WO2025203420A1 - Traffic control device, traffic control method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

A traffic control device according to the present invention comprises: a determination unit that determines whether a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of a target vehicle is being driven manually or autonomously; and a control unit that selects, according to the determination result, at least one of an inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, a necessity of the target vehicle to travel in a convoy manner, a lighting method of the target vehicle, a method for using turn signals of the target vehicle, inter-vehicle communication content between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, sudden acceleration and sudden braking operation of the target vehicle, a horn operation of the target vehicle, a lane change of the target vehicle, a passing operation of the target vehicle, and an operation of the target vehicle to move toward one side in the traveling lane.

Description

Traffic control device, traffic control method, and program

This disclosure relates to a traffic control device, a traffic control method, and a program.

In recent years, self-driving cars have become increasingly popular.
Autonomous vehicles have better response performance than manually driven vehicles, which means that the distance between vehicles is shorter. In addition, in order for autonomous vehicles to drive efficiently in terms of fuel consumption, it is considered best for multiple autonomous vehicles to drive in a convoy (also called linked driving; the same applies below).

Therefore, in a world where only self-driving cars exist, it is expected that multiple self-driving cars will drive in a convoy, maintaining a short distance between them.
However, we will not move immediately to a world where only self-driving cars exist, and it is expected that an environment where self-driving cars and manually driven cars coexist will continue for some time.

An example of a technology for controlling traffic in an environment where self-driving vehicles and manually driven vehicles coexist is the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1.
According to the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the leading vehicle is traveling in both automatic driving mode and cruise driving mode, the trailing vehicle is controlled to travel in cruise driving mode, whereas when the leading vehicle is traveling in manual driving mode, the trailing vehicle is controlled to travel in normal mode.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-137195

Incidentally, in an environment where automated and manually driven vehicles coexist, if the vehicle in front is manually driven and the vehicle behind is automated, the driver of the manually driven vehicle in front may experience psychological stress due to the driving of the automated vehicle behind.

For example, when an autonomous vehicle behind closes the distance between itself and a manually driven vehicle in front in order to drive in a convoy, the driver of the manually driven vehicle may feel that the driver is being pressured (tailgating). This places a psychological burden on the driver of the manually driven vehicle.

Therefore, there is a demand for technology that can reduce the psychological burden on drivers of manually driven vehicles in environments where self-driving vehicles and manually driven vehicles coexist. However, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 is not a technology for reducing the psychological burden on drivers of manually driven vehicles.

In view of the above-mentioned issues, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide a traffic control device, traffic control method, and program that can reduce the psychological burden on drivers of manually driven vehicles in an environment where autonomous and manually driven vehicles coexist.

A traffic control device according to one aspect includes:
a determination unit that determines whether a forward vehicle traveling in front of the target vehicle is being manually driven or automatically driven;
and a control unit that selects, depending on the determination result, at least one of the following: the distance between the target vehicle and the vehicle ahead, whether the target vehicle needs to travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of using the turn signals of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the vehicle ahead, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking driving of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the road by the target vehicle.

A traffic control method according to one aspect includes:
A traffic control method executed by a traffic control device, comprising:
Determining whether a forward vehicle traveling in front of the target vehicle is being manually driven or automatically driven;
Depending on the determination result, selecting at least one of the following: the distance between the target vehicle and the vehicle ahead, whether the target vehicle needs to travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of using the turn signals of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the vehicle ahead, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking driving of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the road of the target vehicle.

In one aspect, the program comprises:
A computer has a procedure for determining whether a vehicle ahead of the target vehicle is being driven manually or automatically;
Depending on the determination result, a control procedure is executed to select at least one of the following: the distance between the target vehicle and the vehicle ahead, whether the target vehicle needs to travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of using the turn signals of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the vehicle ahead, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking driving of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the road of the target vehicle.

The above-described aspects have the advantage of providing a traffic control device, traffic control method, and program that can reduce the psychological burden on drivers of manually driven vehicles in an environment where both autonomous and manually driven vehicles coexist.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a traffic control device according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a target vehicle controlled by a traffic control device according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a schematic operation flow of a traffic control device according to the present disclosure. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a traffic control device according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic hardware configuration example of a computer that realizes a traffic control device according to the present disclosure.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description and drawings have been omitted or simplified as appropriate for clarity of explanation. In addition, the same elements are designated by the same reference numerals in each of the following drawings, and duplicate explanations will be omitted as necessary.

First Embodiment
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of a traffic control device 10.
The traffic control device 10 includes a determination unit 11, a control unit 12, a communication unit 13, and a storage unit 14. These components are connected by a data transmission path for transmitting and receiving data to and from each other.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of target vehicles controlled by the traffic control device 10. As shown in FIG.
For example, as shown in Figure 2, when a forward vehicle 30 traveling in front of a target vehicle 20 that is automatically driven is being manually driven, the traffic control device 10 controls the target vehicle 20 so as not to impose a psychological burden on the driver of the forward vehicle 30.

When controlling a target vehicle 20, the traffic control device 10 may be mounted on the target vehicle 20, or may be provided in a facility that centrally manages traffic on multiple roads (for example, a traffic control center). In the following, the traffic control device 10 will be described as a device that is mounted on the target vehicle 20 and controls the target vehicle 20.

The communication unit 13 communicates with other devices via a wireless network (not shown). For example, the communication unit 13 performs vehicle-to-vehicle communication with an in-vehicle device installed in another vehicle, or performs road-to-vehicle communication with a roadside device installed on a road. Therefore, the communication unit 13 can acquire various types of information via vehicle-to-vehicle communication or road-to-vehicle communication. The communication unit 13 can also acquire various types of information directly from other devices without using vehicle-to-vehicle communication or road-to-vehicle communication.
The storage unit 14 stores various types of information.

