JP2017032440A - Driving assistance system, driving assistance method, and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a driving assistance system, a driving assistance method, and a computer program, which allow a driver to appropriately perform manipulation to move a vehicle to a guided lane.SOLUTION: A driving assistance system is configured to; identify a guided lane to which a vehicle should be guided; identify a lane-change endpoint by which a lane change to the guided lane should be completed by the vehicle; set up a guidance zone, in which guidance is provided to guide the vehicle to the guided lane, for each lane of a road the vehicle is on based on the identified guided lane and lane-change endpoint; and provide guidance while changing guidance content in stages in accordance with a traveling condition (position) of the vehicle with respect to the guidance zones that have been set up.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to a travel support system, a travel support method, and a computer program for guiding a lane in which a vehicle travels.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a navigation device is often mounted on a vehicle that provides vehicle travel guidance so that a driver can easily arrive at a desired destination. Here, the navigation device detects the current position of the vehicle by a GPS receiver or the like, acquires map data corresponding to the current position through a recording medium such as a DVD-ROM or HDD or a network, and displays it on a liquid crystal monitor. It is a device that can do. Further, such a navigation device has a route search function for searching for an optimum route from the departure place to the destination when a desired destination is input. Then, the guidance route set based on the search result is displayed on the display screen, and when approaching an intersection (hereinafter referred to as a guidance intersection) for guidance such as a right or left turn, a voice or a display screen is used. By performing the guidance, the user is surely guided to a desired destination. In recent years, some mobile phones, smartphones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), personal computers, and the like have functions similar to those of the navigation device.

  Here, when the guide route is composed of a plurality of lanes in particular, it is important to provide guidance for guiding the vehicle to the lane in which the vehicle should travel (hereinafter referred to as a guide lane). For example, if the vehicle makes a left turn at the next guidance intersection, it is necessary to drive the lane divided in the left turn direction before reaching the guidance intersection, while the vehicle turns right at the next guidance intersection. When the vehicle is to be operated, it is necessary for the vehicle to travel on the lane divided in the right turn direction before reaching the guidance intersection. However, even if the guidance for turning left or right is given just before the guidance intersection without guiding the lane, the vehicle does not always travel in the lane corresponding to the passing direction, so the guidance cannot be made without making a right or left turn. There is a possibility of deviating from the route. Therefore, it is desirable to guide the guide lane in advance. In addition to the guidance intersection, for example, in a lane reduction section due to construction or an accident, it may be necessary to perform guidance for causing the vehicle to travel in a specific guidance lane in the same manner.

  Therefore, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-129898, for example, when it is determined that guidance of a lane to be traveled is necessary for a vehicle entering a guidance intersection, a predetermined distance (for example, 300 m) from the guidance intersection. There has been proposed a technique for guiding a lane in which a vehicle should travel at a timing when the vehicle is positioned in front.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-1229889 (page 3-4, FIG. 7)

  Here, in the technique of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, when the vehicle arrives a predetermined distance before the guidance intersection, only guidance of contents that do not depend on the lane in which the vehicle currently travels or the distance from the guidance intersection is performed. There was a problem that guidance corresponding to the current running state of the vehicle could not be performed. Therefore, the user cannot grasp from the guidance which stage in the process until the current vehicle state moves to the guide lane, and as a result, what kind of vehicle operation should be performed at what timing There was a difficult problem to figure out. Furthermore, since the user does not know how much room is available to perform the vehicle operation for moving the vehicle to the guide lane, there is a possibility that the user may feel uneasy about the vehicle operation.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems, and allows the user to grasp from the guidance which stage of the current vehicle state is before moving to the guide lane. An object of the present invention is to provide a driving support system, a driving support method, and a computer program that can appropriately perform an operation related to vehicle movement to a guide lane.

  In order to achieve the above object, the driving support system according to the present invention includes a guide lane specifying means for specifying a guide lane for guiding a vehicle, and a lane movement end point where the lane movement of the vehicle to the guide lane needs to be completed. Lane movement end point specifying means for specifying the vehicle and a guidance area for guiding the vehicle to the guide lane are included in the road on which the vehicle travels based on the guide lane and the lane movement end point Guidance area setting means for setting the lane to be guided, and guidance guidance for performing the guidance guidance by changing the guidance content stepwise according to the traveling state of the vehicle with respect to the guidance area set by the guidance area setting means Means.

  In addition, the driving support method according to the present invention is a method of supporting the traveling of the vehicle by guiding the vehicle to the lane where the vehicle should travel. Specifically, the guide lane specifying means specifies the guide lane to guide the vehicle, and the lane movement end point specifying means needs to complete the lane movement of the vehicle to the guide lane. A road on which the vehicle travels based on the guidance lane and the lane movement end point in a guidance area in which the guidance area setting means guides the vehicle to the guidance lane And the guidance guidance means changes the guidance content stepwise according to the traveling state of the vehicle with respect to the guidance area set by the guidance area setting means. Performing the steps.

  Furthermore, the computer program according to the present invention is a program that supports the traveling of the vehicle by guiding the vehicle to the lane in which the vehicle should travel. Specifically, the lane movement end point that specifies the lane movement end point that needs to complete the lane movement of the vehicle to the guide lane and the guidance lane specifying means for specifying the guide lane for guiding the vehicle to the computer Based on the guidance lane and the lane movement end point, a specifying unit and a guidance area for guiding the vehicle to the guidance lane are set for a lane included in a road on which the vehicle travels. It functions as a guidance area setting means, and a guidance guidance means for performing the guidance guidance by changing the guidance content stepwise according to the traveling state of the vehicle with respect to the guidance area set by the guidance area setting means. .

  According to the driving support system, the driving support method, and the computer program according to the present invention having the above-described configuration, when performing guidance for guiding the vehicle to the guide lane, the guidance content is stepwise according to the current driving state of the vehicle. Therefore, it is possible to allow the user to grasp from the guidance which stage in the process until the current vehicle state moves to the guide lane. As a result, in order to move the vehicle to the guide lane, it becomes possible for the user to appropriately grasp what kind of vehicle operation should be performed at which timing. Furthermore, since the user can specify how much room is available for performing the vehicle operation for moving the vehicle to the guide lane, the vehicle operation can be performed with a margin.

