# US 11,307,591 B2 · Vehicle control system, vehicle control method, and vehicle control program

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- Number: US 11,307,591 B2
- Document ID: US11307591B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/469,694
- Filed: 2017-01-24
- Published: 2019-11-21
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-24
- Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Noboru Okajima; Tatsuya Iwasa; Yusuke Nakamura
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307591B2

## CPC

- B60W 30/18163: {Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres}
- B60W 60/00184: {related to infrastructure}
- B60R 21/00: Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks (safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19)
- B60W 30/09: Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
- B60W 30/14: {Adaptive} cruise control
- B60W 30/143: {Speed control (B60W30/16 takes precedence)}
- B60W 30/182: Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
- B60W 50/10: Interpretation of driver requests or demands
- B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
- B60W 60/00: Drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles
- B60W 60/0018: {by employing degraded modes, e.g. reducing speed, in response to suboptimal conditions}
- B62D 6/00: Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits (means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00)
- B62D 15/025: {Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation (B62D1/28 takes precedence)}
- B62D 15/0255: {Automatic changing of lane, e.g. for passing another vehicle}
- B62D 15/0265: {Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering}
- G01C 21/3415: {Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents}
- G01C 21/3617: {using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement}
- G01C 21/3658: {Lane guidance}
- G05D 1/00: Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00)
- G08G 1/16: Anti-collision systems (road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08)
- B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
- B60W 2420/408: Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
- B60W 2552/05: Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
- B60W 2552/10: Number of lanes
- B60W 2552/15: Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
- B60W 2552/30: Road curve radius
- B60W 2554/4029: Pedestrians
- B60W 2554/406: Traffic density
- B60W 2554/80: Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
- B60W 2554/804: Relative longitudinal speed
- B60W 2720/10: Longitudinal speed
- G08G 1/166: {for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes}
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})

## Abstract

A vehicle control system includes an acquirer that acquires information that allows recognition of a speed of another vehicle in a travel direction of an own vehicle, a determiner that determines whether or not a low speed section whose travel speed is equal to or less than a first predetermined speed is present in the travel direction of the own vehicle on the basis of the information acquired by the acquirer, and a controller that is able to perform an automated driving mode which is executed at a second predetermined speed or less and that performs predetermined control before the own vehicle reaches the low speed section that has been determined as being present by the determiner.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle control system comprising:
an acquirer configured to acquire information that allows recognition of a speed of another vehicle in a travel direction of an own vehicle;
a determiner configured to determine whether or not a low speed section whose travel speed is equal to or less than a first predetermined speed is present in the travel direction of the own vehicle on the basis of the information acquired by the acquirer; and
a controller capable of executing a first automated driving mode which is capable of executing when the own vehicle travels at a first speed that is equal to or less than a reference speed or a second automated driving mode which is capable of executing at least when the own vehicle travels at a second speed that is greater than the reference speed, the first automated driving mode being a mode in which lane change is not performed, the second automated driving mode being a mode in which lane change is performed, the controller being configured to, in a case that the own vehicle travels on a first lane that is not linked to a destination at the second speed during control based on the second automated driving mode, cause the own vehicle to move to a second lane that is linked to the destination before the own vehicle reaches the low speed section that has been determined as being present by the determiner, the low speed section being a section in which the own vehicle plans to travel in the first automated driving mode,
wherein the controller is further configured to:
cause the own vehicle to move to the second lane in a case that:
the own vehicle travels on the first lane at the second speed during control based on the second automated driving mode, and
the own vehicle is capable of completing movement to the second lane before reaching the low speed section; and
notify a driver of information that the own vehicle reach the low speed section after a predetermined time elapses and it is necessary to change lanes, in a case that:
the own vehicle travels on the first lane at the second speed during control based on the second automated driving mode, and
the own vehicle is not capable of completing movement to the second lane before reaching the low speed section.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to perform, as a predetermined control, causing an output unit to output predetermined information before the own vehicle reaches the low speed section.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to perform, as a predetermined control, causing the own vehicle to change lanes before the own vehicle reaches the low speed section.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to perform a predetermined control if in the low speed section there is a branch point for entering a branch road from a main line when the own vehicle is to travel along a predetermined route.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to perform prohibition of lane change as a predetermined control when the own vehicle is traveling in a lane connected to a branch road if in the low speed section there is a branch point for entering the branch road from a main line when the own vehicle is to travel along a predetermined route.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is capable of executing the automated driving mode in which lane change is performed when avoiding an obstacle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:
in a case that the own vehicle travels on the first lane at the second speed in controlling based on the second automated driving mode, cause the own vehicle to move to the second lane before the own vehicle reaches the low speed section, and
execute the first automated driving mode after the own vehicle had moved to a lane and had reached the low speed section.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:
in a case that the own vehicle travels on the first lane at the second speed in controlling based on the second automated driving mode and it is estimated that the own vehicle will reach a start position in the low speed section after the predetermined time elapses, notify the driver of information in which it is estimated that the own vehicle will reach the start position after the predetermined time elapses.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The vehicle control system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to perform, as the predetermined control, causing the own vehicle to change lanes before the own vehicle reaches the low speed section.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The vehicle control system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to perform the predetermined control if in the low speed section there is a branch point for entering a branch road from a main line when the own vehicle is to travel along a predetermined route.

