PATH GENERATION APPARATUS AND PATH GENERATION METHOD

Path generation apparatus configured to generate target travel path of vehicle, includes: external sensor mounted on vehicle and configured to detect external situation centered on advancing direction of vehicle; and electronic control unit including processor and memory coupled to processor. Electronic control unit is configured to perform: recognizing travel lane where vehicle travels based on external situation detected by external sensor; deriving first function representing travel path along center of travel lane; calculating curvature radius of travel lane; determining offset amount to be offset inward in turning direction from center of travel lane based on curvature radius; and deriving second function representing target travel path of vehicle that has been offset based on first function and offset amount.