It is the block diagram which showed the navigation apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a flowchart of the driving assistance processing program concerning this embodiment. It is a flowchart of the sub process program of the guidance area | region setting process which concerns on this embodiment. It is the figure which showed an example of the guidance intersection. It is the figure which showed an example of the guidance intersection. It is the figure which showed an example of each point set with respect to a guide road. It is the figure which showed an example of the guidance area | region set with respect to a guide road. It is a flowchart of the sub process program of the guidance guidance process which concerns on this embodiment. It is the figure which showed the movement guidance screen before a vehicle arrives at a guidance area | region. It is the figure which showed the movement guidance screen after a vehicle arrives at a guidance area | region. It is the figure which showed the movement guidance screen when a vehicle is located in a lane movement caution area. It is the figure which showed the movement guidance screen when a vehicle is located in a lane movement warning area. It is the figure which showed the movement guidance screen after a vehicle passes the inside of a lane movement warning area. It is the figure which showed an example of guidance by voice guidance especially among guidance guidance.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a driving support system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings based on an embodiment in which the navigation device is embodied. First, a schematic configuration of the navigation device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a navigation device 1 according to this embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a current position detection unit 11 that detects a current position of a vehicle on which the navigation device 1 is mounted, a data recording unit 12 that records various data, A navigation ECU 13 that performs various arithmetic processes based on the input information, an operation unit 14 that receives operations from the user, and a liquid crystal display that displays a map around the vehicle, guidance along the guidance route, and the like to the user. 15, a speaker 16 that outputs voice guidance regarding route guidance, a DVD drive 17 that reads a DVD as a storage medium, and an information center such as a probe center or a VICS (registered trademark: Vehicle Information and Communication System) center. And a communication module 18 for performing communication. The navigation device 1 is connected to a head-up display device (hereinafter referred to as HUD) 19 via an in-vehicle network such as CAN.

Below, each component which the navigation apparatus 1 has is demonstrated in order.
The current position detection unit 11 includes a GPS 21, a vehicle speed sensor 22, a steering sensor 23, a gyro sensor 24, and the like, and can detect the current vehicle position, direction, vehicle traveling speed, current time, and the like. . Here, in particular, the vehicle speed sensor 22 is a sensor for detecting a moving distance and a vehicle speed of the vehicle, generates a pulse according to the rotation of the driving wheel of the vehicle, and outputs a pulse signal to the navigation ECU 13. And navigation ECU13 calculates the rotational speed and moving distance of a driving wheel by counting the generated pulse. Note that the navigation device 1 does not have to include all the four types of sensors, and the navigation device 1 may include only one or more types of sensors.

  The data recording unit 12 is also a hard disk (not shown) as an external storage device and a recording medium, and a driver for reading the map information DB 31 and a predetermined program recorded on the hard disk and writing predetermined data on the hard disk And a recording head (not shown). The data recording unit 12 may be constituted by a flash memory, a memory card, an optical disk such as a CD or a DVD, instead of the hard disk. Further, the map information DB 31 may be stored in an external server, and the navigation device 1 may be configured to acquire by communication.

  Here, the map information DB 31 includes, for example, link data 32 relating to roads (links), node data 33 relating to node points, intersection data 34 relating to each intersection, point data relating to points such as facilities, and map display data for displaying a map. The storage means stores search data for searching for routes, search data for searching for points, and the like.

  Here, as the link data 32, for example, a link ID for identifying the link, end node information for specifying a node located at the end of the link, the road type of the road constituting the link, the number of lanes, the road The width, the direction of travel for each lane, and the like are stored. The node data 33 stores a node ID for identifying the node, position coordinates of the node, connection destination node information for specifying a connection destination node to which the node is connected through a link, and the like. Further, as the intersection data 34, relevant node information for identifying nodes forming the intersection, connection link information for identifying a link connected to the intersection (hereinafter referred to as a connection link), and a stop line provided at the intersection Is stored.

  On the other hand, the navigation ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 13 is an electronic control unit that controls the entire navigation device 1. The CPU 41 as an arithmetic device and a control device, and a working memory when the CPU 41 performs various arithmetic processes. Read out from the ROM 43 and the ROM 43 in which a RAM 42 that stores route data when the route is searched, a control program, a driving support processing program (FIG. 2) described later, and the like are recorded. An internal storage device such as a flash memory 44 for storing the program is provided. The navigation ECU 13 has various means as processing algorithms. For example, the guide lane specifying means specifies the guide lane for guiding the vehicle. The lane movement end point specifying means specifies a lane movement end point where the lane movement of the vehicle to the guide lane needs to be completed. The guidance area setting means sets a guidance area for performing guidance guidance for guiding the vehicle to the guidance lane for the lane included in the road on which the vehicle travels based on the guidance lane and the lane movement end point. The guidance guidance means performs guidance guidance by changing the guidance content step by step according to the traveling state of the vehicle with respect to the guidance area.

  The operation unit 14 is operated when inputting a starting point as a travel start point and a destination as a travel end point, and has a plurality of operation switches (not shown) such as various keys and buttons. Then, the navigation ECU 13 performs control to execute various corresponding operations based on switch signals output by pressing the switches. The operation unit 14 can also be configured by a touch panel provided on the front surface of the liquid crystal display 15. Moreover, it can also be comprised with a microphone and a speech recognition apparatus.

  The liquid crystal display 15 includes a map image including a road, traffic information, operation guidance, operation menu, key guidance, guidance route from the departure point to the destination, guidance information along the guidance route, news, weather forecast, Time, mail, TV program, etc. are displayed.

  The speaker 16 outputs voice guidance for guiding traveling along the guidance route based on an instruction from the navigation ECU 13 and traffic information guidance. In particular, in the present embodiment, when the vehicle travels on a road composed of a plurality of lanes as described later, voice guidance for guiding the vehicle to the lane in which the vehicle should travel is output.

  The DVD drive 17 is a drive that can read data recorded on a recording medium such as a DVD or a CD. Based on the read data, music and video are reproduced, the map information DB 31 is updated, and the like. A card slot for reading / writing a memory card may be provided instead of the DVD drive 17.

  The communication module 18 is a communication device for receiving traffic information composed of information such as traffic jam information, regulation information, and traffic accident information transmitted from a traffic information center, for example, a VICS center or a probe center. For example, a mobile phone or DCM is applicable.

  The HUD 19 is installed inside the dashboard of the vehicle, and includes a projector and a screen on which an image from the projector is projected. And the image projected on the screen is reflected on the front window in front of the driver's seat so as to be visually recognized by the vehicle occupant. And when the occupant visually recognizes the image projected on the screen reflecting off the front window, the image projected on the screen at a position far away from the front window is not a virtual image for the occupant. Visible. In the present embodiment, the virtual image generated by the HUD 19 is a guide image that guides the vehicle to the lane in which the vehicle should travel when the vehicle travels on a road composed of a plurality of lanes as will be described later. In addition, it is good also as a structure which guides those by the liquid crystal display 15 instead of HUD19. In that case, the HUD 19 becomes unnecessary.

  Next, a driving support processing program executed by the navigation ECU 13 in the navigation device 1 having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the driving support processing program according to this embodiment. Here, the driving support processing program is a program that is executed after the ACC power supply (accessory power supply) of the vehicle is turned on and guides the vehicle to the lane in which the vehicle is to travel to guide the vehicle to travel. . In the following description, guidance for guiding a vehicle to a lane in which the vehicle should travel is defined as “guidance guidance”, and a lane that ultimately guides the vehicle by guidance guidance is defined as “guidance lane”. The programs shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 2, 3 and 8 below are stored in the RAM 42 and the ROM 43 provided in the navigation device 1 and are executed by the CPU 41.

