Abstract: A vehicle includes a body including a rocker, the rocker being located outside a floor panel in a vehicle width direction and extending in a front-rear direction. The vehicle further includes a battery unit located under the floor panel and detachably attached to the body from below. The vehicle further includes a bracket fixed to the rocker. The vehicle further includes a pipe or wire fixed to the bracket, located outside the rocker or the battery unit in the vehicle width direction, and extending in the front-rear direction of the body. The vehicle further includes a rocker molding extending from a position facing an outer side surface of the rocker to a position facing a lower surface of the battery unit, the rocker molding covering an outer side of the pipe or wire in the vehicle width direction.

Abstract: A convoy travel system includes a plurality of vehicles and is configured such that the plurality of vehicles form a convoy and travel. The plurality of vehicles include a preceding vehicle and following vehicles configured so as to follow the preceding vehicle by means of automatic driving. The preceding vehicle is equipped with a steering information acquisition unit configured so as to acquire steering information pertaining to steering of the preceding vehicle, and a transmission unit configured so as to transmit the steering information to the following vehicles. The following vehicles are equipped with a reception unit configured so as to receive the steering information, and an automatic driving control unit configured so as to begin a steering angle control for avoiding a collision with an obstruction when the steering information indicates the execution of emergency steering for avoiding a collision with the obstruction.

Abstract: A travel assistance device configured to execute travel assistance when a plurality of vehicles form a vehicle group and travel in a line. The travel assistance device includes: a first control unit configured to, if there is lane-change instruction for the vehicle group, cause an end-of-line vehicle to change lanes, such vehicle being the vehicle from among the plurality of vehicles forming the vehicle group that is positioned at the end of the line; and a second control unit configured to, following the lane change of the end-of-line vehicle, allow a lane change for at least one vehicle that is other than the end-of-line vehicle and that is one of the vehicles forming the vehicle group.

Abstract: A convoy travel system includes a plurality of vehicles and is configured such that the plurality of vehicles form a convoy and travel. The plurality of vehicles include a preceding vehicle and following vehicles configured so as to follow the preceding vehicle by means of automatic driving. The preceding vehicle is equipped with a steering information acquisition unit configured so as to acquire steering information pertaining to steering of the preceding vehicle, and a transmission unit configured so as to transmit the steering information to the following vehicles. The following vehicles are equipped with a reception unit configured so as to receive the steering information, and an automatic driving control unit configured so as to begin a steering angle control for avoiding a collision with an obstruction when the steering information indicates the execution of emergency steering for avoiding a collision with the obstruction.

Abstract: A travel assistance device configured to execute travel assistance when a plurality of vehicles form a vehicle group and travel in a line. The travel assistance device includes: a first control unit configured to, if there is lane-change instruction for the vehicle group, cause an end-of-line vehicle to change lanes, such vehicle being the vehicle from among the plurality of vehicles forming the vehicle group that is positioned at the end of the line; and a second control unit configured to, following the lane change of the end-of-line vehicle, allow a lane change for at least one vehicle that is other than the end-of-line vehicle and that is one of the vehicles forming the vehicle group.

Abstract: A platooning system includes a vehicle control system installed in each of vehicles that include a manually-driven head vehicle. The vehicle control system controls a host vehicle such that the host vehicle follows a lead vehicle through wireless communication between the host vehicle and the lead vehicle. The vehicle control system is installed in the host vehicle and the lead vehicle. The vehicle control system includes a sensor that detects a state of the host vehicle, an actuator that adjusts a behavior of the host vehicle, and a controller that controls the host vehicle. The controller of the head vehicle physically notifies a driver of the host vehicle of a state of a subsequent vehicle by operating the actuator of the host vehicle when a state signal including information that indicates the state of the subsequent vehicle is received through the wireless communication.

