Vehicle control device and control method

A vehicle control device that acquires a relative relationship between a host vehicle and a target object existing in a traveling direction of the host vehicle and that is configured to be able to execute, when it is determined based on the acquired relative relationship that a collision risk between the host vehicle and the target object is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, vehicle control including brake assist control for assisting deceleration based on a brake operation by a driver of the host vehicle as vehicle control related to reduction of the collision risk, wherein:

• the vehicle control device comprises a first brake operation tendency acquisition unit and a second brake operation tendency acquisition unit, the first brake operation tendency acquisition unit acquiring a first brake operation tendency including at least one or both of a brake response tendency and a brake operation amount tendency as a brake operation characteristic of the driver with respect to the target object at a time when the collision risk becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined level, and the second brake operation tendency acquisition unit acquiring, as a second brake operation tendency, a brake operation tendency for determining a deceleration intention of the driver with respect to the target object at a time when the collision risk becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined level;
• and
• the vehicle control device facilitates activation of the brake assist control when a specific condition is met as compared with when the specific condition is not met, the specific condition being met when it is determined based on the acquired first brake operation tendency that the driver is a driver having a low capability level for avoiding a collision risk with the target object and when it is determined based on the acquired second brake operation tendency that the brake operation by the driver at a time when the collision risk becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined level is performed with a deceleration intention with respect to the target object.