Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and non-transitory storage medium

An information processing method comprising:

• a step of acquiring a request that a first vehicle join up with a different vehicle;
• a step of determining, on the basis of a piece of route information indicating a travel route for the first vehicle and current locations of a plurality of vehicles different from the first vehicle, a joining cost related to joining up with the first vehicle for each of the plurality of vehicles;
• a step of determining a second vehicle that is to join up with the first vehicle and a joining point such that the joining cost satisfies a prescribed condition;
• and
• a step of transmitting a piece of information on the joining point to the second vehicle.

A non-transitory storage medium having recorded thereon a program for causing a computer to execute:

• a step of acquiring a request that a first vehicle join up with a different vehicle;
• a step of determining, on the basis of a piece of route information indicating a travel route for the first vehicle and current locations of a plurality of vehicles different from the first vehicle, a joining cost related to joining up with the first vehicle for each of the plurality of vehicles;
• a step of determining a second vehicle that is to join up with the first vehicle and a joining point such that the joining cost satisfies a prescribed condition;
• and
• a step of transmitting a piece of information on the joining point to the second vehicle.