  First, in step (hereinafter abbreviated as S) 1 in the driving support processing program, the CPU 41 obtains a guide route (a user's scheduled driving route) currently set in the navigation device 1. The guide route is a recommended route from the starting point to the destination set by the navigation device 1, and is searched using, for example, a known Dijkstra method. The navigation route 1 may be configured to search for the guidance route, or may be configured to be searched by an external server. Further, the departure point may be the current position of the user or an arbitrary point selected by the user (for example, home). On the other hand, the destination is set based on, for example, a user operation (for example, a registration point reading operation, facility search or selection operation) received in the operation unit 14.

  Next, in S2, the CPU 41 specifies a guidance intersection included in the guidance route acquired in S1. When a plurality of guidance intersections are included, all guidance intersections included in the guidance route may be specified, or only the guidance intersection nearest to the current position of the vehicle may be specified. Here, the guidance intersection is an intersection to which guidance such as a right / left turn instruction is given when guidance for traveling of the vehicle is performed according to the guidance route.

  Subsequently, in S <b> 3, the CPU 41 acquires the current position of the vehicle based on the detection result of the current position detection unit 11. A map matching process for specifying the current position of the vehicle on the map data is also performed. Furthermore, it is desirable to specify the current position of the vehicle in detail using high-precision location technology. Here, the high-accuracy location technology detects the white line and road surface paint information captured from the camera behind the vehicle by image recognition, and further compares the white line and road surface paint information with a previously stored map information DB, thereby driving the vehicle. This is a technology that makes it possible to detect lanes and highly accurate vehicle positions. In the present embodiment, the lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling is also specified. The details of the high-accuracy location technology are already known and will be omitted.

  Thereafter, in S4, the CPU 41 determines whether or not a guidance area described later has already been set for the nearest guidance intersection (hereinafter referred to as the nearest guidance intersection) along the guidance route from the current position of the vehicle. . The guidance area is an area for performing guidance guidance, and is set for a lane included in a road on which the vehicle travels when entering a guidance intersection in S8 described later. If the navigation device 1 re-searches (reroutes) the guidance route due to the vehicle deviating from the guidance route or changing traffic conditions, the nearest guidance intersection may be changed. It becomes necessary to set a guidance area for a new nearest guidance intersection.

  And when it determines with the guidance area | region not being set with respect to the latest guidance intersection (S4: YES), in order to set a guidance area | region with respect to the latest guidance intersection, it transfers to S7. On the other hand, when it is determined that a guidance area has already been set for the latest guidance intersection (S4: NO), the process proceeds to S5.

  In S <b> 5, the CPU 41 acquires the current vehicle speed of the vehicle from the vehicle speed sensor 22.

  Next, in S6, the CPU 41 determines whether or not the vehicle speed has changed. In order to reduce the processing load on the CPU 41, it may be determined whether or not the speed has changed by a predetermined speed (for example, 10 km / h) or more. As will be described later, since the length of the guide area is determined by the current vehicle speed of the vehicle, it is necessary to set the guide area again based on the changed vehicle speed when the vehicle speed changes. Arise.

  And when it determines with the vehicle speed of the vehicle having changed (S6: YES), in order to reset a guidance area | region based on a new vehicle speed, it transfers to S8. On the other hand, when it is determined that the vehicle speed has not changed (S6: NO), the current guidance area setting is maintained and the process proceeds to S8.

  Next, in S7, the CPU 41 executes a guide area setting process (FIG. 3) described later. The guidance area setting process is a process for setting an area for guidance guidance (hereinafter referred to as a guidance area) for a lane included in the road on which the vehicle travels when entering the nearest guidance intersection as will be described later. is there.

  Thereafter, in S8, the CPU 41 executes a guidance and guidance process (FIG. 8) described later. The guidance guidance process is a process in which guidance guidance is performed by changing the guidance content stepwise in accordance with the traveling state of the vehicle with respect to the guidance area set in S7 as described later.

  Next, the sub-process of the guidance area setting process executed in S7 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a sub-processing program for the guidance area setting process.

  First, in S11, CPU41 acquires the information regarding the latest guidance intersection from map information DB31. Specifically, the road shape of the road connected to the guidance intersection, the number of lanes, the traffic classification in the traveling direction for each lane, the position of the stop line, and the like.

  Next, in S12, the CPU 41 determines, among the roads connected to the nearest guidance intersection, especially the road on which the vehicle entering the nearest guidance intersection travels (that is, the road connected to the front side of the nearest guidance intersection along the guidance route). The number N of lanes of the guide road) is specified. In addition, when it is a road where the number of lanes increases or decreases (for example, when a right-turn exclusive lane is added), the maximum number of lanes is acquired.

  Subsequently, in S13, the CPU 41 determines whether or not the number N of lanes of the guide road acquired in S12 is 1.

  If it is determined that the number N of lanes on the guide road is 1 (S13: YES), that is, if the guide road is composed of only one lane, guidance guidance is provided for the nearest guidance intersection. Since there is no need, the process proceeds to S8 without setting a guide area for the guide road. On the other hand, if it is determined that the number N of lanes on the guide road is 2 or more (S13: NO), that is, if the guide road includes a plurality of lanes, the process proceeds to S14.

  In S14, the CPU 41 assigns a lane number to each lane included in the guide road acquired in S12. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, numbers are assigned in order from the right in the traveling direction of the vehicle. Therefore, when the guide road includes N lanes, lane numbers from 1 to N are given.

  Subsequently, in S15, the CPU 41 specifies the guide lane by lane number among the lanes included in the guide road acquired in S12. Let M be the lane number of the identified guide lane. The guide lane is a lane that finally guides the vehicle by the guidance guidance as described above, and is the lane to which the vehicle should travel when the vehicle travels along the guide route. That is, the traffic lane corresponding to the traveling direction of the guidance intersection is set as the guide lane. For example, when a guidance route for turning the vehicle to the right is set at the guidance intersection 50 shown in FIG. 4, the guidance lane for the guidance intersection 50 is the rightmost lane (lane number “1”) divided in the right turn direction. Lane). On the other hand, when a guidance route is set for the vehicle to turn left at the guidance intersection 50 shown in FIG. 4, the guidance lane for the guidance intersection 50 is the leftmost lane (lane number “4”) divided in the left turn direction. Lane).

