Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and tire testing system

Abstract

A vehicle control device (100) according to the present application includes a controller (10) that is input at least one of information related to a tire (7), information related to a road surface of a route (200), and alignment information of a vehicle (1), and controls at least one of a first control value that is a control value of a speed of the vehicle (1) corresponding to a target running speed of the vehicle (1), and a second control value that is a control value of a steering angle of the vehicle (1) corresponding to a target running path of the vehicle (1), using the received information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to vehicle control devices, vehicle control methods, and tire testing systems. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, bench testing methods and vehicle testing methods are known as tire testing methods. Bench testing methods include, for example, a method of contacting the dummy surface of a drum with the tire and measuring the noise emitted by the tire while the drum is rotating (see Patent Document 1). On the other hand, in vehicle testing methods, various tests are performed by actually driving the vehicle along a circular route specifically designed for testing.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-134213 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0007] In recent years, the aforementioned real-vehicle tire tests have involved mounting tires on vehicles equipped with autonomous driving functions and driving the vehicles around a designated test route to obtain test data. During tire testing, if the tires wear in a way that negatively impacts tire performance evaluation, the test cannot be performed correctly, and tasks such as replacing worn tires are required. This reduces the efficiency of tire testing. Therefore, in the aforementioned real-vehicle tests using vehicles equipped with autonomous driving functions, there is a need for vehicle control systems that can reduce the load on the tires and improve the efficiency of tire testing.

[0008] The present invention, made in view of the above problems, aims to provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a tire testing system that can suppress the increase of load on the tire during tire testing and improve the efficiency of tire testing.

[0009] Solution for solving the problem

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle control device is used to control a vehicle equipped with tires and automatically driving on a route. The vehicle control device includes: a controller for being input with at least one of information relating to the tires, information relating to the road surface of the route, and alignment information of the vehicle, and for controlling at least one of a first control value and a second control value based on the input information, wherein the first control value is a control value for the speed of the vehicle corresponding to a target driving speed of the vehicle, and the second control value is a control value for the steering angle of the vehicle corresponding to a target driving path of the vehicle.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle control method is used to control a vehicle equipped with tires and automatically driving on a route. The vehicle control method includes the following steps: receiving input of at least one of information related to the tires, information related to the road surface of the route, and alignment information of the vehicle; and controlling at least one of a first control value and a second control value based on the input information, wherein the first control value is a control value of the vehicle speed corresponding to a target driving speed of the vehicle, and the second control value is a control value of the vehicle steering angle corresponding to a target driving path of the vehicle.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, a tire testing system includes: a vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle equipped with tires and operating autonomously on a route; and an information input device for inputting at least one of information related to the tires, information related to the road surface of the route, and alignment information of the vehicle to the vehicle control device. The vehicle control device includes: a controller for receiving at least one of the information related to the tires, the information related to the road surface of the route, and the alignment information of the vehicle from the information input device, and for controlling at least one of a first control value and a second control value based on the input information, wherein the first control value is a control value for the speed of the vehicle corresponding to a target driving speed of the vehicle, and the second control value is a control value for the steering angle of the vehicle corresponding to a target driving path of the vehicle.

[0013] The effects of the invention

[0014] The present invention provides a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a tire testing system that can suppress the increase of load on the tire during tire testing and improve the efficiency of tire testing. Attached Figure Description

[0015] In the attached diagram:

[0016] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating an example structure of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A plan view of an example route for the vehicle to travel;

[0018] Figure 3 This is an example Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating an example operation of the vehicle control device; and

[0019] Figure 4 Example of obtaining Figure 1An example structure of a tire testing system for testing data of tires mounted on a vehicle is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The following is an illustrative description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same symbols denote the same or equivalent components.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating an example structure of a vehicle 1 equipped with a vehicle control device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle control device 100 according to this embodiment controls the vehicle 1 equipped with tires 7 and an automatic driving function, and causes the vehicle 1 to... Figure 2 The image shows autonomous driving on route 200, used for testing tire 7. Details of route 200 are described below.

[0022] like Figure 1 As shown, vehicle 1 is equipped with an engine 2, a power transmission device 3, a steering device 4, a braking device 5, tires 7, a communication device 8, on-board sensors 9, a controller 10, a first battery 11, and a second battery 12. The controller 10 constitutes a vehicle control device 100. The communication device 8, on-board sensors 9, and controller 10 (vehicle control device 100) constitute an automatic driving processing unit 13 that provides automatic driving functions for vehicle 1. The structure of the automatic driving processing unit 13 is not limited to... Figure 1 The illustrated structure can be used to provide autonomous driving functions for vehicle 1, but can include various structures.

