Vehicle control device and vehicle control method

A vehicle control device configured to be used in a subject vehicle configured to execute congestion automated driving, the congestion automated driving being automated driving permitted in traffic congestion, the vehicle control device comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory storing a program configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out:
• determining traffic congestion based on a speed of the subject vehicle used as a condition;
• and
• switching between execution and non-execution of the congestion automated driving in accordance with a determination result of the determining, wherein
• the determining includes determining that traffic congestion is absent on a condition that a situation in which the speed of the vehicle is equal to or less than a predetermined speed has not continued for a first predetermined time.

A vehicle control method used in a subject vehicle configured to execute congestion automated driving and executed by at least one processor, the congestion automated driving being automated driving permitted in traffic congestion, the method comprising:

• determining traffic congestion based on a speed of the subject vehicle used as a condition;
• and
• switching between execution and non-execution of the congestion automated driving in accordance with a determination result of the determining, wherein
• the determining includes determining that traffic congestion is present on conditions including
• a condition that a road type of a road on which the subject vehicle travels is a specific road type in which the congestion automated driving is permitted,
• a condition that there is at least one surrounding vehicle including a preceding vehicle ahead of the subject vehicle, and
• a condition that a situation in which the speed of the subject vehicle is equal to or less than a predetermined speed has continued for a first predetermined time or more.

A vehicle control method used in a subject vehicle configured to execute congestion automated driving and executed by at least one processor, the congestion automated driving being automated driving permitted in traffic congestion, the method comprising:

• determining traffic congestion based on a speed of the subject vehicle used as a condition;
• and
• switching between execution and non-execution of the congestion automated driving in accordance with a determination result of the determining, wherein
• the determining includes determining that traffic congestion is absent on a condition that a situation in which the speed of the vehicle is equal to or less than a predetermined speed has not continued for a first predetermined time.