The determination unit 11 determines whether the preceding vehicle 30 traveling ahead of the target vehicle 20 is being manually driven or automatically driven. Note that the determination unit 11 may also use the communication unit 13 to obtain information on whether the preceding vehicle 30 is being manually driven or automatically driven via road-to-vehicle communication or vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

The control unit 12 selects the operation mode of the target vehicle 20 according to the determination result by the determination unit 11. At this time, if the forward vehicle 30 is being manually driven, the control unit 12 selects the operation mode of the target vehicle 20 so as not to impose a psychological burden on the driver of the forward vehicle 30.

Specifically, the control unit 12 selects, as the operation mode of the target vehicle 20, at least one of the following: the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle 20 and the preceding vehicle 30, whether the target vehicle 20 needs to platoon, the lighting method of the target vehicle 20, the method of use of the turn signal of the target vehicle 20, and the content of the inter-vehicle communication between the target vehicle 20 and the preceding vehicle 30. Hereinafter, the operation mode of the target vehicle 20 refers to at least one of the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle 20 and the preceding vehicle 30, whether the target vehicle 20 needs to platoon, the lighting method of the target vehicle 20, the method of use of the turn signal of the target vehicle 20, and the content of the inter-vehicle communication between the target vehicle 20 and the preceding vehicle 30.

For example, when selecting the distance between the target vehicle 20 and the forward vehicle 30 when the forward vehicle 30 is being manually driven, the control unit 12 may switch the distance between the target vehicle 20 and the forward vehicle 30 to be longer. This reduces the likelihood that the driver of the forward vehicle 30 will feel pressured by the driving, thereby reducing the psychological burden.

Furthermore, when selecting whether or not the target vehicle 20 should platoon, if the leading vehicle 30 is manually driven, the control unit 12 may switch the target vehicle 20 not to engage in platooning. This prevents the target vehicle 20 from closing the inter-vehicle distance, reducing the likelihood that the driver of the leading vehicle 30 will feel pressured, and alleviating the psychological burden. However, the control unit 12 may also switch the target vehicle 20 to engage in platooning, even if the leading vehicle 30 is manually driven, if permission is obtained from the driver of the leading vehicle 30. If platooning were to suddenly begin without permission, the driver of the leading vehicle 30 may feel pressured, but since platooning begins only after permission is granted, the psychological burden is reduced. Note that, when the target vehicle 20 is platooning behind the leading vehicle 30, the control unit 12 may switch the target vehicle 20 to stop platooning if the leading vehicle 30 changes course (entering a store along the road, changing lanes, etc.).

Furthermore, when selecting a lighting method for the target vehicle 20 when the forward vehicle 30 is being manually driven, the control unit 12 may switch the lighting method for the target vehicle 20 so that it does not use high beams. This reduces the likelihood that the driver of the forward vehicle 30 will find the lighting of the target vehicle 20 dazzling, thereby reducing the psychological burden. On the other hand, when the forward vehicle 30 is being automatically driven, there is likely to be no particular problem with using high beams, so the control unit 12 may switch the lighting method for the target vehicle 20 to use high beams.

Furthermore, when selecting the method of use of the turn signals of the target vehicle 20 when the forward vehicle 30 is being manually driven, the control unit 12 may switch the method of use of the turn signals of the target vehicle 20 to not flash the hazard lights. This reduces the psychological burden on the driver of the forward vehicle 30 caused by flashing hazard lights.

Furthermore, when selecting the content of inter-vehicle communication between the target vehicle 20 and the forward vehicle 30 when the forward vehicle 30 is autonomously driven, the control unit 12 may switch the content of inter-vehicle communication so that specific communication is not performed. For example, the specific communication may be communication to obtain permission from the driver of the forward vehicle 30. In other words, when the forward vehicle 30 is manually driven, specific communication can be performed. Therefore, for example, as described above, it is possible to perform processing such as not starting platooning until permission is obtained from the driver of the forward vehicle 30, thereby reducing the psychological burden on the driver of the forward vehicle 30.

Hereinafter, a control example of the control unit 12 when the forward vehicle 30 is being manually driven will be described in more detail.
When the preceding vehicle 30 is being manually driven, examples of control by the control unit 12 can be broadly divided into examples in which the operation mode of the target vehicle 20 is switched based on the intention of the driver of the preceding vehicle 30, and examples in which the operation mode of the target vehicle 20 is switched without the intention of the driver of the preceding vehicle 30. Examples of each case will be described below.

(1) Example via the will of the driver of the forward vehicle 30 (1A) The control unit 12 notifies the driver of the forward vehicle 30 of a permission request regarding the operation mode of the target vehicle 20, and switches the operation mode of the target vehicle 20 when permission is obtained from the driver of the forward vehicle 30. This reduces the psychological burden on the driver of the forward vehicle 30 because the operation mode of the target vehicle 20 is switched only after permission is given. Note that the control unit 12 may communicate with the forward vehicle 30 in this case via road-to-vehicle communication or vehicle-to-vehicle communication using the communication unit 13.

(1B) When selecting the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle 20 and the forward vehicle 30, the control unit 12 notifies the driver of the forward vehicle 30 of a request to select the inter-vehicle distance, and switches the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle 20 and the forward vehicle 30 to the inter-vehicle distance selected by the driver of the forward vehicle 30. This reduces the psychological burden on the driver of the forward vehicle 30, as the inter-vehicle distance is switched to the inter-vehicle distance selected by the driver. Note that the control unit 12 may communicate with the forward vehicle 30 in this case via road-to-vehicle communication or vehicle-to-vehicle communication using the communication unit 13.

