CN110001643B - Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, storage medium, and information acquisition device - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided are a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, a storage medium, and an information acquisition device that perform offset control in consideration of a structure existing between a host vehicle and another vehicle. A vehicle control device for controlling the travel of a vehicle is provided with: an acquisition unit that acquires information relating to another vehicle traveling in a detection area around the vehicle and information relating to a structure located in the detection area; and a control unit that performs offset control for moving the vehicle in a lateral direction that intersects with a traveling direction of the vehicle, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit. The control unit performs offset control in which the lateral movement amount in the case where a structure is present is suppressed compared to the lateral movement amount in the case where a structure is not present between the first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and the second lane in which another vehicle is traveling.

Description

Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, storage medium, and information acquisition device

Cross Reference to Related Applications

The present application claims priority to japanese patent application 2017-254263 entitled "vehicle control device, vehicle control method, storage medium, and information acquisition device" filed on 28.12.2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a control technique for a vehicle.

Background

Patent document 1 describes a technique for performing offset control for another vehicle and an oncoming vehicle traveling side by side in the traveling direction, and patent document 2 describes a technique for predicting overtaking of the oncoming vehicle and performing offset control.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese Kohyo publication No. 2005-524135

Patent document 2: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2010-097261

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

In patent documents 1 and 2, since the offset control is performed regardless of whether or not a structure exists between the subject vehicle and the oncoming vehicle, there is a case where unnecessary offset control is performed.

The invention provides a vehicle control technique capable of performing offset control in consideration of a structure existing between a host vehicle and another vehicle.

Means for solving the problems

A vehicle control device according to an aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control device that controls traveling of a vehicle, including:

an acquisition unit that acquires information on another vehicle traveling in a detection area around the vehicle and information on a structure located in the detection area; and

a control unit that performs offset control for moving the vehicle in a lateral direction intersecting a traveling direction of the vehicle based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit,

the control means performs offset control in which the lateral displacement amount in the case where the structure is present is suppressed compared to the lateral displacement amount in the case where the structure is not present between the first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and the second lane in which the other vehicle is traveling.

A vehicle control method according to another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control method of a vehicle control device that controls traveling of a vehicle, the method including:

an acquisition step of acquiring information on another vehicle traveling in a detection area around the vehicle and information on a structure located in the detection area; and

a control step of performing offset control for moving the vehicle in a lateral direction intersecting a traveling direction of the vehicle based on the information acquired in the acquisition step,

in the control step, offset control is performed in which a lateral displacement amount in a case where the structure is present is suppressed as compared with a lateral displacement amount in a case where the structure is not present between a first lane in which the vehicle travels and a second lane in which the other vehicle travels.

An information acquisition device according to still another aspect of the present invention is an information acquisition device that acquires information on a periphery of a vehicle in order to control travel of the vehicle, the information acquisition device including:

an acquisition unit that acquires information on another vehicle traveling in a detection area around the vehicle and information on a structure located in the detection area,

when a structure is present between a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane in which another vehicle is traveling, the acquisition means outputs information of a region excluding the second lane from the detection region to a control means that controls the traveling of the vehicle.

Effects of the invention

According to the present invention, it is possible to perform offset control in consideration of a structure existing between the host vehicle and another vehicle.

Drawings

Fig. 1A is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a vehicle control device.

Fig. 1B is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control block diagram for controlling a vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating a process flow of the vehicle control device according to the embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a process flow of the offset control based on the structure information.

Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating a process flow of offset control based on distance information.

Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a process flow of offset control based on the recognition level.

Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating a flow of offset control in the case where an undetected area exists.

Fig. 7 is a diagram exemplarily showing offset control of the embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a diagram exemplarily showing the offset control based on the structure information.

Fig. 9 is a diagram exemplarily showing offset control based on lateral distance information.

Fig. 10 is a diagram exemplarily showing determination of the recognition level of another vehicle with respect to the structure.

Fig. 11 is a diagram exemplarily showing offset control in a case where there is an undetected region.

Description of the reference numerals

20. 22, 23: an ECU; 42: an optical radar; 43: a radar; s: a sensor; COM: a control unit; CAM: a camera; 100: a vehicle control device.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The constituent elements described in this embodiment are merely examples, and are not limited to the following embodiments.

(constitution of vehicle control device)

Fig. 1A is a diagram illustrating a basic configuration of a vehicle control device that performs automatic driving control of a vehicle. The sensor S includes, for example: radar S1, optical radar S2, gyro sensor S3, GPS sensor S4, vehicle speed sensor S5, and the like. The camera CAM is formed by at least one camera. The sensor S and the camera CAM acquire information of the vehicle and various information of the surroundings of the vehicle, and input the acquired information to the control unit COM.

The control part COM includes: a CPU (C1) that is responsible for processing relating to automatic driving control of the vehicle, a memory C2, and a communication unit C3 that can communicate with a server, an external device, and another vehicle on the network. The control unit COM performs image processing on information input from the sensor S (radar S1, optical radar S2) and the camera CAM, extracts a target (target object) present around the vehicle, and analyzes what kind of target is arranged around the vehicle.

The gyro sensor S3 detects the rotational motion and posture of the vehicle, and the control unit COM can determine the route of the vehicle based on the detection result of the gyro sensor S3, the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor S5, and the like. The control unit COM can detect the current position (position information) of the vehicle in the map information based on the detection result of the GPS sensor S4. The control unit COM can perform automatic driving control of the vehicle based on information input from the sensor S and the camera CAM.

When the vehicle control device shown in fig. 1A is mounted on a vehicle, the control unit COM may be disposed in an ECU of a recognition processing system that processes information of the sensor S and the camera CAM, an ECU of an image processing system, an ECU that controls a communication device and an input/output device, an ECU in a control unit that controls driving of the vehicle, and an ECU for automatic driving, for example. For example, as shown in fig. 1B described below, the functions may be distributed among a plurality of ECUs constituting the vehicle control device 100, such as an ECU for the sensor S, an ECU for the camera, an ECU for the input/output device, and an ECU for the automatic driving.

Fig. 1B is a control block diagram showing a vehicle control device 100 for controlling the vehicle 1. In fig. 1B, an outline of the vehicle 1 is shown in a top view and a side view. As an example, the vehicle 1 is a sedan-type four-wheeled passenger vehicle.

