecting an actuation amount of the accelerator pedal; and

a vehicle distance control means for controlling a distance between the subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle present in front of the subject vehicle based upon the accelerator pedal actuation amount which is detected by the actuation amount detection means.

14. A vehicle driving assist method, comprising:

detecting a vehicle condition and a traveling environment around a subject vehicle;

calculating a risk potential around the subject vehicle based upon the vehicle condition and the traveling environment around the subject vehicle;

controlling an actuation reaction force for an accelerator pedal based upon the risk potential which has been calculated; and

changing over control mode upon the subject vehicle based upon an actuation amount of the accelerator pedal between a vehicle distance control and a drive force control, with the vehicle distance control controlling a distance between the subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle present in front of the subject vehicle based upon the accelerator pedal actuation amount, and the drive force control controlling a drive force for the subject vehicle based upon the accelerator pedal actuation amount.

15. A vehicle, comprising:

a traveling situation detection device that detects a vehicle condition and a traveling environment around a subject vehicle;

a risk potential calculation device that calculates a risk potential around the subject vehicle based upon detection results of the traveling situation detection device;

an accelerator pedal reaction force control device that controls an actuation reaction force which is generated for an accelerator pedal based upon the risk potential which has been calculated by the risk potential calculation device;

an actuation amount detection device that detects an actuation amount of the accelerator pedal; and

a vehicle distance control device that controls a distance between the subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle present in front of the subject vehicle based upon the accelerator pedal actuation amount which is detected by the actuation amount detection device.