(1C) Each driver is asked to select an acceptable inter-vehicle distance from a vehicle behind in advance, and inter-vehicle distance information indicating the inter-vehicle distance for each driver is stored in the memory unit 14. When selecting the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle 20 and the leading vehicle 30, the control unit 12 identifies the driver of the leading vehicle 30. The control unit 12 then reads the inter-vehicle distance information of the driver of the leading vehicle 30 from the memory unit 14 and switches the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle 20 and the leading vehicle 30 to the inter-vehicle distance indicated by the read inter-vehicle distance information. This allows the driver of the leading vehicle 30 to switch to the acceptable inter-vehicle distance that he or she previously selected, thereby reducing psychological stress. Note that any method may be used to identify the driver of the leading vehicle 30. For example, a roadside device may capture an image of the face of the driver of the leading vehicle 30 with a camera and identify the driver through facial recognition, and the control unit 12 may acquire this driver information using the communication unit 13 via road-to-vehicle communication or vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Furthermore, if the following distance information of the driver of the forward vehicle 30 is not stored in the memory unit 14, the control unit 12 may switch the following distance, for example, using the method described in (1B) above.

(1D) Each driver is asked to select in advance a vehicle model that is acceptable for platooning behind the other vehicles, and vehicle model information indicating the vehicle model for each driver is stored in the memory unit 14. When selecting whether or not the target vehicle 20 should platoon, the control unit 12 identifies the driver of the leading vehicle 30. The control unit 12 then reads the vehicle model information of the driver of the leading vehicle 30 from the memory unit 14, and if the vehicle model of the target vehicle 20 matches any of the vehicles indicated in the read vehicle model information, switches the target vehicle 20 to platooning. This allows the target vehicle 20 to platoon behind only if it is an acceptable vehicle model pre-selected by the driver of the leading vehicle 30, thereby reducing the psychological burden on the driver of the leading vehicle 30. Note that the method for identifying the driver of the leading vehicle 30 may be the same as the method described in (1C) above. Furthermore, if the vehicle model information of the driver of the leading vehicle 30 is not stored in the memory unit 14, the control unit 12 may switch whether or not the target vehicle 20 should platoon using the method described in (1A) above, for example.

(2) Example without Involving the Driver of the Forward Vehicle 30 (2A) The control unit 12 determines whether the driver of the forward vehicle 30 is a skilled driver by using the driving behavior of the driver of the forward vehicle 30. For example, the control unit 12 determines whether the driver is a skilled driver by using information such as whether the forward vehicle 30 repeatedly accelerates and decelerates, whether it frequently changes lanes, whether it tends to brake at odd times, whether its driving behavior changes depending on the presence or absence of a vehicle behind, and whether its driving behavior changes depending on the distance between the vehicle behind. The control unit 12 then switches the operation mode of the target vehicle 20 depending on whether the driver of the forward vehicle 30 is a skilled driver. For example, when selecting the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle 20 and the forward vehicle 30, the control unit 12 may shorten the inter-vehicle distance if the driver of the forward vehicle 30 is a skilled driver, or may lengthen the inter-vehicle distance if the driver of the forward vehicle 30 is a poor driver. As a result, if the driver of the leading vehicle 30 is not a good driver, the target vehicle 20 will not close the inter-vehicle distance, thereby reducing the psychological burden on the driver. The control unit 12 may acquire information on the driving behavior of the leading vehicle 30 using the communication unit 13 via road-to-vehicle communication or vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Alternatively, the control unit 12 may determine the driving behavior of the leading vehicle 30 using video captured by an onboard camera mounted on the target vehicle. Instead of determining whether the driver of the leading vehicle 30 is a good driver, the control unit 12 may determine whether the driver is driving recklessly and switch the operation mode of the target vehicle 20 depending on whether the driver is driving recklessly. The criteria for determining whether the driver is driving recklessly may be the same as those for determining whether the driver is a good driver. In this case, for example, when selecting the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle 20 and the leading vehicle 30, the control unit 12 may increase the inter-vehicle distance if the driver of the leading vehicle 30 is driving recklessly, and may decrease the inter-vehicle distance if the driver is not driving recklessly.

(2B) Driving data for each driver collected by an insurance company or the like is collected in advance, and the driving data for each driver is stored in the memory unit 14. The control unit 12 identifies the driver of the vehicle ahead 30, reads the driving data of the identified driver from the memory unit 14, and uses the read driving data to determine the driving proficiency of the driver of the vehicle ahead 30 (e.g., a paper driver, someone who regularly drives to work, etc.). Furthermore, the control unit 12 may use video captured by an onboard camera mounted on the target vehicle to determine the driving proficiency of the driver of the vehicle ahead 30. For example, if the vehicle ahead 30 has a beginner's mark, the control unit 12 may determine that the driver of the vehicle ahead 30 has a beginner's driving proficiency. The control unit 12 then switches the operating mode of the target vehicle 20 depending on the driving proficiency of the driver of the vehicle ahead 30. For example, when selecting the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle 20 and the preceding vehicle 30, the control unit 12 may switch to shortening the inter-vehicle distance if the driver of the preceding vehicle 30 has a high level of driving skill, and lengthening the inter-vehicle distance if the driver has a low level of driving skill. This reduces the psychological burden on the driver of the preceding vehicle 30 because the target vehicle 20 will not close the inter-vehicle distance if the driver has a low level of driving skill.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a schematic operation flow of the traffic control device 10.
First, the determination unit 11 determines whether the forward vehicle 30 traveling ahead of the target vehicle 20 is being manually driven or automatically driven (step S11).