The control unit 2 of fig. 1B controls each part of the vehicle 1. The control unit 2 includes a plurality of ECUs 20 to 29 communicably connected through an in-vehicle network. Each ecu (electronic Control unit) includes: a processor typified by a CPU, a storage device such as a semiconductor memory, and an interface with an external device. A program executed by the processor, data used in the processing by the processor, and the like are stored in the storage device. Each ECU may be provided with a plurality of processors, storage devices, interfaces, and the like.

The following description deals with functions and the like that the ECUs 20 to 29 take charge of. The number of ECUs and the functions to be assigned to the ECUs may be appropriately designed for the vehicle 1, or may be more detailed or integrated than in the present embodiment.

The ECU20 executes vehicle control related to automatic driving of the vehicle 1 (own vehicle) according to the present embodiment. In the automatic driving, at least one of steering and acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle 1 is automatically controlled. The details of the processing relating to the specific control involved in the automatic driving will be described later.

The ECU20 executes vehicle control related to automatic driving of the vehicle 1. In the automatic driving, at least one of steering and acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle 1 is automatically controlled. In the control example described below, two items of steering and acceleration/deceleration are automatically controlled.

The ECU21 controls the electric power steering device 3. The electric power steering apparatus 3 includes a mechanism for steering the front wheels in accordance with a driving operation (steering operation) of the steering wheel 31 by the driver. Further, the electric power steering device 3 includes: a motor that generates a driving force for assisting a steering operation or automatically steering front wheels, a sensor that detects a steering angle, and the like. When the driving state of the vehicle 1 is the automatic driving, the ECU21 automatically controls the electric power steering device 3 in accordance with an instruction from the ECU20, and controls the traveling direction of the vehicle 1.

The ECUs 22 and 23 control the detection units 41 to 43 that detect the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1 and process the detection results. The detection means 41 is, for example, a camera (hereinafter, may be referred to as a camera 41) that photographs the front of the vehicle 1, and in the case of the present embodiment, two detection means are provided at the front part of the roof of the vehicle 1. By analyzing (image processing) the image captured by the camera 41, the outline of the target and the dividing line (white line or the like) of the lane on the road can be extracted.

The Detection unit 42 is a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR: optical radar) (hereinafter, may be referred to as an optical radar 42) and detects a target around the vehicle 1 or measures a distance to the target. In the present embodiment, five optical radars 42 are provided, one at each corner of the front portion of the vehicle 1, one at the center of the rear portion, and one at each side of the rear portion. The detection unit 43 is a millimeter wave radar (hereinafter, may be referred to as a radar 43) and detects a target around the vehicle 1 or measures a distance to the target. In the case of the present embodiment, five radars 43 are provided, one at the center of the front portion of the vehicle 1, one at each corner portion of the front portion, and one at each corner portion of the rear portion.

The ECU22 controls one of the cameras 41 and the optical radars 42 and performs information processing of detection results. The ECU23 controls the other camera 41 and each radar 43 and performs information processing of the detection results. By providing two sets of devices for detecting the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, the reliability of the detection result can be improved, and by providing different types of detection means such as a camera, an optical radar, and a radar, the environment around the vehicle can be analyzed in many ways.

The ECU24 performs control of the gyro sensor 5, the GPS sensor 24b, and the communication device 24c and information processing of the detection result or the communication result. The gyro sensor 5 detects a rotational motion of the vehicle 1. The travel path of the vehicle 1 can be determined based on the detection result of the gyro sensor 5, the wheel speed, and the like. The GPS sensor 24b detects the current position of the vehicle 1. The communication device 24c wirelessly communicates with a server that provides map information and traffic information, and acquires the information. The ECU24 can access the database 24a of map information constructed in the storage device, and the ECU24 searches for a route from the current position to the destination.

The ECU25 includes a communication device 25a for vehicle-to-vehicle communication. The communication device 25a performs wireless communication with other vehicles in the vicinity and exchanges information between the vehicles.

The ECU26 controls the power unit 6. The power plant 6 is a mechanism that outputs a driving force that rotates the driving wheels of the vehicle 1, and includes, for example, an engine and a transmission. The ECU26 controls the output of the engine in accordance with the driver's driving operation (accelerator operation or accelerator operation) detected by the operation detection sensor 7A provided on the accelerator pedal 7A, or switches the transmission gear in accordance with information such as the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 7 c. When the driving state of the vehicle 1 is the automatic driving, the ECU26 automatically controls the power unit 6 in accordance with an instruction from the ECU20, and controls acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 1.

The ECU27 controls lighting devices (headlights, tail lights, etc.) including the direction indicator 8 (flashing indicator light). In the case of the example of fig. 1B, the direction indicator 8 is provided at the front, door mirror, and rear of the vehicle 1.

The ECU28 controls the input/output device 9. The input/output device 9 outputs information of the driver and receives input of information from the driver. The voice output device 91 reports information to the driver by voice. The display device 92 reports information to the driver through display of an image. The display device 92 is disposed on the front surface of the driver's seat, for example, and constitutes an instrument panel or the like. Further, voice and display are shown here by way of example, but information may be reported by vibration or light. In addition, a plurality of voice, display, vibration, or light may be combined to report information. Further, the combination may be changed or the manner of reporting may be changed according to the level of information to be reported (e.g., urgency).

The input device 93 is a switch group that is disposed at a position where the driver can operate and instructs the vehicle 1, and may include a voice input device.

The ECU29 controls the brake device 10 and a parking brake (not shown). The brake device 10 is, for example, a disc brake device, is provided on each wheel of the vehicle 1, and decelerates or stops the vehicle 1 by applying resistance to rotation of the wheel. The ECU29 controls the operation of the brake device 10, for example, in accordance with the driving operation (braking operation) of the driver detected by an operation detection sensor 7B provided on the brake pedal 7B. When the driving state of the vehicle 1 is the automatic driving, the ECU29 automatically controls the brake device 10 in accordance with an instruction from the ECU20, and controls deceleration and stop of the vehicle 1. The brake device 10 and the parking brake can be operated to maintain the stopped state of the vehicle 1. In addition, when the transmission of the power unit 6 includes the parking lock mechanism, the parking lock mechanism may be operated to maintain the stopped state of the vehicle 1.

< control example >

The control related to the automatic driving of the vehicle 1 performed by the ECU20 will be described. When the driver instructs the destination and the automated driving, the ECU20 automatically controls the travel of the vehicle 1 toward the destination according to the guide route searched by the ECU 24. In the automatic control, ECU20 acquires information on the surrounding conditions of vehicle 1 from ECU22 and ECU23, and instructs ECU21, ECU26 and ECU29 based on the acquired information to control steering and acceleration/deceleration of vehicle 1.

