Abstract: A vehicle controller includes a processor configured to detect a vehicle ahead of a host vehicle from time-series sensor signals obtained by a sensor provided on the host vehicle for sensing objects around the host vehicle, track the vehicle ahead detected from the time-series sensor signals, determine whether the vehicle ahead has performed an avoidance action, based on the result of tracking, detect, when the vehicle ahead has performed an avoidance action, a trajectory of an edge of the vehicle ahead opposite a direction of avoidance in the avoidance action, and control travel of the host vehicle so that an edge of the host vehicle opposite the direction of avoidance moves along the detected trajectory.

Abstract: When an object that may possibly collide with a vehicle is detected from a sensor signal of one of sensors mounted on the vehicle, a vehicle controller changes the level of autonomous driving control applied to the vehicle from a first level that does not require a driver to operate an accelerator and steering and does not require the driver to look around the vehicle to a second level that requires the driver to look around the vehicle but does not require the driver to operate an accelerator and steering. When an object that may possibly collide with the vehicle is detected from sensor signals of two or more of the sensors, the vehicle controller changes the level of autonomous driving control from the first level to a third level that requires the driver to operate at least an accelerator or steering.

Abstract: An apparatus for object detection detects a number of lanes included in a road on which a vehicle is traveling, detects one or more surrounding vehicles positioned in surroundings of the vehicle from a surrounding image showing the surroundings of the vehicle generated by a camera mounted in the vehicle, and determines, when more surrounding vehicles than the number of lanes detected in a predetermined range at the back of the vehicle are detected alongside in a width direction of the vehicle, that a possibility that any one of the surrounding vehicles being an emergency vehicle which is allowed to travel without obeying the traveling rule of the road is higher than when more surrounding vehicles than the number of lanes are not detected alongside in a width direction of the vehicle.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric element, and a case accommodating the piezoelectric element. The case is deformable to conform with expansion or contraction of the piezoelectric element. The case includes a cylinder including a first end portion being open, and a first cap including a first end plate being circular and a first protrusion being annular. The first protrusion is located on a first surface of the first end plate and protrudes perpendicularly to the first surface. The cylinder includes the first end portion receiving the first protrusion on the first cap. The first end portion includes an inner peripheral surface joined to an outer peripheral surface of the first protrusion. The first end portion includes an edge located nearer an edge of the first protrusion than the first surface of the first end plate in an axial direction of the cylinder.