Traveling control apparatus

A traveling control apparatus to be applied to a vehicle, the traveling control apparatus comprising

• circuitry configured to
• perform a start control of the vehicle to cause the vehicle to start traveling automatically from a stopped state,
• perform speed control of the vehicle to cause the vehicle to travel at a target speed, the speed control of the vehicle including the start control of the vehicle,
• switch the speed control of the vehicle between an active state and an inactive state,
• maintain the speed control of the vehicle in the active state when a first brake command out of the first brake command and a second brake command is generated while the speed control of the vehicle is in the active state, the first brake command being based on detection of an operation performed by a driver who drives the vehicle,
• switch the speed control of the vehicle to the inactive state when the second brake command is generated while the speed control of the vehicle is in the active state, the second brake command being based on detection of an activation of a pre-crash brake, the pre-crash brake being activated based on a result of recognition of an external environment of the vehicle, and
• switch the speed control of the vehicle to the inactive state before the vehicle stops, in response to the second brake command being generated while the speed control of the vehicle is in the active state.

A vehicle comprising circuitry configured to:

• perform a start control of the vehicle to cause the vehicle to start traveling automatically from a stopped state;
• detect a first brake command, the first brake command being generated when a driver who drives the vehicle operates a brake pedal of the vehicle;
• recognize an external environment of the vehicle;
• perform a pre-crash brake control that applies a brake to the vehicle automatically based on the recognized external environment of the vehicle;
• detect a second brake command, the second brake command being generated in response to performing of the pre-crash brake control;
• perform speed control of the vehicle to cause the vehicle to travel at a target speed automatically, the speed control of the vehicle including the start control of the vehicle;
• switch the speed control of the vehicle between an active state and an inactive state;
• receive an operation performed by the driver, the operation being for inputting information regarding the speed control of the vehicle, the information indicating a setting indicating that the circuitry maintains the speed control of the vehicle in the active state in response to generation of the first brake command;
• store the information in response to receiving the operation;
• determine whether the first brake command is detected while the speed control of the vehicle is in the active state;
• in response to determining that the first brake command is detected, determine whether the stored information indicates the setting;
• in response to determining that the stored information indicates the setting, maintain the speed control of the vehicle in the active state;
• in response to determining that the stored information does not indicate the setting, switch the speed control of the vehicle to the inactive state;
• and
• in response to detecting the second brake command while the speed control of the vehicle is in the active state, switch the speed control of the vehicle to the inactive state before the vehicle stops, regardless of (i) whether the stored information indicates the setting, and (ii) whether the first braking command is detected.