[0023] Engine 2 is the power source that drives vehicle 1. Engine 2 is driven by electricity supplied from the first battery 11. Vehicle 1 may be equipped with a motor to replace engine 2 as a power source. Vehicle 1 may also be equipped with both engine 2 and motor as power sources.

[0024] The power transmission device 3 transmits the power generated by the engine 2 to the tires 7. The power transmission device 3 includes a gearbox, etc.

[0025] The steering mechanism 4 controls the steering angle of the tires 7. The steering mechanism 4 includes a steering wheel, etc.

[0026] Braking device 5 brakes tire 7. Braking device 5 includes brakes, etc.

[0027] The communication device 8 includes a communication module capable of wireless communication. The communication device 8 may include, for example, a communication module compatible with mobile communication standards such as 4G (fourth generation) and 5G (fifth generation). The communication device 8 communicates via a communication interface with a fixed-point sensor 14 located around the route 200 on which the vehicle travels. The fixed-point sensor 14 primarily detects information related to the route 200. This information may include information about conditions on the route 200 (e.g., the presence or absence of objects such as other vehicles or obstacles). The fixed-point sensor 14 may, for example, include a 3D-LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensor that emits electromagnetic waves such as infrared or millimeter waves and detects reflected waves of these electromagnetic waves from surrounding objects, thereby detecting these surrounding objects and their distances in three dimensions. The communication device 8 receives the route-related information detected by the fixed-point sensor 14 and outputs the received route-related information to the controller 10.

[0028] The communication device 8 includes a communication module capable of wired or wireless communication with an external information input device 15. The information input device 15 is, for example, a server device, PC (personal computer), tablet terminal, etc., connected to the vehicle 1 via a network. The information input device 15 is used to input at least one of the following information: information related to the tires 7 mounted on the vehicle 1, information related to the road surface of the route 200 on which the vehicle 1 travels, and alignment information of the vehicle 1. The information related to the tires 7 is, for example, information obtained through a single-wheel test of the tires 7, and is information related to the performance of the tires 7. The information related to the road surface of the route 200 is information related to the condition of the road surface of the route 200, such as road surface roughness, road surface moisture, etc. The alignment information of the vehicle 1 is, for example, information related to the mounting angle of the tires 7 on the vehicle 1. The communication device 8 receives at least one of the information related to the tires 7 mounted on the vehicle 1 and the information related to the road surface of the route 200 on which the vehicle 1 travels from the information input device 15 via the communication module. The communication device 8 outputs the information received from the information input device 15 to the controller 10.

[0029] The vehicle-mounted sensor 9 primarily detects information related to the vehicle 1 on which it is installed. The information detected by the vehicle-mounted sensor 9 may include information related to the state of the vehicle 1, such as its position or speed. The information detected by the vehicle-mounted sensor 9 may also include information related to the conditions surrounding the vehicle 1. The vehicle-mounted sensor 9 can acquire information from various instruments on the vehicle 1 (such as speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, or odometer). The vehicle-mounted sensor 9 may include a GPS sensor that uses a positioning system such as Global Positioning System (GPS) to detect the position of the vehicle 1. The vehicle-mounted sensor 9 may include a speed sensor that uses GPS to detect the speed of the vehicle 1. The vehicle-mounted sensor 9 may include a camera, such as a monochrome or stereo camera, that captures images of the area surrounding the vehicle 1. The vehicle-mounted sensor 9 may include a LiDAR sensor. The vehicle-mounted sensor 9 outputs the detected information related to the vehicle 1 to the controller 10.

[0030] Controller 10 is one or more processors. The processor can be a general-purpose processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a dedicated processor for specific processing. Controller 10 may include one or more dedicated circuits. In controller 10, one or more processors can be replaced by one or more dedicated circuits. For example, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) can be used as the dedicated circuit.

[0031] Controller 10 controls engine 2, power transmission device 3, steering device 4, and braking device 5, and thereby controls the behavior of vehicle 1 in autonomous driving. The level of automation can be, for example, levels 3 to 5 as defined by SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers).

