US 12,122,450 B2
Driving assistance apparatus
Ryu Hatakeyama, Nisshin (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed by TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed on Aug. 31, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/899,824.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-153135 (JP), filed on Sep. 21, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0099886 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. B62D 15/02 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 15/0255 (2013.01) 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A driving assistance apparatus mounted on a vehicle, the driving assistance apparatus comprising:
a surrounding information acquisition device configured to detect a three-dimensional object present in surroundings of the vehicle and a lane marking extending in front of the vehicle to acquire information on the detected three-dimensional object and lane marking as surrounding information;
a vehicle speed detection device configured to detect speed of the vehicle; and
a control unit configured to
execute, as a steering assist control of assisting a steering operation of a driver of the vehicle, a lane tracing assist control of assisting the steering operation such that a traveling position of the vehicle is maintained at a predetermined position in a lane width direction of a lane based on the surrounding information, and a lane changing assist control of assisting the steering operation such that the vehicle moves from an original lane in which the vehicle currently travels to a target lane adjacent to the original lane based on the surrounding information,
start the lane changing assist control in a case where a predetermined start condition including execution of the lane tracing assist control is satisfied and terminate the lane changing assist control at a point in time when movement to the target lane is completed, and
restart the lane tracing assist control at a point in time when the lane changing assist control is terminated,
wherein, in a case where a time needed for the vehicle to move from a predetermined position of the original lane in the lane width direction to a predetermined position of the target lane in the lane width direction by the lane changing assist control and the lane tracing assist control is defined as a lane change time, the control unit is configured to
determine whether or not a tow condition that is satisfied in a case where a towed vehicle is coupled to the vehicle is satisfied, based on the surrounding information and the speed of the vehicle, and
make the lane change time longer in a case where the tow condition is satisfied when the start condition of the lane changing assist control is satisfied than a case where the tow condition is not satisfied.