Patent ID: 8538656
Filing Date: 2013-09-17
Classification: B60W

Abstract:
1. A tracking running control apparatus in a vehicle having a plurality of distance measurement devices using mutually different modes, respectively, to sequentially measure an inter-vehicle distance that is a distance to a preceding vehicle, the tracking running control apparatus performing a tracking running control with respect to the preceding vehicle so as to set the inter-vehicle distance to a target inter-vehicle distance that is associated with each of the distance measurement devices, the tracking running control comprising: a radio receiver to receive failure information of a different vehicle that is different from the vehicle via an outside source outside of the vehicle, the failure information of the different vehicle containing (i) failure device information to specify a distance measurement device that underwent a measurement failure in a measurement of an inter-vehicle distance and (ii) failure point information to determine a failure point at which the measurement failure was undergone; a failure prediction section to obtain (i) failure-predicted device information indicating a failure-predicted distance measurement device that is predicted to undergo a measurement failure in a measurement of an inter-vehicle distance and (ii) a failure-predicted segment in which the measurement failure is predicted, based on the failure information of the different vehicle received by the radio receiver; a target inter-vehicle distance change section to, in cases that a used distance measurement device that is used in the tracking running control of the vehicle is the failure-predicted distance measurement device indicated by the failure-predicted device information, a distance measurement device change section to, when an inter-vehicle distance to a preceding vehicle becomes the changed target inter-vehicle distance, change the used distance measurement device from the failure-predicted distance measurement device to the different distance measurement device.