  In addition, a plurality of lanes may correspond to the guide lane candidates. For example, when a guidance route for turning the vehicle to the right is set at the guidance intersection 51 shown in FIG. 5, the rightmost lane (lane with lane number “1”) divided in the right turn direction and the second from the right Two lanes of the lane (lane of lane number “2”) are candidates for the guide lane. In this case, all the lanes that are candidates for the guide lane may be specified as the guide lane, or only one of them may be specified as the guide lane. When only one of them is specified as the guide lane, it is preferable to specify the guide lane with priority on the lane at the end (the lane with the lane number “1” in the example shown in FIG. 5).

  Thereafter, in S <b> 16, the CPU 41 specifies a “lane movement end point X” at which the lane movement of the vehicle to the guide lane needs to be completed. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, “lane movement end point X” is set to a position before a predetermined distance (for example, 30 m) from the stop line 52. Further, when there is no stop line, it is assumed that there is a stop line before a predetermined distance (for example, 1 m) from the entry start point to the intersection. The “lane movement end point X” specified in S <b> 16 is a reference point when setting a guide area to be described later.

  Next, in S <b> 17, the CPU 41 substitutes 1 as an initial value for the parameter n used in the subsequent processing. The parameter n is stored in a memory such as the flash memory 44.

  Subsequently, in S18, the CPU 41 specifies each point serving as a reference for setting a guidance area for the lanes of the lane number M-n and the lane number M + n among the lanes included in the guide road. The specified points include “lane movement limit point A”, “lane movement warning point B”, “lane movement caution point C”, and “lane movement start point D”. Here, “lane movement limit point A” is a limit point that needs to start lane movement in order to move to the guide lane before reaching the lane movement end point, and after the vehicle passes through this point Gives up lane movement and basically does not provide guidance. The “lane movement warning point B” is a point where it is determined that there is no room for lane movement to the guidance lane, and after passing through this point, guidance guidance that strongly encourages lane movement is performed. Further, the “lane movement caution point C” is a point where it is determined that there is a comparatively sufficient lane movement to the guidance lane, and after passing through this point, guidance guidance that encourages lane movement is performed slightly stronger than usual. . Further, the “lane movement start point D” is a point where it is determined that it is better to start the lane movement, and after passing this point, guidance guidance for urging normal lane movement is performed.

And each point of said A-D is specifically specified based on the following references | standards.
First, the lane adjacent to the guide lane (the lane having the lane number M-1 or M + 1) will be described with reference to FIG. 6. The "lane movement limit point A" is 4.8 seconds from the "lane movement end point X". A point to reach. Note that 4.8 seconds is a time obtained by adding 1 second of the reaction time to the average time of 3.8 seconds required for lane movement. The distance from “lane movement limit point A” to “lane movement end point X” is specified based on the current vehicle speed of the vehicle. For example, when the current vehicle speed of the vehicle is 50 km / h, 66. 7m.
The “lane movement warning point B” is a point that reaches the “lane movement limit point A” in 4 seconds. Note that 4 seconds is a time according to the average time 3.8 seconds required for lane movement. The distance from “lane movement warning point B” to “lane movement limit point A” is specified based on the current vehicle speed of the vehicle. For example, when the current vehicle speed of the vehicle is 50 km / h, 55. 6m.
The “lane movement caution point C” is a point that reaches the “lane movement warning point B” in 8 seconds. Note that 8 seconds is a time obtained by adding a certain grace time to the average time required for lane movement of 3.8 seconds, and can be appropriately changed based on the road type and shape. However, the time is set so that the distance from “lane movement warning point C” to “lane movement warning point B” is longer than the distance from “lane movement warning point B” to “lane movement limit point A”. . The distance from the “lane movement warning point C” to the “lane movement warning point B” is specified based on the current vehicle speed of the vehicle. For example, when the current vehicle speed of the vehicle is 50 km / h, 111. 1m.
The “lane movement start point D” is a point that reaches the “lane movement caution point C” in 18 seconds. Note that 18 seconds is a time obtained by adding a certain grace time to the average time required for lane movement of 3.8 seconds, and can be appropriately changed based on the road type and shape. However, the time is set so that the distance from “lane movement start point D” to “lane movement attention point C” is longer than the distance from “lane movement warning point C” to “lane movement warning point B”. The distance from “lane movement start point D” to “lane movement caution point C” is specified based on the current vehicle speed of the vehicle. For example, when the current vehicle speed of the vehicle is 50 km / h, 250. 0m.

  Similarly, a lane other than the lane adjacent to the guide lane (lane of lane number M-1 or M + 1) (for example, a lane that separates one lane between the guide lanes (lane of lane number M-2 or M + 2)) Also, each of the points A to D is specified for a lane that separates two lanes between the guide lanes (lane of lane number M-3 or M + 3). FIG. 7 shows an example of points A to D set in each lane when the guide road connected to the guidance intersection 50 is a four-lane road on one side. Here, for lanes other than the lane adjacent to the guide lane (lane of lane number M-1 or M + 1), “lane movement limit point A” reaches “lane movement end point X” in 4.8 seconds. Instead of a point, it is set to a point that reaches the point adjacent to the “lane movement warning point B” of the lane adjacent to the guide lane in 4.8 seconds. That is, the vehicle that has started moving toward the guide lane at the “lane movement limit point A” is set at a position where it can reach the “lane movement warning point B” in the lane adjacent to the guide lane. The other “lane movement warning point B”, “lane movement caution point C”, and “lane movement start point D” are set by the above-described method based on the “lane movement limit point A”.

  Thereafter, in S19, the CPU 41 sets a guidance area for the lanes of the lane number M-n and the lane number M + n among the lanes included in the guide road. Specifically, an area including a plurality of sections divided by the points A to D specified in S18 is set as a guide area. In particular, in the present embodiment, an area including three sections “(1) lane movement warning section”, “(2) lane movement caution section”, and “(3) lane movement recommended section” is set as a guide area. Hereinafter, each section will be described.

The “(1) lane movement warning section” is a section that is a target of guidance guidance that particularly strongly encourages lane movement in the guidance area. The “lane movement warning point B” is the starting point, and the “lane movement limit point A” It is set in a rectangular shape along the lane in the lane with "" as the end point. In the example shown in FIG.
The “(2) lane movement caution section” is a section in the guidance area that is a target of guidance guidance that urges lane movement slightly stronger than usual. The “lane movement caution point C” is the starting point, and the “lane It is set in a rectangular shape along the lane in the lane with the movement warning point B ″ as the end point. In the example shown in FIG.
The “(3) recommended lane movement section” is a section in the guidance area that is a target for guidance guidance that encourages normal lane movement. The “lane movement start point D” is the starting point, and “lane movement attention A rectangular shape along the lane is set in the lane with the point C ″ as the end point. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the section 56 corresponds.

