Determination apparatus and determination method

A determination method executed by a processor mounted on a host vehicle, the determination method comprising:

• acquiring a longitudinal distance, in a traveling direction of the host vehicle, between a preceding vehicle that the host vehicle is following and the host vehicle;
• judging whether or not the longitudinal distance is less than a determination distance corresponding to a maximum curvature at which the host vehicle can turn;
• determining, as a target turning curvature, a curvature that is smaller than a curvature of an arc having a line segment connecting the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle as a chord, when the longitudinal distance is less than the determination distance;
• and
• providing the determined target turning curvature to a steering controller, as a notification, wherein the steering controller controls a steering angle of the host vehicle and determines the steering angle based on the notified target turning curvature.

A determination apparatus comprising:

• a processor embodying a distance acquisition part that acquires a longitudinal distance, in a traveling direction of a host vehicle, between a preceding vehicle and the host vehicle;
• and
• a processor embodying a determination part that determines a target turning curvature of the host vehicle, wherein
• the determination part provides the determined target turning curvature to a steering controller as a notification, and the steering controller controls a steering angle of the host vehicle and determines the steering angle based on the notified target turning curvature;
• the determination part determines, as the target turning curvature, a curvature of an arc having a line segment connecting the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle as a chord, based on a first determination method when the longitudinal distance is equal to or greater than a determination distance, and determines the target turning curvature based on a second determination method different from the first determination method when the longitudinal distance is less than the determination distance, and
• the target turning curvature determined based on the second determination method is smaller than the target turning curvature determined based on the first determination method.