Software update management device and software update management method

Abstract

The invention provides a software update management apparatus and a software update management method. The purpose of the present invention is to improve security by updating software relating to monitoring of a vehicle while ensuring criminal prevention of the vehicle. The software update management device is provided with a function for updating software installed in a vehicle control unit of a vehicle, the vehicle having a travel motor and a battery as drive sources, the travel motor and the battery being connected to the vehicle control unit, and the travel motor and the battery being connected to the vehicle control unit. When the vehicle is in a stopped state or the first state and the battery is being charged, the vehicle is prohibited from being switched to the second state, and when the vehicle is in the stopped state or the first state and the battery is being charged, the vehicle is stopped from being switched to the first state. Software of the vehicle control unit is updated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a software update management device and a software update management method. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, research and development efforts to improve traffic safety, which contributes to energy efficiency, have been underway to ensure that more people have access to appropriate, reliable, sustainable, and advanced energy. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that allows reprogramming while ensuring the security of a vehicle. The system in Patent Document 1 aborts the reprogramming of the security-related ECUs that control vehicle safety functions if the user is not traveling with the vehicle.

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-082648 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, the program cannot be rewritten unless the user is traveling with the vehicle, which makes it difficult to ensure an opportunity to update the software.

[0008] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present application aims to ensure the anti-crime property of the vehicle while updating the software related to vehicle monitoring to improve safety. Moreover, it further improves traffic safety and contributes to the development of sustainable transportation systems.

[0009] Means for solving problems

[0010] One embodiment of the present disclosure is a software update management device having the following functions: taking a vehicle as an object, updating the software of a vehicle control unit mounted on the vehicle, wherein the vehicle is equipped with a driving motor and a battery as a driving source, and transitions between states including a first state in which the driving motor cannot work and a second state in which the driving motor can work, and when the vehicle is in the first state and the battery is being charged, prohibiting the vehicle from transitioning to the second state and updating the software of the vehicle control unit.

[0011] Another embodiment of the present disclosure is a software update management method, in which a computer that manages vehicle software performs the following processing, wherein the vehicle is equipped with a driving motor and a battery as a driving source, and transitions between states including a first state in which the driving motor cannot work and a second state in which the driving motor can work. When the vehicle is in the first state and the battery is being charged, the vehicle is prohibited from transitioning to the second state, and the software of the vehicle control unit mounted on the vehicle is updated.

[0012] Effects of the Invention

[0013] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle cannot be driven while software is being updated, so the software can be updated while ensuring the security of the vehicle, thereby further improving safety. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing a configuration example of a software updating system.

[0015] Figure 2 It is a diagram showing the structure of a vehicle.

[0016] Figure 3 This is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the management ECU.

[0017] Description of Reference Numerals

[0018] 1…Vehicle, 2…Server, 3…Software Update System, 10…Management ECU, 11…Monitoring Device (Monitoring Equipment), 13…Equipment ECU (Vehicle Control Unit), 21…TCU, 22…Display, 23…Touch Sensor, 27…External Sensor, 28…Camera, 29…Alarm Output Unit, 30…Driving Battery (Battery), 31…Charging Device, 40…Motor Drive Unit, 41…Motor Control Unit, 42…Driving Motor, 50…Shifting Device, 51…Shifting Control Unit, 52… 2…shift operating unit, 53…transmission, 60…parking brake device, 61…parking brake control unit, 62…parking brake operating unit, 63…parking brake drive unit, 110…processor, 111…program management unit, 120…memory, 121…control program, 122…device information, 123…alternative device information, 130…processor, 131…alarm control unit, 135…memory, 136…control program, 137…setting data, D1…update data, NW…communication network. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] [1. Structure of the software update system]

[0021] Figure 1 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a software update system 3 related to the update of the software of the vehicle 1. The software update system 3 includes a server 2 that provides a device ECU 13 ( Figure 2 ) is executed by a server 2, which is communicatively connected to the vehicle 1 via a communication network NW. The vehicle 1 downloads software from the server 2 to update the software in the device ECU 13. Specifically, the software update system 3 is capable of updating the vehicle 1's software via OTA (On The Air) downloading.

[0022] The vehicle 1 may be any of a four-wheeled vehicle, a two-wheeled vehicle, or other vehicles, and may be a large vehicle, a commercial vehicle, a work vehicle, etc. As an example, the present embodiment will be described assuming a four-wheeled vehicle.

