Patent ID: 8155832

Claim:
A remote operation apparatus comprising: an operation unit for remotely operating display contents displayed on a display unit, the operation unit further including an electric actuator for generating a variable reaction force according to an operation of the operation unit; a travel condition acquisition unit for acquiring information on a travel condition of a subject vehicle, wherein the information on the travel condition of the subject vehicle at least suggests whether a current speed V of the subject vehicle is greater than or equal to a threshold vehicle speed Vo; and a control unit for, based on the information acquired by the travel condition acquisition unit, (a) allowing an operation of the operation unit when the travel condition of the subject vehicle is determined to be in a stable condition and (b) restricting the operation of the operation unit when the travel condition of the subject vehicle is determined to be in a non-stable condition, wherein the control unit controls the electric actuator to generate respectively different reaction forces for when operation of the operation unit is allowed and for when operation of the operation unit is restricted, when the control unit determines that the information on the travel condition of the subject vehicle suggests that the current speed of the vehicle V is equal to or greater than the threshold vehicle speed Vo, the control unit determines that the travel condition of the subject vehicle is in a non-stable condition, and allows an operation device operator to recognize that an operation of the operation device is restricted through haptic sensation of the operation device by increasing the reaction force generated by the electric actuator to a maximized force in comparison to a reaction force generated when the operation of the operation device is allowed.