Following-start control apparatus

A following-start control apparatus comprising:

• a traveling environment information obtaining unit that obtains, as traveling environment information, information on a traveling environment around an own vehicle;
• a preceding vehicle information obtaining unit that obtains, as preceding vehicle information, information on a preceding vehicle that travels ahead of the own vehicle based on the traveling environment information obtained by the traveling environment information obtaining unit;
• a preceding vehicle start detector that determines, based on the preceding vehicle information obtained by the preceding vehicle information obtaining unit, an inter-vehicular distance between the preceding vehicle and the own vehicle that is stopped, and detects start of the preceding vehicle based on a change in the inter-vehicular distance;
• and
• a following-start controller that causes the own vehicle that is stopped to automatically start moving as to follow the preceding vehicle, when the start of the preceding vehicle is detected by the preceding vehicle start detector, the following-start controller including:
• a road surface gradient information setter that sets an estimated gradient of a road surface on which the own vehicle is stopped based on the traveling environment information obtained by the traveling environment information obtaining unit;
• a first delay time setter that sets a first delay time based on the estimated gradient set by the road surface gradient information setter, the first delay time being set to be longer as the estimated gradient becomes greater when the own vehicle is on a downward slope, and being set to be shorter as the estimated gradient becomes greater when the own vehicle is on an upward slope;
• and
• a delayed start controller that sets, as a delay time, a time upon so starting the own vehicle as to follow the preceding vehicle based on the first delay time set by the first delay time setter.