Method for issuing recommendations for the energy-efficient operation of a vehicle by means of a vehicle-integrated assistance system

Abstract

Method for issuing recommendations for the energy-efficient operation of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle has at least two operating modes, one of which (1) is selected by a drive control (15) depending on defined triggers (2) for operating the vehicle, characterized by the following process steps: - Determination of an operating mode change triggered by one of the triggers (2), - Incrementing the frequency of the operating mode change each time the operating mode change is determined by the trigger, - Analysis of frequency; where - the frequency of operating mode changes is compared to a predefined value; and - depending on the case, a message (6) is generated; and - the message (6) is issued via at least one output device (7) included by the vehicle, whereby, depending on the vehicle's equipment and / or the vehicle's typical load profile, one or more comparison vehicles are selected from an anonymized data set describing a vehicle fleet and the frequency of the operating mode changes triggered by the triggers is compared with the frequency of the operating mode changes of one or more comparison vehicles, and the generated message (6) includes an analysis of the differences in frequencies.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to methods for issuing recommendations for the energy-efficient operation of a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1, an assistance system according to the preamble of claim 8 and a vehicle with such an assistance system according to the preamble of claim 9.

[0002] Driver assistance systems and methods for outputting information using a vehicle's driver assistance system are generally known from the prior art. The scope of information output by such a system ranges from comfort functions, such as route information in a navigation system or restaurant recommendations, to vehicle status information, such as an explanation of why a stop / start system is not active, to issuing warnings to increase driving safety, such as a distance collision warning.

[0003] Nowadays, due to climate change and the scarcity of natural resources, living sustainably is becoming increasingly important. Driving schools already teach drivers to anticipate traffic conditions, which generally reduces fuel consumption. However, over time, every driver develops an individual driving style, which, in the case of sporty or even clumsy driving, is associated with increased fuel consumption. This necessitates raising awareness among experienced drivers about conscious driving practices in order to break climate-damaging habits.

[0004] Furthermore, the electrification of mobility is seen as a major lever for reducing greenhouse gases. However, energy-efficient driving with an electric or hybrid vehicle places different demands on the control system compared to a conventional combustion engine. Often, drivers lack the knowledge of when an electric motor offers advantages over a combustion engine, how the electric and combustion engines interact in a hybrid vehicle, or how to drive a vehicle in a particularly energy-efficient manner.

[0005] German patent DE 10 2019 001 445 A1 discloses a vehicle information system, a vehicle itself, and a method for informing the vehicle's passengers. The vehicle includes a planning unit for making decisions regarding its autonomous control. This planning unit provides reasons for the decisions made regarding vehicle control via an information output module in a human-understandable format. This increases the acceptance of autonomous vehicles and reduces the need for manual intervention by a driver. However, the patent does not provide any indication of how to sensitize a driver to adopt a more conscious driving style.

[0006] From DE 10 2014 214 559 A1 a method is known in which parameters of a user profile are recorded, wherein a mapping function maps the parameters of the user profile to the possible value range of the respective vehicle parameters.

[0007] DE 10 2008 038 446 B3 discloses a method for controlling a drive comprising an internal combustion engine and a control device, wherein the control device, based on supplied operating parameters and parameters influencing driving operation, authorizes the implementation of measures to reduce fuel consumption.

[0008] German patent DE 10 2014 115 582 A1 discloses a control system for steering a forklift truck with two cornering modes. The frequency and time spent operating in the second cornering mode can be recorded and used to provide supplementary feedback to the driver, thus optimizing driver training.

[0009] US Patent 2012 / 0266108A1 discloses a method for determining data on events related to changes in user-defined operating states, such as vehicle speed or engine speed, which is used as a basis for learning future user preferences. Once the events are relatively frequent, they are assumed to be non-random and can therefore serve as the basis for future automatic configuration or automatic switching of operating states.

[0010] German patent DE 10 2012 209 518 A1 discloses a driver assistance system that adjusts the vehicle's power transmission in response to driving preferences. For this purpose, a parameter characterizing driving behavior is monitored, and if the driving behavior changes beyond a certain threshold, a driving mode is suggested to the driver. A so-called proactive mode attempts to make the driver aware of the possibility of changing the operating mode as soon as a suitable time for doing so arises.

