Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To compare a vehicle having an internal combustion engine with a pure electric vehicle.SOLUTION: An information processing device acquires first travel related data corresponding to prescribed travel performed in the past by a first vehicle having an internal combination engine, acquires second travel related data predicted if a second vehicle being a pure electric automobile performs the prescribed travel, and outputs the first travel related data and the second travel related data in a comparable format, and the first and second travel related data include a prescribed time or travel cost.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a technique for providing information regarding vehicle travel. [Background technology]

[0002] Systems that compare gasoline-powered vehicles and electric vehicles are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an on-board device that is mounted on an electric vehicle and calculates the running cost of the gasoline-powered vehicle and outputs the calculated cost together with the running cost of the vehicle itself. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-116395 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure aims to make a comparison between vehicles having an internal combustion engine and purely electric vehicles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A first aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing device having a control unit that performs the following operations: acquiring trip information regarding one or more specified trips previously performed by a first vehicle having an internal combustion engine; and acquiring and outputting results of a simulation in which the specified trips are traveled by a second vehicle that is a pure electric vehicle.

[0006] A second aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, the vehicle having an on-board device that acquires trip information regarding one or more specified trips that the vehicle has taken in the past, and acquires and outputs the results of a simulation of when the specified trips are traveled by a second vehicle that is a pure electric vehicle.

[0007] Furthermore, a third aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method including a first step of acquiring trip information regarding one or more specified trips previously performed by a first vehicle having an internal combustion engine, and a second step of acquiring and outputting results of a simulation in which the specified trips are traveled by a second vehicle that is a pure electric vehicle.

[0008] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a program for causing a computer to execute the above-described information processing method, or a computer-readable storage medium non-transiently storing the program. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, a comparison can be made between vehicles having an internal combustion engine and purely electric vehicles. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a vehicle system. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating components of a vehicle 10. FIG. [Diagram 3] 4 shows an example of vehicle data stored in a storage unit. [Figure 4] 4 shows an example of a simulation model stored in a storage unit. [Diagram 5] 4 shows an example of map data stored in a storage unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining data transmitted and received between modules. [Figure 7A] FIG. 1 is a first diagram showing the results of a simulation. [Figure 7B] FIG. 1 is a first diagram showing the results of a simulation. [Figure 7C] FIG. 1 is a first diagram showing the results of a simulation. [Figure 7D] FIG. 1 is a first diagram showing the results of a simulation. [Figure 8] 1 is an example of an interface screen presented to a user. [Figure 9]4 is a flowchart of a process performed by a control unit. [Figure 10] 4 is a flowchart of a process performed by a control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] There is a known device that provides information to electric vehicle users by comparing the costs of running the vehicle on electricity with the costs of running the vehicle on gasoline. By providing such information to users of gasoline vehicles, it is possible to raise awareness of electric vehicles. However, such devices only calculate costs based on distance, and therefore cannot specifically convey the difference that would occur if an electric vehicle were to drive the same route as a gasoline vehicle.

[0012] For example, pure electric vehicles (Battery Electric Vehicles, hereafter simply referred to as "electric vehicles" or "BEVs") require time to charge, so while their running costs are low, they cannot be refueled as quickly as gasoline-powered vehicles. In other words, the total travel time can differ between gasoline-powered vehicles and electric vehicles. When presenting the differences between gasoline-powered vehicles and electric vehicles, it is preferable to communicate these factors comprehensively in addition to the cost. The information processing device according to the present disclosure performs the comparison taking these factors into consideration.

[0013] An information processing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure has a control unit that acquires trip information regarding one or more specified trips previously taken by a first vehicle having an internal combustion engine, and acquires and outputs results of a simulation in which the specified trips are traveled by a second vehicle that is a pure electric vehicle.

[0014] The information processing device may be a device mounted on a vehicle, or may be a server device that provides information via a network. The trip information may be a past trip of the first vehicle, or, if the first vehicle is traveling, may be a trip related to the current traveling. Also, the trip information may include multiple trips.

