Vehicle deceleration assistance apparatus

A vehicle deceleration assistance method for executing a deceleration assistance control for assisting a deceleration of a vehicle on condition that (i) a distance between the vehicle and a deceleration assistance target becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined distance, and (ii) neither an operation of an acceleration operation device nor an operation of a deceleration operation device is detected,

• wherein the vehicle deceleration assistance method comprises at least one of steps of:
• (i) causing a notification device to output a notification that an assistance level by changing an assistance degree is to be changed or (ii) autonomously changing the assistance level by changing the assistance degree on condition that the deceleration assistance control is executed and a state in which an operation of the acceleration operation device or an operation of the deceleration operation device is equal to or smaller than a predetermined degree continues to be detected for a predetermined period of time;
• or
• (i) causing the notification device to output a notification that the assistance level by changing an assistance start timing is to be changed or (ii) autonomously changing the assistance level by changing the assistance start timing on condition that the deceleration assistance target is detected but the deceleration assistance control is not executed and a state in which an operation of the acceleration operation device or an operation of the deceleration operation device is equal to or smaller than a predetermined degree continues to be detected for a predetermined period of time.

A computer-readable storage medium storing a vehicle deceleration assistance program which executes a deceleration assistance control for assisting a deceleration of a vehicle on condition that (i) a distance between the vehicle and a deceleration assistance target becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined distance, and (ii) neither an operation of an acceleration operation device nor an operation of a deceleration operation device is detected,

• wherein the vehicle deceleration assistance program is configured to:
• (i) cause a notification device to output a notification that an assistance level by changing an assistance degree is to be changed or (ii) autonomously change the assistance level by changing the assistance degree on condition that the deceleration assistance control is executed and a state in which an operation of the acceleration operation device or an operation of the deceleration operation device is equal to or smaller than a predetermined degree continues to be detected for a predetermined period of time;
• or
• (i) cause the notification device to output a notification that the assistance level by changing an assistance start timing is to be changed or (ii) autonomously change the assistance level by changing the assistance start timing on condition that the deceleration assistance target is detected but the deceleration assistance control is not executed and a state in which an operation of the acceleration operation device or an operation of the deceleration operation device is equal to or smaller than a predetermined degree continues to be detected for a predetermined period of time.