  As a result of setting the sections (1) to (3), the guidance area is separated from the “lane movement end point X” by a distance corresponding to the number of lanes between the guide lane and the guide lane as shown in FIG. It is set to an area within a predetermined distance with the point as the end point. In addition, as the number of lanes between the guide lanes increases, the guide area is set at a position farther from the “lane movement end point X”. Specifically, the end point of the guide area is the lane adjacent to the guide lane side. Is set to a point that is a predetermined distance away from the end point of the guide area (for example, a distance that the vehicle can travel in 8.8 seconds). As a result, the guidance area of each lane is set in a step shape as shown in FIG.

  Next, in S20, the CPU 41 reads the parameter n and adds one.

  Thereafter, in S21, the CPU 41 determines whether or not the guidance area has been set in S19 for all lanes (excluding the guide lane) included in the guide road.

  And when it determines with having set the guidance area | region by said S19 targeting all the lanes contained in a guidance road (S21: YES), it transfers to S22. On the other hand, if it is determined in S19 that the guidance area is not set for all lanes included in the guide road (S21: NO), the process returns to S18, and the guidance areas for the remaining lanes are set. Continue processing.

  In S22, the CPU 41 sets the guidance content of the guidance guidance according to the positional relationship with the guidance lane and the lane movement end point for each section included in the guidance area set in S19. In S22, the CPU 41 first sets a guide color for each section. Note that the guide color is set to a color indicating that there is no room for lane movement in the section closer to the lane movement end point, that is, a color that strongly promotes lane movement. Specifically, “(1) Lane movement warning section” is “red”, “(2) Lane movement warning section” is “yellow”, and “(3) Recommended lane movement section” is “blue”. Furthermore, the CPU 41 also sets a guidance phrase for each section. The guidance phrase is set to indicate that there is no margin for lane movement in the section closer to the lane movement end point. For example, “(1) Lane movement warning section” is “Y immediately (Y is the lane to the guide lane). Number) to the right (left) lane. " Also, “(2) Lane movement caution section” should be “Y (Y is the number of lanes to the guide lane) and move to the right (left) lane”, and “(3) Recommended lane movement section” is “ Y (Y is the number of lanes up to the guide lane) and prepare to move to the right (left) lane. " Then, as will be described later, the navigation device 1 colors the corresponding section with the guide color set when displaying the lane image of the guide road on the HUD 19, or changes the own vehicle position mark or the arrow color for prompting the lane change. The guide color set for the section where the vehicle is located is displayed. In addition, when the vehicle enters each section included in the guidance area, voice guidance is performed using a guidance phrase set for the section where the vehicle is located.

  Next, a sub-process of the guidance guidance process executed in S8 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a sub-processing program for guidance guidance processing.

  First, in S31, the CPU 41 acquires the current position of the vehicle based on the detection result of the current position detection unit 11. The details are the same as S3, and the description is omitted.

  Next, in S32, the CPU 41 determines whether or not the current position of the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from the lane movement end point. The predetermined distance is longer than the distance to the starting point (lane movement start point D) of the guide area that is farthest from the lane movement end point, for example, 3 km. As shown in FIG. 7, when a guidance area is set for the guidance intersection 50, the distance from the stop line 52 to the start point (lane movement start point D) of the guidance area installed in the leftmost lane. Also take a long distance. In S32, it may be determined whether or not the vehicle is located in the guidance area set in S7. Further, the determination process in S32 may be omitted, and a lane image in S33 (described later) may be displayed whenever the vehicle is traveling.

  When it is determined that the current position of the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from the lane movement end point (S32: YES), the process proceeds to S33. On the other hand, when it is determined that the current position of the vehicle is not within the predetermined distance from the lane movement end point (S32: NO), the process proceeds to S36.

  In S33, the CPU 41 generates a virtual image of the movement guide screen 61 for guiding the vehicle to the guide lane by the HUD 19. On the travel guidance screen 61, an image indicating a lane recommended for traveling on the road on which the vehicle currently travels (hereinafter referred to as a recommended lane) and an image indicating the guidance lane identified in S15 are displayed. In addition, the position which produces | generates the virtual image of the movement guidance screen 61 is the front of the windshield of a vehicle, and when a user visually recognizes a front environment through a windshield, it shall be the position and size which do not disturb a user's visual field.

Here, FIGS. 9 to 13 are diagrams showing examples of the movement guide screen 61 generated by the HUD 19 in S33. First, FIG. 9 shows the display contents of the movement guidance screen 61 immediately after the movement guidance screen 61 is generated by the HUD 19, that is, before the vehicle reaches the guidance area.
As shown in FIG. 9, an image 62 of a road on which the vehicle is currently traveling is displayed on the movement guide screen 61. Further, an own vehicle position mark 63 indicating the current position of the vehicle, an image 64 indicating the recommended lane, and an image 65 indicating the guide lane are displayed superimposed on the image 62 of the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling. . The recommended lane is a lane in which “(3) recommended lane movement recommended section” and “(3) recommended lane movement recommended section” set in S7 is set, and is closer to the lane movement start point D (the vehicle side). ) (That is, a section that reaches the “(3) recommended lane movement section” by traveling along the road without moving the lane). In addition, “(3) Recommended lane movement section”, as described above, the more the number of lanes between the guide lane and the farther the lane movement end point is, the more the end point is located. As the number of lanes between the guide lane and the number of lanes increases, the end point is located at a position away from the lane movement end point (see FIG. 7). Only “(3) recommended lane movement section” may be used as the recommended lane.

  The image 64 indicating the recommended lane and the image 65 indicating the guide lane are displayed in a connected manner and are displayed in the same display mode. That is, as shown in FIG. 9, in the section where the recommended lane and the guide lane are adjacent, the image 64 indicating the recommended lane and the image 65 indicating the guide lane are integrated, and an image straddling the recommended lane and the guide lane is displayed. Will be. The display color of the image 64 indicating the recommended lane and the image 65 indicating the guide lane is the guide color set for “(3) Recommended lane movement section” in S22, that is, “blue”. The display color of the vehicle position mark 63 is also “blue”.

  Thereafter, when the vehicle approaches the nearest guidance intersection and reaches the “(3) recommended lane movement recommended section” in the guidance area, an instruction image 66 for prompting lane movement is additionally displayed as shown in FIG. The Here, the instruction image 66 is an arrow that prompts the vehicle to move from the lane in which the vehicle currently travels to the lane on the guide lane side, and is displayed superimposed on at least one of the image 64 indicating the recommended lane and the image 65 indicating the guide lane. Is done. In addition, when the road image 62 on which the vehicle is currently traveling includes “(2) lane movement warning section” or “(1) lane movement warning section” among the guidance areas set in S7, An image 67 indicating “(2) lane movement warning section” and an image 68 indicating “(1) lane movement warning section” are also displayed superimposed on the image 62 of the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling. The display color of the image 67 indicating “(2) lane movement warning section” is “yellow” which is the guide color set in S22, and the image 68 indicating “(1) lane movement warning section” is also displayed. The color is “red” which is the guide color set in S22. Further, the display colors of the subsequent vehicle position mark 63 and the instruction image 66 are colors corresponding to the section where the vehicle is currently located. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 10, since the vehicle is located in “(3) recommended lane movement section”, the vehicle color is set in the guide color set for “(3) recommended lane movement section”, that is, “blue”. A mark 63 and an instruction image 66 are displayed.