[0015] The information processing device acquires and outputs a simulation result of a specific trip consisting of one or more trips, when the pure electric vehicle is driven. The simulation may be performed using a virtual vehicle. For example, the travel cost of the pure electric vehicle can be calculated by simulating the transition of the remaining battery charge. In addition, if the remaining battery charge decreases midway through the route, the total required time for the trip can be calculated by simulating charging. The charging simulation may be performed based on data related to charging spots (location, charging fee, output, etc.).

[0016] The information processing device may also output the first driving-related data generated based on the trip information and the second driving-related data generated based on the simulation result in a comparable format (e.g., graphic). The driving-related data may include, for example, driving costs, required time, and CO2 emissions. With this configuration, it is possible to comprehensively inform the vehicle user of the differences between automobiles having internal combustion engines and pure electric automobiles.

[0017] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the hardware configuration, module configuration, functional configuration, and the like described in each embodiment are not disclosed. It is not intended to limit the technical scope of the disclosure to those specific examples.

[0018] First Embodiment An overview of a vehicle system according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The vehicle system according to this embodiment includes a vehicle 10 having an in-vehicle device 100 and a vehicle platform 200. In this embodiment, the vehicle 10 is an automobile having an internal combustion engine. The vehicle 10 may be, for example, a gasoline automobile, a diesel automobile, a hybrid automobile, or a plug-in hybrid automobile. In the description of the embodiment, the vehicle 10 is assumed to be a gasoline automobile.

[0019] The in-vehicle device 100 is a device (for example, a car navigation device) that provides information to the passengers of the vehicle. The in-vehicle device 100 is also called a car navigation device, an infotainment device, or a head unit. The in-vehicle device 100 can provide navigation and entertainment to the passengers of the vehicle. The in-vehicle device 100 also has a function of accumulating data related to the traveling of the vehicle 10 while the vehicle 10 is traveling, and providing information based on the accumulated data. Specifically, the in-vehicle device 100 simulates and provides various data when a pure electric vehicle (hereinafter, referred to as an electric vehicle) travels in the same manner as the vehicle 10. This allows the owner of the vehicle 10 to recognize the difference in cost and usability when switching from a gasoline vehicle to an electric vehicle, for example.

[0020] The vehicle platform 200 is a platform including a computer that controls the vehicle 10. The vehicle platform 200 includes one or more computers that control the vehicle, such as an engine ECU, a body ECU, and an autonomous driving ECU. The vehicle platform 200 may also include one or more sensors that sense the state of the vehicle.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the components of the vehicle system according to this embodiment in more detail.

[0022] First, the in-vehicle device 100 will be described. The in-vehicle device 100 can be configured by a general-purpose computer. That is, the in-vehicle device 100 can be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU or a GPU, a main storage device such as a RAM or a ROM, and an auxiliary storage device such as an EPROM, a hard disk drive, or a removable medium. The auxiliary storage device stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc., and by executing the programs stored therein, various functions that match a predetermined purpose, as described below, can be realized. However, some or all of the functions may be realized by hardware circuits such as an ASIC or an FPGA.

[0023] The in-vehicle device 100 includes a control unit 101 , a storage unit 102 , a communication unit 203 , an input / output unit 104 , and a position information acquisition unit 105 .

[0024] The control unit 101 is a calculation device that controls the in-vehicle device 100. The control unit 101 can be realized by a calculation processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). . The control unit 101 is configured to have three functional modules: a data acquisition unit 1011, a simulation unit 1012, and a notification unit 1013. Each functional module may be realized by causing a CPU to execute a stored program.

[0025] The data acquisition unit 1011 periodically acquires vehicle data from the vehicle platform 200 (described later) while the vehicle 10 is traveling, and stores the vehicle data in the storage unit 102 (described later). The vehicle data is data related to the traveling of the vehicle 10, and includes, for example, the vehicle speed, position information, traveling direction, and other data related to the vehicle 10 (for example, sensor data acquired by an on-board sensor, etc.).

[0026] 3 is an example of vehicle data acquired by the data acquisition unit 1011. In this embodiment, the vehicle data includes a trip identifier, location information, direction information, and other sensor data. A trip is a unit of travel from when the system power of the vehicle is turned on to when the system power is turned off. The data acquisition unit 1011 assigns an identifier corresponding to a new trip every time the system power of the vehicle is turned on. The position information is information about the position of the vehicle 10 acquired by a position information acquisition unit 105 described later. The direction information is an azimuth angle indicating the traveling direction of the vehicle 10.

