Driving assistance device, driving assistance method, and storage medium

A driving assistance method comprising:

• recognizing, by a computer, a surroundings situation of a vehicle;
• causing, by the computer, an image for assisting an occupant driving the vehicle to be displayed in a plurality of preset display modes on a display device;
• executing, by the computer, driving control for controlling a driving operation with respect to the vehicle by the occupant or traveling of the vehicle, the plurality of display modes including display modes corresponding to at least a first mode in which the vehicle travels in a direction in which a road extends, a second mode in which the vehicle travels at an intersection, a third mode in which the vehicle travels in a merging section, a fourth mode in which the vehicle travels on a narrow road, and a fifth mode in which the vehicle travels while avoiding contact with objects;
• causing, by the computer, transition to any one of the plurality of display modes to be performed on the basis of the recognized surroundings situation;
• when the display controller causes the image to be displayed in the display mode corresponding to the fourth mode, causing, by the computer, a first image of a group of images that imitates the vehicle to be displayed;
• and
• when there is an object around the vehicle, causing, by the computer, a direction in which the vehicle should travel to be displayed and causing a second image of the group of image that prompts the occupant to perform a steering operation to be displayed,
• selecting, by the computer, the image to be displayed, from among at least the first image of the group of images, a third image of the group of images that shows a position of the object around the vehicle, a fourth image of the group of images that shows the direction in which the vehicle should travel, a target position serving as a lane change destination of the vehicle, a fifth image of the group of images that actuates acceleration or deceleration, and the second image prompts the occupant to perform a steering operation on the basis of the display mode transitioning on the basis of the surroundings situation recognized, and causes the image to be displayed,
• wherein the third image of the group of images, the fourth image of the group of images, the fifth image of the group of images, and the second image of the group of images are displayed based on the first image,
• wherein the display mode corresponding to the fourth mode also causes to be displayed a sixth image of the group of images that represents the surroundings of the first image,
• wherein the sixth image is an orientation image equally divided at a predetermined angular interval, and each of the equally divided orientation images is further divided according to its distance from the vehicle, and the orientation image is used to display the positions of objects around the vehicle and the direction in which the vehicle should travel.

A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium having a program stored therein, the program causing a computer to:

• recognize a surroundings situation of a vehicle;
• cause an image for assisting an occupant driving the vehicle to be displayed in a plurality of preset display modes on a display device;
• execute driving control for controlling a driving operation with respect to the vehicle by the occupant or traveling of the vehicle, the plurality of display modes including display modes corresponding to at least a first mode in which the vehicle travels in a direction in which a road extends, a second mode in which the vehicle travels at an intersection, a third mode in which the vehicle travels in a merging section, a fourth mode in which the vehicle travels on a narrow road, and a fifth mode in which the vehicle travels while avoiding contact with objects;
• cause transition to any one of the plurality of display modes to be performed on the basis of the recognized surroundings situation;
• when the display controller causes the image to be displayed in a display mode corresponding to the fourth mode, cause a first image of a group of images that imitates the vehicle to be displayed;
• and
• when there is an object around the vehicle, cause a direction in which the vehicle should travel to be displayed and cause a second image of the group of images that prompts the occupant to perform a steering operation to be displayed,
• select the image to be displayed, from among at least the first image of the group of images, a third image of the group of images that shows a position of the object around the vehicle, a fourth image of the group of images that shows the direction in which the vehicle should travel, a target position serving as a lane change destination of the vehicle, a fifth image of the group of images that actuates acceleration or deceleration, and the second image prompts the occupant to perform a steering operation on the basis of the display mode transitioning on the basis of the surroundings situation recognized, and causes the image to be displayed,
• wherein the third image of the group of images, the fourth image of the group of images, the fifth image of the group of images, and the second image of the group of images are displayed based on the first image,
• wherein the display mode corresponding to the fourth mode also causes to be displayed a sixth image of the group of images that represents the surroundings of the first image,
• wherein the sixth image is an orientation image equally divided at a predetermined angular interval, and each of the equally divided orientation images is further divided according to its distance from the vehicle, and the orientation image is used to display the positions of objects around the vehicle and the direction in which the vehicle should travel.