  After that, when the vehicle further approaches the nearest guidance intersection and reaches the “(2) lane movement caution section” in the guidance area, as shown in FIG. 11, the vehicle position mark 63 is “(2) lane movement”. It is displayed at a position to be superimposed on the image 67 indicating the “attention section”. Also, the vehicle position mark 63 and the instruction image 66 are displayed in the guide color set for “(2) lane movement caution zone”, that is, “yellow”. The display colors of the vehicle position mark 63 and the instruction image 66 are changed from “blue” to “yellow” when the vehicle crosses the section. As a result, lane movement can be more strongly urged than when the vehicle is located in the recommended lane.

  Thereafter, when the vehicle further approaches the nearest guidance intersection and reaches the “(1) lane movement warning section” in the guidance area, as shown in FIG. 12, the own vehicle position mark 63 is “(1) lane movement”. It is displayed at a position superimposed on the image 68 indicating “warning section”. The vehicle position mark 63 and the instruction image 66 are displayed in the guide color set for “(1) Lane movement warning section”, that is, “red”. The display colors of the vehicle position mark 63 and the instruction image 66 are changed from “yellow” to “red” when the vehicle crosses the section. As a result, the lane movement can be further urged more strongly than the case where the vehicle is located in the “(2) lane movement attention section”.

  Thereafter, when the vehicle passes through “(1) Lane movement warning section” without moving the lane, the instruction image 66 is deleted as shown in FIG. That is, when the vehicle passes the “lane movement limit point A”, the lane movement is given up, and thereafter, guidance guidance is basically not performed. The display color of the vehicle position mark 63 returns to “blue”. On the other hand, it is assumed that the navigation device 1 passes through the guidance intersection at the time when the vehicle passes the “(1) lane movement warning section” in the direction corresponding to the traffic segment of the currently traveling lane (for example, the straight traveling direction). The guide route is re-searched (rerouted). Thereby, the user is not forced to operate the vehicle.

  On the other hand, when the vehicle moves from the sections (1) to (3) and moves to the guide lane, the guidance image 66 is deleted because it is no longer necessary to provide guidance. If the display color of the vehicle position mark 63 is not “blue”, it returns to “blue”. After the vehicle has moved to the guide lane, the display of the movement guide screen 61 may be terminated.

  Thereafter, in S34, the CPU 41 determines whether or not the vehicle has entered each section included in the guidance area.

  When it is determined that the vehicle has entered each section included in the guidance area (S34: YES), the process proceeds to S35. On the other hand. When it is determined that the vehicle has not entered each section included in the guidance area (S34: NO), the process proceeds to S36.

  In S <b> 35, the CPU 41 performs guidance guidance by voice guidance with guidance contents set for the section located after the vehicle enters. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, when traveling on a road with two lanes on one side and a lane on the left side different from the guide lane toward the guidance intersection 50, the vehicle is moved to a section 56 that is “(3) recommended lane movement section”. When entering, a voice guidance “Please prepare for moving to the right one lane” is output from the speaker 16. After that, when the vehicle enters the section 55 which is “(2) lane movement caution section” without moving the lane, a voice guidance prompting the driver to move to the lane more strongly is “Please move to the right lane”. Output from the speaker 16. Furthermore, when the vehicle enters the section 54 that is “(1) lane movement warning section” without moving the lane, “Please move immediately to the right lane” and voice guidance prompting the lane movement more strongly. Is output from the speaker 16. After that, if the vehicle does not move in the lane and passes through the section 54 which is “(1) lane movement warning section”, the lane movement is given up and basically no voice guidance is output. In addition, when the vehicle moves in a lane and enters the guide lane, basically no voice guidance is output. However, it may be configured to provide guidance that suggests maintaining the lane in which the vehicle travels, such as “Please continue traveling in the current lane”. The timing at which the voice guidance is started is the timing at which the vehicle crosses the boundary of the section.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the display contents and voice guidance of the movement guidance screen 61 according to the traveling state of the vehicle with respect to the guidance area (specifically, the lane where the vehicle travels, the distance to the lane movement end point, etc.). Guidance guidance is performed by changing the guidance content by step by step. Therefore, it is possible to allow the user to grasp from the guidance which stage in the process until the current vehicle state moves to the guide lane. For example, in the travel guidance screen 61 generated by the HUD 19, if the own vehicle position mark 63 is located in the yellow display section and the display color of the own vehicle position mark 63 or the instruction image 66 changes from blue to yellow, the user It is possible to intuitively understand that there is not enough room to perform vehicle operation for moving the vehicle to the guide lane. Further, if the own vehicle position mark 63 is located in the red display section on the movement guide screen 61 and the display color of the own vehicle position mark 63 or the instruction image 66 changes from yellow to red, there is no more room. Can be grasped intuitively. In addition, on the movement guidance screen 61, an image 64 indicating a recommended lane and a guidance before the lane movement to the guidance lane is required (before guidance that specifically instructs the lane movement by the instruction image 66 or the like is performed) Since the image 65 indicating the lane is displayed in advance, the lane movement to the guide lane is required before the lane movement to the guide lane is required. It becomes possible to grasp.

  Thereafter, in S36, the CPU 41 determines whether or not the vehicle has passed through the latest guidance intersection.

  And when it determines with the vehicle having passed the latest guidance intersection (S36: YES), the said driving assistance processing program is complete | finished. Then, it is set as the structure which performs the guidance guidance based on the setting process of the next nearest guidance intersection, and the guidance area based on a guidance area. On the other hand, when it is determined that the vehicle has not passed through the latest guidance intersection (S36: NO), the process returns to S31 and guidance is continuously provided.

  As described above in detail, according to the navigation device 1, the driving support method using the navigation device 1, and the computer program executed by the navigation device 1 according to the present embodiment, the guide lane for guiding the vehicle is specified (S15). ), The lane movement end point where the lane movement of the vehicle to the guide lane needs to be completed is identified (S16), and the guidance area for guiding the vehicle to the guide lane is set as the guide lane and the lane movement end point. Is set for the lane included in the road on which the vehicle travels (S18, S19), and the guidance content is changed stepwise according to the travel state of the vehicle with respect to the set guidance area to perform guidance guidance (S33, S35), it is possible for the user to grasp from the guidance which stage of the process the current vehicle is in before it moves to the guide lane. To become. As a result, in order to move the vehicle to the guide lane, it becomes possible for the user to appropriately grasp what kind of vehicle operation should be performed at which timing. Furthermore, since the user can specify how much room is available for performing the vehicle operation for moving the vehicle to the guide lane, the vehicle operation can be performed with a margin.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
For example, in this embodiment, the guide lane for guiding the vehicle to the guidance intersection included in the guidance route and the guidance area for performing guidance guidance are set. However, there are guidance lanes other than the guidance intersection. If it is a road, it is good also as a structure which sets the guidance lane and guidance area | region mentioned above, and performs guidance guidance. For example, there are lane reduction sections due to construction and accidents. In addition, for lanes included in the road that enter the intersection even if it is an intersection other than the guidance intersection, a guidance lane and a guidance area are set in the same manner for the intersection with a traffic division for each traveling direction, and guidance guidance is provided. It is good also as composition to perform.

