Driving support device, driving support method, and driving support program

A driving support method to be applied to a driving support device mounted on an own vehicle, the driving support method comprising:

• a speed control step of controlling a drive device and a braking device of the own vehicle such that a speed of the own vehicle matches a predetermined first target value when another vehicle is not present in front of the own vehicle;
• a signal color recognition step of recognizing a signal color of a traffic light present in a predetermined area extending in front from the own vehicle;
• and
• a position detection step of detecting a position of the own vehicle and a position of the traffic light,
• the signal color recognition step being executed when a distance between the traffic light positioned in front of the own vehicle and the own vehicle is equal to or shorter than a first predetermined value,
• the speed control step including:
• controlling the drive device and the braking device of the own vehicle before a first point such that a speed of the own vehicle at a time at which the own vehicle reaches the first point is equal to or lower than a second target value which is a lower speed than the predetermined first target value, the first point being a point at which a distance to a first traffic light, which is the nearest traffic light positioned in front of the own vehicle, is the first predetermined value;
• and
• controlling the drive device and the braking device such that, when a signal color of the first traffic light is recognized in the signal color recognition step, the signal color is green, and a distance between the first traffic light and a second traffic light next in front from the first traffic light is equal to or shorter than a predetermined threshold value, the own vehicle travels at a constant speed equal to or lower than the second target value until a signal color of the second traffic light is recognized in the signal color recognition step.

A driving support program to be applied to a computer of a driving support device mounted on an own vehicle, the driving support program causing the computer to execute:

• a speed control step of controlling a drive device and a braking device of the own vehicle such that a speed of the own vehicle matches a predetermined first target value when another vehicle is not present in front of the own vehicle;
• a signal color recognition step of recognizing a signal color of a traffic light present in a predetermined area extending in front from the own vehicle;
• and
• a position detection step of detecting a position of the own vehicle and a position of the traffic light,
• the signal color recognition step being executed when a distance between the traffic light positioned in front of the own vehicle and the own vehicle is equal to or shorter than a first predetermined value,
• the speed control step including:
• controlling the drive device and the braking device of the own vehicle before a first point such that a speed of the own vehicle at a time at which the own vehicle reaches the first point is equal to or lower than a second target value which is a lower speed than the predetermined first target value, the first point being a point at which a distance to a first traffic light, which is the nearest traffic light positioned in front of the own vehicle, is the first predetermined value;
• and
• controlling the drive device and the braking device such that, when a signal color of the first traffic light is recognized in the signal color recognition step, the signal color is green, and a distance between the first traffic light and a second traffic light next in front from the first traffic light is equal to or shorter than a predetermined threshold value, the own vehicle travels at a constant speed equal to or lower than the second target value until a signal color of the second traffic light is recognized in the signal color recognition step.