Control device for vehicle

Abstract

To provide a technique for making a change to appropriate torque distribution and shift time according to automated driving and manual driving, in a control device for a four-wheel drive vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle includes: a prime mover; a propeller shaft for transmitting a rotational output; a first drive wheel to which the rotational output is transmitted without going through the propeller shaft; a second drive wheel to which the rotational output is transmitted through the propeller shaft; a torque distribution unit for distributing the rotational output to each drive wheel; and a transmission device capable of transmitting the rotational output while changing a rotational speed. A control device for the vehicle has an automated driving mode and a manual driving mode. When changing a gear ratio of the transmission device, the control device controls the torque distribution unit in such a manner that a torque distribution amount transmitted to the second drive wheel becomes smaller than when the gear ratio of the transmission device is constant. The torque distribution amount transmitted to the second drive wheel when the gear ratio is changed in the manual driving mode is smaller than the torque distribution amount when the gear ratio is changed in the automated driving mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] For four-wheel drive vehicles, there is known a technique for changing the distribution of torque applied to the front and rear wheels depending on the driving conditions, as described in, for example, Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 further proposes a control for changing the torque distribution and the time for shifting in order to reduce shocks that occur during shifting. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-113595 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, automatic driving control has been used in some four-wheel drive vehicles. However, automatic driving may require different control from manual driving for torque distribution and gear shift time. For example, in manual driving, the magnitude of acceleration that matches the driver's intention may be prioritized over ride comfort, but in automatic driving, ride comfort may be prioritized because there is no need to match the acceleration at each moment to the driver's expectations. In such cases, manual driving and automatic driving require different points to be considered regarding torque distribution and gear shift time. Therefore, there has been a demand for control that changes to appropriate torque distribution and gear shift time depending on whether the driving is automatic or manual. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present disclosure can be realized in the following forms.

