Adaptive cruise speed controlling apparatus and method for automotive vehicle

An adaptive cruise speed controlling apparatus for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

• a target inter-vehicle distance setting section that sets a target inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle which is running ahead of the vehicle at the same traffic lane;
• an inter-vehicle distance detecting section that detects an actual inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle;
• a relative velocity detecting section that detects a relative velocity of the vehicle to the preceding vehicle;
• a target vehicular velocity setting section that sets a target vehicular velocity in such a way that an addition value between a value of difference between the target inter-vehicle distance set by the target inter-vehicle distance setting section and the inter-vehicle distance detected by the inter-vehicle distance detecting section multiplied with a first gain and a value of a second gain multiplied with the relative velocity detected by the relative velocity detecting section is included in the set vehicular velocity;
• a vehicular velocity detecting section that detects the vehicular velocity of the vehicle;
• a vehicular driving force controlling section that controls a vehicular driving force to make the inter-vehicle distance detected by the inter-vehicle distance detecting section substantially equal to the target inter-vehicle distance set by the target inter-vehicle distance setting section and to converge the inter-vehicle distance detected by the inter-vehicle distance detecting section into the target inter-vehicle distance set by the target inter-vehicle distance setting section;
• and
• a preceding vehicle external form detecting section that detects a magnitude of an external form of the preceding vehicle, the target vehicular velocity setting section setting the first and second gains in such a manner that the inter-vehicle distance is smoothly converged within a predetermined small overshoot crossing the target inter-vehicle distance into the target inter-vehicle distance when the magnitude of the external form of the preceding vehicle detected by the preceding vehicle external form detecting section is larger than a predetermined magnitude.

An adaptive cruise speed controlling apparatus for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

• target inter-vehicle distance setting means for setting a target inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle which is running ahead of the vehicle at the same traffic lane;
• inter-vehicle distance detecting means for detecting an actual inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle;
• relative velocity detecting means for detecting a relative velocity of the vehicle to the preceding vehicle;
• target vehicular velocity setting means for setting a target vehicular velocity in such a way that an addition value between a value of difference between the target inter-vehicle distance set by the target inter-vehicle distance setting means and the inter-vehicle distance detected by the inter-vehicle distance detecting means multiplied with a first gain and a value of a second gain multiplied with the relative velocity detected by the relative velocity detecting means is included in the set vehicular velocity;
• vehicular velocity detecting means for detecting the vehicular velocity of the vehicle;
• vehicular driving force controlling means for controlling a vehicular driving force to make the inter-vehicle distance detected by the inter-vehicle distance detecting means substantially equal to the target inter-vehicle distance set by the target inter-vehicle distance setting means and to converge the inter-vehicle distance detected by the inter-vehicle distance detecting means into the target inter-vehicle distance set by the target inter-vehicle distance setting means;
• and
• preceding vehicle external form detecting means for detecting a magnitude of an external form of the preceding vehicle, the target vehicular velocity setting means setting the first and second gains in such a manner that the inter-vehicle distance is smoothly converged within a predetermined small overshoot crossing the target inter-vehicle distance into the target inter-vehicle distance when the magnitude of the external form of the preceding vehicle detected by the preceding vehicle external form detecting means is larger than a predetermined magnitude.

An adaptive cruise speed controlling method for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

• setting a target inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle which is running ahead of the vehicle at the same traffic lane;
• detecting an actual inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle;
• detecting a relative velocity of the vehicle to the preceding vehicle;
• setting a target vehicular velocity in such a way that an addition value between a value of difference between the set target inter-vehicle distance and the detected inter-vehicle distance multiplied with a first gain and a value of a second gain multiplied with the detected relative velocity is included in the set vehicular velocity;
• detecting the vehicular velocity of the vehicle;
• controlling a vehicular driving force to make the detected inter-vehicle distance substantially equal to the set target inter-vehicle distance and to converge the detected inter-vehicle distance into the set target inter-vehicle distance;
• and
• detecting a magnitude of an external form of the preceding vehicle, at the target vehicular velocity setting, the first and second gains being set in such a manner that the inter-vehicle distance is smoothly converged within a predetermined small overshoot crossing the target inter-vehicle distance into the target inter-vehicle distance when the detected magnitude of the external form of the preceding vehicle is larger than a predetermined magnitude.