Abstract: A driving support apparatus installed in a host vehicle calculates an overlap ratio relating to a target object positioned ahead of the host vehicle within the same traffic lane, as the ratio of the width of the target object to its lateral distance from a lane marker line of the traffic lane, and also detects the motion condition of the object (i.e., stationary, moving towards, or in the same direction as the host vehicle, or moving laterally with respect to the forward direction of the host vehicle). An amount of compensation for retarding or advancing the commencement of a collision avoidance operation by the driving support apparatus is determined based on the overlap ratio and/or the motion condition of the target object.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes: a straight-ahead cruising determining unit that determines whether or not a vehicle is in a straight-ahead cruising state; a detecting unit that detects a target object that meets a predetermined condition related to at least either of a current positional relationship or a future predicted positional relationship with the vehicle, among objects ahead of the vehicle, when the vehicle is determined to be in the straight-ahead cruising state; an operation control unit that makes the vehicle perform a predetermined operation related to the detected target object; and a condition setting unit that sets the condition to be applied to the left side in relation to a center line of the vehicle to differ from the condition to be applied to the right side, based on a cruising trajectory of the vehicle.

Abstract: A driving support apparatus installed in a host vehicle calculates an overlap ratio relating to a target object positioned ahead of the host vehicle within the same traffic lane, as the ratio of the width of the target object to its lateral distance from a lane marker line of the traffic lane, and also detects the motion condition of the object (i.e., stationary, moving towards, or in the same direction as the host vehicle, or moving laterally with respect to the forward direction of the host vehicle). An amount of compensation for retarding or advancing the commencement of a collision avoidance operation by the driving support apparatus is determined based on the overlap ratio and/or the motion condition of the target object.

Abstract: A driving support apparatus installed in a host vehicle calculates an overlap ratio relating to a target object positioned ahead of the host vehicle within the same traffic lane, as the ratio of the width of the target object to its lateral distance from a lane marker line of the traffic lane, and also detects the motion condition of the object (i.e., stationary, moving towards, or in the same direction as the host vehicle, or moving laterally with respect to the forward direction of the host vehicle). An amount of compensation for retarding or advancing the commencement of a collision avoidance operation by the driving support apparatus is determined based on the overlap ratio and/or the motion condition of the target object.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided to recognize a shape of a road on which a vehicle is traveling. Road edge shapes on a left side and a right side of the vehicle are recognized, from positions of roadside objects detected based on detection information from an on-board radar. Lane shapes that are shapes of lane boundary lines on the left side and the right side of the vehicle are recognized, from positions of lane boundary lines detected based on an image captured by an on-board camera. For each of the left side and the right side, such that the recognized road edge shape and the recognized lane shape are compared with each other, and the road shape is identified based on the comparison results.

Abstract: A collision avoidance ECU sets a model deceleration change amount to smaller value in a state in which it is difficult to reduce the speed of a host vehicle than in a state in which it is easy to reduce the speed of the host vehicle. The collision avoidance ECU calculates a first target value by multiplying the model deceleration change amount by the elapsed time. The collision avoidance ECU obtains a subtraction value by subtracting the current reference relative deceleration from the first target value. Then, the collision avoidance ECU determines a target relative deceleration to be a greater value when the subtraction value is large than when the subtraction value is small, and carries out brake control so that the reference relative deceleration approaches the target relative deceleration.

Abstract: A collision avoidance ECU sets a target relative deceleration to a first target value when a brake control starting condition is satisfied, and carries out a first brake control for bringing a relative deceleration closer to the target relative deceleration. When a reference relative deceleration with reference to the relative deceleration at a first point in time has reached a specified relative deceleration, the collision avoidance ECU determines a greater value for a second target value when the amount of change in deceleration, which is the amount of change in the reference relative deceleration at the point in time, is small than when the amount of change in deceleration is large. The collision avoidance ECU then sets the target relative deceleration to the second target value, and carries out a second brake control for bringing the relative deceleration closer to the target relative deceleration.