[0032] The controller 10 acquires detection results from all or some of the on-board sensors 9 and the fixed-point sensors 14, and detects the position of the vehicle 1 and obstacles around the vehicle 1 based on the acquired detection results. The controller 10 controls the movement of the vehicle 1 based on the detection results related to the position of the vehicle 1 and obstacles around the vehicle 1.

[0033] The controller 10 controls the behavior of the vehicle 1 based on at least one of the following information output from the communication device 8: information related to the tires 7; information related to the road surface of the route 200; and alignment information of the vehicle 1. The controller 10 can also receive at least one of the following information directly from the information input device 15 without going through the communication device 8: information related to the tires 7; information related to the road surface of the route 200; and alignment information of the vehicle 1. Details of how the controller 10 controls the behavior of the vehicle 1 are described below.

[0034] The first battery 11, serving as the primary power source, is a secondary battery, such as a lead-acid battery or a lithium-ion battery. The first battery 11 supplies electricity to the engine 2 (and / or motor) of the vehicle 1 to drive the engine 2 (and / or motor). For example, when the vehicle 1 is being driven inertially to perform a noise test as described below, the first battery 11 ceases operation. When the first battery 11 ceases operation, the power source of the vehicle 1 stops operating, and the vehicle 1 continues to move inertially in a power-off state (hereinafter referred to as the "ignition off state"). If the second battery 12 is a secondary battery, the first battery 11 can charge the second battery 12.

[0035] The first battery 11 can supply power to various electrical or electronic devices installed in the vehicle 1.

[0036] The second battery 12, serving as a second power source, is a secondary battery, such as a lead-acid battery or a lithium-ion battery. The second battery 12 can also be a primary battery. The second battery 12 supplies power to the autonomous driving processing unit 13. The second battery 12 supplies power to the autonomous driving processing unit 13 in a state where power is supplied from the first battery 11 to the power source and the power source is driven (hereinafter referred to as the "ignition-on state"). Furthermore, the second battery 12 supplies power to the autonomous driving processing unit 13 even in the ignition-off state. The second battery 12's supply of power to the autonomous driving processing unit 13 enables the autonomous driving processing unit 13 to drive the vehicle 1 autonomously both in the ignition-on state and the ignition-off state.

[0037] When testing tire 7, vehicle 1 is typically driven around route 200. Therefore, after performing predetermined measurements with the ignition off, vehicle 1 needs to be switched to the ignition on state. When vehicle 1 switches from the ignition off state to the ignition on state, the second battery 12 supplies power to the first battery 11 to start the first battery 11. When started by the second battery 12, the first battery 11 supplies power to and drives the power source of vehicle 1, thus switching vehicle 1 to the ignition on state.

[0038] As described above, vehicle 1 drives automatically on route 200 using the autonomous driving function. Route 200 is, for example, a route used to test tire 7. Figure 2 This is a plan view of an example of a route 200 in which vehicle 1 travels to test tire 7.

[0039] like Figure 2 As shown, route 200 is a closed loop route, consisting of two straight roads 200a and 200b extending parallel to each other, and semi-circular curves 200c and 200d located at both ends of straight roads 200a and 200b and connecting the ends of the two straight roads 200a and 200b. Vehicle 1 travels along a predetermined direction (in... Figure 2(From the center to the left) drive around route 200 (circular route).

[0040] Route 200 can be divided into several sections. For example, route 200 includes test section 210 starting at position P1 and ending at position P2. Positions P1 and P2 are included in the straight road 200a. Therefore, test section 210 is a straight section. Test section 210 is the section used to perform various measurements related to the test tire 7. One test for tire 7 is, for example, the aforementioned passing noise test. The passing noise test is performed according to the prescribed standards for tire testing (e.g., ECE R117-02, the international standard for tire noise rules). The road surface in test section 210 can be a road surface based on the ISO 10844 standard. As described above, in the passing noise test, vehicle 1 enters an ignition-off state with the power source stopped before test section 210 and travels through test section 210 by inertia, such that the driving noise of vehicle 1 does not include the driving noise of the power source of vehicle 1. Once vehicle 1 has passed through test section 210, vehicle 1 changes from the ignition-off state to the ignition-on state. For example, the fact that vehicle 1 has passed test section 210 can be detected using the location information of vehicle 1. The testing of tire 7 is not limited to passing the noise test, but can be other tests.