Then, depending on the determination result by the determination unit 11, the control unit 12 selects, as the operation mode for the target vehicle 20, at least one of the following: the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle 20 and the preceding vehicle 30, whether the target vehicle 20 needs to travel in a convoy, the lighting method for the target vehicle 20, the use method of the turn signal of the target vehicle 20, and the content of the inter-vehicle communication between the target vehicle 20 and the preceding vehicle 30 (step S12).

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the determination unit 11 determines whether the preceding vehicle 30 traveling ahead of the target vehicle 20 is being manually driven or automatically driven. Depending on the determination result, the control unit 12 selects, as the operation mode of the target vehicle 20, at least one of the following: the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle 20 and the preceding vehicle 30, whether the target vehicle 20 needs to travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle 20, the method of use of the turn signal of the target vehicle 20, and the content of the inter-vehicle communication between the target vehicle 20 and the preceding vehicle 30.

In this way, according to the first embodiment, the operating mode of the target vehicle 20 is selected depending on whether the preceding vehicle 30 is being manually driven or automatically driven. Therefore, in an environment where automatically driven vehicles and manually driven vehicles coexist, it is possible to reduce the psychological burden on the driver of the preceding vehicle 30 even if the preceding vehicle 30 is being manually driven.

In this embodiment 1, several examples have been described as examples of operating modes of the target vehicle 20 that do not impose a psychological burden on the driver of the forward vehicle 30 when the forward vehicle 30 is being manually driven, but the following examples may also be added.
The control unit 12 switches the target vehicle 20 so that it does not perform sudden acceleration, sudden braking, etc. If the target vehicle 20 is autonomously driven, the target vehicle 20 can travel safely even if it performs sudden acceleration or sudden braking, so there is a possibility that the target vehicle 20 will perform sudden acceleration or sudden braking. Therefore, the target vehicle 20 is prevented from performing sudden acceleration or sudden braking.
The control unit 12 switches the target vehicle 20 not to honk its horn. If the target vehicle 20 is being manually driven, there is a possibility that the driver of the target vehicle 20 will operate the horn. Therefore, the control unit 12 prevents the target vehicle 20 from honking its horn.
The control unit 12 switches the target vehicle 20 so that it does not perform driving that involves frequent lane changes, such as meandering or cutting in. When the target vehicle 20 is in autonomous driving mode, it is likely to perform frequent lane changes in order to travel efficiently. Therefore, the control unit 12 prevents the target vehicle 20 from performing driving that involves frequent lane changes.
The control unit 12 switches the target vehicle 20 so that it does not attempt to overtake on the left side.
The control unit 12 switches the target vehicle 20 so that it does not drive close to the side of the road. The target vehicle 20 may drive close to the side of the road to prevent a motorcycle or other vehicle from overtaking from the left. Therefore, the control unit 12 prevents the target vehicle 20 from driving close to the side of the road.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the control unit 12 is assumed to select one operation mode when selecting the operation mode of the target vehicle 20, but multiple operation modes may be selected. For example, the control unit 12 may switch the target vehicle 20 to perform platooning, and then switch the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle 20 and the preceding vehicle 30 to a predetermined distance.

<Second Embodiment>
The second embodiment corresponds to an embodiment that is a higher-level concept of the first embodiment described above.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of the traffic control device 10A.
The traffic control device 10A includes a determination unit 11A and a control unit 12A.

The determination unit 11A determines whether a forward vehicle traveling ahead of a target vehicle is being manually driven or automatically driven.
Depending on the determination result by the determination unit 11A, the control unit 12A selects at least one of the following as the operation mode of the target vehicle: the distance between the target vehicle and the vehicle ahead, whether the target vehicle needs to travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of use of the turn signals of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the vehicle ahead, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking driving of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the vehicle.

In this way, according to the second embodiment, the operating mode of the target vehicle is selected depending on whether the preceding vehicle is manually driven or automatically driven. Therefore, in an environment where automatically driven vehicles and manually driven vehicles coexist, it is possible to reduce the psychological burden on the driver of the preceding vehicle even if the preceding vehicle is manually driven.

In addition, when the forward vehicle is manually driven, the control unit 12A may notify the driver of the forward vehicle of a permission request regarding at least one of the following: the distance between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, whether the target vehicle needs to platoon, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the use of the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of inter-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, honking the horn of the target vehicle, lane changes of the target vehicle, overtaking of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the road. In addition, when permission is obtained from the driver of the forward vehicle, the control unit 12A may switch at least one of the following: the distance between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, whether the target vehicle needs to platoon, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the use of the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of inter-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, honking the horn of the target vehicle, lane changes of the target vehicle, overtaking of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the road.

Furthermore, when the vehicle ahead is being manually driven, the control unit 12A may use the driving tendencies of the driver of the vehicle ahead to switch at least one of the following: the distance between the target vehicle and the vehicle ahead, whether the target vehicle should be platooning, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the use of the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of inter-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the vehicle ahead, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane changes of the target vehicle, overtaking driving of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the road of the target vehicle.

Furthermore, the driving tendency of the driver of the forward vehicle may include driving behavior. Furthermore, when selecting the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle when the forward vehicle is manually driven, the control unit 12A may use the driving behavior of the driver of the forward vehicle to determine whether the driver of the forward vehicle is a skilled driver, and may switch the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle depending on whether the driver of the forward vehicle is a skilled driver.

