OBSTACLE DETECTION DEVICE OF VEHICLE, AND ERRONEOUS START PREVENTION DEVICE USING THE SAME

To prevent deterioration of detection accuracy of an obstacle caused when an obstacle detection distance of a central infrared beam is set longer than that of either of a left or right infrared beam in an obstacle detection device of a vehicle.SOLUTION: An obstacle detection device of a vehicle includes a first receiving and transmitting unit 11a which carries out transmission of an infrared beam to a front central area and reception, second receiving and transmitting units 11b, 11c which are adjacent to the infrared beam from the first receiving and transmitting unit, and carry out transmission so as to spread in at least one of left and right sides and reception, and an effective range control section 19 which controls a maximum effective distance of an obstacle detection by the first receiving and transmitting unit and a maximum effective distance of an obstacle detection by the second receiving and transmitting unit. A receiving and transmitting area from the second receiving and transmitting unit is provided so as to be in an under side of and adjacent to a receiving and transmitting area from the first receiving and transmitting unit. When the first receiving and transmitting unit detects an obstacle 5, the effective range control section extends the maximum effective distance of the second receiving and transmitting unit from an initial value L1 to an extension value L2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5 【課題】車両の障害物検知装置において、中央の赤外線ビームの障害物検出距離を、左右のいずれか一方の赤外線ビームより長く設定した場合に生じる障害物の検出精度の低下を防止すること。【解決手段】前方中央域に赤外線ビームを発信及び受信する第１受発信部１１ａと、第１受発信部からの赤外線ビームに隣接して左右両側の少なくとも一方に広がるように受信及び受信する第２受発信部１１ｂ、１１ｃと、第１受発信部による障害物検出の最大有効距離と第２受発信部による障害物検出の最大有効距離とを制御する有効レンジ制御部１９と、を備え、第２受発信部からの発信受信領域は、第１受発信部の発信受信領域の下側に隣接するように設けられ、有効レンジ制御部は、第１受発信部によって障害物５を検出したとき、第２受発信部の最大有効距離を初期値Ｌ１から延長値Ｌ２に延長する。【選択図】図５