US 11,938,972 B2
Vehicle controller and method for controlling vehicle
Ryusuke Kuroda, Tokyo-to (JP); and Takuya Fujiki, Tokyo-to (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed by TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed on Jun. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/344,366.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-103197 (JP), filed on Jun. 15, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0387651 A1, Dec. 16, 2021
Int. Cl. B60W 30/16 (2020.01); B60W 30/14 (2006.01); B60W 40/04 (2006.01); B60W 40/06 (2012.01); B60W 40/105 (2012.01); B60W 60/00 (2020.01); G08G 1/00 (2006.01); G08G 1/16 (2006.01)
CPC B60W 60/0027 (2020.02) [B60W 40/04 (2013.01); B60W 40/06 (2013.01); B60W 40/105 (2013.01); B60W 2420/403 (2013.01); B60W 2552/00 (2020.02); B60W 2554/80 (2020.02)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle controller for automated driving control of a host vehicle located in traffic congestion, the vehicle controller comprising a processor configured to:
sense at least one non-host vehicle around the host vehicle, based on a sensor signal obtained by a sensor for sensing a situation around the host vehicle, the sensor being mounted on the host vehicle;
calculate a motion value indicating motion of the sensed at least one non-host vehicle;
determine, when the motion value satisfies a congestion relief condition, that the traffic congestion is relieved around the host vehicle; and
set the congestion relief condition, based on road environment information indicating environment of a road around the host vehicle, wherein
the road environment information includes information identifying a congestion inducing location that is a cause of the traffic congestion in which the host vehicle is currently located,
the processor, based on a current position of the host vehicle, (i) sets the congestion relief condition to a first threshold value when the current position of the host vehicle is in a first section of the traffic congestion that includes the congestion inducing location and at least a portion of a travel path downstream of the congestion inducing location in a travelling direction of the host vehicle, and (ii) sets the congestion relief condition to a second threshold value when the current position of the host vehicle is in a second section of the traffic congestion located upstream of the first section in the travelling direction of the host vehicle, and
the first threshold value is less than the second threshold value so that the congestion relief condition set to the first threshold value is relaxed compared to the congestion relief condition set to the second threshold value.