Vehicle control device and control method

A vehicle control device, wherein

• the vehicle control device is configured to execute travel control of controlling a vehicle such that a travel speed of the vehicle is a target speed corresponding to an inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle, or a predetermined target speed set by a driver of the vehicle, and acceleration limit control of limiting acceleration of the vehicle by the travel control,
• the vehicle control device comprises a controller configured to execute the acceleration limit control when an intention to turn right or left of the driver is detected in the vehicle traveling under the travel control, and to end the acceleration limit control in response to a decrease in a steering speed in the vehicle during the acceleration limit control,
• the controller is configured to set an acceleration for accelerating the vehicle to a first acceleration by the travel control such that the travel speed reaches the target speed when the intention to turn right or left is detected,
• the controller is configured to set the acceleration for accelerating the vehicle to a second acceleration by the travel control such that the travel speed reaches the target speed when the intention to turn right or left is not detected,
• the first acceleration is smaller than the second acceleration,
• when the intention to turn right or left is detected, the controller is configured to accelerate the vehicle at the first acceleration such that the travel speed reaches the target speed upon an end of the acceleration limit control, and
• the first acceleration is set based on at least one of past driving characteristics in the vehicle of the driver, a steering angle in the vehicle, or a legal speed of a road on which the vehicle is traveling.