The vehicle control apparatus

Disclosed is a vehicle control device that performs traveling control while preparing for unforeseen circumstances by setting a friction circle of tires to a small value at points on a road where discovery of unforeseen circumstances may be delayed with high probability since the road curves around or the visibility of the road is poor. An ECU sets a target speed of a vehicle with a predetermined allowance for a limit speed serving as the upper-limit speed at points where risks cannot be expected easily on a path along which the vehicle travels, and generates a planned speed pattern serving as a speed pattern on the path on the basis of the limit speed and the target speed.