Control device, control method, and storage medium

A control method using a control device for controlling a moving body moving autonomously, at least temporarily, in an area where pedestrians walk, the control method comprising:

• recognizing positions of the pedestrians in a time series;
• calculating an index value, the index value indicating a degree of cooperation of each of the pedestrians on a basis of the positions of the pedestrians in the time series, the index value representing a degree and frequency of change of course by each of the pedestrians;
• setting a risk area around each of the pedestrians, the risk area being a group of areas where a risk regarding an object is not zero, the risk area becoming larger as the index value decreases;
• generating a route for the moving body to follow in the future to avoid the risk area;
• repeatedly executing prediction of, at a first point in time, a position of the pedestrian at a second point in time later than the first point in time and calculation of, at the second point in time, a difference between the recognized position of the pedestrian and the predicted position of the pedestrian in a time series;
• calculating the index value to become larger as a total value of the difference increases;
• setting the risk area based on the index value, a distance between a moving body and the pedestrian, and a speed of the pedestrian;
• and
• moving the moving body along the route.

A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing a program for causing a processor of a control device for controlling a moving body moving autonomously, at least temporarily, in an area where pedestrians walk to:

• recognize positions of the pedestrians in a time series;
• calculate an index value indicating a degree of cooperation of each of the pedestrians on a basis of the positions of the pedestrians in the time series, the index value representing a degree and frequency of change of course by each of the pedestrians;
• set a risk area around each of the pedestrians, the risk area being a group of areas where a risk regarding an object is not zero, the risk area becoming larger as the index value decreases;
• generate a route for the moving body to follow in the future to avoid the risk area;
• repeatedly execute prediction of, at a first point in time, a position of the pedestrian at a second point in time later than the first point in time and calculation of, at the second point in time, a difference between the recognized position of the pedestrian and the predicted position of the pedestrian in the time series;
• calculate the index value to become larger as a total value of the difference increases;
• set the risk area based on the index value, a distance between a moving body and the pedestrian, and a speed of the pedestrian;
• and
• move the moving body along the route.