US 12,122,405 B2
Vehicle control device, storage 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. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/656,990.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-058207 (JP), filed on Mar. 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0315028 A1, Oct. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. B60W 50/14 (2020.01); G01C 21/00 (2006.01); G01C 21/34 (2006.01)
CPC B60W 50/14 (2013.01) [G01C 21/3461 (2013.01); G01C 21/387 (2020.08); G01C 21/3896 (2020.08); B60W 2050/146 (2013.01); B60W 2420/403 (2013.01); B60W 2554/4045 (2020.02)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle control device comprising:
a processor configured to
determine whether or not a first road where the vehicle is to exit from the traveling road on which the vehicle is traveling exists within a predetermined driving zone of a navigation route, based on the current location of the vehicle, the navigation route and map information, and determine whether or not a second road that is located on the same side of the traveling direction of the vehicle as the first road and can be exited by the vehicle exists between the current location of the vehicle and a first connecting location where the traveling road and the first road are connected, based on the map information,
set a lane change schedule zone on a traveling lane based on a first connecting location, when the first road exists,
change a start location of the lane change schedule zone based on a second connecting location where the second road connects with the traveling road, when the second road exists and the start location of the lane change schedule zone is at the second connecting location, or before the second connecting location,
notify the driver of the plan to move the vehicle between lanes via a notification unit, while the vehicle is traveling in the lane change schedule zone; and
move the start location of the lane change schedule zone to a more front side location when it is estimated that the first connecting location can be recognized by the driver at the second connecting location, than when it is estimated that the first connecting location cannot be recognized by the driver at the second connecting location, based on the navigation route and the map information.