[0023] In the following description, software includes programs executed by a processor and data referenced, generated, updated, deleted, etc. in association with the programs, including firmware. Updating software refers to the process of replacing software executed by a processor with a newer version of the software. This can be done by appending, deleting, or overwriting the software. Software updates also include deleting part or all of the software executed by the processor, installing new software, and deleting, appending, or overwriting data used during the execution of the software.

[0024] The server 2 is a computer connected to the communication network NW via a wired communication line or a wireless communication line and communicably connected to the vehicle 1 .

[0025] Vehicle 1 is connected to a communication network NW by wireless communication, for example, via a cellular communication base station B. The specific form of communication network NW is not limited. For example, communication network NW may include a cellular communication network, the Internet, a WAN (Wide Area Network), a LAN (Local Area Network), a public line network, a provider device, a dedicated line, a base station, and the like.

[0026] The data used to update the software of vehicle 1 is referred to as update data D1. Update data D1 includes at least one of a program and data, such as a new version of a program, additional data, data specifying programs or data to be deleted, and data related to devices to be updated. Furthermore, the process of distributing update data D1 to vehicle 1 is referred to as distribution processing. Updating the software of vehicle 1 includes both distribution processing and update processing, which updates the software of vehicle 1 based on the update data D1 distributed to vehicle 1 by the distribution processing.

[0027] [2. Vehicle structure]

[0028] The vehicle 1 includes a plurality of devices for realizing the functions of the vehicle 1 and a vehicle control unit for controlling these devices. Figure 2 The middle figure shows a monitoring device 11, a driving battery 30, a motor drive unit 40, a shift device 50, and a parking brake device 60. Vehicle 1 may also include an internal combustion engine serving as a driving source for vehicle 1, and a device for locking and unlocking the doors of vehicle 1. Vehicle 1 may also include an ICB (Infotainment Control Box), an MPU (Map Positioning Unit), an MVC (Multi View Camera), a PKS (Parking Support System), and an ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System). Vehicle 1 may also include controls such as an accelerator pedal and brake pedal, and a VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) device.

[0029] Vehicle 1 can be either an electric vehicle equipped with a motor powered by electricity as a driving source or a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine can function as a power source for driving vehicle 1 or as a power generation device for driving a generator. Vehicle 1 in this embodiment includes at least a driving battery 30 and a driving motor 42 powered by the driving battery 30, and travels using the driving motor 42 as a driving source.

[0030] In this embodiment, the operating state of the vehicle 1 can transition between three states: ignition on (IG_ON), ​​ignition off (IG_OFF), and stopped. The ignition on state refers to the state in which the driving motor 42, which serves as the driving source of the vehicle 1, is operating. The operating state of the driving motor 42 is not limited to the state in which the driving motor 42 is rotating. It also includes the state in which power can be supplied to the driving motor 42 from an inverter circuit, for example, or the state in which the driving motor 42 can rotate rapidly in response to an operation such as the driver's accelerator pedal. For example, the ignition on state can also be described as the state in which the inverter circuit is activated. The state in which the driving motor 42 is not rotating during the ignition on state is referred to as ignition ready (IG_Ready). The ignition ready state is equivalent to the ignition on state except that the driving motor 42 is not actually rotating, and can therefore be referred to as a state identical to the ignition on state. If the vehicle 1 is equipped with an internal combustion engine, the ignition on state includes the state in which the internal combustion engine is rotating and the state in which the internal combustion engine can be started rapidly. The ignition off state is the state in which the driving motor 42 is not operating and is an example of the first state disclosed herein. The ignition-on state and the ignition-ready state are states in which the travel motor 42 is operable, and are examples of the second state in the present disclosure.

[0031] The ignition-off state is a state in which the travel motor 42 and internal combustion engine, which serve as the driving sources of vehicle 1, are not operating, and power is supplied to at least a portion of vehicle 1's control devices, including the device ECU 13, enabling these control devices to operate. The stop state is a state in which power is supplied to the minimum control devices required to shift vehicle 1 to the ignition-off state, while power supply to other control devices and the driving sources of vehicle 1 is stopped. Monitoring device 11 may operate at least in the stop state and in the ignition-off state.

[0032] The monitoring device 11 includes an electronic control unit (ECU) 13 that functions as a vehicle control unit. The electronic control unit (ECU) 13 controls the monitoring device 11 by executing a program. The monitoring device 11 is an example of a monitoring device.

