Vehicle drive assist apparatus

A vehicle drive assist apparatus to be applied to a vehicle, the vehicle drive assist apparatus comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more memories storing instructions causing the one or more processors to:
• receive a signal from a camera and recognize an object in front of the vehicle based on the signal received from the camera;
• set a risk area on a road surface based on luminance values indicated by the signal received from the camera, the risk area including the object;
• set a risk level for the risk area based on height information indicated by the signal received from the camera within the risk area;
• set route candidates, on the road surface, for avoiding a risk resulting from the risk area based on the signal received from the camera;
• calculate a route evaluation value for each of the route candidates based on the signal received from the camera, the route evaluation value being calculated with a first evaluation value, a second evaluation value, and a third evaluation value, the first evaluation value being calculated based on an arrangement of the risk area on the road surface, the second evaluation value being calculated based on a relative relationship between the risk area and the vehicle, and the third evaluation value being calculated based on a shape of each of the route candidates;
• set, as a vehicle travel route, one of the route candidates that has a minimum route evaluation value;
• and
• perform a travel control when the vehicle is traveling along the set vehicle travel route, the travel control comprising at least one of an acceleration, a deceleration, or a steering control,
• wherein the one or more processors are further caused to:
• calculate, for each set distance, a first position and a slope of the vehicle moving along the each route candidate of the route candidates;
• decrease the second route evaluation value for the each route candidate in accordance with the risk level for the risk area in response to at least one wheel of the vehicle passing through the risk area when the vehicle is at the first position, the decrease of the second route evaluation value causing an increase of the route evaluation value;
• and
• increase the third route evaluation value for the route candidate in response to an increase in steering amount at the respective set distances along the each route candidate, the increase in the steering amount being associated with an increase in sum of the slopes, the increase of the third route evaluation value causing an increase of the route evaluation value.