[0011] The present invention is based on the objective of achieving a more conscious driving style by a vehicle driver with the aid of an assistance system included in the vehicle.

[0012] According to the invention, this problem is solved by a method for issuing recommendations for the energy-efficient operation of a vehicle with the features of claim 1, an assistance system with the features of claim 8, and a vehicle with such an assistance system with the features of claim 9. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are described in the dependent claims.

[0013] A method for issuing recommendations for the energy-efficient operation of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle has at least two operating modes, one of which is selected by a drive control unit depending on the occurrence of defined triggers for operating the vehicle, comprises the following method steps according to the invention: - Monitoring of a driving situation using sensors included in the vehicle; - Determination of an operating mode change triggered by the trigger - Incrementing the frequency of the operating mode change each time the operating mode change is determined by the trigger, - Analysis of frequency; where - the frequency of operating mode changes is compared to a predefined value; and - depending on the case, a message (6) is generated; and - the message (6) is issued via at least one output device (7) encompassed by the vehicle.

[0014] According to the invention, depending on the vehicle's equipment and / or its typical load profile, a large number of comparison vehicles are selected from an anonymized dataset describing a vehicle fleet, and the frequency of operating mode changes triggered by the triggers is compared with the frequency of operating mode changes of one or more comparison vehicles. The message sent to the vehicle user includes an analysis of the differences in the frequency of operating mode changes between their own vehicle and the comparison vehicles. This allows for an effective analysis of the driver's behavior by comparing values ​​based on reference vehicles with the frequency stored in the driver's user profile. Similarities and differences can be identified, which are then used to generate a particularly effective recommendation that trains the driver for efficient driving. Specifically, the predefined values, which are compared with the operating mode switching frequencies preferably stored in the driver's user profile, can be adjusted to match the operating mode switching frequencies determined by fleet vehicles.

[0015] This method can be used to raise awareness among drivers about conscious driving behavior. The vehicle can, for example, include the following operating modes: coasting, recuperation, engine shutdown via a stop / start system, load point shifting, battery charging, boosting, etc. During operation, sensors monitor the current and / or future driving situation. This includes, for example, the distance between the vehicle and objects or vehicles ahead, the vehicle speed, and the pressure exerted by the driver on the accelerator and / or brake pedal. Generally, the vehicle includes a multitude of sensors that monitor further characteristics. A detailed list is omitted here, as it is not necessary for the implementation of the invention.A vehicle has a variety of defined triggers, which are detected by sensors exceeding or falling below pre-programmed trigger values. These include, for example, a distance warning, accelerator pedal position, brake pedal position, outside temperature, and so on. Triggers are understood as events or states that characterize a change in the driving state and initiate a change in operating mode. In this context, the triggers, which are understood as events, relate to driving states or changes in driving states that are detected by sensors upon reaching predefined trigger values. A trigger can also suppress a change in operating mode, for example, if an event such as the cleaning process of an exhaust filter is running. The trigger values ​​are understood as thresholds of sensor signals, above or below which an operating mode change is initiated.Hysteresis can be implemented for the trigger values; for example, upon reaching a first trigger value, the system switches from a first to a second operating mode. The switch back from the second to the first operating mode occurs upon a second trigger value that is lower than the first. For each potential trigger or trigger combination, the vehicle has a fixed mapping specifying which operating mode is selected based on the trigger(s). This means determining which active operating mode is terminated and which new operating mode is activated. By counting the frequency of the operating mode changes associated with the trigger responsible for the change, the driving style used to control the vehicle can be characterized.Driving style is analyzed, for example, by a program called Eco-Coach, which then provides the most suitable, personalized recommendation for adjusting the driver's style. Some recommendations are issued when the frequency of operating mode changes is low, and others when the frequency is high. To achieve this, the frequency of these operating mode changes is compared to a predefined value, and recommendations are generated based on whether the frequency is less than, equal to, or greater than the respective predefined value.