The ECU22 controls one of the cameras 41 and the optical radars 42 and performs information processing of detection results. The ECU23 also performs control of the other camera 41 and each radar 43 and information processing of the detection results. The ECU20 executes control related to automatic driving of the vehicle 1.

Fig. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow of the vehicle control device according to the embodiment. In step S200, the camera 41, the optical radars 42, and the radars 43 detect the surroundings of the vehicle.

In step S210, the ECU22 that performs control of one camera 41 and each optical radar 42 and information processing of detection results and the ECU23 that performs control of the other camera 41 and each radar 43 and information processing of detection results function as an acquisition unit and acquire information on other vehicles traveling in a detection area around the vehicle and information on structures located in the detection area.

In step S220, ECU20 that executes control related to automatic driving of vehicle 1 functions as a control unit, and if information related to another vehicle is not acquired in the acquisition result of the acquisition units (ECU22 and ECU23) (S220 — no), ECU20 (the control unit) advances the process to step S230. Then, in step S230, the control unit (ECU20) controls the normal running.

On the other hand, when the information about the other vehicle is acquired in step S220 (yes in S220), the control unit (ECU20) advances the process to step S240.

In step S240, if the information about the structure existing on the road is not acquired in the acquisition result of the acquisition unit (ECU22, ECU23) (S240 — no), ECU20 (control unit) advances the process to step S250. Then, in step S250, the control unit (ECU20) performs normal offset control without suppressing the amount of offset movement (hereinafter also referred to as "lateral movement amount" or simply "movement amount"). Here, the offset control is control in a lateral direction in which the vehicle is moved in a lateral direction intersecting with a traveling direction of the vehicle, and a lateral movement amount in the normal offset control is set as a first movement amount.

On the other hand, when the information about the structure is acquired in step S240 (yes in S240), the control unit (ECU20) advances the process to step S260. In this state, in step S260, the control unit (ECU20) performs offset control for moving the vehicle in a lateral direction that intersects with the traveling direction of the vehicle, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit (ECU22, ECU 23). In this step, the control unit (ECU20) performs offset control in which the amount of movement in the case where a structure is present is suppressed compared to the amount of movement (first amount of movement) in the case where a structure is not present between the first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and the second lane in which another vehicle is traveling. The offset control in which the amount of lateral movement is suppressed compared to the amount of movement (first amount of movement) is referred to as offset control.

Fig. 7 is a diagram exemplarily showing offset control of the embodiment. In fig. 7 (a), a vehicle 705 is a control target own vehicle, and travels in the direction of an arrow 707 on a lane 701 (first lane). The vehicle 706 is another vehicle, and travels in the direction of an arrow 708 on an opposing lane 702 (second lane) with respect to the lane 701 (first lane). Between the lane 701 (first lane) and the opposite lane 702 (second lane), a structure 703 is present. In structure 703, there are included: an isolation belt, a rod, a cable, a traffic barrel (Pylon), and the like that distinguish between the lane 701 (first lane) and the opposing lane 702 (second lane). Here, the isolation zone (central isolation zone) is a zone provided at the center portion thereof so as to differentially isolate the lanes in the direction of the traffic.

In fig. 7 (B), the detection region 710 is a detection region in a normal state of the acquisition unit (ECU22, ECU 23). When the offset control is performed, the control unit performs control based on the area information in which the detection area is narrowed. That is, when the structure 703 is present between the lane 701 (first lane) and the opposite lane 702 (second lane), the control unit (ECU20) can perform the offset control based on the information acquired by the acquisition units (ECU22, ECU23) in the region 720 (suppressed detection region) obtained by removing the opposite lane 702 (second lane) from the normal detection region 710.

Alternatively, when the offset control is performed, information is acquired in the detection area 710 in the normal state, and the control is performed by excluding information of another vehicle from the acquired information. That is, when the structure 703 is present between the lane 701 (first lane) and the oncoming lane 702 (second lane), the control unit (ECU20) can perform the offset control by excluding the information on the other vehicle 706 in the oncoming lane 702 (second lane) from the information of the detection region 710 acquired by the acquisition unit (ECU22, ECU 23).

The control unit (ECU20) performs target management in which the information acquired by the acquisition units (ECU22, ECU23) is stored in time series in the memory C2. By storing the time-series information in the memory C2, the movement locus of the target that moves with the passage of time can be tracked.

As shown in fig. 7, when a structure 703 is present between a lane 701 (first lane) and an oncoming lane 702 (second lane), the control unit (ECU20) suppresses target management of information relating to another vehicle 706 of the oncoming lane 702 (second lane). For example, the target management may be changed so that information about the other vehicle 706 is stored in the memory C2 every two sampling intervals at a normal sampling interval, or so that time-series information is not stored and the movement trajectory of the other vehicle 706 is not followed while information about the other vehicle 706 is acquired.

(offset control based on Structure information)

In the present embodiment, the following configuration is explained: the method includes determining whether the structure is a high-strength structure or a low-strength structure based on at least one item of structure information related to the type or shape of the structure or the size (height, width) of the structure, and changing the amount of movement of offset control based on the determination result.

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a process flow of the offset control based on the structure information. In step S300, the acquisition unit (ECU22, ECU23) acquires at least one item of information (structure information) related to the type or shape of structure 703 or the size (height, width) of structure 703. For example, the acquisition unit (ECU22, ECU23) acquires information on the type of a central isolation belt, a guard rail, a pole or the like that is weaker than the central isolation belt or the guard rail as a strong structure, and the size such as the shape (area), height, width, and the like of the cross section of the structure 703 visible from the traveling position of the vehicle 705 (own vehicle). The controller (ECU20) changes the amount of movement of the offset control based on the structure information acquired by the acquisition units (ECU22, ECU 23).

In step S310, the controller (ECU20) determines whether or not the structure 703 is a high-strength structure based on the structure information acquired by the acquirer (ECU22, ECU 23).

For example, the center isolation band and the guard rail are determined as a high-strength structure. Alternatively, the control unit (ECU20) determines that the structure has high strength when the shape (including the area) of the cross section of the structure 703 visible from the driving position is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. Alternatively, the control unit (ECU20) determines that the structure has high strength when the size information such as the height and width is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. The threshold value as the criterion for determination in step S310 may be arbitrarily set by the user, and may be customized by the user.