[0033] The equipment ECU 13 includes a processor 130 and a memory 135. Memory 135 is a nonvolatile storage device composed of a magnetic storage medium or a semiconductor memory element. It stores a control program 136 executed by the processor 130 and data referenced, generated, or processed during the execution of the control program 136. For example, memory 135 stores setting data 137. The equipment ECU 13 is an example of a vehicle control unit.

[0034] The processor 130 functions as the alarm control unit 131 by executing the control program 136. The alarm control unit 131, triggered by the vehicle 1 shifting to a stopped state, initiates detection using at least one of the exterior sensor 27 and the camera 28. While performing the detection, the alarm control unit 131 analyzes the detection results of the exterior sensor 27 and the images captured by the camera 28. The alarm control unit 131 compares the analysis results with the setting data 137 to detect suspicious movements relative to the vehicle 1 and vibrations of the vehicle 1. Upon detecting suspicious movements relative to the vehicle 1 or vibrations of the vehicle 1, the alarm control unit 131 issues a notification to the alarm output unit 29 and stores the images captured by the camera 28 in the memory 135.

[0035] The vehicle 1 includes a management ECU 10. The management ECU 10 manages the update of the software of the vehicle control unit included in the vehicle 1. Figure 2 In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the management ECU 10 manages updates of programs executed by the device ECU 13 and data processed during the execution of the programs. The management ECU 10 is an example of a software update management device.

[0036] The management ECU 10 is connected to a TCU (Telematics Control Unit) 21, a display 22, and a touch sensor 23. The management ECU 10 may also be connected to a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) for determining the position of the vehicle 1.

[0037] The TCU 21 is a communication device that complies with the communication standard of the mobile communication system and communicates with devices outside the vehicle 1. The TCU 21 includes, for example, an antenna, a transmitter, and a receiver, and performs communication under the control of the management ECU 10.

[0038] The display 22 includes a liquid crystal display panel and an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) panel, and displays text and images. The display 22 is installed, for example, on the instrument panel of the vehicle 1. The touch sensor 23 is superimposed on the display screen of the display 22 and detects touch operations by the driver and passengers in the vehicle 1.

[0039] The management ECU 10 includes a processor 110 and a memory 120. The memory 120 is a nonvolatile storage device composed of a magnetic storage medium and a semiconductor memory element, and stores a control program 121 executed by the processor 110. The memory 120 also stores device information 122 and alternative device information 123. The device information 122 includes information related to the devices included in the vehicle 1 and the vehicle control units that control these devices. For example, the device information 122 includes information on the program and data related to the operation of each vehicle control unit, including the version, last update date, and size.

[0040] The processor 110 functions as a program management unit 111 by executing the control program 121. The program management unit 111 manages updates to the programs executed by the device ECU 13 and the data processed by the device ECU 13. Based on the device information 122, the program management unit 111 inquires with the server 2 whether the software of the device ECU 13 needs to be updated. If the server 2 can provide a control program 136 and / or setting data 137 that is newer than the control program 136 and setting data 137 installed in the device ECU 13, the program management unit 111 determines that the software of the device ECU 13 needs to be updated. In this case, the program management unit 111 downloads update data D1 for updating the control program 136 and / or setting data 137 from the server 2. The program management unit 111 uses the downloaded update data D1 to update the control program 136 and / or setting data 137.

[0041] The driving battery 30 is a secondary battery that supplies electric power to the driving motor 42. A charging device 31 is connected to the driving battery 30. The charging device 31 charges the driving battery 30 with electric power supplied from outside the vehicle 1.

[0042] The motor drive unit 40 includes a driving motor 42 that drives the vehicle 1 and a motor control unit 41 that controls the driving motor 42. A drive circuit (not shown) is connected to the driving motor 42 and supplies driving current to the driving motor 42 using power from the driving battery 30. The motor control unit 41 is, for example, an ECU, and controls the drive circuit of the driving motor 42 in response to operation of an accelerator pedal, switch, or the like (not shown), thereby rotating the driving motor 42.