[0016] An advantageous further development of the procedure provides that a new user profile can be created or an existing user profile can be selected, whereby the frequency of operating mode changes, which are assigned to the last active operating mode and / or the selected operating mode and the trigger leading to the change, are stored in a data field in the user profiles. A user profile is stored, particularly in the form of a matrix. The columns of the matrix represent the vehicle's operating modes, and the rows represent potential triggers. The individual matrix values, which indicate the frequency of operating mode changes, are initialized to 0 when the matrix is ​​generated. Furthermore, at least one matrix value is determined for each operating mode change. The column of this value corresponds to the last active operating mode and / or the selected operating mode, and the row corresponds to the trigger that initiates the operating mode change. A value of 1 is then added to the value(s) contained within the matrix.

[0017] By using user profiles, the driving style with which the vehicle is controlled can be specifically attributed to a particular user. Creating and using multiple user profiles allows for individualized responses to the behavior of people who share the vehicle. This enables the system to cater to specific target groups, such as private individuals or the use of the vehicle as a rental car. Furthermore, designing the user profiles as a matrix provides a simple and practical way to track the frequency with which triggers are assigned to the respective operating modes for which they were responsible.

[0018] Another advantageous embodiment of the procedure provides that the message includes at least one of the following elements: - the currently selected operating mode; - a reason why the current operating mode was chosen; and / or - a recommendation for energy-efficient operation of the vehicle.

[0019] By including the aforementioned elements in the message, a driver can be particularly effectively reminded of the importance of conscious driving, as the driver is made aware of the connection between the reason for changing the operating mode and the effect on the vehicle's energy consumption.

[0020] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the message is output visually, acoustically, and / or haptically, wherein the at least one output means encompassed by the vehicle is designed as a display device and / or loudspeaker; and, if the message output is visual, and the message includes at least one graphic and / or text; and if the message is output acoustically, and the message includes at least one sound and / or text; wherein The text is composed of pre-defined text modules or generated by a text-to-speech system using a text composer. Outputting a visual message allows for the display of graphics, such as symbols or graphs, alongside informative text. This can significantly improve the understanding of the message. Outputting an audible message allows the driver to keep their eyes on the road, as they do not need to look at a visual device to perceive the message. This can increase overall road safety by allowing the driver to focus more intently on the road. Outputting an audible and visual message simultaneously is particularly advantageous.For example, the driver can hear the message, while another person in the vehicle, such as a passenger, can receive it visually and thereby absorb additional information, for instance, by recognizing symbols or graphs. Assembling the message from pre-defined text modules is a particularly simple and easy-to-implement approach to generating the message. Messages generated using a text composer approach can be more complex and varied, which can foster a longer-lasting interest in the process for the driver.

[0021] An advantageous further development of the procedure provides that the message output can be activated and deactivated, with the system training itself to automatically deactivate specific messages by establishing a relationship between deactivating the output and the message content. For example, with the Eco-Coach activated, the message output can be activated and deactivated by pressing a button and / or using a voice command, whereby the Eco-Coach is capable of learning and being trained to independently prevent the output of certain messages.

[0022] It is possible that the messages issued by the system may be perceived as trivial or annoying by the driver, especially if the driver has heard the same or a similar message multiple times. In this case, the driver can easily prevent the messages from being issued by pressing a button or issuing a voice command. The system's user-friendliness can be further enhanced by enabling the Eco-Coach to learn and suppress certain messages according to the driver's preferences. For this purpose, the Eco-Coach could, for example, incorporate artificial intelligence.

[0023] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the current values ​​present in the matrix elements can be reset, for example by pressing a delete button, or if a customer no longer consents to data processing, in particular to the initial value originally chosen when the matrix was created.

[0024] This allows the user profile to be executed adaptively, meaning that by resetting the values ​​of the matrix elements, certain messages can be repeatedly displayed. This is particularly advantageous for rental vehicles. The matrix can be reset with each driver change, giving each new driver the opportunity to see the relevant message.

[0025] Another advantageous embodiment of the procedure provides that, depending on the user profile, the same predefined value applies to each data field characterizing a change in operating mode, or that it has one of the following individual values; in particular: - a fixed, predetermined value of 1; - a fixed, arbitrarily chosen predefined value specified by the vehicle manufacturer before delivery of the vehicle; - a variable predetermined value, wherein the value of the variable predetermined value can change at any frequency, in particular by transmission to the vehicle from a central computing unit external to the vehicle, wherein the data transmission takes place in particular via an interface for wireless data transmission or an interface for wired data transmission.

