Abstract: A vehicle operation sensing system includes an operation sensor, a fixture sensor, and a vehicle operation sensing unit. The operation sensor is an acceleration sensor fixed to an operation member, and sensing an acceleration generated in the operation member at least in a gravitational acceleration direction. The operation member has one end fixed to a vehicle and the other end a position of which is displaced in the gravitational acceleration direction when the operation member is operated. The fixture sensor is an acceleration sensor used at a position unchanging part of the vehicle, and sensing an acceleration generated in the vehicle at least in the gravitational acceleration direction. The vehicle operation sensing unit has an operation sensing part sensing an operation of the operation member by using a sensing result of the fixture sensor as an object to be compared with a sensing result of the operation sensor.

Abstract: A reckless-vehicle determination section of a vehicle determines whether a reckless driving operation takes place in each of different vehicles based on determination information from each of the different vehicles. A target different vehicle in which a reckless driving operation is determined to take place is displayed on a display in a display mode that is different from that for any different vehicle in which a reckless driving operation is not determined to take place.

Abstract: Vehicle exterior images are captured sequentially by an imaging portion of an imaging-equipped mobile terminal used in a first vehicle and stored temporarily in an image temporary-storage portion in the first vehicle. The first vehicle receives vehicle information from a second vehicle different from the first vehicle, through inter-vehicle communication. When it is determined that a sudden deceleration arises in the second vehicle based on the vehicle information received by the first vehicle, the vehicle exterior images stored in the image temporary-storage portion are read and saved in a memory.

Abstract: An obstacle notification apparatus uses a sight determination unit for determining a visible area of a driver in a subject vehicle based on whether another vehicle is present around the subject vehicle and a vehicle height of the subject vehicle. After determining whether an obstacle is within the sight of the driver or not, a notification mode is selected to alert the driver of the presence of an obstacle, thereby enabling nuisance-free notification of the obstacle from the obstacle notification apparatus.

Abstract: A drive assist system includes: wireless communication devices on first and second vehicles. The wireless communication device on the first vehicle includes: a distance calculation device for calculating a satellite positioning distance between the first and second vehicles; and a difference calculation device for calculating a distance difference between the satellite positioning distance and a distance to the second vehicle obtained by a ranging sensor in the first vehicle.

Abstract: A driver assistance device to be disposed in a vehicle includes a traffic signal information acquiring section, an intersection distance acquiring section, a target speed calculating section, and an outputting section. The traffic signal information acquiring section acquires traffic signal information that includes current and future lighting colors and lighting times of respective lighting colors of a traffic signal located in a traveling direction of the vehicle. The intersection distance acquiring section acquires an intersection distance between the vehicle and an intersection at which the traffic signal is located. The target speed calculating section calculates a target speed range to enable the vehicle to enter the intersection in a state where the lighting color of the traffic signal is green. The outputting section outputs the target speed range.

Abstract: A convoy travel apparatus in a subject vehicle of a convoy transmits a convoy travel information, which includes the maximum allowable number and the currently-included number of vehicles in the convoy. The apparatus determines whether the subject vehicle is blocking a signal from a leader vehicle of the convoy in which the subject vehicle is traveling as a follower vehicle, where the signal being blocked by the subject vehicle may not reach a position of a rearmost vehicle in the convoy. When the subject vehicle is determined to be blocking the signal, the subject vehicle transmits the convoy travel information indicating that the subject vehicle as a leader vehicle (i.e., a representative leader vehicle) of the convoy, thereby enabling a newly-joining vehicle to receive the convoy travel information transmitted from the follower vehicle in the convoy.

Abstract: A convoy travel apparatus enables a convoy travel of a subject vehicle by regularly transmitting convoy travel information including the latest measurement of GPS positioning coordinates and predetermined number of preceding measurements of GPS positioning coordinates. By receiving the convoy travel information from other vehicles, the convoy travel apparatus of the subject vehicle identifies a sender vehicle of a current convoy travel information based on a comparison between a travel locus generated from the current convoy travel information and a past travel locus generated from a convoy travel information previously received. The identification of the sender vehicle leads to the identification of the information from a leader vehicle to be followed in the convoy travel control of the subject vehicle, thereby enabling a convoy travel of the subject vehicle based on the identified information.

Abstract: In a left-hand traffic rule, a subject vehicle turns right at an intersection and then passes over a crosswalk, which is corresponded to by a pedestrian-use traffic signal. When the pedestrian-use traffic signal presents a green color as a currently indicating signal color, an obstacle report range is designated as covering both an area A and an area B so as to report an existence of an obstacle. In contrast, when the pedestrian-use traffic light presents a red color as a currently indicating signal color, an obstacle report range is designated as covering only the area A during a red light elapsed time ranging greater than a first marginal time and less than a time, which is obtained by subtracting a second marginal time from a red light cycle time.

