Patent ID: 7565235

Claim:
A drive control apparatus for an actual vehicle comprising: a follow-up control device that makes the actual vehicle travel following a preceding vehicle; a stop hold device that is capable of holding the actual vehicle in a stopped state by controlling a brake pressure of the actual vehicle; and a driving operation detection device that detects at least one of a brake operation and a shift operation to a reverse position or a neutral position made by a driver of the actual vehicle, wherein the follow-up control device cancels the holding of the actual vehicle in the stopped state by making the stop hold device cancel the holding of the actual vehicle in the stopped state after holding the actual vehicle in the stopped state for a predetermined time period or by making the stop hold device gradually reduce the brake pressure when the driving operation detection device detects at least one of the brake operation and the shift operation to the reverse position or the neutral position made by the driver while the actual vehicle is in the stopped state by the stop hold device.