[0026] By using an initial predefined value based on the user profile, message output can be individually tailored to different users. Choosing a fixed predefined value of 1 ensures that a new user of the vehicle receives messages about the vehicle's conscious operation immediately upon starting to use it. However, it can be useful to analyze a user's behavior over a longer period and only issue messages when a specific behavior occurs particularly frequently, such as a sail being aborted due to insufficient distance to a vehicle ahead.The vehicle manufacturer can define multiple fixed, arbitrary predefined values ​​for any given data field, allowing a message to be output multiple times for a specific trigger-dependent operating mode change—for example, when the specific event has occurred five, twenty, and one hundred times. Furthermore, the predefined value can be variable, meaning it can be changed multiple times at any point during the vehicle's lifetime. To change this variable predefined value, the vehicle can receive data from an external central processing unit, particularly via radio or cable, for example, during a service visit.

[0027] An assistance system comprising a computing unit, preferably including the Eco-Coach program, at least one acoustic and / or visual output device, a data connection between the computing unit, a drive control unit (the drive control unit comprising an operating and / or drive strategy), vehicle-integrated sensors, and an operating system is configured according to the invention to perform a method for outputting recommendations for the energy-efficient operation of a vehicle. Furthermore, the vehicle preferably includes an interface for data transmission with a central computing unit located outside the vehicle.

[0028] A vehicle comprises at least one drive unit for propelling the vehicle, wherein the drive unit comprises at least one internal combustion engine and / or at least one electric motor. According to the invention, the vehicle has an assistance system configured to perform a method for issuing recommendations for the energy-efficient operation of a vehicle. Thus, the method performed by the assistance system can be carried out in a vehicle with a conventional internal combustion engine, an electric motor, or a hybrid vehicle.

[0029] Further advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention also result from the exemplary embodiment, which is described in more detail below with reference to the figures.

[0030] This shows: Fig. 1 a process for changing an operating mode by which a vehicle is controlled; Fig. 2 user profiles in the form of matrices; Fig. 3. A flowchart of a procedure for issuing recommendations for the energy-efficient operation of a vehicle; and Fig. 4. An assistance system for carrying out the procedure.

[0031] A vehicle has at least two operating modes, one of which is selected by a drive control unit 15 depending on the occurrence of predefined triggers 2 for operating the vehicle. The predefined operating modes or strategies can be, for example, at least one of the following: coasting, recuperation, engine shutdown via a stop / start system, load point shifting, battery charging, boosting, or any other common operating strategy for a vehicle. The triggers detected by the drive control unit 15 can be, for example, a distance warning, an accelerator or brake pedal position, a temperature (e.g., ambient or oil temperature), or the like. If the vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, the drive control unit is specifically designed as an engine control unit. The following six examples serve as illustrations: - Example 1: A hybrid vehicle accelerates on an acceleration lane to merge onto a highway. The driver then presses the accelerator pedal hard, causing the drive control system to switch to an operating mode in which an electric motor within the hybrid vehicle assists a combustion engine, also within the hybrid vehicle, during acceleration. - Example 2: A hybrid vehicle travels at a constant speed. The drive control 15 switches to an operating mode in which a load point shift is carried out so that the combustion engine operates in its most efficient range. Example 3: An electric vehicle is traveling at a constant speed on a downhill slope. In this case, the electric motor within the electric vehicle does not consume any power to maintain the speed. This is called coasting. A vehicle ahead of the electric vehicle brakes, causing the distance between the vehicles to fall below the minimum required distance, which forces the electric vehicle to brake as well. The drive control unit 15 then switches the operating mode from "coasting" to "recuperation" to recover the energy generated during braking. - Example 4: A vehicle with an internal combustion engine is stopped at a traffic light. Although the vehicle has a start-stop system, the engine is not switched off because an engine diagnostic program is currently running. - Example 5: Short, repeated bursts of acceleration from the customer that do not achieve acceleration, but only increase fuel consumption. Example 6: A vehicle with an internal combustion engine coasts by disengaging and switching off the engine from the drivetrain via a clutch. If the distance to the vehicle in front becomes too short or the brakes are applied, the operating mode changes, the coasting process is interrupted, the engine is started, and fuel is consumed that could have been saved through anticipatory driving.

