Patent ID: 7848886

Claim:
A collision prediction apparatus mounted on a vehicle, the collision prediction apparatus comprising a front obstacle detection unit configured to detect a front obstacle present on a route of travel of the vehicle and adapted to predictively determine whether the vehicle will collide with the detected front obstacle as a result of traveling of the vehicle, the collision prediction apparatus further comprising: a travel environment information acquisition unit configured to acquire travel environment information regarding a travel environment of the vehicle from a navigation apparatus mounted on the vehicle; a parameter value detecting unit for detecting a parameter value representing a state of traveling of the vehicle; a predictive determination unit configured to compare the parameter value detected by the parameter value detection unit and a predetermined collision determination reference value used for predictive determination of a collision of the vehicle with the front obstacle, and predictively determine that the vehicle will collide with the front obstacle when the parameter value reaches the predetermined collision determination reference value; and a changing unit configured to change the predetermined collision determination reference value on the basis of the travel environment information acquired by the travel environment information acquisition unit; wherein the predetermined collision determination reference value is determined by the predictive determination unit on the basis of a time necessary for avoiding collision between the vehicle and the front obstacle, and the time necessary for avoiding collision between the vehicle and the front obstacle changes based on the travel environment information acquired by the travel environment acquisition unit; wherein the travel environment information is travel environment information which represents a travel environment in which the front obstacle detection unit detects a continuous stationary object present near the vehicle; and wherein the changing unit increases the predetermined collision determination reference value in accordance with the travel environment information.