Collision avoidance apparatus

A collision avoidance apparatus comprising:

• a traveling state calculation section configured to calculate a traveling state which includes a moving direction and a moving velocity of an own vehicle;
• a target detection section configured to detect a target ahead of the own vehicle;
• a target state calculation section configured to calculate a state of the target detected by the target detection section which includes a moving direction of the target, a size of the target, a moving velocity of the target, and a position of the target relative to a position of the own vehicle;
• a lateral moving object determination section configured to determine whether the target is a lateral moving object moving in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the own vehicle;
• a collision determination section configured to determine whether the own vehicle will collide with the lateral moving object when the lateral moving object determination section has determined that the target is the lateral moving object;
• and
• a collision avoidance control section configured to automatically control brakes of the own vehicle such that a velocity of the own vehicle is to be a predetermined deceleration when the collision determination section has determined that the own vehicle will collide with the lateral moving object,
• wherein the collision determination section is configured to:
• calculate a passing-through period of the lateral moving object, which is a period elapsing from a present time to a time in which a rear end of the lateral moving object passes through an own vehicle course, which is a moving course of the own vehicle;
• calculate a reaching period of the own vehicle, which is a period elapsing from the present time to a time in which the own vehicle reaches a lateral moving object course, which is a moving course of the lateral moving object;
• calculate a reaching period of the lateral moving object, which is a period elapsing from the present time to a time in which the lateral moving object reaches the own vehicle course;
• calculate a passing-through period of the own vehicle, which is a period elapsing from the present time to a time in which the own vehicle passes through the lateral moving object course;
• determine whether the passing-through period of the own vehicle is less than or equal to the reaching period of the lateral moving object;
• determine whether the passing-through period of the lateral moving object is less than or equal to the reaching period of the own vehicle;
• and
• in response to determining that both (i) the passing-through period of the own vehicle is not less than or equal to the reaching period of the lateral moving object, and (ii) the passing-through period of the lateral moving object is not less than or equal to the reaching period of the own vehicle, calculate an operation timing of the brakes of the own vehicle to avoid collision with the lateral moving object,
• wherein the brakes of the own vehicle are operated at the operation timing.