Vehicle identification device and vehicle identification method

A vehicle identification method using a vehicle identification device including an electronic control device, an external sensor configured to detect a situation around a host vehicle, a vehicle speed sensor configured to detect a speed of the host vehicle, and a communication unit configured to perform vehicle-to-vehicle communication with non-host vehicles, the vehicle identification method comprising:

• receiving a detection result from the external sensor and acquiring non-host vehicle detection information including a relative vehicle speed of the non-host vehicle with respect to the host vehicle and a relative distance between the host vehicle and the non-host vehicle based on the detection result;
• acquiring non-host vehicle communication information including a vehicle speed of the non-host vehicle around the host vehicle by the vehicle-to-vehicle communication performed by the communication unit;
• identifying a preceding vehicle traveling directly in front of the host vehicle from among the non-host vehicles in vehicle-to-vehicle communication with the host vehicle based on the acquired non-host vehicle detection information and the acquired non-host vehicle communication information;
• determining whether or not the external sensor has lost the preceding vehicle in a state where the vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle continues;
• recognizing the vehicle speed of the host vehicle based on vehicle speed information detected by the vehicle speed sensor;
• calculating, when the electronic control device determines that the preceding vehicle has been lost, an estimated relative distance between the lost preceding vehicle and the host vehicle based on the relative distance between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle according to the non-host vehicle detection information immediately before the preceding vehicle has been lost, a vehicle speed of the preceding vehicle acquired by the continuing vehicle-to-vehicle communication, and the recognized vehicle speed of the host vehicle;
• and
• re-identifying a communication continuation vehicle that used to be the preceding vehicle based on the estimated relative distance and the relative distance between the non-host vehicle and the host vehicle according to the non-host vehicle detection information.