Furthermore, the driving tendencies of the driver of the forward vehicle may include driving data. Furthermore, the traffic control device 10A may further include a memory unit that stores the driving data of each driver in advance. Furthermore, when selecting the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle when the forward vehicle is manually driven, the control unit 12A may read the driving data of the driver of the forward vehicle from the memory unit, use the read driving data to determine the driving proficiency of the driver of the forward vehicle, and switch the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle depending on the driving proficiency of the driver of the forward vehicle.

Furthermore, when the preceding vehicle is being manually driven and the control unit 12A is selecting the distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, it may notify the driver of the preceding vehicle of a request to select the distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and switch the distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle to the distance selected by the driver of the preceding vehicle.

The traffic control device 10A may also be equipped with a memory unit that pre-stores, for each driver, inter-vehicle distance information indicating the acceptable inter-vehicle distance from the vehicle behind the driver. Furthermore, when selecting the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle when the forward vehicle is being manually driven, the control unit 12A may read the inter-vehicle distance information of the driver of the forward vehicle from the memory unit, and switch the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle to the inter-vehicle distance indicated by the read inter-vehicle distance information.

The traffic control device 10A may also be equipped with a memory unit that pre-stores, for each driver, vehicle type information indicating the vehicle types that the driver is willing to allow to platoon behind. Furthermore, when the leading vehicle is being manually driven and the control unit 12A is selecting whether or not the target vehicle should platoon, it may read the vehicle type information of the driver of the leading vehicle from the memory unit, and if the vehicle type indicated by the read vehicle type information matches the vehicle type of the target vehicle, switch the target vehicle to platooning.

Furthermore, when the control unit 12A selects the lighting method for the target vehicle when the forward vehicle is being manually driven, the control unit 12A may switch the lighting method for the target vehicle so that high beams are not used.
In addition, when the control unit 12A selects how to use the turn signals of the target vehicle when the vehicle in front is being manually driven, it may switch the way to use the turn signals of the target vehicle so that the hazard lights do not flash.

Furthermore, when selecting the content of inter-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle when the preceding vehicle is autonomously driving, the control unit 12A may switch the content of inter-vehicle communication so that certain communications are not performed.

<Hardware configuration of traffic control device>
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic hardware configuration of a computer 90 that realizes the traffic control device 10, 10A.

Computer 90 includes a processor 91, memory 92, storage 93, an input/output interface (input/output I/F) 94, and a communication interface (communication I/F) 95. The processor 91, memory 92, storage 93, input/output interface 94, and communication interface 95 are connected by a data transmission path for transmitting and receiving data to and from each other.

The processor 91 is, for example, a processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The memory 92 is, for example, a memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory). The storage 93 is, for example, a storage device such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), or a memory card. The storage 93 may also be a memory such as a RAM or ROM.

Storage 93 stores a program. When loaded into a computer, this program contains a set of instructions (or software code) that causes computer 90 to perform one or more functions of the traffic control device 10, 10A described above. The components of the traffic control device 10, 10A described above may be realized by processor 91 loading and executing a program stored in storage 93. In addition, the storage function of the traffic control device 10, 10A described above may be realized by memory 92 or storage 93.

The above-mentioned programs may also be stored on non-transitory computer-readable media or tangible storage media. By way of example and not limitation, computer-readable media or tangible storage media include RAM, ROM, flash memory, SSD or other memory technology, CD (Compact Disc)-ROM, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), Blu-ray (registered trademark) disc or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices. The programs may also be transmitted on transitory computer-readable media or communication media. By way of example and not limitation, transitory computer-readable media or communication media include electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals.

The input/output interface 94 is connected to a display device 941, an input device 942, a sound output device 943, etc. The display device 941 is a device that displays a screen corresponding to the drawing data processed by the processor 91, such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display, or monitor. The input device 942 is a device that accepts operational input from the operator, such as a keyboard, mouse, or touch sensor. The display device 941 and input device 942 may be integrated and realized as a touch panel. The sound output device 943 is a device that acoustically outputs sound corresponding to the audio data processed by the processor 91, such as a speaker.

The communication interface 95 transmits and receives data to and from external devices. For example, the communication interface 95 communicates with external devices via a wired communication path or a wireless communication path.

The present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various modifications that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present disclosure within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, each embodiment can be combined with other embodiments as appropriate.

Furthermore, each drawing is merely an example for describing one or more embodiments. Each drawing is not related to only one particular embodiment, but may also be related to one or more other embodiments. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, various features or steps described with reference to any one drawing can be combined with features or steps shown in one or more other drawings to create, for example, an embodiment not explicitly shown or described. Not all features or steps shown in any one drawing are necessarily required to describe an exemplary embodiment, and some features or steps may be omitted. The order of steps described in any drawing may also be changed as appropriate.

