HAPTIC FEEDBACK SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A VEHICLE ACCELERATOR PEDAL

Abstract

A haptic feedback system for a vehicle accelerator pedal (26), the haptic feedback system comprising: an accelerator pedal (26) configured to control the acceleration of an engine (14) of a vehicle (10); a vibration transducer (24) mechanically connected to the accelerator pedal (26), the vibration transducer (24) being configured to cause the accelerator pedal (26) to vibrate in accordance with a haptic feedback signal supplied to the vibration transducer (24); at least one vehicle sensor (22) configured to detect one or more vehicle operating parameters; and a vehicle control module (20) designed to: obtain the one or more vehicle operating parameters via the at least one vehicle sensor (22); and selectively providing the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer (24) in accordance with the one or more vehicle operating parameters to selectively vibrate the accelerator pedal (26); characterized in that the vehicle control module (20) is further configured to; (i) to determine a drive limiting state of the vehicle (10) according to a state of charge of at least one battery of the vehicle (10) that serves to supply energy to the motor (14) designed as an electric motor (14); to provide the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer (24) if it is determined that the state of charge is greater than a drive limiting threshold; and to prevent the provision of the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer (24) if it is determined that the state of charge is less than the drive limiting threshold; or (ii) determine a transmission shift state of the vehicle (10); provide the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer (24) if it is determined that the transmission shift state is a forward gear state or a reverse gear state; and prevent the provision of the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer (24) if it is determined that the transmission shift state is a neutral gear state.

Description

INTRODUCTION

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a haptic feedback system and method for a vehicle accelerator pedal according to the preamble of claim 1 and claim 7, respectively, as essentially known from DE 10 2021 131 529 A1.

[0002] Further prior art can also be found in the documents DE 10 2017 212 195 A1 and US 2021 / 0 370 967 A1.

[0003] When driving an electric vehicle, customers may feel the vehicle's power and speed less strongly through the accelerator pedal than they do with vehicles with internal combustion engines. Because electric motors are quiet and produce little to no vibration, the driver has no indication of how much force is being applied to the vehicle via the accelerator pedal. With internal combustion engines, these subtle vibrations and noises can heighten driver awareness and represent an indirect communication between the vehicle's engine and the driver. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] According to the invention, a haptic feedback system for a vehicle accelerator pedal is presented, which is characterized by the features of claim 1.

[0005] In other features, the vehicle control module is configured to determine a drive mode setting of the vehicle, provide the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer when it is determined that the drive mode setting is a sport mode, and prevent the provision of the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer when it is determined that the drive mode setting is an economy mode.

[0006] In other features, the vehicle control module is configured to determine a position of a brake pedal of the vehicle and apply a gain multiplier value to the haptic feedback signal when it is determined that the brake pedal is depressed.

[0007] In other features, the vehicle control module is configured to obtain a position of the accelerator pedal, determine a signal frequency corresponding to the position of the accelerator pedal, and provide the haptic feedback signal having the determined signal frequency corresponding to the position of the accelerator pedal to the vibration transducer.

[0008] In other features, the vehicle control module is configured to select a first frequency value when the accelerator pedal is depressed in a first actuation range and select a second frequency value when the accelerator pedal is depressed in a second actuation range, wherein the second frequency value is greater than the first frequency value and the second actuation range is greater than the first actuation range.

[0009] In other features, the vehicle control module is configured to obtain a longitudinal acceleration value of the vehicle, determine a frequency gain value corresponding to the longitudinal acceleration value of the vehicle, and apply the determined frequency gain value to the haptic feedback signal provided to the vibration transducer.

[0010] For other features, the signal frequency ranges from ten oscillations per millisecond to forty oscillations per millisecond.

[0011] In other features, the one or more vehicle operating parameters include a drive mode setting of the vehicle, a state of charge of a battery of the vehicle, a transmission shift state of the vehicle, a position of a brake pedal of the vehicle, a position of an accelerator pedal, a speed value of the vehicle, and / or an acceleration value of the vehicle.

