Patent ID: 9586620
Date: 2017-03-07
CPC Classifications: B62D,G01C,G05D

Claim:
1. A travel control apparatus for a vehicle, the travel control apparatus comprising: a frontward environment recognition unit that obtains frontward environment information by recognizing a frontward environment of the vehicle on the basis of image information; a map information storage unit that stores map information; a vehicle position information obtaining unit that obtains position information indicating a position of the vehicle; a traveling road information obtaining unit that obtains traveling road information relating to a traveling road of the vehicle on the basis of the map information and the position information of the vehicle; a rut information detector that detects a rut on a road surface on the basis of the frontward environment information, and obtains information relating to the rut; a first course setting unit that sets a target course over a road surface on which the vehicle is to travel as a first course on the basis of the map information; a second course setting unit that sets the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel as a second course on the basis of the rut information, along at least one of a rut extending forward from the left side of the vehicle or a rut extending forward from the right side of the vehicle; and a target course setting unit that compares the first course with the second course, and sets the target course on the basis of the traveling road information and the rut information, such that vehicle behavior and steering control do not become unstable and the vehicle can travel on the road surface stably.