Abstract: An ECU calculates: a free running distance, which is a distance that a vehicle can travel from a first time point at which a speed-reduction control is started to a second time point at which the relative deceleration begins to increase by the start of the speed-reduction control; an increase travel distance, which is a distance that the vehicle can travel from the second time point to a third time point at which the relative deceleration reaches the target relative deceleration; and a post-completion travel distance, which is a distance that the vehicle can travel from the third time point to a time point at which the relative speed is made equal to or less than the specified speed. The ECU obtains a speed reduction distance based on a result of adding up the free running distance, the increase travel distance, and the post-completion travel distance.

Abstract: A collision avoidance ECU sets a model deceleration change amount to smaller value in a state in which it is difficult to reduce the speed of a host vehicle than in a state in which it is easy to reduce the speed of the host vehicle. The collision avoidance ECU calculates a first target value by multiplying the model deceleration change amount by the elapsed time. The collision avoidance ECU obtains a subtraction value by subtracting the current reference relative deceleration from the first target value. Then, the collision avoidance ECU determines a target relative deceleration to be a greater value when the subtraction value is large than when the subtraction value is small, and carries out brake control so that the reference relative deceleration approaches the target relative deceleration.

Abstract: A driving support apparatus installed in a host vehicle calculates an overlap ratio relating to a target object positioned ahead of the host vehicle within the same traffic lane, as the ratio of the width of the target object to its lateral distance from a lane marker line of the traffic lane, and also detects the motion condition of the object (i.e., stationary, moving towards, or in the same direction as the host vehicle, or moving laterally with respect to the forward direction of the host vehicle). An amount of compensation for retarding or advancing the commencement of a collision avoidance operation by the driving support apparatus is determined based on the overlap ratio and/or the motion condition of the target object.

Abstract: A collision avoidance ECU sets a target relative deceleration to a first target value when a brake control starting condition is satisfied, and carries out a first brake control for bringing a relative deceleration closer to the target relative deceleration. When a reference relative deceleration with reference to the relative deceleration at a first point in time has reached a specified relative deceleration, the collision avoidance ECU determines a greater value for a second target value when the amount of change in deceleration, which is the amount of change in the reference relative deceleration at the point in time, is small than when the amount of change in deceleration is large. The collision avoidance ECU then sets the target relative deceleration to the second target value, and carries out a second brake control for bringing the relative deceleration closer to the target relative deceleration.

Abstract: An ECU calculates: a free running distance, which is a distance that a vehicle can travel from a first time point at which a speed-reduction control is started to a second time point at which the relative deceleration begins to increase by the start of the speed-reduction control; an increase travel distance, which is a distance that the vehicle can travel from the second time point to a third time point at which the relative deceleration reaches the target relative deceleration; and a post-completion travel distance, which is a distance that the vehicle can travel from the third time point to a time point at which the relative speed is made equal to or less than the specified speed. The ECU obtains a speed reduction distance based on a result of adding up the free running distance, the increase travel distance, and the post-completion travel distance.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided to recognize a shape of a road on which a vehicle is traveling. Road edge shapes on a left side and a right side of the vehicle are recognized, from positions of roadside objects detected based on detection information from an on-board radar. Lane shapes that are shapes of lane boundary lines on the left side and the right side of the vehicle are recognized, from positions of lane boundary lines detected based on an image captured by an on-board camera. For each of the left side and the right side, such that the recognized road edge shape and the recognized lane shape are compared with each other, and the road shape is identified based on the comparison results.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes: a straight-ahead cruising determining unit that determines whether or not a vehicle is in a straight-ahead cruising state; a detecting unit that detects a target object that meets a predetermined condition related to at least either of a current positional relationship or a future predicted positional relationship with the vehicle, among objects ahead of the vehicle, when the vehicle is determined to be in the straight-ahead cruising state; an operation control unit that makes the vehicle perform a predetermined operation related to the detected target object; and a condition setting unit that sets the condition to be applied to the left side in relation to a center line of the vehicle to differ from the condition to be applied to the right side, based on a cruising trajectory of the vehicle.