[0012] In other features, the vehicle control module is configured to receive the one or more vehicle operating parameters via a controller area network (CAN) bus of the vehicle.

[0013] In other features, the haptic feedback signal provided to the vibration transducer comprises a triangular wave signal and / or a square wave signal.

[0014] In other features, the vehicle control module is configured to selectively provide haptic feedback to vibrate a steering wheel of the vehicle, a brake pedal of the vehicle, a seat of the vehicle, a door panel of the vehicle, and / or a center console of the vehicle according to the one or more vehicle operating parameters.

[0015] In other features, the vehicle control module is configured to selectively control the brightness of one or more vehicle instrument panel lights according to the one or more vehicle operating parameters.

[0016] In other features, the vehicle control module is configured to selectively control at least one speaker of the vehicle according to the one or more vehicle operating parameters to generate a simulated internal combustion engine noise.

[0017] Furthermore, according to the invention, a method for controlling a haptic feedback system is presented, which is characterized by the features of claim 7.

[0018] In other features, the method includes determining a drive mode setting of the vehicle, providing the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer when it is determined that the drive mode setting is a sport mode, and preventing provision of the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer when it is determined that the drive mode setting is an economy mode.

[0019] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are for illustrative purposes only. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The present invention will be better understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary vehicle with a haptic feedback system for an accelerator pedal. Fig. 2A-2D are schematic representations of example haptic feedback signals for an accelerator pedal with different frequencies. Fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example process for controlling haptic feedback for a vehicle accelerator pedal. Fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for selecting profile parameters of a haptic feedback signal for a vehicle accelerator pedal.

[0021] Reference symbols may be reused in the drawings to identify similar and / or identical elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] While internal combustion engines can provide the driver with tactile feedback about the power generated by the internal combustion engines via the accelerator pedal, electric motors (or other motor types) may vibrate less and provide less (or no) tactile feedback to the driver via the accelerator pedal. In some example embodiments described herein, the accelerator pedal is vibrated in an intelligent, haptically controlled manner. This provides an enhanced driving experience by allowing the driver to better adapt to the vehicle's performance. This can also help prevent unintended over-acceleration and provide a safer driving experience (e.g., because the vibration applied to the accelerator pedal provides the driver with better tactile feedback about the current power generated by the vehicle's engine).

[0023] The haptic feedback signal, which is provided, for example, to a vibration transducer mechanically connected to the accelerator pedal, can be varied based on the detected vehicle operating parameters. Examples of operating parameters include, in particular, a vehicle's driving mode setting (e.g., sport mode or economy mode), a charge level of one or more of the vehicle's batteries, a vehicle's transmission shift status, a brake pedal position, an accelerator pedal position, a vehicle speed value, a vehicle acceleration value, etc.

[0024] With reference now to Fig. 1, a vehicle 10 comprises front wheels 12 and rear wheels 13. In Fig. 1, a drive unit 14 selectively delivers torque to the front wheels 12 and / or the rear wheels 13 via drive lines 16, 18. The vehicle 10 may include various types of drive units. The vehicle may, for example, be an electric vehicle such as a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a hybrid vehicle or a fuel cell vehicle, a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, or another vehicle type.

[0025] Some examples of the drive unit 14 may include a suitable electric motor, an inverter, and a motor controller configured to control power switches within the inverter to adjust the motor speed and torque during the drive and / or recovery phase. A battery system supplies or receives power from the electric motor of the drive unit 14 during the drive or recovery phase.

[0026] The vehicle 10 in Fig. 1 includes a drive unit 14, but may also be configured differently. For example, two separate drive units may drive the front wheels 12 and the rear wheels 13, one or more individual drive units may drive individual wheels, etc. It is understood that other vehicle configurations and / or drive units may also be used.