[0032] These examples represent specific cases where a particular trigger, i.e., a driving condition or a change in driving condition, necessitates a specific operating mode or a change in operating mode. Based on this, the procedure generates an individual recommendation for the conscious operation of the vehicle. Corresponding recommendations for the aforementioned examples will be listed later.

[0033] Fig. Figure 2 shows a matrix 3 generated when a user profile is created. The frequencies of operating mode changes are represented in the matrix as matrix values. The columns of matrix 3 comprise the operating modes or operating strategies included by the vehicle, while the rows of matrix 3 comprise the predefined triggers, such as brake application, throttle release, or falling below a certain distance, that trigger a change in operating mode. When a new user profile is created, the individual matrix values, each characterizing a frequency of operating mode changes, are filled with a value of 0. If a trigger value is reached due to a driving situation or the driver's behavior (i.e., exceeded or fallen below), this is detected by the drive control unit 15, which then changes the operating mode.A matrix element is then determined by selecting the corresponding row containing the trigger that occurred, as well as the corresponding column of the matrix containing the terminated operating mode or the operating mode to which the system switched. A value of 1 is added to the matrix value encompassed by this matrix element. As the vehicle's operating time progresses, the matrix values ​​counting the operating mode changes thus increase. It is possible for these values ​​to increase permanently or to be reset to their original value by a specific event. This event could be, for example, a user command, a defined period during which the engine is switched off, a change of user profile, or the receipt of a data stream transmitted from an external central processing unit.In general, it is possible to reset the matrix values ​​through any further, undefined event and / or to continuously reduce the matrix values ​​over time through a "fading" process until they correspond to their respective initial value, whereby the fading can be interrupted, for example, by a renewed increase in the matrix value.

[0034] At the in Fig. In the flowchart shown in Figure 3, a vehicle continuously analyzes the current or immediate traffic situation. Events or triggers are detected by the drive strategy or drive control unit 15, causing the drive control unit 15 to change the vehicle's operating mode. If the drive control unit 15 does not detect a trigger, i.e., if no trigger value is reached, it continues monitoring. If an operating mode change has occurred after a trigger value has been reached, a trigger is detected and a corresponding matrix value is incremented. If an Eco-Coach integrated into the vehicle, which is a program encompassed by a processing unit 5, is activated, the matrix is ​​analyzed. Each matrix value is then assigned a value specific to the respective matrix element, i.e.,The system compares the current value to the predefined value applicable to the relevant operating mode change. If the current matrix value exceeds the respective predefined value, a message is displayed to the driver with a recommendation for energy-efficient vehicle operation, information about the currently selected operating mode, and / or a reason why the current operating mode was selected or why an operating mode change occurred. If the Eco-Coach is not active, it can be activated by pressing a button and / or using a voice command.

