Vehicle position estimation device and traveling control device

A vehicle position estimation device mounted on a vehicle and estimating a current vehicle position, the vehicle position estimation device comprising:

• a control unit configured by at least one processor, wherein
• the control unit includes:
• a localization unit performing a process for specifying a position of the vehicle on a map based on (i) position information of a landmark detected based on an image frame captured by a front camera and (ii) position information of the landmark registered in the map;
• and
• an adverse environment determination unit determining whether a surrounding environment of the vehicle is an adverse environment based on at least one of (i) information output from a sensor equipped to the vehicle or (ii) information output from a communication device equipped to the vehicle, the adverse environment causing a deterioration in an accuracy of object recognition that is performed using the image frame,
• when the vehicle travels in an overtaking lane, the control unit outputs, to a vehicle control module that automatically controls a traveling speed of the vehicle, a signal that requests the vehicle to move from the overtaking lane to a traveling lane in response to the adverse environment determination unit determining that the surrounding environment of the vehicle is the adverse environment.

A vehicle position estimation device mounted on a vehicle and estimating a current vehicle position, the vehicle position estimation device comprising:

• a control unit configured by at least one processor,
• wherein
• the control unit includes:
• a localization unit performing a process for specifying a position of the vehicle on a map based on (i) position information of a landmark detected based on an image frame captured by a front camera and (ii) position information of the landmark registered in the map;
• and
• an adverse environment determination unit determining whether a surrounding environment of the vehicle is an adverse environment based on at least one of (i) information output from a sensor equipped to the vehicle or (ii) information output from a communication device equipped to the vehicle, the adverse environment causing a deterioration in an accuracy of object recognition that is performed using the image frame,
• the control unit outputs, to a vehicle control module that automatically controls a traveling speed of the vehicle, a deceleration request signal to restrict the traveling speed of the vehicle in response to the adverse environment determination unit determining that the surrounding environment of the vehicle is the adverse environment,
• the control unit determines whether an acceleration suspension factor exists in front of the vehicle based on (i) a signal output from the front camera and (ii) information about a traveling environment in front of the vehicle indicated by the map,
• in a state where the vehicle control module restricts the traveling speed of the vehicle in response to the adverse environment determination unit determining that the surrounding environment of the vehicle is the adverse environment, the control unit outputs, to the vehicle control module, a speed recovery permission signal that permits cancellation of traveling speed restriction in response to (i) the adverse environment determination unit determining that the surrounding environment of the vehicle is no longer the adverse environment and (ii) the control unit determining no acceleration suspension factor exists in front of the vehicle, and
• in a state where the vehicle control module restricts the traveling speed of the vehicle in response to the adverse environment determination unit determining that the surrounding environment of the vehicle is the adverse environment, the control unit does not output, to the vehicle control module, the speed recovery permission signal that permits cancellation of traveling speed restriction in response to (i) the adverse environment determination unit determining that the surrounding environment of the vehicle is no longer the adverse environment but (ii) the control unit determining the acceleration suspension factor exists in front of the vehicle.

A vehicle position estimation device mounted on a vehicle and estimating a current vehicle position, the vehicle position estimation device comprising:

• a control unit configured by at least one processor, wherein
• the control unit includes:
• a localization unit performing a process for specifying a position of the vehicle on a map based on (i) position information of a landmark detected based on an image frame captured by a front camera and (ii) position information of the landmark registered in the map;
• an adverse environment determination unit determining whether a surrounding environment of the vehicle is an adverse environment based on at least one of (i) information output from a sensor equipped to the vehicle or (ii) information output from a communication device equipped to the vehicle, the adverse environment causing a deterioration in an accuracy of object recognition that is performed using the image frame;
• and
• a notification processing unit that performs, via a notification device, a notification to a user,
• the control unit outputs, to a vehicle control module that automatically controls a traveling speed of the vehicle, a deceleration request signal to restrict the traveling speed of the vehicle in response to the adverse environment determination unit determining that the surrounding environment of the vehicle is the adverse environment, and
• the notification processing unit performs the notification about restriction of the traveling speed of the vehicle when the traveling speed of the vehicle is restricted in response to the adverse environment determination unit determining that the surrounding environment of the vehicle is the adverse environment.

A traveling control device mounted on a vehicle and automatically performing a speed control of the vehicle, the traveling control device comprising

• a control unit configured by at least one processor, wherein
• the control unit includes:
• a speed control unit outputting, to a traveling actuator of the vehicle, a control signal that controls a traveling speed of the vehicle;
• a localization unit specifying a position of the vehicle on a map based on (i) position information of a landmark specified based on an image frame generated by a front camera and (ii) position information of the landmark registered in the map;
• and
• an adverse environment determination unit determining whether a surrounding environment of the vehicle is an adverse environment based on at least one of (i) information output from a sensor equipped to the vehicle or (ii) information output from a communication device equipped to the vehicle, the adverse environment causing a deterioration in an accuracy of object recognition that is performed using the image frame,
• when the vehicle does not travel in an overtaking lane, the control unit executes a process to restrict a traveling speed of the vehicle in response to the adverse environment determination unit determining that the surrounding environment of the vehicle is the adverse environment, and
• when the vehicle travels in the overtaking lane, the control unit starts a process that controls the vehicle to cancel overtaking and move from the overtaking lane to a traveling lane.