Furthermore, some or all of the above-described embodiments can be described as, but are not limited to, the following supplementary notes.
(Appendix 1)
a determination unit that determines whether a forward vehicle traveling ahead of the target vehicle is being manually driven or automatically driven;
and a control unit that selects, depending on the determination result, at least one of the following: a distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle; whether or not the target vehicle should travel in a convoy; a lighting method for the target vehicle; a method for using a turn signal for the target vehicle; content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle; a sudden start and sudden braking operation for the target vehicle; a horn operation for the target vehicle; a lane change for the target vehicle; an overtaking operation for the target vehicle; and a driving operation by the target vehicle that is close to the side of the vehicle.
Traffic control devices.
(Appendix 2)
When the forward vehicle is manually driven, the control unit notifies the driver of the forward vehicle of a permission request regarding at least one of the following: the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, whether the target vehicle is required to travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of using the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking operation of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the vehicle;
When permission is obtained from the driver of the forward vehicle, the control unit switches at least one of the following: the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, whether or not the target vehicle is required to travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the use method of the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking driving of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the vehicle.
2. The traffic control device of claim 1.
(Appendix 3)
When the forward vehicle is being manually driven, the control unit uses the driving tendency of the driver of the forward vehicle to switch at least one of the following: the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, whether or not the target vehicle is to travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of using the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of inter-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking driving of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the vehicle.
2. The traffic control device of claim 1.
(Appendix 4)
The driving tendency of the driver of the forward vehicle includes driving behavior,
When the preceding vehicle is manually driven, the control unit, when selecting the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, determines whether the driver of the preceding vehicle is a skilled driver by using the driving behavior of the driver of the preceding vehicle, and switches the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle depending on whether the driver of the preceding vehicle is a skilled driver.
4. The traffic control device of claim 3.
(Appendix 5)
The driving tendency of the driver of the forward vehicle includes driving data;
Further provided is a storage unit for storing, for each driver, driving data of the driver in advance;
When the preceding vehicle is manually driven and the control unit selects the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, the control unit reads out driving data of the driver of the preceding vehicle from the storage unit, determines the driving proficiency of the driver of the preceding vehicle using the read-out driving data, and switches the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle depending on the driving proficiency of the driver of the preceding vehicle.
4. The traffic control device of claim 3.
(Appendix 6)
When the preceding vehicle is manually driven and a vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle is to be selected, the control unit notifies the driver of the preceding vehicle of a request to select a vehicle-to-vehicle distance, and switches the vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle to the vehicle-to-vehicle distance selected by the driver of the preceding vehicle.
2. The traffic control device of claim 1.
(Appendix 7)
The vehicle control system further includes a storage unit that stores, in advance, vehicle distance information indicating an allowable vehicle distance between the driver and a vehicle behind the driver, for each driver;
When the preceding vehicle is being manually driven, the control unit, when selecting the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, reads out the inter-vehicle distance information of the driver of the preceding vehicle from the storage unit, and switches the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle to the inter-vehicle distance indicated by the read inter-vehicle distance information.
2. The traffic control device of claim 1.
(Appendix 8)
a storage unit that stores in advance, for each driver, vehicle type information indicating vehicle types that the driver is allowed to drive in a convoy behind;
When the control unit selects whether or not the target vehicle needs to travel in a convoy if the forward vehicle is being manually driven, the control unit reads out the vehicle model information of the driver of the forward vehicle from the storage unit, and if the vehicle model indicated by the read-out vehicle model information matches the vehicle model of the target vehicle, switches the target vehicle to convoy driving.
2. The traffic control device of claim 1.
(Appendix 9)
When the control unit selects a lighting method for the target vehicle in a case where the forward vehicle is being manually driven, the control unit switches the lighting method for the target vehicle so as not to use high beams.
2. The traffic control device of claim 1.
(Appendix 10)
When the control unit selects a method of using a turn signal of the target vehicle in a case where the forward vehicle is manually driven, the control unit switches the method of using the turn signal of the target vehicle to a method of not flashing a hazard lamp.
2. The traffic control device of claim 1.
(Appendix 11)
When the control unit selects the content of the inter-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle in a case where the forward vehicle is autonomously driven, the control unit switches the content of the inter-vehicle communication so as not to perform specific communication.
2. The traffic control device of claim 1.
(Appendix 12)
A traffic control method executed by a traffic control device, comprising:
Determining whether a forward vehicle traveling in front of the target vehicle is being manually driven or automatically driven;
