US 12,030,500 B2
Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle control method
Tadahiko Kanoh, Wako (JP); Kunimichi Hatano, Wako (JP); Tsubasa Shibauchi, Tokyo (JP); Yuta Takada, Tokyo (JP); and Shogo Kobayashi, Wako (JP)
Assigned to Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Mar. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/217,415.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-063864 (JP), filed on Mar. 31, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0300377 A1, Sep. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. B60W 30/095 (2012.01); B60W 30/12 (2020.01); B60W 30/18 (2012.01); B60W 60/00 (2020.01)
CPC B60W 30/18163 (2013.01) [B60W 30/0956 (2013.01); B60W 30/12 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle control apparatus that causes a user vehicle to perform an automated lane change from a user lane in which the user vehicle is travelling to another lane, the vehicle control apparatus comprising:
one or more processors that execute computer-executable instructions stored in a memory, wherein the one or more processors execute the computer-executable instructions to cause the vehicle control apparatus to:
set a final destination of the user vehicle when a user designates the final destination;
set one or more destinations on a travel route, the travel route leading to the final destination of the user vehicle when the final destination is set;
enable planning of the automated lane change regardless of an intent of the user and performance of the automated lane change as planned;
enable planning and performance of each of a single lane change causing the user vehicle to perform the automated lane change from the user lane to a first other lane and a multiple lane change causing the user vehicle to perform the automated lane change from the user lane through the first other lane to a second other lane leading to the one or more destinations; and
judge whether the one or more destinations of the user vehicle are set, wherein
if the one or more destinations are not set and there is no second other lane, the one or more processors cause the vehicle control apparatus to enable planning and performance of the single lane change and disable planning and performance of the multiple lane change,
if the one or more destinations are not set and there is the second other lane, the one or more processors cause the vehicle control apparatus to enable planning and performance of the single lane change and disable planning and performance of the multiple lane change, and
if the one or more destinations are set and there is the second other lane, the one or more processors cause the vehicle control apparatus to enable planning and performance of the single lane change and also enable planning and performance of the multiple lane change.