[0041] In the case of passing the noise test, microphones are placed on both sides of the road surface in the width direction of the test zone 210, and vehicle 1 travels at a predetermined speed in the center of the road surface of the test zone 210. The microphones located on both sides of the road surface detect the noise level of the vehicle 1 while the vehicle 1 is traveling on the test zone 210, and obtain the noise level as the test data of the tire 7.

[0042] Route 200 also includes adjustment section 220, ramp section 230, and acceleration section 240.

[0043] Adjustment section 220 is the section that begins at position P2 and ends at position P3. Position P3 is the point where straight road 200b and curved road 200d connect. Adjustment section 220 includes the section after test section 210 in straight road 220a, curved road 220c, and straight road 200b. In other words, adjustment section 220 is the section connecting the end point of test section 210 and the start point of the ramp section 230 described below. In adjustment section 220, vehicle 1 is permitted to overtake other vehicles, and other vehicles may be permitted to overtake vehicle 1. In adjustment section 220, the order of vehicles entering test section 210 is adjusted, etc.

[0044] The ramp section 230 is the section that begins at position P3 and ends at position P4. Position P4 is the point where the straight road 200a and the curved road 200d connect. For example, the ramp section 230 is inclined such that the road surface gradually rises from the inner perimeter of the curve to the outer perimeter. That is, the route 200 includes the ramp section 230 with a curved shape, and its road surface slopes from the inner perimeter of the curve to the outer perimeter. Due to this inclination, the vehicle 1 maintains a constant speed (e.g., 60 km / h) in the ramp section 230 by traveling on the outside of the semi-circular corner and using centrifugal force.

[0045] Within the ramp section 230, although vehicle 1's field of vision is limited due to the shape of the ramp section 230, the vehicle needs to maintain a relatively high speed. Therefore, for safety reasons, only one vehicle can travel on the ramp section 230 at a time. Thus, while one vehicle is traveling on the ramp section 230, other vehicles can be controlled to wait to enter the ramp section 230 by slowing down and stopping in the adjustment section 220 preceding the ramp section 230.

[0046] Acceleration zone 240 is the zone that begins at position P4 and ends at position P1. In other words, acceleration zone 240 is the zone that connects to the starting point (position P1) of test zone 210. The distance of acceleration zone 240 is determined based on the speed required to test tire 7 in test zone 210, the type of tire 7 installed on vehicle 1, the load on vehicle 1, and the acceleration performance of vehicle 1. In acceleration zone 240, controller 10 causes vehicle 1 to accelerate, for example, at a predetermined acceleration rate to the speed required to enter test zone 210.

[0047] Next, the following describes the behavior control of vehicle 1 by controller 10.

[0048] The controller 10 detects the speed and position of the vehicle 1 based on the detection results of the on-board sensor 9 and the fixed-point sensor 14. The controller 10 controls the behavior of the vehicle 1 so that the detected speed and position of the vehicle 1 follow the driving scenario that defines the speed and path of the vehicle 1 when the test tire 7 is in use.

[0049] Specifically, the controller 10 calculates control values ​​(first control values) for controlling the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 1, and controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 1 according to the calculated first control values, so that the speed of the vehicle 1 follows the target driving speed of the vehicle 1 specified in the driving scenario. In other words, the controller 10 generates a first control value (which is a control value for the speed of the vehicle 1 corresponding to the target driving speed of the vehicle 1), and controls the speed of the vehicle 1 based on the generated first control value.

[0050] The controller 10 calculates a control value (second control value) for the steering angle of vehicle 1, and controls the steering angle of vehicle 1 based on the calculated second control value, so that the driving path (position) of vehicle 1 follows the target driving path of vehicle 1 defined in the driving scenario. In other words, the controller 10 generates a second control value (which is a control value for the steering angle of vehicle 1 corresponding to the target driving path of vehicle 1), and controls the steering angle of vehicle 1 based on the generated second control value.

[0051] In this embodiment, the controller 10 receives at least one of the following inputs from the information input device 15: information related to the tire 7, information related to the road surface of the route 200, and alignment information of the vehicle 1, and controls at least one of a first control value and a second control value based on the information input from the information input device 15. In this way, the driving of the vehicle 1 can be controlled according to the performance of the tire 7, the condition of the road surface of the route 200, and the alignment information of the vehicle 1, thereby suppressing the increase of load on the tire 7 during tire testing. As a result, this reduces the time and effort required to replace the tire 7 due to wear and improves the efficiency of tire testing.

