Patent attributes
A travel control apparatus comprises a first detector configured to detect an obstacle around a subject vehicle traveling in a first lane and a second detector configured to detect a second lane adjacent to the first lane. The apparatus sets a first range at a target position for lane change in the second lane. The first range has a size equal to or larger than a size which the subject vehicle occupies on a road surface. The apparatus detects a range in the second lane as a second range located at a side of the subject vehicle, and the obstacle is absent in the range in the second lane. The apparatus permits the subject vehicle to change lanes when the second range includes the first range. A travel control method performs correction to reduce the first range or increase the second range based on a necessity level.
