Occupant monitoring apparatus for vehicle

An occupant monitoring apparatus for a vehicle, the occupant monitoring apparatus comprising circuitry configured to;

• acquire an image of a driver who drives the vehicle;
• detect a change in a behavior of the driver based on the acquired image;
• output predetermined alarm information based on a result of the detection of the change in the behavior, and
• set, upon the detection of the change in the behavior, a detection duration time for detecting the change in the behavior of the driver, depending on a traveling speed of the vehicle and a type of a driving assistance control that is in execution of the vehicle.

An occupant monitoring apparatus for a vehicle, the occupant monitoring apparatus comprising:

• an imager configured to acquire an image of a driver who drives the vehicle;
• and
• an occupant monitoring controller comprising control circuitry including:
• (i) behavior-change-detection circuitry configured to detect a change in a behavior of the driver based on the image acquired by the imager;
• and
• (ii) alarm-output circuitry configured to output predetermined alarm information based on a result of the detection,
• wherein the behavior-change-detection circuitry is configured to:
• determine a reference detection duration time that varies depending on a traveling speed of the vehicle;
• and
• set a detection duration time for detecting the change in the behavior of the driver, the detection duration time being selected from a first detection duration time, a second detection duration time, and a third detection duration time depending on which one of a first driving assistance control, a second driving assistance control, or a third driving assistance control is in execution,
• wherein:
• the first driving assistance control performs acceleration and deceleration controls,
• the second driving assistance control performs the acceleration and deceleration controls and a steering control at a steering angle smaller than a predetermined steering angle,
• the third driving assistance control performs the acceleration and deceleration controls and a steering control at a steering angle equal to or greater than the predetermined steering angle, and
• wherein:
• the first detection duration time is the reference detection duration time plus a first time,
• the second detection duration time is the reference detection duration time plus a second time,
• the third detection duration time is the reference detection duration time plus a third time, and
• the first time, the second time, and the third time satisfy a relationship in which the first time is equal to or less than the second time, and the second time is equal to or less than the third time.