[0052] The operation of controller 10 will be illustrated with specific examples below.

[0053] The controller 10 controls a first control value, for example, based on information related to the tire 7 input from the information input device 15, such that the speed of the vehicle 1 does not exceed the target driving speed of the vehicle 1. The following describes an example of using the rolling resistance coefficient (RRC) value of the tire 7 as information related to the tire 7 and using the acceleration of the vehicle 1 as the first control value for control.

[0054] The rolling resistance (RC) value is the ratio of rolling resistance (energy lost by tire 7 during driving) to the weight of tire 7. The smaller the RRC value, the easier it is for tire 7 to roll in the direction of travel of vehicle 1, and the more responsive it is to acceleration of vehicle 1. Therefore, when accelerating vehicle 1 with the same initial control value for both tire 7 with a small RRC value and tire 7 with a large RRC value, the speed of vehicle 1 may increase too much and exceed the target speed when the RRC value of tire 7 is small. When the speed of vehicle 1 exceeds the target speed, some control is needed to reduce the speed of vehicle 1. This large change in the speed of vehicle 1 relative to the target speed, and the repeated control of increasing and decreasing the speed of vehicle 1, will increase the load on tire 7.

[0055] Therefore, controller 10 controls the first control value so that the speed of vehicle 1 does not exceed the target speed of vehicle 1. For example, when accelerating vehicle 1 from speed A to speed B, controller 10 reduces the acceleration of vehicle 1 with an RRC value less than a predetermined threshold compared to the acceleration of vehicle 1 with an RRC value equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold. In this way, with a small RRC value, the speed of vehicle 1 is less likely to increase too much and exceed the target speed. As a result, fluctuations in vehicle 1 relative to the target speed can be suppressed, and the increase in load on tire 7 can also be suppressed.

[0056] The controller 10 controls a second control value, for example, based on information related to the tire 7 input from the information input device 15, such that the steering angle of the vehicle 1 does not exceed the steering angle corresponding to the target driving path of the vehicle 1. The following describes an example of using the cornering power (CP) as information related to the tire 7 and controlling the steering angle of the vehicle 1 as the second control value.

[0057] CP is a value indicating the ratio of the steering angle to the lateral force generated during steering. A larger CP results in a higher steering response. Therefore, when steering vehicle 1 based on the same second control value for both tires 7 with small and large CP, the amount of movement of vehicle 1 becomes excessive when the CP of tire 7 is small, exceeding the amount of movement corresponding to the vehicle's target travel path (the amount of movement that can follow the target travel path), and this may cause vehicle 1 to move too much. When the amount of movement of vehicle 1 exceeds the steering angle corresponding to the vehicle's target travel path, some control needs to be applied to steer vehicle 1 in the opposite direction. This large change in the steering angle of vehicle 1 relative to the steering angle corresponding to the vehicle's target travel path, along with the repetitive steering control of vehicle 1, results in a large load on tire 7.

[0058] Therefore, in this embodiment, the controller 10 controls the second control value such that the steering angle of vehicle 1 does not exceed the steering angle corresponding to the target driving path of vehicle 1. For example, when vehicle 1 is traveling along the same driving path, the controller 10 reduces the amount of movement of vehicle 1 when CP is greater than a predetermined threshold compared to the amount of movement of vehicle 1 when CP is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold. In this way, when CP is large, the steering angle of vehicle 1 is less likely to become too large and cause the vehicle to deviate from the target driving path. As a result, the change in the steering angle of vehicle 1 relative to the steering angle corresponding to the target driving path of the vehicle can be controlled, and the increase in load on tire 7 can also be suppressed.

[0059] To control the speed of vehicle 1 as described above, in addition to the RRC value, the following information related to tire 7 can be used: uniformity, outer diameter, tanδ, and WGI; and the following information related to the road surface of route 200 can be used: road surface roughness, gradient in the direction of travel, and water depth. These, along with the RRC value, are information related to the performance of tire 7 in the direction of travel of vehicle 1, and the speed of vehicle 1 can be controlled by controlling this information in the same manner as described using the RRC value. Furthermore, to control the steering angle of vehicle 1 as described above, in addition to the CP, the following information related to tire 7 can be used: tire width and vertical spring drag coefficient; the following information related to the road surface of route 200 can be used: road surface roughness, lateral gradient, and water depth; and information such as alignment can be used as information related to vehicle 1. These, along with the CP, are information related to the performance of tire 7 in the direction intersecting with the direction of travel of vehicle 1, and the steering angle of vehicle 1 can be controlled by controlling this information in the same manner as described using the CP. That is, the information related to tire 7 may include at least one of tire width and vertical spring drag coefficient. Information relating to the road surface of route 200 may include at least one of road surface roughness, lateral slope, and water depth. Using this information, vehicle 1 can be controlled based on a clearer understanding of the performance of tire 7 and the conditions of the road surface on route 200, thereby suppressing the increase of load on the tires during tire testing and improving the efficiency of tire testing.

