Driving assistance apparatus

A driving assistance method comprising:

• detecting a degree of approach from a subject vehicle to a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the subject vehicle;
• acquiring traffic light information including switching information on a traffic light and position information on a position of the subject vehicle with respect to the traffic light, the traffic light informing a driver of stopping or non-stopping at a predetermined position;
• deriving a recommended driving for the driver, based on the traffic light information and the position information;
• and
• controlling a display part so as to notify the driver of information on a recommended vehicle speed included in the recommended driving, wherein
• the controlling includes controlling the display part so as to display the information on the recommended driving including a first maximum value defined as a maximum value of the recommended vehicle speed included in the recommended driving when the degree of approach is smaller than a predetermined value, and to display the information on the recommended driving including a second maximum value of the recommended vehicle speed different from the first maximum value when the degree of approach is equal to or larger than the predetermined value,
• the detecting includes detecting a speed difference obtained by subtracting the first maximum value from a vehicle speed of the preceding vehicle, and
• the controlling further includes controlling the display part so as to display the information on the recommended driving including the first maximum value when the speed difference is equal to or larger than a predetermined difference, and to display the information on the recommended driving including the second maximum value smaller than the first maximum value when the speed difference is smaller than the predetermined difference.

A driving assistance apparatus comprising:

• a display part configured to display information;
• a detection part configured to detect a degree of approach from a subject vehicle to a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the subject vehicle;
• a vehicle speed detection part configured to detect a vehicle speed of the preceding vehicle;
• and
• an electronic control unit including a microprocessor and a memory connected to the microprocessor, wherein
• the microprocessor is configured to perform:
• acquiring traffic light information including switching information on a traffic light and position information on a position of the subject vehicle with respect to the traffic light, the traffic light informing a driver of stopping or non-stopping at a predetermined position;
• deriving a recommended driving for the driver, based on the traffic light information and the position information;
• and
• controlling the display part so as to notify the driver of information on a recommended vehicle speed included in the recommended driving, and
• the microprocessor is configured to perform
• the controlling including controlling the display part so as to display the information on the recommended driving including a first maximum value defined as a maximum value of the recommended vehicle speed included in the recommended driving when the degree of approach detected by the detection part is smaller than a predetermined value, and to display the information on the recommended driving including a second maximum value of the recommended vehicle speed different from the first maximum value when the degree of approach is equal to or larger than the predetermined value, and
• the microprocessor is configured to further perform
• the controlling including controlling the display part so as to display the information on the recommended driving including the first maximum value when the vehicle speed of the preceding vehicle detected by the vehicle speed detection part is equal to or larger than the first maximum value, and to display the information on the recommended driving including the second maximum value smaller than the first maximum value when the vehicle speed of the preceding vehicle is smaller than the first maximum value.