Collision predicting apparatus and collision predicting method

A collision predicting apparatus comprising:

• a subject target detector portion that detects a plurality of subject targets which exist in a course of the own vehicle and which have a possibility of colliding with the own vehicle;
• a relative quantity detector portion that detects a relative quantity between the own vehicle and each of the subject targets detected by the subject target detector portion;
• a collision time calculator portion that predicts and calculates a collision time of each of the subject targets preceding a collision with the own vehicle, by using the relative quantity between the own vehicle and each of the subject targets detected by the relative quantity detector portion;
• a collision subject target selector portion that selects a collision subject target having a high possibility of colliding with the own vehicle based on at least the collision time of each of the subject targets calculated by the collision time calculator portion;
• and
• a collision predictor portion that predicts a collision between the collision subject target selected by the collision subject target selector portion and the own vehicle, by using the collision time of the collision subject target.

A collision predicting method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a plurality of subject targets that exist in a course of the own vehicle and that have a possibility of colliding with the own vehicle;
• detecting a relative quantity between the own vehicle and each of the subject targets detected;
• predicting and calculating a collision time of each of the subject targets preceding a collision with the own vehicle, by using the relative quantity between the own vehicle and each of the subject targets detected;
• selecting a collision subject target having a high possibility of colliding with the own vehicle based on at least the collision time of each of the subject targets calculated;
• and
• predicting a collision between the collision subject target selected and the own vehicle, by using the collision time of the collision subject target.