JPH0240799A - Running controller for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contrive safe running against an intrusion from the side by detecting a vehicle of the side and controlling a car speed. CONSTITUTION:The vehicle is provided with a front sonar 16 for measuring an inter-car distance to a front vehicle, and a right sonar 17 and a left sonar 18 for detecting a side vehicle. The sonar 16 transmits an ultrasonic pulse train in the forward direction at every prescribed time, and also, switches it to receiving after the transmission and receives a reflected wave, measures an inter-car distance and controls a car speed. The sonars 17, 18 transmit the ultrasonic pulse train in the right and the left oblique forward directions, and when an object has been detected by one sonar of them, a distance to the object and whether it is moving or not are detected. When this distance is within a prescribed distance, and also, when the object is moving, a brake is operated so as not to approach further against the object. In such a way, an intruding car from the side is detected by the side sonar, and a running control of the own vehicle is executed, based on a distance between the intruding car and the own vehicle and the detection of its moving state, therefore, the safety of automatic running is improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a travel control device that controls vehicle speed so as to maintain a predetermined inter-vehicle distance with respect to a vehicle ahead.

(Prior Art) Current road conditions are steadily deteriorating, and the occurrence of vehicle traffic jams has become a daily occurrence. Driving in such traffic jams causes considerable pain and psychological irritation to drivers, and is one of the causes of traffic accidents. In order to reduce the burden on the driver, a following distance control device has been proposed that uses ultrasonic sonar to control the speed of the own vehicle so as to maintain a certain safe distance from the vehicle in front. Publication No. 163733/1983).

By the way, when driving at low speed while maintaining a certain distance from the vehicle in front, vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions have a creeping phenomenon caused by the torque converter, so it is necessary to control the brakes only to automatically control the vehicle in front of the vehicle. It is possible to track.

However, when driving in automatic driving mode using forward sonar during traffic congestion, it is difficult to recognize a vehicle that cuts in between the vehicle in front and the own vehicle from the side.

(Purpose of the invention) Therefore, the present invention detects when a vehicle cuts in from the side while automatically tracking a vehicle in front while maintaining a predetermined distance from the vehicle in front, and allows the vehicle to drive safely. The object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle travel control device that can perform the following functions.

(Structure of the Invention) The present invention provides side detection means for detecting the distance to an object on the side with respect to the traveling direction of the own vehicle and whether or not this object is moving. The vehicle speed is controlled based on the detection that the vehicle is within a predetermined distance and is in a moving state.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, when a vehicle cutting in from the side appears within close range, it is possible to immediately detect this and apply the brakes, thereby improving safety. can.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a power train of a vehicle to which the present invention is applied, where l is an engine, 2 is a throttle valve provided in its intake passage 3, and 4 is a drive mechanism for the throttle valve 2. 5 is an electronically controlled automatic transmission (EAT) attached to the rear end of the engine 1, and the output of this transmission 5 is:
The left and right drive wheels 9L are passed through the propeller shaft 6, the differential gear device 7, and the left and right drive shafts 8L and 8R, respectively.
, 9R. Each drive wheel 9L,
A brake device 10L and an IOR are respectively attached to 9R.

On the other hand, the control unit 11 controls the accelerator pedal 1
2. Controls the throttle opening, ignition timing, and air-fuel ratio of the engine 1 based on inputs from the shift lever 13 and the brake pedal 14;
5, the gear ratio is controlled and the brake device 10
For L, IOR, brake pressure servo unit 15
The brake force is controlled through the system, allowing the powertrain to automatically adapt to the road conditions and the driver's wishes. In addition, in the case of a four-wheel drive vehicle, the torque steering wheel and throat of the front and rear wheels are also controlled. Additionally, as shown in Figure 2, this vehicle is equipped with a forward sonar 16 at the front of the vehicle body, which is used during traffic jams.
During traffic jams, the forward sonar 16 transmits an ultrasonic pulse train forward at predetermined intervals as shown in FIG.
The inter-vehicle distance HL is measured by the reflection time T.

L=Vs*Tr/2 (Vs: vehicle speed) and the value of the inter-vehicle distance to the vehicle in front measured using the forward sonar 16
While f is compared with a preset target inter-vehicle distance To avoid this,
Controls braking force.

Furthermore, in addition to the front sonar 16, this vehicle is equipped with a right side sonar 17 and a left side sonar 18 that transmit an ultrasonic pulse train diagonally forward to the left and right, as shown in FIG. 17. When an object is detected by any of the methods described in 18, the distance to the object is measured, and whether the object is stationary or moving is detected. If it is detected that the distance to the object is within a predetermined distance and that the object is moving, the brakes are applied to prevent the object from approaching any further.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the control executed by the control unit II described above. First, in step Sl, it is determined whether or not the brake is OFF, and this determination is rYEs.
In the case of J, the forward sonar 16 calculates the inter-vehicle distance Xf in steps 82 to S4, and in step S5 it is determined whether the inter-vehicle distance Xf is 5 m or more, and if it is less than 5 m, the brake is applied in step S6. is turned on and the process returns to step S1. On the other hand, when Xf≧5m, step S7
Proceed to and transmit waves from both side sonar 17 and 18,
In step S8, the earlier echo is received, and in step S9
0th order step 3 to calculate the distance Xs to the object
10, determine whether the distance Xs is 1m or less, and if Xs≦1m
If so, go to step 311 and use both side sonar 17 again.
．． 18, the earlier echo is received in step 312, and the distance K to the object is determined in step S13.
Calculate M x s. Then, in step S14, the current measured distance Xs' is compared with the previous measured distance Xs, and based on this comparison, it is determined in step S15 whether or not the object has stopped. The determination in step S15 is rNO.
If it is J, proceed to step S6 and turn on the brake.
If it is rYEsJ, it is determined in steps S16 and 317 whether or not the driver is holding the steering wheel and whether or not he is putting his foot on the brake pedal, and if both of these determination results are OFF, the brake is turned OFF in step 318. Make it.

The above is an explanation of the configuration and operation of the travel control device according to the present invention. According to the present invention, when a vehicle cutting in from the side is detected by side sonar, the distance between the vehicle cutting in and the own vehicle and the Since the driving of the own vehicle is controlled based on the detection of the moving state, the safety of automatic driving during traffic jams is improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of the power train of a vehicle to which the present invention is applied, Figs. 2 and 3 are explanatory diagrams of a general method for measuring distance between vehicles, and Fig. 4 is a method for detecting a vehicle cutting in from the side. FIG. 5 is a control flowchart. 1--Engine 2--Throttle valve 4-Throttle valve drive unit 5-Electronically controlled automatic transmission (EAT) 10L, l0R--Brake device 11-Control unit 15--Brake pressure servo unit 16 - Forward sonar 17.18 - Side sonar

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a vehicle travel control device, the vehicle speed is controlled based on the detection signal by detecting the distance between the vehicle and the vehicle in front during traffic congestion using a distance detection means provided at the front of the vehicle body. A side detection means is provided for detecting the distance to an object on the side with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle and whether or not this object is moving, and detects whether the object is within a predetermined distance and is moving. 1. A vehicle travel control device, characterized in that the vehicle speed is controlled based on the detection of the vehicle speed.