Abstract: The vehicle control device includes an arbitration unit configured to arbitrate between a plurality of control commands acquired from a plurality of driving support applications that respectively implements driving support functions, configured to output instructions based on a control command after arbitration to a first control unit that is able to control a steering actuator and a second control unit that is able to control at least one of a brake actuator or a drive actuator, and configured to acquire a steering angle and a yaw rate as the control commands from the driving support applications.

Abstract: An improved structure has a first channel and a-second channel that extend in specified directions, a third channel open in a wall of said first channel and a fourth channel that is open to a wall of said second channel such that it couples an end of said third channel to said second channel, that has a property of being less wettable (or insensitive to capillary attraction) and that is narrower than the other three channels; a liquid introduced into said first channel is drawn into said third channel and thereafter said liquid that remains in said first channel is removed to meter and sample a volume of globule equal to the capacity of said third channel. If the second channel is already filled with a liquid, the structure is modified to further include a fifth channel that is open to a wall of said fourth channel, that is narrower than or equal in thickness to said fourth channel and that is made of a wall having a property of being less wettable (or insensitive to capillary attraction).