Patent ID: 7337056
Filing Date: 2008-02-26
Classification: B60K,B60W

Abstract:
1. A driving control apparatus comprising: a vehicle speed detecting unit that detects a traveling speed of a vehicle; a follow-up control request detecting unit that detects an operation by a driver requesting a follow-up control; an object detecting unit that is installed in the vehicle and detects objects that are present in a direction in which the vehicle travels; a preceding vehicle determining unit that determines a preceding vehicle in front of the vehicle and among the detected objects; a target inter-vehicle distance determining unit that determines a target inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle; a target vehicle speed determining unit that determines a target vehicle speed of the vehicle based on a signal from the object detecting unit and the determined target inter-vehicle distance; and a follow-up control unit that controls a follow-up control based on the determined target vehicle speed and the traveling speed of the vehicle, wherein the follow-up control unit, when the operation by the driver requesting the follow-up control is detected while the vehicle is traveling at a speed equal to or higher than a first predetermined vehicle speed, executes an adaptive cruise control in which the vehicle is made to travel at a speed higher than a second predetermined vehicle speed that is lower than the first predetermined vehicle speed, and wherein the follow-up control unit, when the operation by the driver requesting the follow-up control is detected while the vehicle is traveling at a speed equal to or lower than a third predetermined vehicle speed that is lower than the first predetermined vehicle speed, executes a low-speed following control in which the vehicle is made to travel or stop while following the preceding vehicle.