US 12,296,861 B2
Vehicle control device, medium for storing computer program for vehicle control, and method for controlling vehicle
Takahiro Kawano, Tokyo-to (JP); Ryuta Hashimoto, Tokyo-to (JP); Takahiro Seta, Yokohama (JP); Kota Harada, Tokyo-to (JP); and Yuki Mori, Tokyo-to (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed by TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed on Mar. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/656,317.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-049837 (JP), filed on Mar. 24, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0306162 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. B60W 60/00 (2020.01); B60W 50/14 (2020.01)
CPC B60W 60/0053 (2020.02) [B60W 50/14 (2013.01); B60W 2552/05 (2020.02); B60W 2556/40 (2020.02)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle control device comprising:
a processor that executes stored computer readable instructions to
control the vehicle by automatic control;
determine whether or not there exists a branching location where the vehicle is to exit from a traveling road on which the vehicle is traveling onto a branching road in a predetermined driving zone of a navigation route, based on a current location of the vehicle, a navigation route and map information,
determine whether or not a control transfer request zone exists in which a driver is to be given a request to transfer driving of the vehicle from automatic control to manual control, within a first distance, the first distance measured from the branching location to the control transfer request zone on the branching road, or within a second distance, the second distance measured from the branching location to the control transfer request zone on the traveling road in a traveling direction of the vehicle, when the branching location exists;
control the vehicle to prevent the vehicle from using automatic control to exit from the traveling road to the branching road at the branching location when the control transfer request zone exists; and
notify the driver via a notification device that the vehicle is to be moved from the traveling road to the branching road by manual control before the vehicle reaches the branching location, when the control transfer request zone exists.