Vehicle control device
AssigneeToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorHirotada Otake
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A driver is prevented from carrying out hands-free driving while lane keeping assist control is being carried out, thereby appropriately determining an abnormal state of the driver. When a steering wheel no-operation state continues for a first period or more, a driving support ECU sets a control mode of LKA to a “weaker mode”, thereby decreasing a control amount of the LKA. As a result, an own vehicle swerves within a travel lane, and the driver neglecting the steering wheel operation can be prompted to operate the steering wheel. Further, when the no-driving operation state continues for a second period or more, the driving support ECU establishes determination that the driver is in an abnormal state, returns the LKA to a “normal mode”, and decelerates and stops the own vehicle.
Claims18
A vehicle control device including control circuitry, the control circuitry configured to:
- control a vehicle in a first mode by carrying out a lateral control to follow a target travel line;
- determine whether or not a driver of the vehicle is in a preliminary abnormal state based on a period after the driver is determined to be in a hands-free state during the first mode;
- change a control mode from the first mode to a second mode by reducing a lateral control amount when it is determined that the driver is in the preliminary abnormal state;
- determine whether or not the driver of the vehicle is in an abnormal state based on a period after the lateral control amount is reduced;
- and
- control the vehicle in a third mode by decreasing a speed of the vehicle or by stopping the vehicle when it is determined that the driver is in the abnormal state.
A vehicle control method, comprising:
- controlling, using control circuitry, a vehicle in a first mode by carrying out a lateral control to follow a target travel line;
- determining whether or not a driver of the vehicle is in a preliminary abnormal state based on a period after the driver is determined to be in a hands-free state during the first mode;
- changing a control mode from the first mode to a second mode by reducing a lateral control amount when it is determined that the driver is in the preliminary abnormal state;
- determining whether or not the driver of the vehicle is in an abnormal state based on a period after the lateral control amount is reduced;
- and
- controlling the vehicle in a third mode by decreasing a speed of the vehicle or by stopping the vehicle when it is determined that the driver is in the abnormal state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.