Abstract: A setting unit of a safety-device activation timing controlling apparatus sets a first timing upon it being determined that a driver's collision avoidance operation in a longitudinal direction has been carried out. The first timing is later than a reference timing for activating the safety device. The setting unit sets a second timing upon it being determined that a driver's collision avoidance operation in the lateral direction has been carried out. The second timing is later than the reference timing. Upon it being determined that at least one of the driver's collision avoidance operation in the longitudinal direction of the own vehicle and the driver's collision avoidance operation in the lateral direction of the own vehicle has been carried out, an activation determining unit determines whether to activate the safety device in accordance with a corresponding at least one of the first timing and the second timing.

Abstract: A driving assist apparatus activates a safety device for avoiding a collision of an own vehicle with a target or reducing damage from the collision. The driving assist apparatus determines start of a collision avoidance operation for the target. The driving assist apparatus performs a delaying process for delaying an activation timing of the safety device, when the start of the collision avoidance operation is determined, the delaying process setting the activation timing to a timing later than a timing that would be set when the start of the collision avoidance operation is not determined. The driving assist apparatus determines, based on the activation timing, whether to activate the safety device. The driving assist apparatus continuously performs the delaying process until a predetermined time period elapses after the start of the collision avoidance operation.