[0027] The vehicle control module 20 may be configured to control the operation of one or more vehicle components, such as the drive unit 14 (e.g., by specifying the torque settings of an electric motor of the drive unit 14). The vehicle control module 20 may receive inputs to control vehicle components, e.g., signals from a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a transmission shifter, a vehicle camera, a braking system, etc. The vehicle control module 20 may monitor vehicle telematics for safety purposes, e.g., vehicle speed, vehicle location, vehicle braking and acceleration, etc.

[0028] The vehicle control module 20 may receive signals from suitable components for monitoring one or more aspects of the vehicle, including one or more vehicle sensors 22 (e.g., cameras, microphones, pressure sensors, wheel position sensors, brake sensors, accelerometers, location sensors such as GPS antennas, etc.). Some sensors may be configured to monitor the current motion of the vehicle, the acceleration of the vehicle, the deceleration of the vehicle, the position or application of the accelerator pedal, steering torque, etc.

[0029] As in Fig. 1, the vehicle 10 includes an accelerator pedal 26 configured to control the acceleration of the vehicle 10. For example, the accelerator pedal 26 may control the torque generated by the drive unit 14 (e.g., when the drive unit 14 includes an electric motor) depending on how hard the accelerator pedal 26 is depressed. In some embodiments, depressing the accelerator pedal 26 with increased force or to increase the range over which the accelerator pedal 26 is depressed from a home position may increase the torque generated by the drive unit 14.

[0030] A vibration transducer 24 is connected to the accelerator pedal 26. The vibration transducer 24 may, for example, be mechanically connected to the accelerator pedal 26 and configured to cause the accelerator pedal 26 to vibrate when a haptic feedback signal is provided to the vibration transducer 24.

[0031] The vibration transducer 24 may include suitable components for converting an electrical signal (which may be received from the vehicle control module 20) into a mechanical vibration of the accelerator pedal 26. For example, an actuator, diaphragm, etc., may be connected to the accelerator pedal 26 (e.g., mechanically connected to an upper portion or upper arm of the accelerator pedal 26) and cause the accelerator pedal 26 to vibrate when vibrations or oscillations are generated at the vibration transducer 24.

[0032] In some examples, a vehicle with smoother engine operation (e.g., an electric motor) may provide little or no tactile feedback to the driver regarding acceleration or other vehicle conditions compared to an internal combustion engine. For example, the torque, rumble, etc., of an internal combustion engine may provide tactile feedback to the accelerator pedal 26 via mechanical linkages, causing the accelerator pedal 26 to jitter, vibrate, create increased resistance, etc.

[0033] This tactile feedback can be perceived by the driver (e.g., via their foot on the accelerator pedal 26) to provide more feedback about the acceleration state of the vehicle 10. In situations with less mechanical feedback, such as with an electric motor, the vibration transducer 24 can simulate tactile feedback that would otherwise be present (e.g., if the drive unit 14 included an internal combustion engine) so that the driver can have a similar feeling of tactile feedback from the accelerator pedal 26.

[0034] The vehicle control module 20 may communicate with another device (e.g., another vehicle in the automated vehicle convoy) via a wireless communication interface, which may include one or more wireless antennas for transmitting and / or receiving wireless communication signals. For example, the wireless communication interface may communicate via any suitable wireless communication protocol, including, but not limited to, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, Wi-Fi communication, wireless area network (WAN) communication, cellular communication, personal area network (PAN) communication, short-range wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth), etc. The wireless communication interface may communicate with a remote computing device via one or more wireless and / or wired networks.Regarding V2X communication, the vehicle 10 may include one or more V2X transceivers (e.g., V2X signal transmit and / or receive antennas).

[0035] The vehicle 10 also has a user interface. The user interface may include suitable displays (e.g., on a dashboard, console, or elsewhere), a touchscreen or other input devices, speakers for sound output, etc.