[0027] The sensor data may be any data related to the running of the vehicle or the running environment. The sensor data may be data obtained by sensing the movement of the vehicle, such as yaw rate, or data related to driving operations. The sensor data may also be data related to the running environment, such as the outside temperature, whether it is raining or snowing, or the like. Furthermore, the sensor data may include data indicating electrical equipment such as headlights, whether air conditioning is being used, and the like. These sensor data may be acquired from an ECU or a group of sensors included in the vehicle platform 200. By referring to the accumulated vehicle data, data on the past travel route of the vehicle 10 or the travel environment can be obtained.

[0028] The simulation unit 1012 performs a simulation of the electric vehicle traveling in a manner similar to that performed by the vehicle 10, based on the accumulated vehicle data, a simulation model (described later), and map data. A specific method will be described later.

[0029] The notification unit 1013 generates and outputs information to be presented to the user based on the results of the simulation performed by the simulation unit 1012. The results of the simulation include data on, for example, travel costs, travel time, etc. The notification unit 1013 generates a user interface including these data, and outputs it via the input / output unit 104.

[0030] The storage unit 102 is a means for storing information, and is configured with a storage medium such as a RAM, a magnetic disk, or a flash memory. The storage unit 102 includes a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The main storage device is a memory in which the programs executed by the control unit 101 and data used by the control programs are expanded. The auxiliary storage device is a device in which the programs executed by the control unit 101 and data used by the control programs are stored. The auxiliary storage device may store the programs executed by the control unit 101 packaged as applications. It may also store an operating system for executing these applications. The programs stored in the auxiliary storage device are loaded into the main storage device and executed by the control unit 101, thereby performing the processing described below.

[0031] The storage unit 102 stores a vehicle database 102A, a simulation model 102B, and map data 102C.

[0032] The vehicle database 102A is a database in which the above-mentioned vehicle data is stored. The vehicle database 102A is configured to be able to store vehicle data corresponding to a plurality of trips.

[0033] The simulation model 102B is a model for simulating the running of an electric vehicle. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining data included in the simulation model 102B. As shown in the figure, the simulation model 102B includes a vehicle model and vehicle parameters. The vehicle model is a virtual model of an electric vehicle. The characteristics of the virtual vehicle (running characteristics, weight, output, power consumption rate, etc.) are represented by the vehicle model. The vehicle model may be defined for each type of virtual vehicle. The vehicle parameters are prerequisites for performing a simulation. The vehicle parameters include, for example, the number of occupants, the remaining battery level at the start of running (State of Charge, hereinafter referred to as "SoC"), the battery level that is the threshold for charging, and the vehicle speed. The remaining battery capacity (conditions for starting charging) etc. are defined.

[0034] The map data 102C is data related to the roads on which the vehicle travels. Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining data included in the map data 102C. As shown in the figure, the map data 102C includes road data and charging spot data. The road data defines the connection relationships between road links, and may also include factors that affect the power consumption of an electric vehicle, such as the altitude of each road segment. The charging spot data is data related to public charging spots, and includes, for example, the names, location information, and business hours of the charging spots, as well as information related to the capabilities of chargers and charging fees.

[0035] The communication unit 103 is a communication interface that connects the in-vehicle device 100 to a bus of an in-vehicle network. The input / output unit 104 is a means for receiving input operations performed by a vehicle occupant and presenting information to the occupant. Specifically, it is composed of a touch panel and its control means, and a liquid crystal display and its control means. In this embodiment, the touch panel and the liquid crystal display are composed of one touch panel display. The input / output unit 104 may include a unit for outputting audio (an amplifier and a speaker), a unit for inputting audio (a microphone), etc.

[0036] The location information acquisition unit 105 includes a GPS antenna and a positioning module for measuring location information. The GPS antenna is an antenna that receives a positioning signal transmitted from a positioning satellite (also called a GNSS satellite). The positioning module is a module that calculates location information based on the signal received by the GPS antenna. The location information may include altitude.

