Vehicle Travel Control Method and Vehicle Travel Control Device

A travel control method for a vehicle having an autonomous travel control function, comprising:

• detecting an oncoming vehicle travelling toward a subject vehicle;
• predicting whether or not the oncoming vehicle enters into a travel lane in which the subject vehicle travels;
• when it is predicted that the oncoming vehicle enters into the travel lane in which the subject vehicle travels, setting initial deceleration of the subject vehicle in a case of time until the subject vehicle and the oncoming vehicle pass each other being relatively long to a smaller value than the initial deceleration in a case of the time being relatively short;
• and
• executing deceleration travel control of the subject vehicle,
• the travel control method further comprising:
• detecting movement of the oncoming vehicle while executing the deceleration travel control of the subject vehicle with the initial deceleration;
• predicting whether or not the subject vehicle can travel in the travel lane in which the subject vehicle travels without coming into contact with the oncoming vehicle;
• and
• setting deceleration smaller than the initial deceleration while executing the deceleration travel control when it is predicted that the subject vehicle can travel in the travel lane in which the subject vehicle travels without coming into contact with the oncoming vehicle.

A travel control device for a vehicle comprising a controller,

• the controller executing autonomous travel control by controlling at least one of a steering device, a driving device, and a braking device in accordance with a travel route of subject vehicle, and
• the controller being configured to:
• detect an oncoming vehicle travelling toward the subject vehicle;
• predict whether or not the oncoming vehicle enters into a travel lane in which the subject vehicle travels;
• when it is predicted that the oncoming vehicle enters into the travel lane in which the subject vehicle travels, set initial deceleration of the subject vehicle in a case of time until the subject vehicle and the oncoming vehicle pass each other being relatively long to a smaller value than the initial deceleration in a case of the time being relatively short;
• and
• execute deceleration travel control of the subject vehicle,
• wherein the deceleration travel control of the subject vehicle is executed at a deceleration start position for starting deceleration of the subject vehicle so as not to come into contact with the oncoming vehicle that is predicted to enter into the travel lane.