TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a notification processing device for use in vehicles.

BACKGROUND ART

As a vehicle capable of automatic driving, PTL 1 discloses a vehicle that detects road signposts and road markings by an in-vehicle CCD camera, and automatically performs acceleration, braking, and steering among a driver's driving operations.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

[PTL 1] JP 10-320690 A

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As this type of vehicle, there is a vehicle configured to be switchable in driving mode by a driver's operation between automatic driving mode and manual driving mode. The automatic driving mode is a driving mode in which automatic driving control is executed to automatically perform at least acceleration, braking, and steering among a driver's driving operations. The manual driving mode is a driving mode in which no automatic driving control is executed.

Such a vehicle may be used in running environments as described below, for example. That is, roads are divided into an automatic driving permitted zone where automatic driving is permitted and an automatic driving prohibited zone where automatic driving is prohibited. Start signs such as a road signpost and a road marking indicating the start of the automatic driving permitted zone are provided at the point of the start of the automatic driving permitted zone. When the vehicle enters from the automatic driving prohibited zone into the automatic driving permitted zone, the driver switches the driving mode from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode.

The inventor's studies have revealed that, under the foregoing circumstances, when the vehicle detects the start sign and notifies the driver of the start of the automatic driving permitted zone, the driver in receipt of the notification may not be able to switch the vehicle driving mode with a sense of security. Specifically, only with the notification through an in-vehicle speaker or the like during the driving of the vehicle that the vehicle has entered the automatic driving permitted zone, the driver may have to switch the driving mode while being still uncertain about the correctness of the notification.

One aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a technique for allowing the driver to switch the driving mode with a sense of security in the notification from the vehicle when the vehicle enters from the automatic driving prohibited zone into the automatic driving permitted zone.

One mode of the present disclosure is a notification processing device for providing a notification to a driver, which is used in a vehicle capable of running in an automatic driving mode and a manual driving mode. The automatic driving mode is a driving mode in which automatic driving control is executed to automatically perform at least acceleration, braking, and steering among the driver's driving operations. The manual driving mode is a driving mode in which no automatic driving control is executed. The notification processing device includes an image acquisition unit, a recognition unit, a first notification processing unit, and a second notification processing unit. The image acquisition unit acquires a captured image from an imaging device that captures the area ahead of the vehicle. The recognition unit recognizes a specific sign in the captured image acquired by the image acquisition unit. The first notification processing unit displays a specific captured image as the captured image showing the specific sign on a display device in the vehicle. The second notification processing unit makes a notification in a notification mode different from the display of the specific captured image. The recognition unit recognizes a start sign as the specific sign in the captured image acquired by the image acquisition unit. The start sign is a sign indicating the start of an automatic driving permitted zone as a zone where running in the automatic driving mode is permitted. When the recognition unit recognizes the start sign, the first notification processing unit displays on the display device a start captured image that is the captured image showing the start sign as the specific captured image. When the recognition unit recognizes the start sign, the second notification processing unit notifies the start of the automatic driving permitted zone in a notification mode different from the display of the start captured image.

In this configuration, when the recognition unit recognizes the start sign, the second notification processing unit makes a notification. In addition to this, the first notification processing unit displays the start captured image as the captured image showing the start sign on the display device. That is, the actual image of the start sign visibly recognizable to the driver is displayed on the display device during the driving of the vehicle. Then, the driver checks the displayed start captured image against the matter visibly identified by the driver. When there is a match between them, the driver can switch the driving mode of the vehicle to the automatic driving mode with certainty that the notification from the vehicle is correct. Therefore, the driver can switch the driving mode with a sense of security in the notification from the vehicle.