Abstract: A convoy travel apparatus transmits convoy travel information including a whole convoy ID and a sub-convoy ID when a subject vehicle is in a convoy travel state, and performs a convoy travel control by utilizing the sub-convoy ID. Further, a second vehicle of the whole convoy is a leader vehicle of a sub-convoy and is also a follower vehicle in a forward sub-convoy, thereby (i) determining the convoy travel control of itself by receiving the convoy travel information of the sub-convoy in which the subject vehicle is traveling as the follower vehicle and (ii) transmitting the convoy travel information including the content of the determined convoy travel control. Thus, the follower vehicle in the sub-convoy lead by the subject vehicle performs the convoy travel control based on the convoy travel information from the leader vehicle of the sub-convoy in which the subject vehicle is traveling as the follower vehicle.

Abstract: A convoy travel apparatus enables a convoy travel of a subject vehicle by regularly transmitting convoy travel information including the latest measurement of GPS positioning coordinates and predetermined number of preceding measurements of GPS positioning coordinates. By receiving the convoy travel information from other vehicles, the convoy travel apparatus of the subject vehicle identifies a sender vehicle of a current convoy travel information based on a comparison between a travel locus generated from the current convoy travel information and a past travel locus generated from a convoy travel information previously received. The identification of the sender vehicle leads to the identification of the information from a leader vehicle to be followed in the convoy travel control of the subject vehicle, thereby enabling a convoy travel of the subject vehicle based on the identified information.

Abstract: A convoy travel apparatus transmits convoy travel information including a whole convoy ID and a sub-convoy ID when a subject vehicle is in a convoy travel state, and performs a convoy travel control by utilizing the sub-convoy ID. Further, a second vehicle of the whole convoy is a leader vehicle of a sub-convoy and is also a follower vehicle in a forward sub-convoy, thereby (i) determining the convoy travel control of itself by receiving the convoy travel information of the sub-convoy in which the subject vehicle is traveling as the follower vehicle and (ii) transmitting the convoy travel information including the content of the determined convoy travel control. Thus, the follower vehicle in the sub-convoy lead by the subject vehicle performs the convoy travel control based on the convoy travel information from the leader vehicle of the sub-convoy in which the subject vehicle is traveling as the follower vehicle.

Abstract: A convoy travel apparatus in a subject vehicle of a convoy transmits a convoy travel information, which includes the maximum allowable number and the currently-included number of vehicles in the convoy. The apparatus determines whether the subject vehicle is blocking a signal from a leader vehicle of the convoy in which the subject vehicle is traveling as a follower vehicle, where the signal being blocked by the subject vehicle may not reach a position of a rearmost vehicle in the convoy. When the subject vehicle is determined to be blocking the signal, the subject vehicle transmits the convoy travel information indicating that the subject vehicle as a leader vehicle (i.e., a representative leader vehicle) of the convoy, thereby enabling a newly-joining vehicle to receive the convoy travel information transmitted from the follower vehicle in the convoy.

Abstract: A drive assist system includes: first and second wireless communication devices on first and second vehicles. The first wireless communication device includes: a first distance calculation device for calculating a satellite positioning distance between the first and second vehicles; and a difference calculation device for calculating a distance difference between the satellite positioning distance and a distance to the second vehicle obtained by a ranging sensor in the first vehicle.

Abstract: An obstacle notification apparatus uses a sight determination unit for determining a visible area of a driver in a subject vehicle based on whether another vehicle is present around the subject vehicle and a vehicle height of the subject vehicle. After determining whether an obstacle is within the sight of the driver or not, a notification mode is selected to alert the driver of the presence of an obstacle, thereby enabling nuisance-free notification of the obstacle from the obstacle notification apparatus.

Abstract: In a left-hand traffic rule, a subject vehicle turns right at an intersection and then passes over a crosswalk, which is corresponded to by a pedestrian-use traffic signal. When the pedestrian-use traffic signal presents a green color as a currently indicating signal color, an obstacle report range is designated as covering both an area A and an area B so as to report an existence of an obstacle. In contrast, when the pedestrian-use traffic light presents a red color as a currently indicating signal color, an obstacle report range is designated as covering only the area A during a red light elapsed time ranging greater than a first marginal time and less than a time, which is obtained by subtracting a second marginal time from a red light cycle time.

Abstract: A driver assistance device to be disposed in a vehicle includes a traffic signal information acquiring section, an intersection distance acquiring section, a target speed calculating section, and an outputting section. The traffic signal information acquiring section acquires traffic signal information that includes current and future lighting colors and lighting times of respective lighting colors of a traffic signal located in a traveling direction of the vehicle. The intersection distance acquiring section acquires an intersection distance between the vehicle and an intersection at which the traffic signal is located. The target speed calculating section calculates a target speed range to enable the vehicle to enter the intersection in a state where the lighting color of the traffic signal is green. The outputting section outputs the target speed range.