[0037] The vehicle platform 200 is a platform including a computer that controls the vehicle 10. The vehicle platform 200 includes one or more computers (ECU 201) that control the vehicle, such as an engine ECU, a body ECU, and an autonomous driving ECU. The ECU 201 can acquire and provide sensor data used by the data acquisition unit 1011 from sensors (sensor group 202) mounted on the vehicle.

[0038] The sensor group 202 includes sensors that acquire sensor data related to driving operations, such as a vehicle speed sensor that acquires the vehicle speed, a steering sensor that acquires the steering angle, and a throttle sensor that acquires the throttle opening. The sensor group 202 may also include a sensor that senses the driving environment of the vehicle 10. Examples of such sensors include an outside air temperature sensor, a rainfall sensor, and a snowfall sensor.

[0039] The network bus is a communication bus that constitutes an in-vehicle network. In this example, one bus is illustrated, but the vehicle 10 may have two or more communication buses. Multiple communication buses may be connected to each other by a gateway that aggregates multiple communication buses.

[0040] Next, a detailed description will be given of the processing executed by the in-vehicle device 100. Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the flow of data between components (modules) of the in-vehicle device 100. First, while the vehicle 10 is traveling, the data acquisition unit 1011 periodically acquires vehicle data from the vehicle platform 200. The vehicle data can be acquired, for example, from the ECU 201 or an on-board sensor. The acquired vehicle data is stored in the vehicle database 102A in association with a trip identifier.

[0041] Next, at a predetermined timing after the vehicle 10 has finished traveling, the simulation unit 1012 determines the trip to be processed and executes a simulation of the trip traveled by an electric vehicle. The number of trips to be processed may be one or more. The trip to be processed may be selected by the user of the vehicle 10 or may be automatically selected. In the former case, a list of trips may be presented to the user to select one. The target trip may be the most recent trip, or may be multiple trips that occurred within a given period (for example, the past month).

[0042] The simulation unit 1012 acquires vehicle data (i.e., a plurality of records recording the travel of the vehicle 10) corresponding to the target trip, and performs a simulation of an equivalent travel made by an electric vehicle. The vehicle data includes data showing the position information, traveling direction, speed, etc. of the vehicle 10. By making a virtual vehicle (virtual electric vehicle) perform an equivalent travel using the simulation model 102B, it is possible to perform a simulation of, for example, how the remaining charge of a drive battery changes. The conditions of the simulation (eg, the SoC at the time of departure, the total weight of the vehicle, etc.) may be defined in the vehicle parameters included in the simulation model 102B.

[0043] If the vehicle data includes information about the driving environment, such as the outside temperature, the simulation may be performed using such information. For example, if the outside temperature is low, the battery performance may be corrected to be low before performing the simulation. If the outside temperature is within a specified range, the remaining battery capacity may be simulated assuming that the air conditioner or heater is used. The simulation may also be performed using map data 102 C. For example, if the map data 102 C includes data on altitude, the road gradient along the route may be calculated and used.

[0044] By performing such a simulation, it is possible to calculate the interrelationships between elapsed time, travel distance, and remaining battery charge for the target trip. Figure 7A shows the relationship between elapsed time and travel distance, and the relationship between elapsed time and remaining battery charge. 7B is a table showing data (result data) obtained as a result of the simulation. The result data can be, for example, a representation of the relationship between time and distance traveled, or the relationship between time and remaining battery charge. Based on the result data, the running cost of the virtual vehicle, which is an electric vehicle, can be calculated.

[0045] Furthermore, the simulation unit 1012 can execute a simulation regarding charging as necessary. For example, when the remaining charge of the driving battery falls below a predetermined value while the virtual vehicle is traveling, the simulation unit 1012 may perform a charging simulation based on a predetermined rule (charging rule). Based on this, a charging spot for charging the virtual vehicle is determined, and the simulation is continued assuming that charging has been performed at that charging spot.

[0046] Examples of charging rules include "when the SoC falls below 20%, perform rapid charging at the nearest charging spot until the SoC exceeds 80%" and "when the SoC falls below 20%, perform rapid charging for 30 minutes at the nearest charging spot". In addition, a charging rule may be "when there is a charging facility at the destination, charge as much as possible before the next departure time".