[0060] As described above, vehicle 1 travels at a constant speed within the inclined plane section 230. Therefore, controller 10 maintains the target speed of vehicle 1 constant within the inclined plane section 230. In this way, by keeping the speed of the vehicle constant within the inclined plane section 230, the load on the tires 7 can be kept constant.

[0061] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating an example operation of the vehicle control device 100 and illustrating the vehicle control method in the vehicle control device 100.

[0062] The controller 10 receives input of at least one of the following: information related to the tire 7, information related to the road surface of the route 200, and alignment information of the vehicle 1 (step S101). Specifically, the controller 10 receives the information related to the tire 7, the information related to the road surface of the route 200, and the alignment information of the vehicle 1 from the information input device 15, for example, via the communication device 8. This information can be directly input to the controller 10 from the information input device 15.

[0063] Next, the controller 10 controls at least one of the following based on the input information: a control value for the speed of vehicle 1 corresponding to the target driving speed of vehicle 1 (first control value) and a control value for the steering angle of vehicle 1 corresponding to the target driving path of vehicle 1 (second control value) (step S102). For example, the controller 10 controls the first control value based on the input information related to tire 7 (e.g., RRC value) so that the speed of vehicle 1 does not exceed the target driving speed of vehicle 1. Furthermore, the controller 10 controls the second control value based on the input information related to tire 7 (e.g., WGI (Wet Grip Index)) so that the steering angle of vehicle 1 does not exceed the steering angle corresponding to the target driving path of vehicle 1.

[0064] In this way, the driving of vehicle 1 can be controlled based on the performance of tire 7, the road conditions of route 200, and the alignment information of vehicle 1, thereby suppressing the increase of load on tire 7 during tire testing. As a result, this reduces the time and effort required to replace tire 7 due to wear and improves the efficiency of tire testing.

[0065] Figure 4 An example structure of a tire testing system 300 is shown, which obtains test data of tires 7 mounted on a vehicle 1 traveling on route 200.

[0066] Figure 4 The illustrated tire testing system 300 is equipped with a server device 30 and a measuring device 31. The server device 30 is an example of the information input device 15.

[0067] The server device 30 is input with at least one of the following: information related to the tires 7 mounted on the vehicle 1, information related to the road surface of the route 200 traveled by the vehicle 1, and alignment information of the vehicle 1. This information is pre-measured and input into the server device 30 before the tires 7 are tested. The server device 30 is equipped with a communication interface for communicating with the communication device 8 installed in the vehicle 1. The server device 30 sends at least one of the following input information to the vehicle 1 (vehicle control device 100) via the communication interface: information related to the tires 7 mounted on the vehicle 1, information related to the road surface of the route 200 traveled by the vehicle 1, and alignment information of the vehicle 1. In other words, the server device 30, as an information input device 15, inputs at least one of the following information to the vehicle control device 100: information related to the tires 7, information related to the road surface of the route 200, and alignment information of the vehicle 1. The number of vehicles 1 (vehicle control devices 100) communicating with the server device 30 can be one, two, or more than two.

[0068] The measuring device 31 acquires test data of the tires 7 mounted on the vehicle 1 traveling on route 200. In the case of a noise test, the measuring device 31 is, for example, a microphone. In this case, the measuring device 31 is mounted at both ends of the road surface in the width direction of the test section 210 to measure the driving noise of the vehicle 1. The measuring device 31 can output the acquired test data to the server device 30.

[0069] Therefore, the vehicle control device 100 of this embodiment includes a controller 10, which is input with at least one of information related to the tire 7, information related to the road surface of the route 200, and alignment information of the vehicle 1, and controls at least one of a first control value (which is a control value of the speed of the vehicle 1 corresponding to the target driving speed of the vehicle 1) and a second control value (which is a control value of the steering angle of the vehicle 1 corresponding to the target driving path of the vehicle) based on the input information.

