A cruise control device has a white line recognition unit recognizing a white line defining a lane having the own vehicle, based on an image captured by an image capturing device and a lane entering and leaving determination unit carrying out lane entering determination and lane leaving determination of the own vehicle with respect to a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the own vehicle based on the relative position of the own vehicle in the vehicle width direction with respect to the white line. In the lane entering determination and lane leaving determination, a preceding vehicle on the lane to which the own vehicle is moving is determined to be an entering lane vehicle whose lane the own vehicle is entering, and a preceding vehicle on the lane from which the own vehicle is moving is determined to be a leaving lane vehicle whose lane the own vehicle is leaving.

A following cruise control method is provided for controlling a control vehicle to follow a target vehicle, the following cruise control method including: determining one of a plurality of vehicles cruising in a group as the target vehicle based on preset priorities of the plurality of vehicles; receiving following-target information comprising at least one of driving information, position information, and state information from the target vehicle; controlling follow-cruising of the control vehicle to follow the target vehicle with a preset following distance from the target vehicle by generating a driving command based on the following-target information; determining whether the target vehicle is abnormal based on the following-target information; and in response to the target vehicle being determined to be abnormal, stopping the follow-cruising of the control vehicle.

A method is provided to control a first vehicle when the first vehicle is being overtaken. The method comprises determining whether a rear vehicle is overtaking; and controlling a speed of the first vehicle when it is determined that the rear vehicle is overtaking.

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to preemptively modifying operation of a trailing vehicle according to predicted acceleration inputs. In one embodiment, a method includes, in response to identifying that a lane ahead of the trailing vehicle has cleared of a leading vehicle, determining an acceleration profile for the trailing vehicle that indicates a predicted acceleration that is anticipated to be provided by a driver as a function of an environmental context. The environmental context characterizes at least current surroundings of the trailing vehicle. The method includes adjusting operating parameters of the trailing vehicle according to the acceleration profile to preemptively optimize the trailing vehicle in anticipation of an acceleration input from the driver that correlates with the predicted acceleration. The method includes controlling the trailing vehicle to accelerate based, at least in part, on the operating parameters upon receiving the acceleration input.

A method for detecting a possible lane change of a fellow vehicle in the environment of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is located in a first lane, is provided. A system is also provided having a control unit and at least one sensor device for detecting a possible lane change of a fellow vehicle in the environment of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is located in a first lane. Furthermore, a vehicle is provided having a system for detecting a possible lane change of a fellow vehicle in the environment of the vehicle, as well as a computer program product for detecting a possible lane change of a fellow vehicle in the environment of a vehicle.

There is provided a driving assistance device. When there is a possibility that weather influences a detection performance of a vehicle detection unit configured to detect a preceding vehicle traveling in front of a subject vehicle and to measure an inter-vehicular distance to the preceding vehicle, a speed reduction control assistance unit enables a speed reduction control unit to perform a primary speed reduction control at a predetermined distance ahead of an entry or an exit of a tunnel-shaped road structure. Thereafter, when the vehicle detection unit detects the preceding vehicle and the inter-vehicular distance is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, the speed reduction control assistance unit enables the speed reduction control unit to perform a secondary speed reduction control.

There is provided a driving assistance device. When there is a possibility that weather influences a detection performance of a vehicle detection unit configured to detect a preceding vehicle traveling in front of a subject vehicle and to measure an inter-vehicular distance to the preceding vehicle, a speed reduction control assistance unit enables a speed reduction control unit to perform a primary speed reduction control at a predetermined distance ahead of an entry or an exit of a tunnel-shaped road structure. Thereafter, when the vehicle detection unit detects the preceding vehicle and the inter-vehicular distance is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, the speed reduction control assistance unit enables the speed reduction control unit to perform a secondary speed reduction control.

An escape-path-planning system to operate an automated vehicle includes an object-detector and a controller. The object-detector is suitable for use on a host-vehicle. The object-detector is used to detect an other-vehicle in an adjacent-lane next to a present-lane traveled by the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the object-detector. The controller is configured to, in response to a lane-change-request, determine a first-route-plan that steers the host-vehicle from the present-lane to the adjacent-lane, determine a second-route-plan that steers the host-vehicle into the present-lane, initiate the first-route-plan when a forecasted-distance between the other-vehicle and the host-vehicle is greater than a distance-threshold, and cancel the first-route-plan and select the second-route-plan when the forecasted-distance between the other-vehicle and the host-vehicle becomes less than the distance-threshold after the first-route-plan is initiated. The second-route-plan is a pre-planned escape-path that is instantly available if needed that provides a smoother travel-experience for an occupant of the host-vehicle.

A broadcast of a signal is received at a first system from a second system at a first time. From the signal, a location of a target associated with the second system and a velocity of the target are determined relative to a location of the first system and a velocity of the first system. At the first system, using the location and the velocity of the first system and using the location and the velocity of the target, a likelihood is computed of a collision between the first system and the second system. A notification is sent from the first system about the likelihood of collision responsive to the likelihood of collision exceeding a threshold likelihood.

A vehicle control device mounted on the own vehicle and configured to control the own vehicle according to the position of another vehicle ahead of the own vehicle. The vehicle control device comprises an estimated course calculation means calculating an estimated course of the own vehicle; a setting means setting a parameter indicating whether the other vehicle is in the path of the own vehicle based on the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the own vehicle in a lateral direction orthogonal to the estimated course of the own vehicle; a determination means determining whether the other vehicle is a leading vehicle in the path of the own vehicle based on the parameter; and a changing means changing the likelihood of being determined as the leading vehicle when the estimated course is a curve, based on the estimated course and the position of the other vehicle.