Running control device for a vehicle

A cruise control system for an automotive vehicle, for controlling cruising of own vehicle with maintaining a distance to a preceding vehicle constant, comprising:

• traffic signal characteristics obtaining means including image pick-up means having zooming means, image processing means obtaining a traffic signal characteristics by processing an image of said image pick-up means and communication means, for serving as measuring means for obtaining characteristics of a traffic signal ahead;
• road information obtaining means for obtaining intersection information including a distance to an intersection ahead;
• intersection arrival time calculating means for calculating arrival timing of the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle on the basis of a distance to the intersection, an own vehicle speed and a preceding vehicle traveling condition;
• traffic signal condition estimating means for estimating said condition of the traffic signal on the basis of the traffic signal characteristics and said intersection arriving time;
• right and left turn control signal generating means for generating operation pattern of the own vehicle from a state of turn signal or a route information to a destination generated by said road information obtaining means to input to said control content modifying means;
• control content modifying means for modifying a content of cruise control of the own vehicle depending upon said estimated traffic signal condition;
• and
• alarm means for generating a corresponding alarm beforehand of modifying the content of control.