[0036] In some exemplary embodiments, the vehicle control module 20 may be configured to receive vehicle operating parameters, for example, via a CAN bus (Controller Area Network bus) of the vehicle. The vehicle control module may make a series of decisions to determine whether to provide a tactile input via the accelerator pedal to communicate the amount of acceleration or torque generated by the engine according to the received vehicle operating parameters.

[0037] For example, tactile feedback provided via the accelerator pedal can be activated when the drive mode is an enhanced drive mode, the vehicle is in forward or reverse gear, the vehicle's battery has sufficient charge, etc. Additionally, other vehicle operating parameters, such as the current transmission shift state, the position of the accelerator and brake pedals, etc., can be used to determine a haptic profile and gain for a haptic feedback signal provided to a vibration transducer. This haptic feedback algorithm can communicate to the driver how much power the engine is producing.

[0038] In some example embodiments, the haptic feedback signal may have a frequency in the vibrations per millisecond (VPM) range. By increasing the vibrations per millisecond (VPM), the vehicle control module can communicate that the engine is providing additional power. In other examples, the perception of the haptic feedback may be altered, for example, by changing the wave from a triangular wave to a square wave (e.g., to indicate the current vehicle gear).

[0039] Fig. 2A-2D are schematic representations of example haptic feedback signals for an accelerator pedal with different frequencies. Fig. 2A illustrates a control signal 202 having a signal frequency corresponding to a weak application of the accelerator pedal, e.g., when the accelerator pedal 26 is depressed between 0% and 25% instead of fully (where 0% is a rest position in which the accelerator pedal is not depressed at all, and 100% is a position in which the accelerator pedal is depressed to the stop by the driver).

[0040] In Fig. 2A, the vibration actuator drive signal is a triangular signal that ranges from 0% (e.g., zero volts or a minimum value supplied to the vibration transducer) to 100% (e.g., a maximum value supplied to the vehicle signal transducer, such as five volts, twelve volts, twenty-four volts, etc.). The vibration actuator drive signal may be provided to the vibration transducer 24 from the vehicle control module 20.

[0041] Fig. Figure 2A illustrates the drive signal of the vibration actuator with a frequency of ten vibrations per millisecond. In other exemplary embodiments, the lower range of the accelerator pedal actuation may have a higher or lower frequency, the range may have endpoints other than 0% and 25%, etc. Other suitable drive signals may also be used, e.g., square waves, sine waves, etc.

[0042] Fig. 2B illustrates the vibration actuator control signal 204 for a second exemplary accelerator pedal actuation range, e.g., when the accelerator pedal 26 is actuated to 25% to 50% of a full range of travel. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 2B, the exemplary frequency of the drive signal corresponding to 25% to 50% of full throttle pedal application is 20 cycles per millisecond. In other exemplary embodiments, the second range of throttle pedal application may use different range endpoints, different frequency values, etc.

[0043] Fig. 2C illustrates the vibration actuator control signal 206 for a third exemplary accelerator pedal actuation range, e.g., when the accelerator pedal 26 is actuated to 50% to 75% of a full range of travel. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 2C, the exemplary frequency of the drive signal corresponding to 50% to 75% of full throttle pedal application is 30 cycles per millisecond. In other exemplary embodiments, the third range of throttle pedal application may use different range endpoints, different frequency values, etc.

[0044] Fig. 2D illustrates the vibration actuator control signal 208 for a third exemplary accelerator pedal actuation range, e.g., when the accelerator pedal 26 is actuated to 75% to 100% of a full range of motion. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 2D, the exemplary frequency of the drive signal corresponding to 75% to 100% of full throttle pedal application is 40 cycles per millisecond. In other exemplary embodiments, the fourth range of throttle pedal application may use different range endpoints, different frequency values, etc.

[0045] In Fig. While four different ranges of accelerator pedal actuation are illustrated in Figures 2A-2D, other embodiments may use more or fewer ranges, ranges with different endpoints, a frequency scaled linearly with accelerator pedal position, etc. Other vibration frequencies may also be used in other exemplary embodiments.