If it is determined that the structure has high strength in the determination of step S310 (yes at S310), the process proceeds to step S320. When it is determined that the structure is not a high-strength structure but a low-strength structure based on the determination result in step S310 (no in S310), the process proceeds to step S330.

In step S320, when it is determined that the structure is a high-strength structure based on the determination result in step S310, the controller (ECU20) performs offset control by setting a second movement amount smaller than the first movement amount in offset control in the case where no structure is present.

In step S330, when it is determined from the determination result in step S310 that the structure is a low-strength structure, the control unit (ECU20) performs offset control by a third movement amount in which the movement amount is set smaller than the first movement amount in offset control in the case where the structure is not present and the movement amount is set larger than the second movement amount.

Fig. 8 is a diagram exemplarily showing the offset control based on the structure information. Fig. 8 (a) is a diagram of the vehicle 705 as viewed from the rear, and in fig. 8 (a), the height 805 represents the height of the structure 803, and the width 807 represents the width of the structure 803. When the shape (including the area) of the cross section of the structure 803 visible from the traveling position of the vehicle 705 is smaller than a preset threshold value, the control unit (ECU20) determines that the structure has low strength. Alternatively, the control unit (ECU20) determines that the strength of the structure is low when the size information such as the height 805 and the width 807 of the structure 803 is smaller than a preset threshold value. The sectional shape of the structure 803 and the material of the structure can be obtained using information on the reflectance and the radio wave transmittance in the optical radar 42 and the radar 43, for example. Whether the structure is a high-strength structure or a low-strength structure can be determined from the material of the structure.

In fig. 8 (B), the movement trajectory 801 is a diagram exemplarily showing the movement trajectory in the offset control, and when the structure 803 is a high-strength structure, the offset control is performed by, for example, setting the movement amount to a second movement amount smaller than the first movement amount in the offset control in the case where no structure is present.

When the structure is a low-strength structure, the offset control is performed by a third movement amount in which the movement amount is set smaller than the first movement amount and larger than the second movement amount in the offset control in the absence of the structure.

The acquisition unit (ECU22, ECU23) can acquire at least one item of structure information of the type, width, or height of the structure 803, and change the range of the detection region based on the acquired structure information. For example, when the structure is a low-strength structure such as a pole, the range of the detection region is changed (expanded) from the detection region 720 in fig. 7 (B) as shown in fig. 8 (C) so as to include the opposite lane 702 (detection region 710). In the changed (enlarged) detection area 710, the other vehicle 706 is included in the detection target. The control unit (ECU20) performs offset control based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit (ECU22, ECU23) in the detection region of the changed (enlarged) range.

According to the processing of fig. 3, it is possible to determine whether the structure is a high-strength structure or a low-strength structure based on at least one item of structure information related to the type or shape of the structure or the size (height, width) of the structure, and change the amount of movement of the offset control based on the determination result.

(offset control based on lateral distance information)

In the offset suppression based on the structure information described in fig. 3, an example in which, when the structure is a low-strength structure, the offset control is performed with a movement amount (third movement amount) larger than the movement amount (second movement amount) in the case of a high-strength structure has been described. In the present embodiment, the following configuration is explained: even when it is determined that the structure has a low strength, the amount of movement of the offset control is changed based on the lateral distance information.

Fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow of offset control based on distance information. Fig. 9 is a diagram exemplarily showing offset control based on lateral distance information.

In step S400, the acquisition unit (ECU22, ECU23) acquires a distance in a lateral direction intersecting with the traveling direction of the vehicle. That is, as shown in fig. 9 (a) and 9 (B), the acquiring unit acquires a lateral distance L1 between the vehicle 705 and the structure 903, a lateral distance L2 between the other vehicle 706 and the structure 903, or a lateral distance L3 between the vehicle 705 and the other vehicle 706.

In step S410, the control unit (ECU20) compares the lateral distance acquired by the acquisition unit (ECU22, ECU23) with a threshold value. The control unit (ECU20) performs offset control so as to suppress the amount of movement when the acquired distance is greater than or equal to the threshold value, compared to the amount of movement when the acquired distance is less than the threshold value, based on the result of the comparison.

That is, when the acquired distance is equal to or greater than the threshold value in the determination of step S410 (yes in S410), the control unit (ECU20) performs the offset control at step S420 by setting the movement amount to a second movement amount smaller than the first movement amount in the offset control in the case where no structure is present. In this step, when the distance is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the control unit (ECU20) performs the offset control so as to exclude the information on the other vehicle 706 in the opposite lane 702 (second lane) from the information acquired by the acquisition units (ECU22, ECU23) (region 720 (detection region after suppression) in (C) in fig. 9).

On the other hand, when the acquired distance is smaller than the threshold value in the determination of step S410 (S410 — no), the control unit (ECU20) performs the offset control by setting a third movement amount smaller than the first movement amount and larger than the second movement amount in the offset control in the case where no structure is present in step S430.

According to the processing of fig. 4, even when it is determined that the structure has a low strength, the amount of movement of the offset control can be changed based on the lateral distance information.

(offset control based on recognition level)

In the present embodiment, the following configuration is explained: image processing is performed on information on other vehicles and information on the structure, the other vehicles are recognized with respect to the structure, and the visibility (recognition level) of the other vehicles with the structure therebetween is determined. Then, the shift amount of the offset control is changed based on the determination result of the recognition level.

As an image processing method for recognizing a structure or a vehicle, various methods can be applied. For example, feature points are extracted from the acquired image information on the other vehicle and the structure, the spatial positions of the extracted feature points are calculated, and the structure and the other vehicle visible through the structure can be identified based on the calculated spatial positions of the feature points. In the following description, an example is described in which ECU20, ECU22, and ECU23 function as recognition units that perform recognition processing, but the recognition processing may be performed by the acquisition units (ECU22 and ECU23) or the recognition processing may be performed by the control unit (ECU 20).

Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow of offset control based on the recognition level. In step S500, ECU20, ECU22, and ECU23 function as recognition units, and when the information about other vehicle 706 and the information about the structure are acquired by the acquisition units (ECU22 and ECU23), the other vehicle and the structure are specifically recognized.

