Steering control device and steering control method

A steering control device that controls a steering system of a vehicle, the steering system having a structure in which a power transmission path between an operation unit including an operating member and a steering unit configured to steer a steered wheel is mechanically separated, the steering control device comprising:

• a target steering corresponding value computation unit configured to compute a target steering corresponding value that is a target value of a convertible value that can be converted into a steered angle of the steered wheel, based on an amount of operation of the operating member;
• a steering control signal generation unit configured to generate, based on the target steering corresponding value, a steering control signal for actuation of the steering unit;
• an emergency determination unit configured to determine whether or not an emergency exists in which an emergency avoidance operation is to be performed;
• and
• a work adjustment unit configured to adjust work of a driver required to steer the steered wheels, wherein
• the work adjustment unit is configured to execute emergency adjustment processing for adjusting the work in accordance with a determination result of whether or not an emergency exists,
• the emergency adjustment processing includes reduction processing for reducing the work in an initial stage after the emergency determination unit has determined that an emergency exists, as compared to a case in which determination is not made that an emergency exists,
• the operation unit is configured to apply, to the operating member, an operation reaction force in accordance with the amount of operation,
• the steering control device further includes:
• a target operation reaction force computation unit configured to compute a target operation reaction force, which is a target value of the operation reaction force, based on the amount of operation;
• and
• an operation control signal generation unit configured to generate, based on the target operation reaction force, an operation control signal for actuation of the operation unit,
• the work adjustment unit includes the target operation reaction force computation unit,
• the reduction processing includes reducing target operation reaction force computation processing for computing the target operation reaction force having a smaller absolute value as compared to in a case in which determination is not made that an emergency exists, and
• the emergency adjustment processing further includes weighting processing for computing, in a latter stage following the initial stage, the target operation reaction force having an absolute value greater than the target operation reaction force computed in the initial stage.

A steering control device that controls a steering system of a vehicle, the steering system having a structure in which a power transmission path between an operation unit including an operating member and a steering unit configured to steer a steered wheel is mechanically separated, the steering control device comprising:

• a target steering corresponding value computation unit configured to compute a target steering corresponding value that is a target value of a convertible value that can be converted into a steered angle of the steered wheel, based on an amount of operation of the operating member;
• a steering control signal generation unit configured to generate, based on the target steering corresponding value, a steering control signal for actuation of the steering unit;
• an emergency determination unit configured to determine whether or not an emergency exists in which an emergency avoidance operation is to be performed;
• and
• a work adjustment unit configured to adjust work of a driver required to steer the steered wheels, wherein
• the work adjustment unit is configured to execute emergency adjustment processing for adjusting the work in accordance with a determination result of whether or not an emergency exists,
• the emergency adjustment processing includes reduction processing for reducing the work in an initial stage after the emergency determination unit has determined that an emergency exists, as compared to a case in which determination is not made that an emergency exists,
• the operation unit is configured to apply, to the operating member, an operation reaction force in accordance with the amount of operation,
• the steering control device further includes:
• a target operation reaction force computation unit configured to compute a target operation reaction force, which is a target value of the operation reaction force, based on the amount of operation;
• and
• an operation control signal generation unit configured to generate, based on the target operation reaction force, an operation control signal for actuation of the operation unit,
• the work adjustment unit includes the target operation reaction force computation unit,
• the reduction processing includes reducing target operation reaction force computation processing for computing the target operation reaction force having a smaller absolute value as compared to in a case in which determination is not made that an emergency exists,
• the work adjustment unit further includes the target steering corresponding value computation unit, and
• the emergency adjustment processing further includes suppressing target steering corresponding value computation processing for computing the target steering corresponding value such that an amount of change in the steered angle with respect to an amount of change in the amount of operation is smaller as compared to a case in which determination is not made that an emergency exists.

A steering control method for controlling a steering system of a vehicle, the steering system having a structure in which a power transmission path between an operation unit including an operating member and a steering unit configured to steer a steered wheel is mechanically separated,

• the steering control method comprising:
• computing a target steering corresponding value that is a target value of a convertible value that can be converted into a steered angle of the steered wheel, based on an amount of operation of the operating member;
• generating, based on the target steering corresponding value, a steering control signal for actuation of the steering unit;
• determining whether or not an emergency exists in which an emergency avoidance operation is to be performed;
• and
• adjusting work of a driver required to steer the steered wheels, wherein
• adjusting the work includes executing emergency adjustment processing for adjusting the work in accordance with a determination result of whether or not an emergency exists,
• the emergency adjustment processing includes reduction processing for reducing the work in an initial stage after determination is made that an emergency exists, as compared to a case in which determination is not made that an emergency exists,
• the operation unit is configured to apply, to the operating member, an operation reaction force in accordance with the amount of operation,
• the steering control method further includes
• computing a target operation reaction force, which is a target value of the operation reaction force, based on the amount of operation, and
• generating an operation control signal for actuation of the operation unit based on the target operation reaction force,
• adjusting the work includes computing the target operation reaction force,
• the reduction processing includes reducing target operation reaction force computation processing for computing the target operation reaction force having a smaller absolute value as compared to in a case in which determination is not made that an emergency exists, and
• the emergency adjustment processing further includes weighting processing for computing, in a latter stage following the initial stage, the target operation reaction force having an absolute value greater than the target operation reaction force computed in the initial stage.