Driving assistance apparatus and driving assistance method

A driving assistance apparatus comprising:

• a processor to execute a program;
• and
• a memory to store the program which, when executed by the processor, performs processes of:
• acquiring information on a shape of a road on which a host vehicle is traveling;
• acquiring information on whether the road has a side wall;
• judging whether brightness around the host vehicle is brightness requiring assistive irradiation, the assistive irradiation being irradiation with light encouraging a driver of the host vehicle to recognize the shape of the road;
• determining whether the assistive irradiation is performed based on the presence or absence of the side wall of the road, the shape of the road, and a result of judgment on the brightness around the host vehicle;
• and
• controlling a lighting apparatus of the host vehicle to perform the assistive irradiation when it is determined that the assistive irradiation is performed, wherein
• the processor determines that the assistive irradiation is performed when the road has the side wall, the road is curved horizontally or vertically, and it is judged that the brightness around the host vehicle is the brightness requiring the assistive irradiation, and
• the processor irradiates the side wall of the road with at least part of the light to perform the assistive irradiation.