  In this embodiment, an area including three sections of “(1) lane movement warning section”, “(2) lane movement caution section”, and “(3) lane movement recommended section” is used as the guidance area. The guidance area may be divided into two sections or four sections or more.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the guidance guidance is not performed when the lane in which the vehicle travels is a lane composed of only one lane, but the guidance area for the lane in which the vehicle travels even if there is only one lane. It is good also as a structure which implements guidance guidance.

  In the present embodiment, the guide lane for guiding the vehicle to the nearest guide intersection from the current position of the vehicle and the guide area for performing the guide guidance are set (S7). It is good also as a structure which sets the guidance area | region for performing the guidance lane which guides a vehicle with respect to all the guidance intersections included in and guidance guidance. In that case, when setting the length of the section, the estimated vehicle speed estimated from the road regulation speed and the degree of congestion is used instead of the current vehicle speed.

Further, in the present embodiment, the guidance content of the guidance guidance is set for each section included in the guidance area, but the control content of the automatic driving may be set. It is good also as a structure which sets the control content of automatic driving | operation. In addition, as control content to be set, steering control or the like may be set in addition to the deceleration control. And when the vehicle which drive | works by an automatic driving | operation is located in each area included in a guidance area | region, it is comprised so that automatic driving control of a vehicle may be implemented by the control content set to each area.
For example, for “(3) recommended lane movement section”, “no deceleration control, permit gentle steering control” is set. Note that the gentle steering control is, for example, control that can complete lane movement to an adjacent lane in about 4 seconds. As a result, when the vehicle is located in “(3) recommended lane movement section”, the situation of the adjacent lane is detected, and it is determined that there is a space in which the lane can be moved by moving the lane for about 4 seconds at the current vehicle speed. If you do, move the lane. If the adjacent lanes are congested and it is determined that there is no space for lane movement by moving the lane for about 4 seconds at the current vehicle speed, the lane movement is not performed.
Also, “(2) Lane movement caution section” is set to “Allow deceleration control and allow gentle steering control”. As a result, when the vehicle is positioned in the “(2) lane movement caution zone”, the deceleration control is performed and the situation of the adjacent lane is detected, and the lane movement is performed by the lane movement of about 4 seconds at the vehicle speed after the deceleration. If it is determined that there is a space available, lane movement is performed. If it is determined that the adjacent lanes are congested and there is no space for lane movement by moving the lane for about 4 seconds at the reduced vehicle speed, the lane movement is not performed. In addition, since the space required for lane movement becomes narrow even in the same required time when decelerating, it becomes possible to carry out lane movement even if the empty space is narrower than “(3) recommended lane movement section”.
In addition, “(1) Lane movement warning section” is set to “Allow deceleration control and allow sudden steering control”. The abrupt steering control is, for example, control that can complete lane movement to an adjacent lane in about 3 seconds. As a result, when the vehicle is located in the “(1) lane movement warning section”, deceleration control is performed, the situation of the adjacent lane is detected, and the lane is moved by moving the lane for about 3 seconds at the vehicle speed after further deceleration. If it is determined that there is a space for movement, lane movement is performed. If it is determined that the adjacent lanes are congested and there is no space for lane movement by moving the lane for about 3 seconds at the speed after further deceleration, the lane movement is not performed. In that case, the travel route is changed without moving the lane thereafter. In addition, since the space required for lane movement is further narrowed by permitting deceleration and rapid steering control, lane movement should be carried out even if the empty space is further narrower than “(2) Lane movement caution zone”. Is possible.

  In addition to the navigation device, the present invention can be applied to various devices having a function of performing route guidance based on a guidance route. For example, the present invention can be applied to a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone or a smartphone, a personal computer, a tablet terminal (hereinafter referred to as a mobile terminal or the like). Further, the present invention can be applied to a system including a server and a mobile terminal. In that case, each step of the above-mentioned driving support processing program (FIG. 2) may be configured to be implemented by either a server or a mobile terminal.

  Moreover, although the embodiment which actualized the driving support system according to the present invention has been described above, the driving support system can also have the following configuration, and in that case, the following effects can be obtained.

For example, the first configuration is as follows.
Guide lane specifying means (41) for specifying the guide lane for guiding the vehicle, and lane movement end point specifying means (41) for specifying the lane movement end point where the lane movement of the vehicle to the guide lane needs to be completed. And a guidance area (54 to 56) for performing guidance guidance for guiding the vehicle to the guidance lane, based on the guidance lane and the lane movement end point, with respect to a lane included in a road on which the vehicle travels A guidance area setting means (41) to be set by the guidance area, and guidance guidance means for performing the guidance guidance by changing the guidance content stepwise according to the traveling state of the vehicle with respect to the guidance area set by the guidance area setting means. (41).
According to the driving support system having the above-described configuration, it is possible to allow the user to grasp from the guidance which stage in the process until the current vehicle state moves to the guide lane. As a result, in order to move the vehicle to the guide lane, it becomes possible for the user to appropriately grasp what kind of vehicle operation should be performed at which timing. Furthermore, since the user can specify how much room is available for performing the vehicle operation for moving the vehicle to the guide lane, the vehicle operation can be performed with a margin.

The second configuration is as follows.
The guidance areas (54 to 56) set by the guidance area setting means (41) are divided into a plurality of sections based on the distance from the lane movement end point, and for each section that divides the guidance area. , Guidance content setting means (41) for setting the guidance content of the guidance guidance according to the positional relationship with the lane movement end point, and the guidance guidance means (41) for the section where the vehicle is located The guidance guidance is performed with the guidance content set as described above.
According to the driving support system having the above-described configuration, by dividing the guidance area into a plurality of sections, it becomes possible to change the guidance content step by step according to the current position of the vehicle, and according to the current position of the vehicle. Appropriate guidance can be provided.

The third configuration is as follows.
The guidance guidance means (41) changes the guidance content of the guidance guidance to the section where the vehicle is located when the vehicle straddles a section that divides the guidance area (54 to 56).
According to the driving support system having the above-described configuration, it is possible to change the guidance content at an optimal timing according to the current position of the vehicle.