and selecting, depending on the determination result, at least one of the following: a distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle; whether or not the target vehicle is required to travel in a convoy; a lighting method for the target vehicle; a method for using a turn signal for the target vehicle; content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle; a sudden start and sudden braking operation for the target vehicle; a horn operation for the target vehicle; a lane change for the target vehicle; an overtaking operation for the target vehicle; and a driving operation for the target vehicle that is close to the side of the road.
Traffic control methods.
(Appendix 13)
If the preceding vehicle is manually driven, notify the driver of the preceding vehicle of a permission request regarding at least one of the following: the distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, whether the target vehicle needs to travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of using the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking operation of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the vehicle;
When permission is obtained from the driver of the preceding vehicle, switching at least one of the following: the distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, whether or not the target vehicle should travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of using the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking operation of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the vehicle.
13. The traffic control method of claim 12.
(Appendix 14)
When the preceding vehicle is manually driven, the method further includes using the driving tendency of the driver of the preceding vehicle to switch at least one of the following: the distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, whether or not the target vehicle is to platoon, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of using the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking driving of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the vehicle of the target vehicle.
13. The traffic control method of claim 12.
(Appendix 15)
The driving tendency of the driver of the forward vehicle includes driving behavior,
The traffic control method includes:
When the preceding vehicle is being manually driven, and the following distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle is to be selected, the method further includes: determining whether the driver of the preceding vehicle is a skilled driver using the driving behavior of the driver of the preceding vehicle; and switching the following distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle depending on whether the driver of the preceding vehicle is a skilled driver.
15. The traffic control method of claim 14.
(Appendix 16)
The driving tendency of the driver of the forward vehicle includes driving data;
The traffic control method includes:
storing driving data of each driver in advance in a storage unit;
When the preceding vehicle is manually driven, in selecting the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, the method further includes reading out driving data of the driver of the preceding vehicle from the storage unit, determining the driving proficiency of the driver of the preceding vehicle using the read-out driving data, and switching the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle according to the driving proficiency of the driver of the preceding vehicle.
15. The traffic control method of claim 14.
(Appendix 17)
When the preceding vehicle is being manually driven and a vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle is to be selected, the method further includes notifying the driver of the preceding vehicle of a request to select a vehicle-to-vehicle distance, and switching the vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle to the vehicle-to-vehicle distance selected by the driver of the preceding vehicle.
13. The traffic control method of claim 12.
(Appendix 18)
storing in advance in a storage unit, for each driver, vehicle-to-vehicle distance information indicating an allowable vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the driver and a vehicle behind the driver;
When the preceding vehicle is being manually driven, if the following distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle is to be selected, the following distance information of the driver of the preceding vehicle is read from the storage unit, and the following distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle is switched to the following distance indicated by the read following distance information.
13. The traffic control method of claim 12.
(Appendix 19)
storing in advance in a storage unit, for each driver, vehicle type information indicating the vehicle type that the driver is allowed to drive in a convoy behind;
When the preceding vehicle is being manually driven and whether or not the target vehicle needs to travel in a convoy is selected, the vehicle type information of the driver of the preceding vehicle is read from the storage unit, and if the vehicle type indicated by the read vehicle type information matches the vehicle type of the target vehicle, the method further includes switching the target vehicle to travel in a convoy.
13. The traffic control method of claim 12.
(Appendix 20)
When the forward vehicle is being manually driven, if a lighting method for the target vehicle is selected, the lighting method for the target vehicle is switched so that high beams are not used.
13. The traffic control method of claim 12.
(Appendix 21)
When the preceding vehicle is being manually driven, if a method of using a turn signal of the target vehicle is selected, the method of using the turn signal of the target vehicle is changed so that a hazard lamp is not flashed.
13. The traffic control method of claim 12.
(Appendix 22)
When the preceding vehicle is in an autonomous driving state, when selecting the content of the inter-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, the content of the inter-vehicle communication is switched so that a specific communication is not performed.
13. The traffic control method of claim 12.
(Appendix 23)
The computer has a procedure for determining whether a vehicle ahead of the target vehicle is being driven manually or automatically.
Depending on the determination result, a control procedure is executed to select at least one of the following: the distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, whether or not the target vehicle should travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of using the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, a sudden start and sudden braking operation of the target vehicle, operation of the horn of the target vehicle, a lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking operation of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the vehicle of the target vehicle.
program.

