Steering control apparatus for vehicle

A steering control apparatus for a vehicle comprising a steering wheel operated by a driver, force providing means for providing a predetermined force for the operation of the steering wheel, and operation control means for controlling the operation of the force providing means, characterized in that the operation control means comprises:

• first-controlled-variable input means for inputting a first controlled variable output from an apparatus which controls a traveling behavior of the vehicle, the first controlled variable being used to provide a first force for the operation of the steering wheel so as to correct the traveling behavior of the vehicle;
• second-controlled-variable calculation means for calculating a second controlled variable used to provide a second force for the operation of the steering wheel so as to reduce an operating force applied to the steering wheel by the driver or resist against the operating force;
• gain calculation means for calculating a gain which decreases as the first controlled variable input by the first-controlled-variable input means increases and increases as the input first controlled variable decreases, the gain changing the magnitude of the second controlled variable calculated by the second-controlled-variable calculation means;
• arbitration means for prohibiting output of the second controlled variable changed in accordance with the gain and permitting output of the first controlled variable when the magnitude of the second controlled variable which is decreasing in accordance with the gain calculated by the gain calculation means becomes smaller than a preset predetermined permission value, and for permitting the output of the second controlled variable changed in accordance with the gain and prohibiting the output of the first controlled variable when the magnitude of the second controlled variable which is increasing in accordance with the gain is smaller than the predetermined permission value;
• and
• operation means for operating the force providing means by use of the first controlled variable or the second controlled variable changed in accordance with the gain, the output of which is permitted by the arbitration means.