Patent ID: 7565234
Filing Date: 2009-07-21
Classification: B60T,G08G

Abstract:
1. A collision mitigation apparatus, mounted to an automobile vehicle, capable of mitigating damage generated when the vehicle collides with obstacles including another vehicle by driving brake means mounted to the vehicle, comprising: obstacle detection means configured to detect obstacles which are present around own vehicle to which the collision mitigation apparatus is mounted; collision time calculation means configured to calculate a collision time as an estimated time length until own vehicle collides with the obstacle detected by the obstacle detection means; collision avoidance assist means configured to drive the brake means in order to assist the collision avoidance operation by a vehicle's driver when the collision time is less than a predetermined assist time which is determined in advance; collision damage mitigation means configured to drive the brake means in order to mitigate the damage when own vehicle collides with the obstacle when the collision time is less than a predetermined damage mitigation time which is less than the assist time; operation judgment means configured to judge whether or not the collision avoidance assist means drives the brake means; and damage mitigation braking force reduction means configured to decrease the braking force of the brake means by the collision damage mitigation means when the operation judgment means judges that the collision assist avoidance means does not drive the brake means, as compared with the judgment in which the operation judgment means judges that the collision assist avoidance means drives the brake means.