Vehicle control device and vehicle control method

A vehicle control device comprising:

• a friction brake orientation control device configured to calculate a brake orientation control amount for a friction brake so as to change the orientation of a vehicle body to a target orientation, and configured to output the amount to a friction brake;
• a damping force control device configured to calculate a shock absorber orientation control amount for a variable-damping-force shock absorber so as to change the orientation of the vehicle body to the target orientation, and configured to output the shock absorber orientation control amount to the variable-damping-force shock absorber;
• a state quantity detection device configured to detect a state quantity indicating vehicle body orientation;
• and
• an orientation control device configured to control vehicle body orientation via the damping force control device based on the shock absorber orientation control amount when the absolute value of the amplitude of the detected state quantity is less than a predetermined value, and
• in a condition during which the absolute value of the amplitude is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the orientation control device being further configured to control the vehicle body orientation by applying the brakes based on the brake orientation control amount calculated by the friction brake orientation control device instead of controlling the vehicle body orientation based on the shock absorber orientation amount calculated by the damping force control device.