VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE AND OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE CONTROL METHOD

A vehicle control device includes a vehicle position calculating unit, an obstacle determining unit, a collision possibility determining unit, an avoidance means selecting unit, an avoidance route calculating unit, and a steering control value calculating unit that calculates a steering control value and that outputs the steering control value to a steering actuator control unit. The avoidance route calculating unit calculates a target point for avoiding the obstacle, divides an avoidance section connecting the position of the vehicle to the target point into a plurality of partial sections, calculates a partial avoidance route in each of the partial sections, and calculates the avoidance route made up of the plurality of partial avoidance routes.