In step S510, the control unit (ECU20) determines the recognition level of another vehicle with respect to the structure. The control unit (ECU20) determines the recognition level based on information on the type of another vehicle (e.g., a passenger car or a truck) recognized through the structure or information on the height of another vehicle relative to the structure (e.g., the height of another vehicle visible through the structure). For example, the control unit (ECU20) determines that the recognition level of the other vehicle is high when the height of the other vehicle is equal to or greater than the threshold value, and determines that the recognition level of the other vehicle is low when the height of the other vehicle is less than the threshold value.

Fig. 10 is a diagram exemplarily showing determination of the recognition level of another vehicle with respect to the structure. Fig. 10 (a) shows a case where the type of another vehicle is a passenger car, and fig. 10 (B) shows a case where the type of another vehicle is a truck. In fig. 10 (a), H1 represents the height of the structure 1003, and H2 represents the height (differential height) of another vehicle 1006A visible through the structure 1003. H4 represents the height of the threshold. In fig. 10 (B), H1 represents the height of the structure 1003, and H3 represents the height (differential height) of another vehicle 1006B visible through the structure 1003. Since the height (H2) at which the passenger vehicle (the other vehicle 1006A) with the low vehicle height is visible through the structure is smaller than the threshold value (H4), the recognition level is determined to be low. Further, since the height (H3) at which the truck (another vehicle 1006B) having a high vehicle height can see through the structure is greater than the threshold value (H4), the recognition level is determined to be high.

The height (H2, H3) of the other vehicle visible through the structure 1003 may be calculated by subtracting the height (H1) of the structure 1003 from the overall height of the vehicle. For example, in fig. 10, the overall height of the other vehicle 1006A is (H5), and the difference obtained by subtracting the height (H1) of the structure 1003 from the overall height (H5) may be used as the height (H2) of the other vehicle 1006A visible through the structure 1003. Similarly, the overall height of the other vehicle 1006B is (H6), and the height of the other vehicle 1006B that is visible through the structure 1003 can be determined as the difference obtained by subtracting the height of the structure 1003 (H1) from the overall height (H6) (H3).

The control unit (ECU20) performs offset control based on the determination result of the recognition level and further based on the movement amount changed according to the recognition level. That is, the control unit (ECU20) performs offset control by suppressing the movement amount when the recognition level is low, as compared with the movement amount when the recognition level is high.

Further, depending on the environment around the vehicle, the recognition unit may not exhibit the recognition performance set in advance. In such a case, the recognition level of the recognition portion becomes low. When the redundant identification units output different identification levels, the identification level with low reliability is formed. In such a case, the control unit (ECU20) may perform control so as not to perform offset control in order to run the vehicle more safely.

Returning to fig. 5, in step S520, if the recognition level is low (S510 — yes (low)), the control unit (ECU20) performs offset control with a second movement amount that sets the movement amount smaller than the first movement amount in offset control in the case where no structure is present.

On the other hand, when the recognition level is high (no in S510), the control unit (ECU20) performs offset control by a third movement amount in which the movement amount is set smaller than the first movement amount and is set larger than the second movement amount.

According to the processing of fig. 5, it is possible to recognize another vehicle with respect to the structure, determine the visibility (recognition level) of the other vehicle with the structure interposed therebetween, and change the movement amount of the offset control based on the determination result of the recognition level.

(offset control in the case where there is an undetected region where the structure is discontinuous)

In the present embodiment, offset control will be described in a case where there is an undetected region where a recognized structure is not recognized after the recognition unit recognizes the structure.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of offset control in the case where there is an undetected area.

In step S600, the recognition unit (ECU20, ECU22, ECU23) recognizes the structure. As an image processing method for recognizing a structure, various image processing methods can be adopted. For example, as described in the offset control (fig. 5) based on the recognition level, a feature point may be extracted from the acquired image information about the structure, and the spatial position of the extracted feature point may be calculated, thereby recognizing the structure based on the calculated spatial position of the feature point. Further, based on the spatial positions of the extracted feature points, a region in which the structure is continuous and a region in which the structure is discontinuous (undetected region) can be identified. The image processing method described here is an example, and is not limited to this method, and various methods can be applied.

In step S610, when there is an undetected region where the identified structure becomes unrecognizable after the recognition unit recognizes the structure, the recognition unit (ECU20, ECU22, ECU23) compares the distance of the undetected region with the threshold value. When the distance of the undetected area is smaller than the threshold (S610 — yes), the process proceeds to step S620.

In step S620, the control unit (ECU20) continues the offset control based on the movement amount set with respect to the structure. The offset control continued in this processing is the offset control described in step S260 of fig. 2, and the control unit (ECU20) continues the offset control in which the amount of movement in the case where a structure is present is suppressed compared to the amount of movement (first amount of movement) in the case where a structure is not present between the first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and the second lane in which another vehicle is traveling.

The suppressed movement amount is, for example, a movement amount set when the structure has high strength or low strength, or is set based on a relationship between a distance in the lateral direction of the structure and a threshold value, and offset control based on the movement amount is continued.

On the other hand, in the comparison processing in step S610, when the distance of the undetected area is equal to or greater than the threshold (S610 — no), the processing proceeds to step S630.

In step S630, when the distance of the undetected area is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the control unit (ECU20) performs offset control based on the amount of movement set according to the lateral distance between the vehicle and another vehicle traveling in the second lane. The offset control performed in step S630 is the normal offset control described in step S250 in fig. 2, and the control unit (ECU20) performs the offset control without suppressing the movement amount when the distance of the undetected region is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

Fig. 11 is a diagram exemplarily showing offset control in a case where there is an undetected region. In fig. 11 (a), a vehicle 705 is a control target own vehicle, and travels in a lane 701 (first lane) in the direction of an arrow 707. The vehicle 706 is another vehicle, and travels on the opposite lane 702 (second lane) with respect to the lane 701 (first lane) in the direction of an arrow 708. The lane 701 (first lane) and the opposite lane 702 (second lane) are separated by a structure a and a structure B.

The region C is an undetected region in which the structure a is not recognized after the recognition unit (ECU20, ECU22, ECU23) recognizes the structure a. When there is an undetected region C, the recognition unit compares the distance of the undetected region with a threshold value, and when the distance of the undetected region is smaller than the threshold value, the recognition unit sets a virtual line 1101 connecting the end of the recognized structure A, B to the undetected region C, and sets the undetected region C as a virtual structure. The undetected region C was defined as a virtual structure C, and the structure A, B, C was defined as an integrated structure. The controller (ECU20) also performs offset control of structure C, B based on the movement amount set for structure a, and continues the offset control.

