PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide "automatic travel control apparatus and automatic travel control method for electric powered vehicle" enabling an electric powered vehicle to perform automatic entering and traveling even on a narrow road.SOLUTION: Distance sensors 101 L and 101 R each having a narrow directivity in which the spread angle of a transmitted signal is equal to or less than a predetermined value are installed in the vicinity of both ends of an electric wheelchair 100 in the vehicle width direction. By causing the distance sensors 101 L and 101 R to transmit signals forward from the electric wheelchair 100, the apparatus individually detects the distance from the vicinity of the left end of the electric wheelchair 100 to an obstacle (a forward distance on the left side) and the distance from the vicinity of the right end of the electric wheelchair 100 to the obstacle (a forward distance on the right side) and recognizes whether the wheelchair is traveling toward a narrow road instead of an obstacle based on a difference between the forward distance on the left side and the forward distance on the right side. The electric wheelchair 100 is configured to perform automatic entering and traveling on the narrow road by turning right or left based on the difference between the left and right forward distances.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1【課題】狭路に対しても電動車両の自動進入走行を行うことができる「電動車両の自動走行制御装置および自動走行制御方法」を提供する。【解決手段】発信される信号の広がり角が所定値以下の狭指向性を有する距離センサ１０１Ｌ，１０１Ｒを、電動車いす１００の車幅方向両端付近に設置し、それぞれの距離センサ１０１Ｌ，１０１Ｒから電動車いす１００の前方に向けて信号を発信することにより、電動車いす１００の左端付近から障害物までの距離（左側の前方距離）と、電動車いす１００の右端付近から障害物までの距離（右側の前方距離）とを個別に検出し、左側の前方距離と右側の前方距離との違いから、１つの障害物ではなく狭路に向かって進行中であると認識できるようにして、左右の前方距離に基づく電動車いす１００の左右への旋回動作により、狭路への自動進入走行を行うことができるようにする。【選択図】図１