[0047] The driving simulation continues even during charging. For example, if charging is performed for 30 minutes along the route, the arrival time at the destination will be delayed by 30 minutes. The simulation unit 1012 may also simulate the charging state. For example, if the charging speed varies depending on the battery state (SoC or internal temperature), this may be simulated. For this reason, the state of the driving battery itself (for example, the internal temperature of the battery cell) may be simulated. This makes it possible to obtain simulation results taking into account charging along the route, as shown in Fig. 7C. The illustrated example shows the transition of SoC and mileage when charging is performed along the route.

[0048] 7D is an example of result data when charging is performed along the route. As shown in the figure, the result data may include a field in which data related to charging is stored. In the example shown in the figure, the status field is a field that identifies whether the virtual vehicle is in a running state or a charging state.

[0049] The result of the simulation is transmitted to the notification unit 1013. The result of the simulation may be a set of records as shown in FIG. 7B or FIG. 7D. The result of the simulation may also include data on the cost of traveling. The cost of traveling can be calculated based on the amount of electricity consumed, the amount of gasoline consumed, the amount of electricity charged, and the like. The cost of refueling and the cost of charging may be determined based on pre-stored data or may be obtained via a network. For example, data may be obtained from a device that provides the price of gasoline and the price of charging in real time and used to calculate the cost of traveling.

[0050] Based on the simulation results obtained from the simulation unit 1012, the notification unit 1013 visualizes and outputs the differences between the cases where the same trip is driven by a gasoline vehicle and an electric vehicle. 8 is an example of information output by the notification unit 1013. In this example, the notification unit 1013 generates and outputs an image that shows the trip time and travel costs in a format that allows comparison between gasoline-powered vehicles and electric vehicles. The notification unit 1013 may output information other than the required time and the driving cost. For example, the amount of CO2 emissions may be calculated and output. The notification unit 1013 may also output the time required to charge the virtual vehicle and the number of times the charging is performed. The notification unit 1013 may output the generated image via the input / output unit 104. In addition, if the in-vehicle device 100 has a wireless communication module, the generated image may be transmitted to an external device via wireless communication.

[0051] Next, a flow chart will be described below of the process executed by each module of the control unit 101. The flow chart shown in Fig. 9 is periodically executed by the in-vehicle device 100 while the vehicle 10 is traveling.

[0052] In step S11, the data acquisition unit 1011 acquires sensor data via the vehicle platform 200. In addition, in step S12, the data acquisition unit 1011 generates vehicle data based on the acquired sensor data. The generated vehicle data is stored in the vehicle database 102A. Next, in step S13, the simulation unit 1012 determines whether or not the traveling (trip) of the vehicle 10 has ended. For example, if an operation to shut down the traveling system of the vehicle 10 has been performed, a positive determination is made in this step. If the trip has not ended, the process returns to step S11, and the same process is repeated.

[0053] In step S14, the simulation unit 1012 decides whether or not to execute a simulation using an electric vehicle. For example, a rule is set such that a simulation is executed when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and if the condition is satisfied, a positive determination is made in this step. Examples of the predetermined condition include "the trip ends" and "a predetermined period (one day, one week, one month, etc.) has passed." In addition, the in-vehicle device 100 may suggest to the user that the simulation be executed. If the user agrees to this, a positive determination is made in this step. If the condition is satisfied in this step, the process proceeds to step S15. If the condition is not satisfied, the process ends.

[0054] Next, in step S15, the simulation unit 1012 determines a trip to be simulated. The trip to be simulated may be selected by the user of the vehicle 10, or, if a predetermined rule is set, may be determined by the system in accordance with the rule. For example, if multiple trips that occurred during a predetermined period in the past (e.g., one month) are the target, the trips that occurred during that period are selected. When the trip is selected by the user, a list of trips may be generated based on the vehicle data.