[0046] In some exemplary embodiments, the vibration may also be synchronized with an engine noise (e.g., by generating an engine noise played through the vehicle's speakers) to provide an indication of vehicle speed. This drivability enhancement can be exciting while also conveying the vehicle's potential torque and power to the driver.

[0047] Example embodiments for intelligent accelerator pedal vibration can also be applied to other vehicle areas, such as tactile feedback via the vibration of the seat, steering wheel, brake pedal, door panel, center console, etc., to provide a holistic experience to the driver.

[0048] In some example embodiments, the haptic vibration of the accelerator pedal may be accompanied by lights on the instrument panel, speedometer, etc., with the brightness and color of the lights varying depending on the power generated by the vehicle's engine.

[0049] In various driving modes, the accelerator pedal's haptic feedback can be selectively enabled or disabled depending on the driver's preference. Example embodiments may use displays, lighting, and haptic systems to provide visual cues regarding a potential increase in engine torque.

[0050] Fig. Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example process for controlling haptic feedback for a vehicle accelerator pedal. Fig. The process shown in Figure 3 can be carried out, for example, by the vehicle control module 20 Fig. 1 should be carried out.

[0051] At 304, the process begins by identifying a drive mode selection status of the vehicle. For example, the vehicle may be in a sport mode, a track mode, an off-road mode, an economy mode, a normal mode, etc. The vehicle control module is configured to determine at 308 whether an enhanced drive mode is enabled, e.g., a sport mode, a track mode, an off-road mode, etc.

[0052] If no enhanced drive mode is selected at 308 (e.g., because the vehicle is in a Normal mode, an Economy mode, etc.), the process proceeds to 312 to disable the accelerator pedal haptic feedback. For example, a driver driving in Normal or Economy mode may not be as interested in tactile feedback, but may be very interested in "feeling" the engine's acceleration via tactile accelerator pedal feedback when driving in a Sport or other enhanced drive mode.

[0053] If the vehicle is in an enhanced drive mode at 308, the vehicle control module is configured to determine a propulsion limiting status at 316. For example, if the battery state of charge is below a threshold (e.g., below 25% of full charge, below 10% of full charge, etc.), the vehicle may be configured to limit other, less critical functions of the vehicle to preserve battery charge for propulsion of the vehicle.

[0054] If the vehicle is in a restricted drive state at 320 (e.g., due to a low vehicle battery charge), control proceeds to 312 to disable the accelerator pedal haptic feedback at 312. If the vehicle is not in a restricted drive state at 320, control proceeds to 324 to determine a current transmission shift state of the vehicle.

[0055] For example, the vehicle control module may determine whether the vehicle is currently in a forward gear, reverse gear, neutral, etc. In some example embodiments, haptic feedback may only be provided when the vehicle is in a forward gear or reverse gear because the driver may not want tactile feedback from the accelerator pedal when the vehicle is in neutral and not moving.

[0056] If the vehicle is currently idling at 328, control proceeds to 312 to disable the accelerator pedal haptic feedback. If the vehicle is not idling at 328, control proceeds to 332 to select a haptic feedback profile. The haptic feedback profile may, for example, vary the intensity of the tactile feedback provided to the accelerator pedal 26 via the vibration transducer 24, such as by increasing or decreasing the amplitude of the haptic feedback signal, increasing or decreasing the frequency of the haptic feedback signal, selecting a shape of the haptic feedback signal (e.g., triangular wave, square wave, or sine wave), etc. Further details on selecting a haptic feedback profile are described below with reference to Fig. 4 explained.

[0057] At 336, the vehicle control module is configured to output the selected haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer. The vibration transducer is configured to vibrate the accelerator pedal according to the selected haptic feedback signal at 340.

