A vehicle control device has a processor configured to determine whether or not there exists a branching location where the vehicle is to exit from the traveling in a predetermined driving zone of a navigation route and, when a branching location exists, to determine whether or not a control transfer request zone exists in which the driver is to be given a request to transfer driving of the vehicle from automatic control to manual control, within a first distance on the branching road from the branching location, or a second distance on the traveling road from the branching location in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and when the control transfer request zone exists, to notify the driver via a notification unit, before the vehicle reaches the branching location, that the vehicle is to be moved from the traveling road to the branching road by manual control.