Vehicle control device and vehicle control method

A vehicle control device used on in a vehicle that performs automatic driving without monitoring obligation, which is automatic driving without peripheral monitoring obligation, the vehicle control device comprising:

• at least one of (i) a circuit and (ii) a processor with a memory storing computer program code executable by the processor, the at least one of the circuit and the processor configured to cause the vehicle control device to:
• identify a target situation in which it is set in advance that, during the automatic driving without monitoring obligation, the vehicle preferably performs deviant driving which is driving outside a scope of traffic regulations or traffic manners;
• permit, during the automatic driving without monitoring obligation, when the target situation is identified, the deviant driving according to the target situation;
• identify an environment in which the vehicle is traveling;
• perform acceleration/deceleration control and steering control for the vehicle and control at least one of a speed, a steering angle, or a braking force of the vehicle to execute the deviant driving according to the target situation when the deviant driving is permitted;
• wherein:
• when the obstacle is identified, the identified avoidance measure is passing without stopping at a stop line;
• when the identified avoidance measure is the passing without stopping at the stop line, on a basis of an identification of absence of an obstacle within a predetermined range from the stop line, the passing without stopping at the stop line is permitted;
• and
• the at least one of the circuit and the processor is further configured to cause the vehicle control device to control, when the passing without stopping at the stop line is permitted, the speed of the vehicle to a prescribed value or less before the vehicle reaches the stop line and causes the vehicle to travel at the speed of the prescribed value or less while the vehicle is crossing the stop line.

A vehicle control method usable in a vehicle that performs automatic driving without monitoring obligation, which is automatic driving without peripheral monitoring obligation, the vehicle control method comprising steps to be performed by at least one processor, the steps being:

• identifying an obstacle which prevents the vehicle from traveling;
• identifying, when the obstacle is identified in the obstacle identification step, an avoidance measure that allows the vehicle to avoid the obstacle;
• permitting, during the automatic driving without the monitoring obligation, on a basis of a fact that the identified avoidance measure identified is a deviant measure outside a scope of traffic regulations, avoidance based on the deviant measure;
• and
• performing acceleration/deceleration control and steering control for the vehicle;
• wherein:
• when the obstacle is identified, the identified avoidance measure is an avoidance route which is a route that allows the vehicle to avoid the obstacle;
• evasion to the non-legal route is permitted during the automatic driving without the monitoring obligation on a basis of the identified avoidance route being a non-legal route outside the traffic regulations which is included in the deviant measure;
• and
• the steps further include causing the vehicle control device to control at least one of a speed, a steering angle, or a braking force of the vehicle so as to execute the avoidance based on the deviant measure when the avoidance based on the deviant measure is permitted.

A vehicle control method usable in a vehicle that performs automatic driving without monitoring obligation, which is automatic driving without peripheral monitoring obligation, the vehicle control method comprising steps to be performed by at least one processor, the steps being:

• identifying a target situation in which it is set in advance that, during the automatic driving without monitoring obligation, the vehicle preferably performs deviant driving which is driving outside a scope of traffic regulations or traffic manners;
• permitting, during the automatic driving without monitoring obligation, when the target situation is identified, the deviant driving according to the target situation;
• identifying an environment in which the vehicle is traveling;
• and
• performing acceleration/deceleration control and steering control for the vehicle and controlling at least one of a speed, a steering angle, or a braking force of the vehicle to execute the deviant driving according to the target situation when the deviant driving is permitted;
• wherein:
• when the obstacle is identified, the identified avoidance measure is passing without stopping at a stop line;
• when the identified avoidance measure is the passing without stopping at the stop line, on a basis of an identification of absence of an obstacle within a predetermined range from the stop line, the passing without stopping at the stop line is permitted;
• and
• the steps further include causing the vehicle control device to control, when the passing without stopping at the stop line is permitted, the speed of the vehicle to a prescribed value or less before the vehicle reaches the stop line and causes the vehicle to travel at the speed of the prescribed value or less while the vehicle is crossing the stop line.

A vehicle control device used in a vehicle that performs automatic driving without monitoring obligation, which is automatic driving without peripheral monitoring obligation, the vehicle control device comprising:

• at least one of (i) a circuit and (ii) a processor with a memory storing computer program code executable by the processor, the at least one of the circuit and the processor configured to cause the vehicle control device to:
• identity an obstacle which prevents the vehicle from traveling;
• identify, when the obstacle is identified, an avoidance measure which that allows the vehicle to avoid the obstacle;
• permit, during the automatic driving without monitoring obligation, an avoidance based on a deviant measure on a basis of a fact that the identified avoidance measure identified is a deviant measure outside a scope of traffic regulations;
• and
• a identify an environment in which the vehicle is traveling;
• wherein:
• when the obstacle is identified, the identified avoidance measure is passing without stopping at a stop line;
• when the identified avoidance measure is the passing without stopping at the stop line, on a basis of an identification of absence of an obstacle within a predetermined range from the stop line, the passing without stopping at the stop line is permitted;
• and
• the at least one of the circuit and the processor is further configured to control, when the passing without stopping at the stop line is permitted, a speed of the vehicle to a prescribed value or less before the vehicle reaches the stop line and causes the vehicle to travel at the speed of the prescribed value or less while the vehicle is crossing the stop line.