In addition, some or all of the elements (e.g., configurations and functions) described in Supplementary Notes 2 to 11, which are dependent on Supplementary Note 1, may also be dependent on Supplementary Note 23 in the same dependent relationship as Supplementary Notes 2 to 11. Some or all of the elements described in any Supplementary Note may be applied to various hardware, software, recording means for recording software, systems, and methods.

10, 10A Traffic control device 11, 11A Determination unit 12, 12A Control unit 13 Communication unit 14 Memory unit 20 Target vehicle 30 Forward vehicle 90 Computer 91 Processor 92 Memory 93 Storage 94 Input/output interface 941 Display device 942 Input device 943 Sound output device 95 Communication interface

Claims (20)

a determination unit that determines whether a forward vehicle traveling in front of the target vehicle is being manually driven or automatically driven;
and a control unit that selects, depending on the determination result, at least one of the following: a distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle; whether or not the target vehicle should travel in a convoy; a lighting method for the target vehicle; a method for using a turn signal for the target vehicle; content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle; a sudden start and sudden braking operation for the target vehicle; a horn operation for the target vehicle; a lane change for the target vehicle; an overtaking operation for the target vehicle; and a driving operation by the target vehicle that is close to the side of the vehicle.
Traffic control devices. When the forward vehicle is manually driven, the control unit notifies the driver of the forward vehicle of a permission request regarding at least one of the following: the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, whether the target vehicle is required to travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of using the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking operation of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the vehicle;
When permission is obtained from the driver of the forward vehicle, the control unit switches at least one of the following: the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, whether or not the target vehicle is required to travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the use method of the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking driving of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the vehicle.
The traffic control device of claim 1 . When the forward vehicle is being manually driven, the control unit uses the driving tendency of the driver of the forward vehicle to switch at least one of the following: the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, whether or not the target vehicle is to travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of using the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of inter-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking driving of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the vehicle.
The traffic control device of claim 1 . The driving tendency of the driver of the forward vehicle includes driving behavior,
When the preceding vehicle is manually driven, the control unit, when selecting the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, determines whether the driver of the preceding vehicle is a skilled driver by using the driving behavior of the driver of the preceding vehicle, and switches the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle depending on whether the driver of the preceding vehicle is a skilled driver.
The traffic control device according to claim 3 . The driving tendency of the driver of the forward vehicle includes driving data;
Further provided is a storage unit for storing, for each driver, driving data of the driver in advance;
When the preceding vehicle is manually driven and the control unit selects the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, the control unit reads out driving data of the driver of the preceding vehicle from the storage unit, determines the driving proficiency of the driver of the preceding vehicle using the read-out driving data, and switches the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle depending on the driving proficiency of the driver of the preceding vehicle.
The traffic control device according to claim 3 . When the preceding vehicle is manually driven and a vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle is to be selected, the control unit notifies the driver of the preceding vehicle of a request to select a vehicle-to-vehicle distance, and switches the vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle to the vehicle-to-vehicle distance selected by the driver of the preceding vehicle.
The traffic control device of claim 1 . a storage unit that stores in advance, for each driver, vehicle-to-vehicle distance information indicating an allowable vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the driver and a vehicle behind the driver;
When the preceding vehicle is being manually driven, the control unit, when selecting the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, reads out the inter-vehicle distance information of the driver of the preceding vehicle from the storage unit, and switches the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle to the inter-vehicle distance indicated by the read inter-vehicle distance information.
The traffic control device of claim 1 . a storage unit that stores in advance, for each driver, vehicle type information indicating vehicle types that the driver is allowed to drive in a convoy behind;
When the control unit selects whether or not the target vehicle needs to travel in a convoy if the forward vehicle is being manually driven, the control unit reads out the vehicle model information of the driver of the forward vehicle from the storage unit, and if the vehicle model indicated by the read-out vehicle model information matches the vehicle model of the target vehicle, switches the target vehicle to convoy driving.
The traffic control device of claim 1 . When the control unit selects a lighting method for the target vehicle in a case where the forward vehicle is being manually driven, the control unit switches the lighting method for the target vehicle so as not to use high beams.
The traffic control device of claim 1 . When the control unit selects a method of using a turn signal of the target vehicle in a case where the forward vehicle is manually driven, the control unit switches the method of using the turn signal of the target vehicle to a method of not flashing a hazard lamp.
The traffic control device of claim 1 . When the control unit selects the content of the inter-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the forward vehicle in a case where the forward vehicle is autonomously driven, the control unit switches the content of the inter-vehicle communication so as not to perform specific communication.
The traffic control device of claim 1 . A traffic control method executed by a traffic control device, comprising:
Determining whether a forward vehicle traveling in front of the target vehicle is being manually driven or automatically driven;
and selecting, depending on the determination result, at least one of the following: a distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle; whether or not the target vehicle is required to travel in a convoy; a lighting method for the target vehicle; a method for using a turn signal for the target vehicle; content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle; a sudden start and sudden braking operation for the target vehicle; a horn operation for the target vehicle; a lane change for the target vehicle; an overtaking operation for the target vehicle; and a driving operation for the target vehicle that is close to the side of the road.
Traffic control methods. If the preceding vehicle is manually driven, notify the driver of the preceding vehicle of a permission request regarding at least one of the following: the distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, whether the target vehicle needs to travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of using the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking operation of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the vehicle;
When permission is obtained from the driver of the preceding vehicle, switching at least one of the following: the distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, whether or not the target vehicle should travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of using the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking operation of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the vehicle.
13. The traffic control method according to claim 12. When the preceding vehicle is manually driven, the method further includes using the driving tendency of the driver of the preceding vehicle to switch at least one of the following: the distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, whether or not the target vehicle is to platoon, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of using the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, sudden acceleration and sudden braking of the target vehicle, horn operation of the target vehicle, lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking driving of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the vehicle of the target vehicle.
13. The traffic control method according to claim 12. The driving tendency of the driver of the forward vehicle includes driving behavior,
The traffic control method includes:
When the preceding vehicle is being manually driven, and the following distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle is to be selected, the method further includes: determining whether the driver of the preceding vehicle is a skilled driver using the driving behavior of the driver of the preceding vehicle; and switching the following distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle depending on whether the driver of the preceding vehicle is a skilled driver.
15. The traffic control method according to claim 14. The driving tendency of the driver of the forward vehicle includes driving data;
The traffic control method includes:
storing driving data of each driver in advance in a storage unit;
When the preceding vehicle is manually driven, in selecting the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, the method further includes reading out driving data of the driver of the preceding vehicle from the storage unit, determining the driving proficiency of the driver of the preceding vehicle using the read-out driving data, and switching the inter-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle according to the driving proficiency of the driver of the preceding vehicle.
15. The traffic control method according to claim 14. When the preceding vehicle is being manually driven and a vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle is to be selected, the method further includes notifying the driver of the preceding vehicle of a request to select a vehicle-to-vehicle distance, and switching the vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle to the vehicle-to-vehicle distance selected by the driver of the preceding vehicle.
13. The traffic control method according to claim 12. storing in advance in a storage unit, for each driver, vehicle-to-vehicle distance information indicating an allowable vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the driver and a vehicle behind the driver;
When the preceding vehicle is being manually driven, if the following distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle is to be selected, the following distance information of the driver of the preceding vehicle is read from the storage unit, and the following distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle is switched to the following distance indicated by the read following distance information.
13. The traffic control method according to claim 12. storing in advance in a storage unit, for each driver, vehicle type information indicating the vehicle type that the driver is allowed to drive in a convoy behind;
When the preceding vehicle is being manually driven and whether or not the target vehicle needs to travel in a convoy is selected, the vehicle type information of the driver of the preceding vehicle is read from the storage unit, and if the vehicle type indicated by the read vehicle type information matches the vehicle type of the target vehicle, the method further includes switching the target vehicle to travel in a convoy.
13. The traffic control method according to claim 12. The computer has a procedure for determining whether a vehicle ahead of the target vehicle is being driven manually or automatically.
Depending on the determination result, a control procedure is executed to select at least one of the following: the distance between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, whether or not the target vehicle should travel in a convoy, the lighting method of the target vehicle, the method of using the turn signal of the target vehicle, the content of vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the target vehicle and the preceding vehicle, a sudden start and sudden braking operation of the target vehicle, operation of the horn of the target vehicle, a lane change of the target vehicle, overtaking operation of the target vehicle, and driving close to the side of the vehicle of the target vehicle.
program.