Mazda Motor Corporation

Takashi Nakagami

Hiroshi Ohmura

Xi Chen

Haruki Okazaki

Masanobu Fukushima

Takayuki Seto

Takuji Oka

Sei Kobayashi

Takashi Terano

Shota Katayama

Rie Tezuka

Sei Kobayshi

A vehicle control device includes an oncoming vehicle detection sensor that detects an oncoming vehicle approaching an own vehicle; and a controller configured to automatically apply brakes to the own vehicle to avoid a collision with the oncoming vehicle, detected by the oncoming vehicle detection sensor, under a condition that the own vehicle is at least partially in an opposite lane or a planned path of the own vehicle is at least partially in the opposite lane. The controller is further configured to set, between the own vehicle and the oncoming vehicle, a virtual area that moves with the oncoming vehicle and that extends toward the own vehicle using a rear end of the oncoming vehicle as a base point, and automatically brake the own vehicle to avoid the own vehicle coming into contact with the virtual area to avoid the collision between the own vehicle and the oncoming vehicle.

Vehicle control device, method and computer program product

A vehicle control device includes an oncoming vehicle detection sensor and a controller that automatically applies brakes to avoid a collision with the oncoming vehicle, under a condition that the own vehicle is at least partially in an opposite lane or a planned path of the own vehicle is at least partially in the opposite lane. The controller sets a virtual area that moves with the oncoming vehicle and that extends in an advancing direction of the oncoming vehicle, and automatically brakes to avoid to avoid a collision. In response to the sensor detecting first and second oncoming vehicles, the controller sets first and second virtual areas, and automatically brakes the own vehicle to prevent coming into contact with the first virtual area and the second virtual area once the own vehicle traverses the opposite lane.

A line-of-sight determination unit of a vehicle alarm apparatus determines the line-of-sight direction, based on a face orientation and a pupil that are included in a captured image of a driver. A driving operation detection unit detects a requested acceleration based on an accelerator operation of the driver, or a turn-signal-lamp switch operation for activating a turn signal lamp of a vehicle. A controller sets an alarm timing, based on an output of the line-of-sight determination unit and an output of the driving operation detection unit. When the requested acceleration that is equal to or more than a predetermined acceleration, or the turn-signal-lamp switch operation is detected, the controller activates an alarm device at a timing more delayed than the alarm timing.

Vehicle alarm apparatus

An offset distance of an obstacle from a traveling-path center line of a vehicle at the time the obstacle is detected is calculated, and then this offset distance of the obstacle from the traveling-path center line of the vehicle is corrected based on a turning radius of the traveling vehicle detected at the time a specified period of time has lapsed. Thereby, even in a case where the vehicle travels on a road with a curve that changes a radius of curvature of the traveling-path center line (turning radius of the traveling vehicle) quickly during the specified period of traveling time, the above-described offset distance can be properly corrected based on an updated turning radius of the traveling vehicle. Thus, a relative position of the obstacle with respect to the vehicle can be predicted accurately.

Obstacle detecting control device of vehicle

A radar device is configured to transmit an electric wave and receives a reflected wave that is generated by a reflection of the electric wave on an object, and to recognize the object is a potential obstacle that is to be hit by the vehicle when a received intensity of the reflected wave thereby is a specified threshold or more. And, the specified threshold has a plurality of preset values. Accordingly, a determination as to whether or not the obstacle detected by the radar device is the potential obstacle to be hit by the vehicle can be accurately made.

Growing community of inventors

Aki-gun, Japan

Takashi Nakagami