[0058] Fig. Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example process for selecting profile parameters of a haptic feedback signal for a vehicle accelerator pedal. Fig. The process shown in Figure 4 can be carried out, for example, by the vehicle control module 20 Fig. 1 should be carried out.

[0059] At 404, the vehicle control module is configured to determine a current transmission state. If the vehicle is in a forward gear at 408, control proceeds to 412 to set haptic profile parameters corresponding to the forward gear profile for the haptic feedback signal.

[0060] If the vehicle is in reverse at 408, control proceeds to 416 to set the haptic profile parameters to reverse gear settings. For example, different types of accelerator pedal haptic feedback signals can be used for the forward gear profile and the reverse gear profile, such as a triangle wave signal for the forward gear profile and a square wave signal for the reverse gear profile. This provides the driver with different tactile feedback via the accelerator pedal depending on whether they are driving forward or reverse.

[0061] At 420, the vehicle control module is configured to determine whether the vehicle's brake pedal is depressed. If so, control transfers to 424 to apply a gain multiplier to the haptic profile parameters. For example, the vehicle control module may be configured to apply no gain multiplier when the brake pedal is not applied, but to apply a certain gain multiplier (e.g., 2x, 4x, etc.) to the accelerator pedal haptic feedback signal when the brake pedal is depressed. This may provide additional acceleration feedback when the driver increases engine torque via the accelerator pedal while simultaneously holding the vehicle in position with the brake pedal.

[0062] At 428, the vehicle control module is configured to determine an accelerator pedal position (e.g., how far the accelerator pedal is depressed). The vehicle control module is then configured to adjust a vibration frequency according to the accelerator pedal position.

[0063] For example, the vehicle control module may use a frequency of approximately ten cycles per millisecond (VPM) when the accelerator pedal position is in a range of 0 to 25% of the accelerator pedal's full pressure range, a frequency of approximately twenty cycles per millisecond when the accelerator pedal position is in a range of 25 to 50% of the accelerator pedal's full pressure range, a frequency of approximately thirty cycles per millisecond when the accelerator pedal position is in a range of 50 to 75% of the accelerator pedal's full pressure range, and a frequency of approximately forty cycles per millisecond when the accelerator pedal position is in a range of 75 to 100% of the accelerator pedal's full pressure range. These values ​​are examples only.Other exemplary embodiments may also use more or fewer ranges, ranges with different endpoints, a vibration frequency scaled linearly with accelerator pedal actuation, other vibration frequency values, etc.

[0064] At 436, the vehicle control module is configured to determine a current vehicle acceleration value, for example, a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle. The vehicle control module is configured to change the selected vibration frequency at 440 according to the vehicle acceleration.

[0065] For example, if the longitudinal acceleration is approximately zero (e.g., at a constant vehicle speed), the vehicle control module may not change the vibration frequency selected based on the accelerator pedal position.

[0066] If the longitudinal acceleration is greater than zero but less than 0.25*G (e.g., 0.25 times the force of gravity), the vehicle control module may apply a gain factor of 1.5 to the vibration frequency, which was selected based on the accelerator pedal position. If the longitudinal acceleration is greater than 0.25*G but less than 1*G, the vehicle control module may apply a gain factor of two to the vibration frequency, which was selected based on the accelerator pedal position (e.g., twice the selected vibration frequency).

[0067] If the longitudinal acceleration is greater than 1*G, the vehicle control module may apply a gain factor of three to the vibration frequency, selected based on the accelerator pedal position (e.g., twice the selected vibration frequency). These values ​​are examples only. Other example embodiments may use more or fewer acceleration ranges, ranges with different endpoints, a gain multiplier that continuously increases linearly with vehicle acceleration, etc. Other example embodiments may also use different gain multipliers.

[0068] At 444, the vehicle control module is configured to adjust the haptic feedback signal according to the specified haptic profile parameters. For example, the vehicle control module may provide the vibration transducer with a drive signal having a frequency and waveform corresponding to a current transmission shift state of the vehicle, the current accelerator and brake pedal positions, and a current acceleration of the vehicle.