The fourth configuration is as follows.
The guidance content setting means (41) sets guidance content for encouraging lane movement toward the guide lane for each section that divides the guidance area (54 to 56), and is close to the lane movement end point. The guidance content that urges lane movement more strongly is set for the section.
According to the driving support system having the above-described configuration, the user can specify how much room is available for performing the vehicle operation for moving the vehicle to the guide lane from the content of the guidance. As a result, it is possible to perform an appropriate vehicle operation according to the current state of the vehicle.

The fifth configuration is as follows.
Each section that divides the guidance area (54 to 56) is a section that is shorter as the section is closer to the lane movement end point.
According to the driving support system having the above configuration, the vehicle operation can be performed with a margin without irritating the user.

The sixth configuration is as follows.
The guidance area setting means (41) is in a lane of a lane other than the guide lane among lanes included in the road on which the vehicle travels, and is between the lane movement end point and the guide lane. A region within a predetermined distance with a point separated by a distance corresponding to the number of lanes as an end point is set as the guide region (54 to 56).
According to the driving support system having the above-described configuration, it is possible to perform guidance for guiding a vehicle traveling in a lane different from the guiding lane from the currently traveling lane to the guiding lane at an appropriate timing for each lane. Become.

The seventh configuration is as follows.
The guide area setting means (41) sets the guide area (54 to 56) at a position farther from the lane movement end point as the number of lanes between the guide lane and the guide lane increases.
According to the driving support system having the above configuration, for a vehicle traveling in a lane different from the guide lane, guidance for guiding the current travel lane to the guide lane is set to a distance necessary to move to the guide lane. It becomes possible to carry out at an appropriate timing.

The eighth configuration is as follows.
When there are a plurality of lanes for which the guide areas (54 to 56) are set, the guide area setting means (41) sets the end point of the guide area of each lane of the lane adjacent to the guide lane side. The point is set at a predetermined distance from the end point of the guide area.
According to the driving support system having the above configuration, for a vehicle traveling in a lane different from the guide lane, guidance for guiding the current travel lane to the guide lane is set to a distance necessary to move to the guide lane. It becomes possible to carry out at an appropriate timing.

The ninth configuration is as follows.
The guidance guidance is guidance that prompts the lane to move toward the guidance lane.
According to the driving support system having the above-described configuration, it is possible to appropriately guide from the currently traveling lane to the guiding lane side by prompting the vehicle traveling in a lane different from the guiding lane to move the lane.

The tenth configuration is as follows.
The vehicle has a guide route acquisition means (41) for acquiring a guide route for guiding the travel of the vehicle, and the guide lane specifying means (41) is connected to the guide intersection (50, 51) included in the guide route. Identify the guide lane.
According to the driving support system having the above configuration, in particular when the vehicle passes through the guidance intersection, it is appropriate for the user what kind of vehicle operation should be performed at what timing to drive the vehicle along the guidance route. Can be grasped. As a result, the vehicle can be turned left or right in the direction along the guidance route without departing from the guidance route at the guidance intersection.

1 Navigation device 13 Navigation ECU
19 HUD
41 CPU
42 RAM
43 ROM
50, 51 guidance intersection 52 stop line 54 lane movement warning section 55 lane movement caution section 56 lane movement recommended section 61 travel guidance screen 62 road image 63 own vehicle position mark 64 recommended lane image 65 guidance lane image 66 instruction image

Claims (12)

Guidance lane identification means for identifying the guidance lane for guiding the vehicle;
Lane movement end point specifying means for specifying a lane movement end point where the lane movement of the vehicle to the guide lane needs to be completed;
Guidance area setting means for setting a guidance area for performing guidance guidance for guiding the vehicle to the guidance lane with respect to a lane included in a road on which the vehicle travels based on the guidance lane and the lane movement end point. When,
A driving assistance system comprising: guidance guidance means for performing the guidance guidance by changing the guidance content stepwise according to the traveling state of the vehicle with respect to the guidance area set by the guidance area setting means. The guidance area set by the guidance area setting means is divided into a plurality of sections based on the distance from the lane movement end point,
Guidance content setting means for setting the guidance content of the guidance guidance according to the positional relationship with the lane movement end point for each section that divides the guidance area,
The travel assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the guidance guidance unit performs the guidance guidance with guidance content set for a section where the vehicle is located.   The driving support system according to claim 2, wherein when the vehicle crosses a section that divides the guidance area, the guidance guidance unit changes the guidance content of the guidance guidance to a section where the vehicle is located. The guidance content setting means includes
For each section that divides the guidance area, set the guidance content that prompts the lane movement to the guidance lane side,
The travel support system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the guidance content for urging lane movement more strongly in a section closer to the lane movement end point is set.   5. The travel support system according to claim 2, wherein each section that divides the guide area is a shorter section as a section closer to the lane movement end point.   The guide area setting means is the number of lanes in a lane other than the guide lane among lanes included in the road on which the vehicle travels, and between the lane movement end point and the guide lane. The driving support system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein an area within a predetermined distance whose end point is a point separated by a distance corresponding to is set as the guide area.   The travel assistance system according to claim 6, wherein the guidance area setting unit sets the guidance area at a position farther from the lane movement end point as the number of lanes between the guidance lane and the guide lane increases.   When there are a plurality of lanes for which the guide area is set, the guide area setting means sets the end point of the guide area of each lane more than the end point of the guide area of the lane adjacent to the guide lane side. The driving support system according to claim 7, wherein the driving support system is set at a point separated by a distance.   The travel assistance system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the guidance guidance is guidance for urging the lane movement to the guidance lane side. Having a guide route acquisition means for acquiring a guide route for guiding the traveling of the vehicle;
The driving assistance system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the guidance lane identifying unit identifies the guidance lane with respect to a guidance intersection included in the guidance route. A guidance lane identifying means identifying a guidance lane for guiding the vehicle;
A lane movement end point specifying means specifying a lane movement end point where the lane movement of the vehicle to the guide lane needs to be completed;
A guidance area setting means performs guidance guidance for guiding the vehicle to the guidance lane, based on the guidance lane and the lane movement end point, with respect to a lane included in a road on which the vehicle travels. Steps to set,
A driving support method comprising: a step of performing guidance guidance by changing guidance content stepwise according to a traveling state of the vehicle with respect to the guidance area set by the guidance area setting means. Computer
Guidance lane identification means for identifying the guidance lane for guiding the vehicle;
Lane movement end point specifying means for specifying a lane movement end point where the lane movement of the vehicle to the guide lane needs to be completed;
Guidance area setting means for setting a guidance area for performing guidance guidance for guiding the vehicle to the guidance lane with respect to a lane included in a road on which the vehicle travels based on the guidance lane and the lane movement end point. When,
Guidance guidance means for performing the guidance guidance by changing the guidance content stepwise according to the traveling state of the vehicle with respect to the guidance area set by the guidance area setting means;
Computer program to make it function.

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