[0070] Furthermore, the method for controlling a vehicle in this embodiment includes the following steps: receiving input of at least one of the following information: information related to the tire 7, information related to the road surface of the route 200, and alignment information of the vehicle 1, and controlling at least one of a first control value (which is a control value of the speed of the vehicle 1 corresponding to the target driving speed of the vehicle 1) and a second control value (which is a control value of the steering angle of the vehicle 1 corresponding to the target driving path of the vehicle 1) based on the input information.

[0071] The tire testing system 300 of this embodiment includes: a vehicle control device 100 for controlling a vehicle 1 equipped with tires 7 and operating autonomously on a route 200; and an information input device 15 for inputting at least one of the following: information related to the tires 7, information related to the road surface of the route 200, and alignment information of the vehicle 1 to the vehicle control device 100. At least one of the following information is input from the information input device 15 to the vehicle control device 100: information related to the tires 7, information related to the road surface of the route 200, and alignment information of the vehicle 1. Based on the input information, the vehicle control device 100 controls at least one of a first control value (which is a control value for the speed of the vehicle 1 corresponding to a target driving speed of the vehicle 1) and a second control value (which is a control value for the steering angle of the vehicle 1 corresponding to a target driving path of the vehicle 1).

[0072] Therefore, the driving of vehicle 1 can be controlled based on the performance of tire 7, the road conditions of route 200, and the alignment information of vehicle 1, thereby suppressing the increase of load on tire 7 during tire testing. As a result, this reduces the time and effort required to replace tire 7 due to wear and improves the efficiency of tire testing.

[0073] The vehicle control device 100, vehicle control method, and tire testing system 300 of the present invention are not limited to the specific structures illustrated in the above embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0074] Industrial availability

[0075] 1: Vehicle

[0076] 2: Engine (Power Source)

[0077] 3: Power transmission device

[0078] 4: Steering system

[0079] 5: Braking device

[0080] 7: Tires

[0081] 8: Communication device

[0082] 9: Vehicle-mounted sensors

[0083] 10: Controller

[0084] 11: First Battery (First Power Source)

[0085] 12: Second battery (second power source)

[0086] 13: Automated driving processing unit

[0087] 14: Fixed-point sensor

[0088] 15: Information input device

[0089] 30: Server device (information input device)

[0090] 31: Measuring device

[0091] 100: Vehicle control device

[0092] 200: Route

[0093] 200a, 200b: Straight road

[0094] 200c, 200d: Curved roads

[0095] 210: Test interval

[0096] 220: Adjustment Range

[0097] 230: Inclined section

[0098] 240: Acceleration Zone

[0099] 300: Tire Testing System

Claims

1. A vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle equipped with tires and operating autonomously on a route, the vehicle control device comprising: The controller is used to receive the rolling resistance coefficient (RRC) value of the tire as input, and to control the acceleration of the vehicle based on the RRC value. The controller reduces the acceleration of the vehicle when the RRC value is less than a predetermined threshold compared to the acceleration of the vehicle when the RRC value is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, The controller controls the acceleration of the vehicle so that the vehicle's speed does not exceed the vehicle's target driving speed.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The route includes sloping sections with curved shapes, and the road surface of the sloping sections slopes from the inner perimeter of the curve to the outer perimeter. The controller keeps the target speed of the vehicle constant throughout the slope section.

4. A vehicle control method for controlling a vehicle equipped with tires and operating autonomously on a route, the vehicle control method comprising: Accepts the input of the rolling resistance coefficient value, i.e., the RRC value, of the tire; The vehicle's acceleration is controlled based on the RRC value; as well as The acceleration of a vehicle whose RRC value is less than a predetermined threshold is reduced compared to the acceleration of a vehicle whose RRC value is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold.

5. A tire testing system, comprising: Vehicle control unit for controlling a vehicle equipped with tires and that drives automatically on a route; And an information input device for inputting the rolling resistance coefficient (RRC) value of the tire into the vehicle control device. The vehicle control device includes: A controller is configured to receive the RRC value from the information input device and control the vehicle's acceleration based on the RRC value. The controller reduces the acceleration of the vehicle when the RRC value is less than a predetermined threshold compared to the acceleration of the vehicle when the RRC value is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold.

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