Claims

[1] A haptic feedback system for a vehicle accelerator pedal (26), the haptic feedback system comprising: an accelerator pedal (26) configured to control the acceleration of an engine (14) of a vehicle (10); a vibration transducer (24) mechanically connected to the accelerator pedal (26), the vibration transducer (24) being configured to cause the accelerator pedal (26) to vibrate in accordance with a haptic feedback signal supplied to the vibration transducer (24); at least one vehicle sensor (22) configured to detect one or more vehicle operating parameters; and a vehicle control module (20) designed to: obtain the one or more vehicle operating parameters via the at least one vehicle sensor (22); and selectively providing the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer (24) in accordance with the one or more vehicle operating parameters to selectively vibrate the accelerator pedal (26); characterized by , that the vehicle control module (20) is further configured to; (i) to determine a drive limiting state of the vehicle (10) according to a state of charge of at least one battery of the vehicle (10) that serves to supply energy to the motor (14) designed as an electric motor (14); to provide the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer (24) if it is determined that the state of charge is greater than a drive limiting threshold; and to prevent the provision of the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer (24) if it is determined that the state of charge is less than the drive limiting threshold; or (ii) determine a transmission shift state of the vehicle (10); provide the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer (24) if it is determined that the transmission shift state is a forward gear state or a reverse gear state; and prevent the provision of the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer (24) if it is determined that the transmission shift state is a neutral gear state. [2] Haptic feedback system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control module (20) is configured to: to determine a driving mode setting of the vehicle (10); provide the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer (24) when it is determined that the drive mode setting is a sport mode; and to prevent the provision of the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer (24) if it is determined that the driving mode setting is an economy mode. [3] Haptic feedback system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control module (20) is configured to: to determine a position of a brake pedal of the vehicle (10); and to apply a gain multiplier value to the haptic feedback signal when it is detected that the brake pedal is being depressed. [4] Haptic feedback system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control module (20) is configured to: to obtain a position of the accelerator pedal (26); to determine a signal frequency corresponding to the position of the accelerator pedal (26); and to provide the vibration transducer (24) with the haptic feedback signal with the specific signal frequency corresponding to the position of the accelerator pedal (26). [5] Haptic feedback system according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle control module (20) is configured to: selecting a first frequency value when the accelerator pedal (26) is depressed in a first actuation range; and to select a second frequency value when the accelerator pedal (26) is depressed in a second actuation range, wherein the second frequency value is greater than the first frequency value and the second actuation range is greater than the first actuation range. [6] Haptic feedback system according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle control module (20) is designed to: to obtain a longitudinal acceleration value of the vehicle (10); to determine a frequency gain value corresponding to the longitudinal acceleration value of the vehicle (10); and applying the determined frequency gain value to the haptic feedback signal provided to the vibration transducer (24). [7] A method for controlling a haptic feedback system for a vehicle accelerator pedal (26), the method comprising: to control the acceleration of a battery-powered electric motor (14) of a vehicle (10) via a position of an accelerator pedal (26); to cause the accelerator pedal (26) to vibrate via a vibration transducer (24) mechanically connected to the accelerator pedal (26), wherein the vibration transducer (24) is designed to cause the accelerator pedal (26) to vibrate in accordance with a haptic feedback signal provided to the vibration transducer (24); detect one or more vehicle operating parameters via at least one vehicle sensor (22); and selectively providing the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer (24) in accordance with the one or more vehicle operating parameters to selectively vibrate the accelerator pedal (26); characterized by , that: a drive limiting state of the vehicle (10) is determined according to a state of charge of the battery; the haptic feedback signal is provided to the vibration transducer (24) when it is determined that the state of charge is greater than a drive limit threshold; and the provision of the haptic feedback signal to the vibration transducer (24) is prevented if it is determined that the state of charge is less than the drive limit threshold.

Images