[0043] The shift device 50 includes a shift control unit 51, a shift operation unit 52, and a transmission 53. The transmission 53 includes a speed reducer, a clutch, a torque converter, and other power transmission mechanisms. The vehicle 1 is driven by the driving force of the driving motor 42, and the driving state of the vehicle 1 is switched under the control of the shift control unit 51. The driving state of the vehicle 1 includes, for example, forward, reverse, and parked. The transmission 53 has gears corresponding to the driving state of the vehicle 1. The transmission 53 of this embodiment can switch between the "D" gear for driving the vehicle 1 forward, the "R" gear for driving the vehicle 1 reverse, the "P" gear for maintaining the vehicle 1 in a parked state, and the "N" gear for separating the driving source of the vehicle 1 from the wheels of the vehicle 1. The "D" and "R" gears of the transmission 53 are examples of the driving states of the present disclosure, and the "P" gear is an example of the parking state.

[0044] The shift control unit 51, for example, is an ECU. It controls the transmission 53 based on the operation of the shift operating unit 52, thereby switching the gear position of the transmission 53. The shift operating unit 52 is located in the cabin of the vehicle 1 and is operated by the driver of the vehicle 1. The shift operating unit 52 has shift positions for specifying, for example, the "D" range, the "R" range, the "P" range, and the "N" range of the transmission 53. The shift control unit 51 switches the gear position of the transmission 53 according to the shift position specified by the shift operating unit 52.

[0045] The parking brake device 60 is a braking device that holds the vehicle 1 in place while the vehicle 1 is parked, preventing it from moving due to external forces. The parking brake device 60 includes a parking brake control unit 61, a parking brake operating unit 62, and a parking brake driver 63. The parking brake driver 63 is, for example, a braking mechanism that prevents the rotation of the wheels of the vehicle 1 or a drive shaft that drives the wheels of the vehicle 1.

[0046] The parking brake operating unit 62 is located within the cabin of the vehicle 1 and is operated by the driver of the vehicle 1. The parking brake operating unit 62 includes, for example, a switch that switches the braking of the parking brake driver 63 between on and off. The parking brake control unit 61, for example, an ECU, switches the rotational restraint of the parking brake driver 63 between on and off in response to the operation of the parking brake operating unit 62. When the parking brake driver 63 is on, the parking brake device 60 is in the braking state.

[0047] The program management unit 111 updates the software of the equipment ECU 13 using the update data D1. During the update of the equipment ECU 13 software, the functions of the monitoring device 11 cannot be executed, so the security of the vehicle 1 must be ensured. Therefore, the program management unit 111 updates the software of the equipment ECU 13 while reliably disabling the vehicle 1 from driving. Specifically, the program management unit 111 updates the software of the equipment ECU 13 while the driving battery 30 is charging. Typically, vehicles that run on battery power have specifications that restrict the driving motor and the transition to the ignition-on and ignition-ready states while the battery is charging. To further ensure that the vehicle 1 cannot drive, the program management unit 111 prohibits the vehicle 1 from transitioning to the ignition-on and ignition-ready states while the software of the equipment ECU 13 is being updated. Furthermore, while updating the software of the equipment ECU 13, the program management unit 111 prohibits the vehicle 1 from disabling the parking brake 60 and from switching the shifter 50 from the "P" position to other gears. As a result, the vehicle 1 cannot be driven while the software of the device ECU 13 is being updated, and the risk of the vehicle 1 being taken away can be significantly reduced, thereby maintaining crime prevention.

[0048] [3. Management ECU Operation]

[0049] Figure 3 : is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the management ECU 10 . Figure 3 The action is equivalent to an example of a software update management method. Figure 3 Steps S1 to S18 are executed by the program management unit 111.

[0050] When the management ECU 10 confirms that the software of the device ECU 13 is in a state that can be updated by communicating with the server 2 (step S11), the management ECU 10 starts to perform Figure 3 In step S11, the management ECU 10 checks, for example, based on the device information 122, whether the device ECU 13 of the vehicle 1 is a target for software update.

[0051] The management ECU 10 detects the operating status of the charging device 31 to determine whether the driving battery 30 is being charged (step S12). If the driving battery 30 is not being charged (step S12: No), the management ECU 10 repeats the process of step S12 at a predetermined interval. During this period, the management ECU 10 may also download the update data D1.

[0052] If the driving battery 30 is charging (step S12: Yes), the management ECU 10 prohibits the vehicle 1 from transitioning to the ignition-ready state and the ignition-on state (step S13). The management ECU 10 notifies, for example, an ECU (not shown) that controls the operation of the vehicle 1 that the vehicle 1 is prohibited from transitioning to the ignition-ready state and the ignition-on state. The management ECU 10 then begins updating the software of the device ECU 13 (step S14).