[0055] In step S16, the simulation unit 1012 executes a simulation of the determined trip traveled by an electric vehicle. The simulation is performed by a virtual vehicle defined in the simulation model 102B (vehicle model). In this step, vehicle data corresponding to the target trip is extracted from the vehicle database 102A, and the virtual vehicle is made to travel in the same manner as the vehicle 10 based on the extracted vehicle data. That is, the virtual vehicle is made to travel at the same speed and acceleration as the vehicle 10. This makes it possible to simulate the change in the remaining charge of the driving battery of the virtual vehicle. As a result of the simulation, a set of statuses of the virtual vehicle is obtained, as shown in FIG. 7B or FIG. 7D.

[0056] When performing the simulation, information about the driving environment may be used. For example, if the altitude of each point is defined in the map data 102C, the gradient of each road segment may be calculated. This makes it possible to accurately calculate the amount of power required for driving and the amount of regenerative power. In addition, when performing the simulation, power consumption other than that for driving may be taken into consideration. For example, it may be determined based on the time of day and the outside temperature that the headlights, car air conditioner, heater, etc. will be used, and the remaining battery capacity may be simulated taking into consideration the power consumption of these.

[0057] 10 is a detailed flowchart of the process performed by the simulation unit 1012 in step S16. The process shown in the figure is executed periodically during the course of the simulation. First, in step S161, a running simulation is performed for a predetermined unit section. The status of the virtual vehicle is updated. The predetermined unit section may be a road segment. In step S162, it is determined whether a charging trigger has occurred. For example, a rule is set such that "charging is performed when the SoC falls below 20%." If the SoC falls below 20%, this step is determined to be positive. If this step is determined to be positive, the process proceeds to step S163, where a simulation related to charging is performed. Specifically, the nearest available charging spot is searched for based on the charging spot data, and the remaining battery level of the virtual vehicle is updated assuming that charging has been performed at the charging spot. When charging is completed, the process returns to step S161, and the driving simulation continues. If a charge trigger has not occurred, the process proceeds to step S164.

[0058] In step S164, it is determined whether the virtual vehicle has arrived at the destination. If the virtual vehicle has not arrived at the destination, the process returns to step S161. If the virtual vehicle has arrived at the destination, the process proceeds to step S165. If there is a charging facility at the destination (for example, a home), the virtual vehicle may be caused to charge in this step.

[0059] In step S165, it is determined whether or not there are any trips remaining to be processed. If there are any trips remaining to be processed, the next trip is selected and the process returns to step S161. If there are no trips remaining to be processed, the process proceeds to step S166.

[0060] In step S166, the travel cost is calculated based on the simulation result. The travel cost may be calculated based on the amount of gasoline consumed (amount of electricity), or, if charging is performed during the simulation, may be calculated based on the amount of charged electricity. In addition, when the charge fee differs for each charging spot, the charge fee may be calculated using the unit price defined in the charging spot data. In addition, when charging at home, the charge fee may be determined based on the electricity contract.

[0061] Returning to FIG. 9, the explanation will be continued. In step S17, based on the data obtained as a result of the simulation, the notification unit 1013 generates and outputs information (user interface screen) to be presented to the user. As a result, a screen such as that shown in Fig. 8 is generated and output. The screen includes an image that shows at least the difference in travel cost and the difference in required time in a format that allows comparison.

[0062] As described above, the in-vehicle device 100 according to the first embodiment executes a simulation of an electric vehicle traveling similarly to the traveling history of the vehicle 10, and outputs the result. This allows the user of the vehicle 10 to know the extent of the difference in traveling cost and required time between a gasoline vehicle and an electric vehicle. Furthermore, such a comparison can be made for any trip, allowing the user of the vehicle 10 to know how the differences in monetary and time costs appear for each trip.

[0063] (Modification of the first embodiment) In the first embodiment, no special consideration is given to refueling of gasoline-powered vehicles. However, if the location and time of refueling can be recorded, stops at gas stations can be omitted in the simulation of the electric vehicle.

[0064] In the first embodiment, a simulation is performed using a specific trip that is specified or selected. However, a comparison may be automatically performed for a plurality of past trips, and the results may be calculated based on the results. In this way, it is possible to allow the user to recognize, for example, in what situations the difference between gasoline vehicles and electric vehicles is most noticeable. In addition, the results of past comparisons may be output in chronological order, which allows the user to recognize how the difference in driving costs changes depending on the season.