[0006] (1) According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a control device for a vehicle, the vehicle including a prime mover, a propeller shaft that transmits a rotational output of the prime mover, a first drive wheel to which the rotational output is transmitted without passing through the propeller shaft, a second drive wheel to which the rotational output is transmitted via the propeller shaft, a torque distribution unit that distributes the rotational output to the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel, and a transmission that can change a rotational speed of the rotational output to transmit the rotational output to the first drive wheel and the propeller shaft, and that can change the rotational speed at a plurality of different gear ratios. The control device has an automatic driving mode and a manual driving mode as driving modes of the vehicle, and when the gear ratio of the transmission device is changed, it controls the torque distribution unit so that the amount of torque distributed to the second drive wheel is smaller than when the gear ratio of the transmission device is constant, and the amount of torque distributed to the second drive wheel when the gear ratio is changed in the manual driving mode is smaller than the amount of torque distributed to the second drive wheel when the gear ratio is changed in the automatic driving mode. With this configuration, the control device changes the shift time and the distribution amount of torque transmitted to the second drive wheel depending on whether the driving mode is manual or automatic. For example, if a shock occurring during a shift is caused by the distribution amount of torque transmitted to the second drive wheel, the control device controls the vehicle taking the shock into consideration depending on whether the driving mode is manual or automatic. In other words, the control device can change the distribution amount of torque and the shift time to an appropriate amount depending on whether the driving mode is automatic or manual. (2) In the control device of the above aspect, the time required for shifting when the gear ratio is changed in the manual driving mode may be shorter than the time required for shifting when the gear ratio is changed in the automatic driving mode. With this configuration, in the manual driving mode, the control device reduces shocks that occur during gear shifting, for example, when the shocks are caused by the distribution amount of torque transmitted to the second drive wheel. More specifically, in the manual driving mode, since a fast gear shift time may be required, the control device reduces the distribution amount of torque transmitted to the second drive wheel, thereby reducing the shocks that occur during gear shifting. In the automatic driving mode, the control device improves the traction performance of the four-wheel drive by increasing the distribution amount of torque transmitted to the second drive wheel. Therefore, the control device can change the distribution amount of torque and the gear shift time to appropriate values ​​depending on whether the driving mode is automatic or manual. (3) In the control device of the above form, the autonomous driving modes include a manned autonomous driving mode used when there is an occupant in the vehicle and an unmanned autonomous driving mode used when there is no occupant in the vehicle, and the control device may make the amount of torque distributed to the second drive wheel when changing the gear ratio in the unmanned autonomous driving mode larger than the amount of torque distributed to the second drive wheel when changing the gear ratio in the manned autonomous driving mode, and may make the time required for shifting when changing the gear ratio in the unmanned autonomous driving mode longer than the time required for shifting when changing the gear ratio in the manned autonomous driving mode. By adopting such a configuration, in the autonomous driving mode, the appropriate torque distribution and the time required for gear shifting may differ depending on whether the vehicle is manned or unmanned. For example, in the autonomous driving mode with a driver, it is assumed that the time required for gear shifting may be shortened because the driver desires to move faster. In such a case, the control device reduces the amount of torque distributed to the second drive wheel, thereby reducing the shock generated during gear shifting compared to the case of the unmanned autonomous driving mode. Therefore, the control device can change the torque distribution and the time required for gear shifting to an appropriate value depending on whether the autonomous driving mode is manned or unmanned. (4) In the control device of the above type, the autonomous driving mode includes an unmanned autonomous driving mode used when there are no passengers in the vehicle, and the control device may make the shift time when changing the gear ratio in the manual driving mode longer than the shift time when changing the gear ratio in the unmanned autonomous driving mode. By adopting such a configuration, the control device performs gear shifting faster in the unmanned automatic driving mode than in the manual driving mode. Since the unmanned automatic driving mode does not have a passenger, it is not necessary to consider shocks that occur during gear shifting. Therefore, the unmanned automatic driving mode can shorten the gear shifting time. Therefore, the control device can change the torque distribution and gear shifting time to an appropriate value according to the unmanned automatic driving mode. (5) In the control device of the above form, the autonomous driving mode includes a manned autonomous driving mode used when there is an occupant in the vehicle, and the control device may make the amount of torque distribution when changing the gear ratio in the manned autonomous driving mode larger than the amount of torque distribution when changing the gear ratio in the unmanned autonomous driving mode, and may make the shift time when changing the gear ratio in the manned autonomous driving mode longer than the shift time when changing the gear ratio in the manual driving mode. With this configuration, the control device changes gears more gently in the manned autonomous driving mode than in the manual driving mode or the unmanned autonomous driving mode. Furthermore, the control device distributes a larger amount of torque transmitted to the second drive wheel in the manned autonomous driving mode than in the manual driving mode or the unmanned autonomous driving mode. In the manned autonomous driving mode, the passenger is not the driver and cannot predict the shock that occurs during gear changes. Therefore, in the manned autonomous driving mode, the control device reduces the shock that occurs during gear changes and improves the traction performance of the four-wheel drive, thereby reducing the discomfort of the passengers caused by the vehicle's travel. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment. [Diagram 2]5 is a flowchart showing a process of the control device in the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 10 is a flowchart showing the processing of a control device in a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] A. First embodiment: A-1. Configuration of the first embodiment: FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the first embodiment. The control device 700 is provided in a vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 is a four-wheel drive vehicle. Furthermore, the vehicle 1000 has an automatic driving mode and a manual driving mode as driving modes of the vehicle 1000. The driving modes will be described in detail later. In the following description, before describing the control device 700 of the vehicle 1000, the configuration of the vehicle 1000 will be described.

[0009] The vehicle 1000 includes a prime mover 100 , a transmission 200 , a first drive wheel 300 , a propeller shaft 400 , a torque distribution unit 500 , and a second drive wheel 600 .

[0010] Prime mover 100 generates a rotational output for vehicle 1000. For example, prime mover 100 is an engine that generates the rotational output by burning fuel such as gasoline or diesel. The rotational output is determined by the torque and rotational speed of prime mover 100. The rotational output of prime mover 100 is controlled by commands from control device 700. The rotational output is transmitted to transmission 200.

[0011] The transmission 200 changes the rotation speed of the rotation output of the prime mover 100. Furthermore, the transmission 200 transmits the changed rotation output to the first drive wheel 300 and the propeller shaft 400. More specifically, the transmission 200 is composed of a transmission and a transfer. The transmission changes the gear ratio of the transmission, thereby changing the rotation speed of the rotation output of the prime mover 100. Furthermore, the transmission 200 transmits the changed rotation output to the first drive wheel 300 and the propeller shaft 400 by the transfer.

[0012] The transmission 200 changes the gear ratio in response to a command from the control device 700. The transmission 200 can change the rotation speed of the first drive wheel 300 and the propeller shaft 400 at a plurality of different gear ratios. More specifically, the transmission 200 can make the rotation speeds of the rotation outputs distributed to the first drive wheel 300 and the propeller shaft 400 equal to each other, or can make the rotation speed of the rotation output distributed to the first drive wheel 300 faster than the rotation speed of the rotation output distributed to the propeller shaft 400. The time required for the transmission 200 to change the gear ratio is called the gear shift time. The longer the gear shift time, the more gently the gear shift is performed, and therefore the shock generated during the gear shift is reduced.