[0053] The management ECU 10 determines whether the software update of the device ECU 13 is complete (step S15). If the update is not complete (step S15: No), the management ECU 10 determines whether the charging of the driving battery 30 is complete (step S16). If the charging of the driving battery 30 is not complete (step S16: No), the management ECU 10 returns to step S15.

[0054] When charging of the driving battery 30 is complete (step S16: YES), the management ECU 10 outputs control data to the parking brake control unit 61 to prohibit release of the parking brake 60 (step S17). While the vehicle 1 is charging, the parking brake 60 is inhibited from being engaged to prevent the vehicle 1 from moving. If the management ECU 10 prohibits disengagement of the parking brake 60, even if the parking brake operating unit 62 is used to disengage the parking brake driver 63, the parking brake driver 63 remains engaged, and braking of the vehicle 1 continues.

[0055] Next, the management ECU 10 prohibits changing the shift position of the shifter 50 to any position other than the "P" position, maintains the shifter 50 in the "P" position (step S18), and returns to step S15. Thus, the transmission 53 remains in the "P" position, and the vehicle 1 remains parked.

[0056] On the other hand, if the software update of the device ECU 13 is completed (step S15: YES), the management ECU 10 ends the state of prohibiting the release of the parking brake 60 (step S19). If the release of the parking brake 60 is not prohibited, the management ECU 10 skips step S19.

[0057] Next, the management ECU 10 cancels the state in which the shift position of the shift device 50 is maintained at the "P" range (step S20). If the shift device 50 is not maintaining the "P" range, the management ECU 10 skips step S20.

[0058] Through the operations of steps S19 to S20 , the vehicle 1 can travel according to the driver's operation after the software of the device ECU 13 is updated.

[0059] [4. Other Implementation Methods]

[0060] The above-described embodiment is merely one embodiment of the present invention, and can be arbitrarily modified and applied without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0061] Figure 2 The structure of the vehicle 1 shown is an example, and the vehicle 1 may also include Figure 2 In addition, in the absence of Figure 2 The present disclosure is also applicable to the vehicle 1 which is a part of the device shown.

[0062] In the above embodiment, the management ECU 10 having the program management unit 111 is described as being provided separately from the ECU that controls and monitors the device 11. However, this is merely an example. The specific configuration of the functional unit corresponding to the management ECU 10 can be modified as appropriate. For example, any ECU included in the vehicle 1 may also have the functions of the program management unit 111 of the management ECU 10. Furthermore, the management ECU 10 may also have the same functions as an ECU.

[0063] Figure 2 The schematic diagrams are provided to illustrate the structure of the vehicle 1 for easy understanding of the present invention. The application of the present invention is not limited to the structures shown in these diagrams. In addition, the processing of each component can be performed by one hardware unit or by multiple hardware units. Figure 3 The processing shown may be executed by one program or by a plurality of programs.

[0064] [5. Structures Supported by the Above-mentioned Embodiments]

[0065] The above-mentioned embodiment supports the following structure.

[0066] (Structure 1) A software update management device having the following functions: taking a vehicle as an object, updating the software of a vehicle control unit installed in the vehicle, wherein the vehicle is equipped with a driving motor and a battery as a driving source, and transitions between states including a first state in which the driving motor cannot work and a second state in which the driving motor can work, and when the vehicle is in the first state and the battery is being charged, prohibiting the vehicle from transitioning to the second state and updating the software of the vehicle control unit.

[0067] According to the software update management method of configuration 1, the vehicle can be kept in an immobilized state during the software update, so the software can be updated while ensuring the security of the vehicle, thereby achieving further improvement in safety.

[0068] (Structure 2) The software update management device according to Structure 1, wherein the vehicle control unit is a device that controls a monitoring device that monitors the vehicle, and the function of the monitoring device is stopped while the software of the vehicle control unit is being updated.

[0069] According to the software update management device of the second configuration, the vehicle is kept in an immobilized state while the software of the monitoring device of the vehicle is being updated, thereby ensuring the anti-crime property of the vehicle.

[0070] (Structure 3) The software update management device according to Structure 1 or Structure 2, wherein the vehicle is allowed to transition to the second state after the update of the software of the vehicle control unit is completed.

[0071] According to the software update management device of Configuration 3, the vehicle can be restored to a drivable state after the software update is completed, thereby improving the convenience of the vehicle.

