Vehicle control device and vehicle control method

A vehicle control device configured to be used in a subject vehicle configured to execute automated driving without monitoring obligation, the automated driving without monitoring obligation being automated driving in which there is no obligation of surrounding monitoring, the vehicle control device comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory storing a program configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
• specify a traveling environment of the subject vehicle;
• and
• execute parallel-traveling avoiding control based on the traveling environment specified by the at least one processor during the automated driving without monitoring obligation, the parallel-traveling avoiding control being travel control of the subject vehicle to avoid a parallel traveling state in which the subject vehicle and an adjacent vehicle travel in parallel, the adjacent vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane adjacent to a traveling lane of the subject vehicle, wherein
• the subject vehicle includes a blind mechanism configured to obstruct view from an occupant of the adjacent vehicle in the parallel traveling state to an inside of the vehicle cabin, wherein
• the at least one processor is configured to specify a parallel-traveling avoiding difficult situation in which the parallel-traveling avoiding control is difficult to cause the adjacent vehicle and the subject vehicle from becoming out of the parallel traveling state, and
• the at least one processor is configured to execute blind control to operate the blind mechanism when the at least one processor specifies the parallel-traveling avoiding difficult situation during the automated driving without monitoring obligation.

A vehicle control method executed by at least one processor in a subject vehicle configured to execute automated driving without monitoring obligation, the automated driving without monitoring obligation being automated driving in which there is no obligation of surrounding monitoring, the method comprising:

• specifying a traveling environment of the subject vehicle;
• and
• executing parallel-traveling avoiding control based on the traveling environment specified in the specifying during the automated driving without monitoring obligation, the parallel-traveling avoiding control being travel control of the subject vehicle to avoid a parallel traveling state in which the subject vehicle and an adjacent vehicle travel in parallel, the adjacent vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane adjacent to a traveling lane of the subject vehicle, wherein
• the executing of the parallel-traveling avoiding control includes executing at least one of longitudinal controls as the parallel-traveling avoiding control, the longitudinal controls including control for decreasing an inter-vehicle distance between the subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle, control for increasing the inter-vehicle distance between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle, control for accelerating the subject vehicle, and control for decelerating the subject vehicle,
• the automated driving without monitoring obligation includes congestion-only automated driving in which the automated driving without monitoring obligation is permitted only during traffic congestion,
• the longitudinal controls include forward controls and backward controls,
• the forward controls include the control for decreasing the inter-vehicle distance between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and the control for accelerating the subject vehicle,
• the backward controls include the control for increasing the inter-vehicle distance between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and the control for decelerating the subject vehicle, and
• the executing of the parallel-traveling avoiding control includes executing at least one of the forward controls during the congestion-only automated driving in priority over the backward controls.

A vehicle control method executed by at least one processor in a subject vehicle configured to execute automated driving without monitoring obligation, the automated driving without monitoring obligation being automated driving in which there is no obligation of surrounding monitoring, the method comprising:

• specifying a traveling environment of the subject vehicle;
• executing parallel-traveling avoiding control based on the traveling environment specified in the specifying during the automated driving without monitoring obligation, the parallel-traveling avoiding control being travel control of the subject vehicle to avoid a parallel traveling state in which the subject vehicle and an adjacent vehicle travel in parallel, the adjacent vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane adjacent to a traveling lane of the subject vehicle;
• specifying a parallel-traveling avoiding difficult situation in which the parallel-traveling avoiding control is difficult to cause the adjacent vehicle and the subject vehicle from becoming out of the parallel traveling state;
• and
• executing blind control to operate a blind mechanism when the parallel-traveling avoiding difficult situation is specified during the automated driving without monitoring obligation, wherein
• the subject vehicle includes the blind mechanism configured to obstruct view from an occupant of the adjacent vehicle in the parallel traveling state to an inside of the vehicle cabin.