Automatic driving control planning apparatus and automatic driving control planning method

An automatic driving control planning apparatus comprising:

• a processor to execute a program;
• and
• a memory to store the program which, when executed by the processor, performs processes of:
• creating an automatic driving control plan including a plan of an automatic driving section that is a section in which a subject vehicle is automatically driven, and a plan of a driving switching preparation section that is a section for switching the subject vehicle from automatic driving to manual driving at a final stage of the automatic driving section;
• calculating, for each point of the driving switching preparation section, a driving load applied to a driver when the driver manually drives the subject vehicle;
• permitting switching of the subject vehicle from automatic driving to manual driving at a point where the calculated driving load is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, and not permitting switching of the subject vehicle from automatic driving to manual driving at a point where the calculated driving load is equal to or larger than the threshold value;
• and
• relaxing a standard for permitting switching of the subject vehicle from automatic driving to manual driving as the subject vehicle approaches an end point of the driving switching preparation section, by making the driving load difficult to exceed the threshold value.

An automatic driving control planning method comprising:

• creating an automatic driving control plan including a plan of an automatic driving section that is a section in which a subject vehicle is automatically driven, and a plan of a driving switching preparation section that is a section for switching the subject vehicle from automatic driving to manual driving at a final stage of the automatic driving section;
• calculating, for each point of the driving switching preparation section, a driving load applied to a driver when the driver manually drives the subject vehicle;
• permitting switching of the subject vehicle from automatic driving to manual driving at a point where the calculated driving load is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, and not permitting switching of the subject vehicle from automatic driving to manual driving at a point where the calculated driving load is equal to or larger than the threshold value;
• and
• relaxing a standard for permitting switching of the subject vehicle from automatic driving to manual driving as the subject vehicle approaches an end point of the driving switching preparation section, by making the driving load difficult to exceed the threshold value.