[0072] (Structure 4) A software update management device according to any one of Structures 1 to 3, wherein, when charging of the battery is completed during updating of the software of the vehicle control unit, the vehicle is prohibited from transitioning to the second state until the updating of the software of the vehicle control unit is completed.

[0073] According to the software update management device of configuration 4, even if battery charging is completed during the updating of the vehicle control unit software, the vehicle can be kept in an immobilized state, thereby ensuring the anti-intrusion performance of the vehicle.

[0074] (Structure 5) A software update management device according to any one of Structures 1 to 4, wherein the vehicle has a shifting device for switching the driving state, the shifting device being capable of switching a plurality of gears including a parking state for parking the vehicle and a driving state for driving the vehicle, and when the vehicle is in the first state, the battery is being charged, and the shifting device is in the parking state, the software of the vehicle control unit is started to be updated, and the shifting device is prohibited from moving from the parking state until the update of the software of the vehicle control unit is completed.

[0075] According to the software update management device of configuration 5, by setting the parking brake device to the braking state while the software of the vehicle control unit is being updated, the vehicle can be kept in an immobilized state, thereby ensuring the anti-intrusion property of the vehicle.

[0076] (Structure 6) A software update management device according to any one of Structures 1 to 5, wherein the vehicle is equipped with a parking brake device, and when the vehicle is in the first state, the battery is being charged, and the parking brake device is in a braking state, the software of the vehicle control unit is started to be updated, and the braking state of the parking brake device is prohibited from being released until the update of the software of the vehicle control unit is completed.

[0077] According to the software update management device of configuration 6, by setting the parking brake device to the braking state while the software of the vehicle control unit is being updated, the vehicle can be kept in an immobilized state, thereby ensuring the anti-intrusion property of the vehicle.

[0078] (Structure 7) A software update management method, in which a computer that manages vehicle software executes the following processing, wherein the vehicle is equipped with a driving motor and a battery as a driving source, and transitions between states including a first state in which the driving motor cannot work and a second state in which the driving motor can work, and when the vehicle is in the first state and the battery is being charged, the vehicle is prohibited from transitioning to the second state, and the software of the vehicle control unit installed in the vehicle is updated.

[0079] According to the software update management method of configuration 7, the vehicle can be kept in a non-driving state during the software update, so the software can be updated while ensuring the security of the vehicle, thereby achieving further improvement in safety.

Claims

1. A software update management device having the following functions: updating the software of a vehicle control unit mounted on a vehicle, wherein: The vehicle is equipped with a driving motor and a battery as a driving source, and transitions between a first state in which the driving motor cannot operate and a second state in which the driving motor can operate. When the vehicle is in the first state and the battery is being charged, the vehicle is prohibited from transitioning to the second state, and the software of the vehicle control unit is updated.

2. The software update management device according to claim 1, wherein: The vehicle control unit is a device that controls a monitoring device that monitors the vehicle. The function of the monitoring device is stopped while the software of the vehicle control unit is being updated.

3. The software update management device according to claim 1, wherein: After the software of the vehicle control unit is updated, the vehicle is allowed to transition to the second state.

4. The software update management device according to claim 1, wherein: If charging of the battery is completed while the software of the vehicle control unit is being updated, the vehicle is prohibited from transitioning to the second state until the software update of the vehicle control unit is completed.

5. The software update management device according to claim 1, wherein: The vehicle is provided with a shift device for switching the driving state. The shift device is capable of switching between a plurality of gear positions including a parking state for parking the vehicle and a driving state for driving the vehicle. When the vehicle is in the first state, the battery is being charged, and the shift device is in the parking state, starting to update the software of the vehicle control unit, The shift device is prohibited from moving from the parking state until the software of the vehicle control unit is updated.

6. The software update management device according to claim 1, wherein: The vehicle is equipped with a parking brake device. When the vehicle is in the first state, the battery is being charged, and the parking brake device is in the braking state, starting to update the software of the vehicle control unit, Release of the braking state of the parking brake device is prohibited until the software update of the vehicle control unit is completed.

7. A software update management method, wherein a computer that manages vehicle software executes the following processing, wherein: The vehicle is equipped with a driving motor and a battery as a driving source, and transitions between a first state in which the driving motor cannot operate and a second state in which the driving motor can operate. When the vehicle is in the first state and the battery is being charged, the vehicle is prohibited from transitioning to the second state, and software of a vehicle control unit mounted on the vehicle is updated.

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