### Claim 11 (depends on 2)

The vehicle control system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to perform prohibition of lane change as the predetermined control when the own vehicle is traveling in a lane connected to a branch road if in the low speed section there is a branch point for entering the branch road from a main line when the own vehicle is to travel along a predetermined route.

### Claim 12 (depends on 2)

The vehicle control system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is capable of executing the automated driving mode in which lane change is performed when avoiding an obstacle.

### Claim 13

A vehicle control system comprising:
an acquirer configured to acquire information that allows recognition of a speed of another vehicle in a travel direction of an own vehicle;
a determiner configured to determine whether or not a low speed section whose travel speed is equal to or less than a reference speed is present in the travel direction of the own vehicle based on the information acquired by the acquirer; and
a controller selectively capable of executing a first automated driving mode which is capable of executing when the own vehicle travels at a first speed that is equal to or less than the reference speed or a second automated driving mode which is capable of executing at least when the own vehicle travels at a second speed that is greater than the first speed, the first automated driving mode being a mode in which lane change is not performed, the second automated driving mode being a mode in which lane change is performed, the controller being configured to, in a case that the own vehicle travels on a first lane that is not linked to a destination at the second speed during control based on the second automated driving mode, cause the own vehicle to move to a second lane that is linked to the destination before the own vehicle reaches the low speed section that has been determined as being present by the determiner, the low speed section being a section in which the own vehicle plans to travel at the first speed that is equal to or less than the reference speed in the first automated driving mode,
wherein the controller is further configured to:
cause the own vehicle to move to the second lane in a case that:
the own vehicle travels on the first lane at the second speed during control based on the second automated driving mode, and
the own vehicle is capable of completing movement to the second lane before reaching the low speed section; and
notify a driver of information that the own vehicle reach the low speed section after a predetermined time elapses and it is necessary to change lanes, in a case that:
the own vehicle travels on the first lane at the second speed during control based on the second automated driving mode, and
the own vehicle is not capable of completing movement to the second lane before reaching the low speed section.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The vehicle control system according to claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to perform, as a predetermined control, to cause the own vehicle to change lanes before the own vehicle reaches the low speed section.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The vehicle control system according to claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to:
in a case that the own vehicle travels on the first lane at the second speed in controlling based on the second automated driving mode, cause the own vehicle to move to the second lane before the own vehicle reaches the low speed section, and
execute the first automated driving mode after the own vehicle had moved to a lane and had reached the low speed section.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The vehicle control system according to claim 13, wherein the controller configured to, in a case that the own vehicle travels on the first lane at the second speed in controlling based on the second automated driving mode and it is estimated that the own vehicle will reach a start position in the low speed section after the predetermined time elapses, notify the driver of information in which it is estimated that the own vehicle will reach the start position after the predetermined time elapses.

### Claim 17

A vehicle control method using a vehicle control device, the vehicle control method comprising:
acquiring information that allows recognition of a speed of another vehicle in a travel direction of an own vehicle;
determining whether or not a low speed section whose travel speed is equal to or less than a reference speed is present in the travel direction of the own vehicle based on the information; and
selectively executing a first automated driving mode which is capable of executing when the own vehicle travels at a first speed that is equal to or less than the reference speed or a second automated driving mode which is capable of executing at least when the own vehicle travels at a second speed that is greater than the reference speed, the first automated driving mode being a mode in which lane change is not performed, the second automated driving mode being a mode in which lane change is performed, in a case that the own vehicle travels on a first lane that is not linked to a destination at the second speed during control based on the second automated driving mode, causing the own vehicle to move to a second lane that is linked to the destination before the own vehicle reaches the low speed section that has been determined as being present, the low speed section being a section in which the own vehicle plans to travel in the first automated driving mode,
wherein the vehicle control method further comprises:
causing the own vehicle to move the second lane in a case that:
the own vehicle travels on the first lane at the second speed during control based on the second automated driving mode, and
the own vehicle is capable of completing movement to the second lane before reaching the low speed section; and
notifying a driver of information that the own vehicle reach the low speed section after a predetermined time elapses and it is necessary to change lanes, in a case that:
the own vehicle travels on the first lane at the second speed during control based on the second automated driving mode, and
the own vehicle is not capable of completing movement to the second lane before reaching the low speed section.