Further, not only the virtual line 1101 is set, but a virtual object may be arranged in the undetected region C, and the virtual integrated structure may be formed by filling in the recognized structures A, B.

Fig. 11 (B) is a diagram showing a case where the distance of the undetected region is equal to or greater than the threshold value. When the distance between the undetected areas is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the setting of the virtual line as shown in fig. 11 (a) is not performed, but the setting of the detection area with respect to the undetected area C is changed by the acquisition unit (ECU22, ECU23) so as to return the detection area to the detection area in the normal state.

In fig. 11 (B), a region 1110 is a detection region in a normal state of the acquisition unit (ECU22, ECU 23). When performing offset control in which the amount of movement is suppressed, the control unit (ECU20) performs control based on information on the region in which the detection region is narrowed. That is, when the structure a exists between the lane 701 (first lane) and the opposite lane 702 (second lane), the control unit (ECU20) performs the offset control based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit (ECU22, ECU23) in the region 1120 (suppressed detection region) excluding the opposite lane 702 (second lane) from the normal detection region 1110. The offset control performed here is a process corresponding to step S260 in fig. 2.

When the distance of the undetected region C, which is not recognized by the recognized structure a, becomes equal to or greater than the threshold value after the recognition unit (ECU20, ECU22, ECU23) recognizes the structure a, the acquisition unit (ECU22, ECU23) changes the detection region 1120 to the detection region 1110 in the normal state (expansion of the detection region). In the undetected area C, for example, another vehicle 706 traveling in the oncoming lane 702 (the second lane) may turn right or turn around as indicated by an arrow 1130. The control unit (ECU20) performs normal offset control based on the amount of movement set according to the lateral distance between the vehicle 705 (the own vehicle) and the other vehicle 706 traveling in the opposite lane 702 (the second lane). The offset control performed here is a process corresponding to step S250 in fig. 2. The control unit (ECU20) performs normal offset control until the structure B having predetermined structure information (for example, width, height, and the like) is recognized (detected).

When a structure B that distinguishes between the lane 701 (first lane) and the opposite lane 702 (second lane) is recognized by the traveling of the vehicle 705 (own vehicle), the acquisition unit (ECU22, ECU23) changes the detection region 1110 in the normal state to the detection region 1120 (reduction of the detection region).

When a structure B exists between the lane 701 (first lane) and the oncoming lane 702 (second lane), the control unit (ECU20) performs offset control based on the information acquired by the acquisition units (ECU22, ECU23) in the detection region 1120 (suppressed detection region) obtained by removing the oncoming lane 702 (second lane) from the normal detection region 1110. The offset control performed here is a process corresponding to step S260 in fig. 2.

According to the processing shown in fig. 6, even when there are undetected regions in which the structure is discontinuous, the offset control can be changed based on the distance of the undetected region.

< summary of the embodiments >

The vehicle control device according to the above embodiment is a vehicle control device (for example, 100) that controls traveling of a vehicle, and includes:

an acquisition unit (for example, ECU22, ECU23) that acquires information on another vehicle traveling in a detection area around the vehicle and information on a structure located in the detection area; and

a control unit (e.g., ECU20) that performs offset control for moving the vehicle in a lateral direction that intersects with a traveling direction of the vehicle, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit,

the control means performs offset control in which the lateral movement amount in the case where the structure is present is suppressed compared to the lateral movement amount in the case where the structure is not present between the first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and the second lane in which the other vehicle is traveling (for example, S260).

According to the vehicle control device of configuration 1, it is possible to perform offset control in consideration of a structure existing between the host vehicle and another vehicle.

Configuration 2. in the vehicle control device (100) of the above embodiment,

when the structure is present between the first lane and the second lane, the control unit performs the offset control based on information acquired by the acquisition unit in a region (for example, 720) excluding the second lane from the detection region.

Configuration 3. in the vehicle control device (100) of the above embodiment,

when the structure is present between the first lane and the second lane, the control unit performs the offset control by excluding information related to another vehicle in the second lane from the information (for example, 710) acquired by the acquisition unit.

According to the vehicle control devices of configurations 2 to 3, the vehicle control in which the power consumption is suppressed can be performed by narrowing the detection range of the radar, the optical radar, or the like.

Configuration 4. in the vehicle control device (100) of the above embodiment,

the control unit performs object management of storing the information acquired by the acquisition unit in a storage unit (e.g., C2) in time series,

the control unit suppresses the target management of the information on the other vehicle in the second lane when the structure is present between the first lane and the second lane.

According to the vehicle control device of configuration 4, it is possible to perform vehicle control with a reduced processing load by excluding the tracking target in time series.

Configuration 5. in the vehicle control device (100) of the above embodiment,

the acquisition means acquires at least one item of structure information on the type or shape of the structure or the height and width of the structure (for example, S300),

the control means changes the lateral movement amount in the offset control based on the structure information acquired by the acquisition means (e.g., S320 and S330).

Configuration 6. in the vehicle control device (100) of the above embodiment,

the control means determines whether or not the structure is a high-strength structure based on the structure information (for example, S310),

the control means performs the offset control with a second lateral movement amount that is set smaller than the first lateral movement amount in the offset control in the case where the structure is not present, when it is determined that the structure is a high-strength structure (for example, S320),

when it is determined that the structure is not a high-strength structure but a low-strength structure, the control means performs offset control with a third lateral movement amount that sets the lateral movement amount smaller than the first lateral movement amount and larger than the second lateral movement amount (for example, S330).

Configuration 7. in the vehicle control device (100) of the above embodiment,

the acquisition means changes the range of the detection region (for example 720) based on the acquired structure information,

the control unit performs the offset control based on information acquired by the acquisition unit in the detection area of the changed range.

According to the vehicle control devices of configurations 5 to 7, it is possible to determine whether the structure is a high-strength structure or a low-strength structure based on at least one of the structure information on the type or shape of the structure or the dimensions related to the height and width of the structure, and change the lateral movement amount in the offset control based on the determination result.

Structure 8. in the vehicle control device (100) of the above embodiment,

the acquisition means acquires the lateral distance between the vehicle and the structure (for example, L1), the lateral distance between the other vehicle and the structure (for example, L2), or the lateral distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle (for example, L3),

the control means performs the offset control so as to suppress the lateral movement amount (e.g., S420) when the acquired distance is equal to or more than the threshold value, compared to the lateral movement amount (e.g., S430) when the acquired distance is less than the threshold value.