[0065] In the first embodiment, the simulation is performed after the vehicle 10 has finished traveling, but the simulation may be performed in real time. For example, the difference between a gasoline vehicle and an electric vehicle when they depart from the same location at the same time may be calculated and displayed in real time.

[0066] In the first embodiment, the on-vehicle device 100 provides information, but the on-vehicle device 100 may transmit vehicle data to a server device, and the server device may perform simulation and provide information. In this case, the server device may transmit a simulation result to a terminal carried by the user of the vehicle 10.

[0067] (Modification) The above-described embodiment is merely an example, and the present disclosure can be modified and implemented as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, the processes and means described in this disclosure can be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0068] Furthermore, a process described as being performed by one device may be shared and executed by multiple devices. Alternatively, a process described as being performed by different devices may be executed by one device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) by which each function is realized can be flexibly changed.

[0069] The present disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program implementing the functions described in the above embodiments to a computer, and having one or more processors of the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer by a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium connectable to the system bus of the computer, or may be provided to the computer via a network. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media include, for example, any type of disk, such as a magnetic disk (floppy disk, hard disk drive (HDD), etc.), an optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD disk, Blu-ray disk, etc.), a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an EPROM, an EEPROM, a magnetic card, a flash memory, an optical card, and any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 100...In-vehicle equipment 101...Control section 102...Storage section 103 Communications Department 104...Input / output section 200···Vehicle platform 201···ECU 202 Sensor group

Claims

1. Obtaining first travel-related data corresponding to a predetermined travel previously performed by a first vehicle having an internal combustion engine; Obtaining second driving-related data predicted when the second vehicle, which is a pure electric vehicle, performs the predetermined driving; and outputting the first traveling-related data and the second traveling-related data in a comparable format; A control unit that executes The first and second travel-related data include a travel time or a travel cost. Information processing device.

2. The control unit generates the second traveling-related data by executing a simulation of a case in which the second vehicle performs the predetermined traveling. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The control unit simulates the running of the second vehicle using a virtual vehicle having predetermined parameters. The information processing device according to claim 2 .

4. The predetermined parameters include at least one of a vehicle type of the virtual vehicle, an initial battery remaining amount, and a charging start condition. The information processing device according to claim 3 .

5. the control unit further executes a simulation regarding charging when a remaining battery charge of the virtual vehicle falls below a predetermined threshold during the simulation. The information processing device according to claim 3 .

6. The control unit further acquires charging spot information, which is information about public charging spots, and performs a simulation regarding the charging based on the charging spot information. The information processing device according to claim 5 .

7. The charging spot information includes information regarding a geographic location, a charging fee, and a charging speed for each charging spot. The information processing device according to claim 6.

8. The predetermined travel is a travel included in the past travel history of the first vehicle. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

9. A first step of acquiring first travel-related data corresponding to a predetermined travel previously performed by a first vehicle having an internal combustion engine; A second step of acquiring second driving-related data predicted when the second vehicle, which is a pure electric vehicle, performs the predetermined driving; a third step of outputting the first traveling-related data and the second traveling-related data in a comparable format; Including, The first and second travel-related data include a travel time or a travel cost. Information processing methods.

10. In the second step, a simulation is performed in which the second vehicle performs the predetermined running. and generating the second traveling-related data by executing the operation. The information processing method according to claim 9.

11. In the second step, a running of the second vehicle is simulated by a virtual vehicle having predetermined parameters. The information processing method according to claim 10.

12. The predetermined parameters include at least one of a vehicle type of the virtual vehicle, an initial battery remaining amount, and a charging start condition. The information processing method according to claim 11.

13. In the second step, when a remaining battery charge of the virtual vehicle falls below a predetermined threshold during the simulation, a simulation regarding charging is further performed. The information processing method according to claim 11.

14. In the second step, charging spot information, which is information about public charging spots, is further acquired, and a simulation regarding the charging is performed based on the charging spot information. The information processing method according to claim 13.

15. A program for causing a computer to execute the information processing method according to any one of claims 9 to 14.

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