[0035] A in Fig.The assistance system 16 shown in Figure 4 includes the computing unit 5, which comprises the program called Eco-Coach. As already mentioned, the Eco-Coach serves to analyze the matrix that includes the user profile with the respective frequencies of operating mode changes. The computing unit 5 has a data transmission interface 14, via which data can be exchanged with a central computing unit 13 located outside the vehicle. This interface is specifically designed as an interface for wireless data transmission 14.1 or for wired data transmission 14.2. Furthermore, the computing unit 5 has a data connection to the drive control unit 15, an operating system 12, and vehicle sensors 4.The operating system 12 comprises at least one microphone 11 for detecting voice commands and at least one button 10, which can be a physical button located anywhere in the vehicle or a virtual button integrated into a vehicle display device, such as an instrument cluster or a head unit. The Eco-Coach can be switched on and off using the button 10 and / or the microphone 11. Furthermore, the processing unit 5 has a data connection, for example in the form of a data bus 17, through which messages 6 generated by the processing unit 5 are forwarded to an output device 7 integrated into the vehicle. The messages 6 include, in particular, text that is either composed of text modules or generated using a text composer. The message 6 may also optionally contain further information.The message 6 is then displayed visually on a display device 8 and / or audibly using a loudspeaker 9. The audible playback can be done using a text-to-speech system. Referring back to the four examples already introduced, the message could read as follows: - Example 1: "The electric drive was able to provide support on this motorway on-ramp, so that little fuel was consumed despite the strong acceleration." Additionally, a graphic, for example a consumption and charging curve, can be displayed on a visual output device. - Example 2: "By shifting the load point, energy is now saved in this situation at the same speed, as the motor operates in its most efficient range." - Example 3: "Here, sailing was somewhat disadvantageous, as the boat in front appeared on the radar after only a short time and had to be braked to maintain a safe distance. However, most of the energy was returned to the battery through recuperation." - Example 4: "Despite releasing the accelerator, the engine could not be switched off here because an engine diagnostic program is currently running." - Example 5: "Extremely short bursts of acceleration do not lead to any acceleration, but noticeably increase fuel consumption." - Example 6: "By maintaining a greater distance and avoiding the use of the brake pedal, the proportion of sailing time can be increased and fuel saved."

Claims

[1] Method for issuing recommendations for the energy-efficient operation of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle has at least two operating modes, of which one operating mode (1) is selected by a drive control (15) in dependence on predetermined triggers (2) for operating the vehicle, characterized by the following procedural steps: - Determination of an operating mode change triggered by one of the triggers (2), - Incrementing a frequency of the operating mode change each time the operating mode change triggered by the trigger is determined, - Frequency analysis; where - the frequency of the operating mode change is compared with a predetermined value; and - a message (6) is generated depending on the case; and - the message (6) is output via at least one output means (7) comprised by the vehicle, wherein, depending on the equipment of the vehicle and / or the typical load profile of the vehicle, one or more comparison vehicles are selected from an anonymised data set describing a vehicle fleet and the frequency of the operating mode changes triggered by the triggers is compared with the frequency of the operating mode changes of the one or more comparison vehicles, and the generated message (6) includes an analysis of the differences in the frequencies. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that in a user profile the frequency of the operating mode changes are stored in a data field associated with the last active operating mode and / or the selected operating mode (1) and the trigger leading to the change. [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the message (6) comprises at least one of the following elements: - the currently selected operating mode (1); - a reason why the current operating mode (1) was selected; and / or - a recommendation for energy-efficient operation of the vehicle. [4] Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the message (6) is output visually, acoustically and / or haptically, wherein the at least one output means (7) comprised by the vehicle is designed as a display device (8), loudspeaker (9) and / or steering wheel; and if the message (6) is output visually, the message (6) comprises at least one graphic and / or one text; and if the message (6) is output acoustically, the message (6) comprises at least one sound and / or one text; wherein the text is composed of prefabricated text modules or is generated by a text-to-speech system using a text composer approach. [5] Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the output of the message (6) can be activated and deactivated, whereby an independent deactivation of certain messages is trained by establishing a relationship between the deactivation of the output and the content of the message (6). [6] Method according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized by that the values contained in the user profile can be reset. [7] Method according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized by that, depending on the user profile, each data field has the same predefined value or one of the following individual predefined values: - a fixed predefined value of 1; - a fixed arbitrary value specified by the vehicle manufacturer before delivery of the vehicle; - a variable predefined value; wherein the value of the variable predefined value can change at any frequency, in particular by transmission to the vehicle from a vehicle-external central processing unit (13), wherein the data transmission takes place in particular via an interface for wireless data transmission (14.1) or an interface for wired data transmission (14.2). [8] Assistance system (16) with, - a computing unit (5); - at least one acoustic and / or visual output means (7); - a data connection between the computing unit (5), a drive control (15), sensors (4) included in the vehicle and an operating system (12); characterized bythat the assistance system (16) is set up to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims. [9] Vehicle, where the vehicle has a drive unit for driving the vehicle, and the drive unit comprises at least one internal combustion engine and / or at least one electric motor, characterized by , that the vehicle further comprises an assistance system (16) according to claim 8.

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