DRIVE SUPPORT DEVICE, DRIVE SUPPORT METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a driver to smoothly start a driving operation when switching a driving mode from an automatic driving mode to a manual driving mode.SOLUTION: A drive support device comprises: a driving operation detection part for detecting a driver's driving operation to a driving operation part; and a driving mode switching part for switching between a manual driving mode using a target control amount corresponding to an operation amount of the driving operation, and an automatic driving mode performing the driving control independently of the driving operation. This driving mode switching part, when a first aspect operation is performed during the automatic driving mode, ahead of switching the driving mode to the manual driving mode, performs semi-automatic driving mode, which performs a driving control corresponding to the type of the first aspect operation, though, also performs a driving control using the target control amount independent of operation amount of the first aspect operation. Then, when a second aspect operation, different from the first aspect operation, is performed in the semi-automatic driving mode during the semi-automatic driving mode, the driving mode switching part switches the operation mode from the semi-automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1 【課題】運転モードを自動運転モードから手動運転モードに切り換えるに際して、運転者に円滑に運転操作を開始させる。【解決手段】運転者の運転操作部に対する運転操作を検出する運転操作検出部と、運転操作の操作量に応じた目標制御量で行う手動運転モードと、運転操作に依らずに運転制御を行う自動運転モードとに運転モードを切換可能な運転モード切換部とを備えている。この運転モード切換部は、自動運転モード中に第１態様の操作が行われると、運転モードを手動運転モードに切り換えるに先立って、第１態様の操作の種類に応じた運転制御を行うものの第１態様の操作の操作量に依らない所定の目標制御量で運転制御を行う半自動運転モードを開始する。そして、半自動運転モード中に第１態様と異なる第２態様の操作が行われると、運転モードを半自動運転モードから手動運転モードに切り換える。【選択図】図１