Configuration 9. in the vehicle control device (100) of the above embodiment,

when the structure is determined to be a low-strength structure,

when the acquired distance is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the control means performs the offset control with a second lateral movement amount that is set smaller than the first lateral movement amount in the offset control in the case where the structure is not present (for example, S420),

when the acquired distance is not equal to or greater than the threshold value, the control unit performs the shift control at a third lateral movement amount that sets the lateral movement amount smaller than the first lateral movement amount and larger than the second lateral movement amount (e.g., S430).

The vehicle control device (100) according to the above embodiment is provided with a configuration (10),

when the distance is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the control unit performs the offset control by excluding information on another vehicle in the second lane from the information acquired by the acquisition unit.

According to the vehicle control devices of configurations 8 to 10, even when it is determined that the structure is a low-strength structure, the lateral displacement amount in the offset control can be changed based on the lateral distance information.

Structure 11. in the vehicle control device (100) of the above embodiment,

further comprises an identification means (for example, ECU20, ECU22, ECU23) for identifying the other vehicle and the structure when the information on the other vehicle and the information on the structure are acquired by the acquisition means,

the control means determines a recognition level of the other vehicle with respect to the structure recognized by the recognition means (e.g., S510), and performs the offset control based on the lateral movement amount changed according to the recognition level (e.g., S520, S530).

Structure 12. in the vehicle control device (100) of the above embodiment,

the control unit determines the recognition level based on information on the type of another vehicle recognized through the structure or information on the height of the another vehicle with respect to the structure (e.g., S510).

Structure 13. in the vehicle control device (100) of the above embodiment,

the control unit determines that the recognition level of the other vehicle is high when the height of the other vehicle is equal to or greater than a threshold value, determines that the recognition level of the other vehicle is low when the height of the other vehicle is less than the threshold value,

the control means performs offset control so as to suppress the lateral movement amount (e.g., S520) in the case where the recognition level is low, compared to the lateral movement amount (e.g., S530) in the case where the recognition level is high.

Structure 14. in the vehicle control device (100) of the above embodiment,

when the recognition level is low, the control means performs the offset control with a second lateral movement amount that is set smaller than the first lateral movement amount in the offset control when the structure is not present (for example, S520),

when the recognition level is high, the control unit performs offset control at a third lateral movement amount that sets the lateral movement amount smaller than the first lateral movement amount and larger than the second lateral movement amount (e.g., S530).

According to the vehicle control devices of configurations 11 to 14, it is possible to recognize another vehicle with respect to the structure, determine the visibility (recognition level) of the other vehicle through the structure, and change the lateral movement amount in the offset control based on the determination result of the recognition level.

Structure 15. in the vehicle control device (100) of the above embodiment,

when there is an undetected region where the structure cannot be recognized after the structure is recognized by the recognition means, the recognition means compares the distance between the undetected region and a threshold value (for example, S610),

when the distance of the undetected region is smaller than a threshold value, the control means continues the offset control based on the lateral movement amount set with respect to the structure (for example, S620).

Structure 16. in the vehicle control device (100) of the above embodiment,

when the distance in the undetected region is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the control unit performs the offset control based on a lateral movement amount set according to a lateral distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle traveling in the second lane (e.g., S630).

The configuration 17 is such that, in the vehicle control device (100) according to the above-described embodiment,

when the distance of the undetected region is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the control means performs offset control without suppressing the lateral movement amount (e.g., S630).

According to the vehicle control devices of configurations 15 to 17, even when there are undetected regions in which the structure is discontinuous, the offset control can be changed based on the distance of the undetected region.

The configuration 18 is such that, in the vehicle control device (100) of the above-described embodiment,

the structure includes a separation zone that separates the first lane from the second lane.

According to the vehicle control device of configuration 18, it is possible to perform offset control in consideration of a structure existing between the host vehicle and another vehicle.

The vehicle control method according to the above embodiment is a vehicle control method of a vehicle control device that controls traveling of a vehicle, and includes:

an acquisition step (e.g., S210) of acquiring information on another vehicle traveling in a detection area around the vehicle and information on a structure located in the detection area; and

a control step (e.g., S260) of performing offset control for moving the vehicle in a lateral direction intersecting with a traveling direction of the vehicle on the basis of the information acquired in the acquisition step,

in the control step, offset control is performed in which a lateral displacement amount in a case where the structure is present is suppressed as compared with a lateral displacement amount in a case where the structure is not present between a first lane in which the vehicle travels and a second lane in which the other vehicle travels.

According to the vehicle control method of configuration 19, it is possible to perform offset control in consideration of a structure existing between the host vehicle and another vehicle.

Configuration 20 the storage medium of the above embodiment stores a program for causing a computer to execute each step of the vehicle control method described in configuration 19.

According to configuration 20, the vehicle control method described in configuration 19 can be realized by a computer.

The information acquisition device according to the above embodiment is an information acquisition device (for example, 22, 23, 41, 42, 43) that acquires information on the periphery of a vehicle (for example, 1) in order to control the travel of the vehicle, and includes:

acquisition means (e.g., 22, 23) for acquiring information on another vehicle traveling in a detection area around the vehicle and information on a structure located in the detection area,

when a structure is present between a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane in which another vehicle is traveling, the acquisition means outputs information of a region excluding the second lane from the detection region to a control means (for example, 20) that controls the traveling of the vehicle.

The information acquisition device configured as described in configuration 21 can acquire information for performing offset control in consideration of a structure existing between the host vehicle and another vehicle.

(other embodiments)

The present invention can be implemented by processing in which a program for implementing the vehicle control function is supplied to a vehicle via a network or a storage medium, and the program is read by one or more processors in a computer of the vehicle and executed.

Claims (22)

1. A vehicle control device that controls travel of a vehicle, the vehicle control device comprising:

an acquisition unit that acquires information on another vehicle traveling in a detection area around the vehicle and information on a structure located in the detection area; and

a control unit that performs offset control for moving the vehicle in a lateral direction that intersects with a traveling direction of the vehicle, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit,

the control means performs offset control in which a lateral movement amount in a case where the structure is present is suppressed as compared with a lateral movement amount in a case where the structure is not present between a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane in which the other vehicle is traveling,

the control unit performs the offset control based on information acquired by the acquisition unit in an area excluding the second lane from the detection area, when the structure is present between the first lane and the second lane.

2. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1,

the control unit performs the offset control by excluding information on another vehicle in the second lane from the information acquired by the acquisition unit when the structure is present between the first lane and the second lane.

3. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

the control unit performs object management of storing the information acquired by the acquisition unit in a storage unit in time series,

the control unit suppresses the target management of information relating to another vehicle of the second lane when the structure is present between the first lane and the second lane.

4. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

the acquisition means acquires at least one item of structure information on the type or shape of the structure or the height and width of the structure,

the control means changes the lateral movement amount in the offset control based on the structure information acquired by the acquisition means.

5. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 4,

the control means determines whether or not the structure is a high-strength structure based on the structure information,

the control means performs the offset control with a second lateral movement amount that is set smaller than a first lateral movement amount in the offset control when the structure is determined to be a high-strength structure,

the control means performs offset control by a third lateral movement amount that sets the lateral movement amount smaller than the first lateral movement amount and larger than the second lateral movement amount when it is determined that the structure is not a high-strength structure but a low-strength structure.

6. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 4,

the acquisition means changes the range of the detection region based on the acquired structure information,

the control unit performs the offset control based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit in the detection area of the changed range.

7. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 5,

the acquisition means acquires the lateral distance between the vehicle and the structure, the lateral distance between the other vehicle and the structure, or the lateral distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle,

the control means performs the offset control so as to suppress the lateral movement amount in the case where the acquired distance is a threshold value or more, as compared with the lateral movement amount in the case where the acquired distance is smaller than the threshold value.

8. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 7,

when the structure is determined to be a low-strength structure,

the control means performs the offset control with a second lateral movement amount that is set smaller than a first lateral movement amount in offset control in the absence of the structure when the acquired distance is equal to or greater than a threshold value,

when the acquired distance is not equal to or greater than a threshold value, the control unit performs offset control at a third lateral movement amount that sets the lateral movement amount smaller than the first lateral movement amount and larger than the second lateral movement amount.

9. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 7 or 8,

when the distance is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the control unit performs the offset control by excluding information on another vehicle in the second lane from the information acquired by the acquisition unit.

10. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

further comprising an identification unit that identifies the other vehicle and the structure when the information on the other vehicle and the information on the structure are acquired by the acquisition unit,

the control means determines a recognition level of the other vehicle with respect to the structure recognized by the recognition means, and performs the offset control based on a lateral movement amount changed according to the recognition level.

11. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 10,

the control means determines the identification level based on information on the type of another vehicle identified through a structure or information on the height of the other vehicle relative to the structure.

12. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 11,

the control unit determines that the recognition level of the other vehicle is high when the height of the other vehicle is equal to or greater than a threshold value, determines that the recognition level of the other vehicle is low when the height of the other vehicle is less than the threshold value,

the control means performs offset control so as to suppress the lateral movement amount in the case where the recognition level is low as compared with the lateral movement amount in the case where the recognition level is high.

13. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 10,

the control means performs the offset control with a second lateral movement amount that is set smaller than a first lateral movement amount in offset control in a case where the structure is not present, when the recognition level is low,

when the recognition level is high, the control means performs offset control at a third lateral movement amount that sets the lateral movement amount smaller than the first lateral movement amount and larger than the second lateral movement amount.

14. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 10,

when there is an undetected region where the structure is not recognized after the structure is recognized by the recognition means, the recognition means compares the distance of the undetected region with a threshold value,

the control means continues the shift control based on the lateral movement amount set with respect to the structure when the distance of the undetected region is smaller than a threshold value.

15. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 14,

the control means performs the offset control based on a lateral movement amount set according to a lateral distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle traveling in the second lane, when the distance of the undetected area is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

16. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 14,

the control means performs offset control without suppressing the lateral movement amount when the distance of the undetected region is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

17. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

the structure includes an isolation zone that distinguishes the first lane from the second lane.

18. A vehicle control device that controls travel of a vehicle, the vehicle control device comprising:

an acquisition unit that acquires information on another vehicle traveling in a detection area around the vehicle and information on a structure located in the detection area; and

a control unit that performs offset control for moving the vehicle in a lateral direction that intersects with a traveling direction of the vehicle, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit,

the control means performs offset control in which a lateral movement amount in a case where the structure is present is suppressed as compared with a lateral movement amount in a case where the structure is not present between a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane in which the other vehicle is traveling,

the control unit performs the offset control by excluding information on another vehicle in the second lane from the information acquired by the acquisition unit when the structure is present between the first lane and the second lane.

19. An information acquisition device that acquires information on the periphery of a vehicle in order to control the travel of the vehicle and outputs the acquired information to a vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 18, the information acquisition device comprising:

an acquisition unit that acquires information on another vehicle traveling in a detection area around the vehicle and information on a structure located in the detection area,

the acquisition means outputs, to the vehicle control device that controls travel of the vehicle, information of a region excluding a second lane traveled by another vehicle from the detection region, when a structure exists between the first lane traveled by the vehicle and the second lane traveled by the other vehicle.

20. A vehicle control method of a vehicle control device that controls traveling of a vehicle, the vehicle control method comprising:

an acquisition step of acquiring information on another vehicle traveling in a detection area around the vehicle and information on a structure located in the detection area; and

a control step of performing offset control for moving the vehicle in a lateral direction intersecting with a traveling direction of the vehicle based on the information acquired in the acquisition step,

performing offset control in which a lateral movement amount in a case where the structure is present is suppressed as compared with a lateral movement amount in a case where the structure is not present between a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane in which the other vehicle is traveling,

in the control step, when the structure is present between the first lane and the second lane, the offset control is performed based on information acquired in the acquisition step in a region excluding the second lane from the detection region.

21. A vehicle control method of a vehicle control device that controls traveling of a vehicle, the vehicle control method comprising:

an acquisition step of acquiring information on another vehicle traveling in a detection area around the vehicle and information on a structure located in the detection area; and

a control step of performing offset control for moving the vehicle in a lateral direction intersecting with a traveling direction of the vehicle based on the information acquired in the acquisition step,

performing offset control in which a lateral movement amount in a case where the structure is present is suppressed as compared with a lateral movement amount in a case where the structure is not present between a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane in which the other vehicle is traveling,

in the control step, when the structure is present between the first lane and the second lane, the offset control is performed by excluding information on another vehicle in the second lane from the information acquired in the acquisition step.

22. A storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute each step of the vehicle control method according to claim 20 or 21.

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