Vehicle control device for executing emergency stopping control

A vehicle control device, comprising

• a control unit implemented by a processor for executing driving support control including
• emergency stopping control for decelerating and stopping a vehicle when an abnormality of a driver of the vehicle occurs,
• the abnormality being detected based on a first detection value indicating a state in a cabin of the vehicle, wherein,
• the control unit is configured to:
• determine whether the emergency stopping control is in a disabled state based on a predetermined condition, the predetermined condition including a state in which an emergency stopping control switch is turned off;
• determine whether a lane is detectable based on a second detection value indicating a state outside of the vehicle, in a case where it is determined that the emergency stopping control is in the disabled state;
• determine whether a risk of contact between the vehicle and an object is equal to or greater than a predetermined level based on the second detection value, in a case where it is determined that the lane is not detectable;
• determine whether an emergency operation related to driving of the vehicle is being performed by a passenger of the vehicle other than the driver based on the first detection value, in a case where it is determined that the risk of contact is equal to or greater than the predetermined level;
• and
• forcibly enable and execute the emergency stopping control regardless of the emergency stopping control switch being turned off, in a case where it is determined that the emergency operation is being performed by the passenger of the vehicle other than the driver.