US 12,286,137 B2
Vehicle controller, method, and computer program for vehicle control
Takuya Fujiki, Edogawa-ku-Tokyo-to (JP); and Ryusuke Kuroda, Edogawa-ku-Tokyo-to (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed by TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed on Apr. 3, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/194,980.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-078330 (JP), filed on May 11, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0365164 A1, Nov. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. B60W 60/00 (2020.01); B60H 1/00 (2006.01); B60W 50/14 (2020.01)
CPC B60W 60/0053 (2020.02) [B60H 1/00785 (2013.01); B60W 50/14 (2013.01); B60W 2555/20 (2020.02)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle controller comprising:
a processor configured to:
determine whether there is fogging on a window of a vehicle or a sign of fogging thereof, based on a fogginess sensor signal indicating a physical index related to the degree of fogging of the window, the fogginess sensor signal being obtained by a fogginess sensor provided on the vehicle;
notify the driver that a vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle capable of a defogging operation is to be operated by the driver to execute the defogging operation, via a notification device provided on the vehicle, upon determination that there is a sign of fogging of the window;
determine whether the defogging operation has been executed within a predetermined waiting period after the driver is notified to execute the defogging operation; and
change a driving control level applicable to the vehicle so as to increase or prevent decreasing the degree of a driver's involvement in driving the vehicle, depending on the driving control level currently applied to the vehicle, upon determination that the defogging operation has not been executed by the driver within the predetermined waiting period and the sign of fogging on the window has not disappeared.