Driving assistance device and non-transitory storage medium storing a driving assistance program

A driving assistance device, comprising:

• a rear sensor configured to acquire information about obstacles located behind an own vehicle;
• and
• a processor configured to, in response to detecting a presence of an obstacle within an alert target area extending rearward based on the information obtained from the rear sensor, control a notification device of the own vehicle to issue a predetermined alert to a driver of the own vehicle;
• wherein
• the processor is configured to,
• in a first situation where a tailgate of the own vehicle and a cargo of the own vehicle do not protrude rearward beyond a rear end of a rear bumper of the own vehicle, and in response to detecting the presence of the obstacle within a first section of the alert target area, control the notification device to issue a first alert;
• and
• in a second situation where a part of the tailgate, which is opened or a part of the cargo protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the rear bumper, and in response to detecting the presence of the obstacle within the first section, control the notification device to issue a second alert, which is a higher-level alert than the first alert,
• the notification device includes an image display configured to display an image representing a position of the detected obstacle and the alert target area,
• the alert target area is symmetrically arranged about a centerline passing through a central part in a vehicle width direction and have an annular fan shape from a plan view of the own vehicle,
• the alert target area is equally divided, in a radial direction of the annular fan shape, into a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections is further divided, in a circumferential direction of the annular fan shape, into a plurality of parts,
• the first section is at least one of the plurality of sections of the alert target area, and
• the processor is configured to
• issue the first alert by causing at least one of the plurality of parts in the first section displayed in the image and corresponding to the position of the detected obstacle to flash at a first interval, and
• issue the second alert by causing the at least one of the plurality of parts in the first section displayed in the image and corresponding to the position of the detected obstacle to flash at a second interval shorter than the first interval.

A non-transitory storage medium storing a driving assistance program for causing a computer equipped in an own vehicle to execute:

• acquiring, by a rear sensor, information about obstacles located behind the own vehicle;
• and
• in response to detecting a presence of an obstacle behind the own vehicle based on the information obtained from the rear sensor, controlling a notification device of the own vehicle to issue a predetermined alert to a driver of the own vehicle;
• wherein
• the controlling of the notification device includes
• in a first situation where a tailgate of the own vehicle and a cargo of the own vehicle do not protrude rearward beyond a rear end of a rear bumper of the own vehicle, and in response to detecting the presence of the obstacle behind the own vehicle within a predetermined first alert target area extending rearward of the own vehicle, issuing the predetermined alert;
• and
• in a second situation where a part of the tailgate, which is opened, or a part of the cargo protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the rear bumper, and in response to detecting the presence of the obstacle behind the own vehicle within a predetermined second alert target area, which is extended or offset rearward from the predetermined first alert target area, issuing the predetermined alert,
• the notification device includes an image display configured to display an image representing a position of the detected obstacle and the predetermined first or second alert target area,
• each of the predetermined first alert target area and the predetermined second alert target area is symmetrically arranged about a centerline passing through a central part in a vehicle width direction and have an annular fan shape from a plan view of the own vehicle,
• each of the predetermined first alert target area and the predetermined second alert target area is equally divided, in a radial direction of the annular fan shape, into a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections is further divided, in a circumferential direction of the annular fan shape, into a plurality of parts, and
• the controlling of the notification device includes issuing the predetermined alert by causing at least one of the plurality of parts displayed in the image and corresponding to the position of the detected obstacle to flash.

A non-transitory storage medium storing a driving assistance program for causing a computer equipped in an own vehicle to execute:

• acquiring, by a rear sensor, information about obstacles located behind the own vehicle;
• and
• in response to detecting a presence of an obstacle within an alert target area extending rearward based on the information obtained from the rear sensor, controlling a notification device of the own vehicle to issue a predetermined alert to a driver of the own vehicle;
• wherein
• the controlling of the notification device includes
• in a first situation where a tail gate of the own vehicle and a cargo of the own vehicle do not protrude rearward beyond a rear end of a rear bumper of the own vehicle, and in response to detecting the presence of the obstacle within a first section of the alert target area, issuing a first alert;
• and
• in a second situation where a part of the tailgate, which is opened, or a part of the cargo protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the rear bumper, and in response to detecting the presence of the obstacle within the first section, issuing a second alert, which is a higher-level alert than the first alert,
• the notification device includes an image display configured to display an image representing a position of the detected obstacle and the alert target area,
• the alert target area is symmetrically arranged about a centerline passing through a central part in a vehicle width direction and have an annular fan shape from a plan view of the own vehicle,
• the alert target area is equally divided, in a radial direction of the annular fan shape, into a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections is further divided, in a circumferential direction of the annular fan shape, into a plurality of parts,
• the first section is at least one of the plurality of sections of the alert target area, and
• the controlling of the notification device includes
• issuing the first alert by causing at least one of the plurality of parts in the first section displayed in the image and corresponding to the position of the detected obstacle to flash at a first interval, and
• issuing the second alert by causing the at least one of the plurality of parts in the first section displayed in the image and corresponding to the position of the detected obstacle to flash at a second interval shorter than the first interval.