[0013] The first drive wheel 300 transmits the driving force to the road surface. More specifically, the first drive wheel 300 is a wheel that rotates at the rotational speed of the rotational output transmitted from the transmission 200 via the axle. That is, the rotational output transmitted to the first drive wheel 300 is transmitted without passing through the propeller shaft 400. The first drive wheel 300 is composed of a front wheel 300L and a front wheel 300R arranged on the left and right sides of the vehicle 1000. The driving force of the first drive wheel 300 is determined by the rotational output transmitted to the first drive wheel 300 and the wheel diameter of the first drive wheel 300.

[0014] Propeller shaft 400 transmits the rotational output of prime mover 100. More specifically, propeller shaft 400 transmits the rotational output distributed from transmission 200 to torque distribution section 500.

[0015] The torque distribution unit 500 distributes the rotational output to the first driving wheel 300 and the second driving wheel 600. More specifically, the torque distribution unit 500 transmits the rotational output distributed to the propeller shaft 400 by the transmission 200 to the second driving wheel 600. The torque distribution unit 500 is, for example, a multi-plate clutch type electronically controlled coupling. That is, the torque distribution unit 500 changes the degree of engagement of the multi-plate clutch in response to a command from the control device 700, thereby changing the rotational output transmitted between the propeller shaft 400 and the second driving wheel 600. The distribution of the rotational output will be described in detail later.

[0016] The second drive wheel 600 transmits the driving force to the road surface. More specifically, the second drive wheel 600 is a wheel that rotates at the rotation speed of the rotation output distributed based on the torque by the torque distribution unit 500. That is, the rotation output transmitted to the second drive wheel 600 is transmitted via the propeller shaft 400. The second drive wheel 600 is composed of a rear wheel 600L and a rear wheel 600R arranged on the left and right of the vehicle 1000. The driving force of the second drive wheel 600 is determined by the rotation output transmitted to the second drive wheel 600 and the wheel diameter of the second drive wheel 600.

[0017] The second drive wheel 600 further rotates with respect to the axle when the rotational output is not distributed by the torque distribution unit 500. In other words, the second drive wheel 600 rotates even when the drive force is not transmitted to the road surface. In this case, the vehicle 1000 is in a two-wheel drive state in which the vehicle runs only by the drive force of the first drive wheel 300.

[0018] The control device 700 controls the vehicle 1000. The control device 700 includes a processor 710, a ROM 720, and a RAM 730. The ROM 720 is a read-only semiconductor memory, and stores a control program for controlling the vehicle 1000 in advance. The RAM 730 is a readable and writable semiconductor memory, and stores information necessary for controlling the vehicle 1000. The processor 710 loads the control program stored in the ROM 720 into the RAM 730 and executes it to realize various functions. The functions of the processor 710 will be described in detail later.

[0019] The control device 700 has an automatic driving mode and a manual driving mode as driving modes of the vehicle 1000. The control device 700 controls the prime mover 100, the transmission 200, and the torque distribution unit 500 according to the driving mode.

[0020] The manual driving mode is a driving mode in which at least a part of the control related to the driving of the vehicle 1000 is executed by the driver's judgment and operation. For example, it means a driving mode that realizes driving of levels 0 to 2 among driving levels 0 to 5 defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

[0021] The autonomous driving mode is a driving mode in which at least a part of the control related to the driving of the vehicle 1000 is automatically executed without the driver's decision. For example, the autonomous driving mode means a driving mode that realizes driving levels 3 to 5 in the SAE. In the autonomous driving mode, the driving of the vehicle 1000 is automatically controlled using the detection results of sensors for detecting the situation around the vehicle 1000, such as an imaging camera, a millimeter wave radar, and a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection And Ranging).

[0022] The autonomous driving mode includes a manned autonomous driving mode that is used when there is a passenger in the vehicle 1000, and an unmanned autonomous driving mode that is used when there is no passenger in the vehicle 1000. Note that the passenger in the manned autonomous driving mode is not the driver. In the manned autonomous driving mode, driving is performed by controlling the vehicle 1000.

[0023] A-2. Rotational power distribution: The control device 700 distributes the rotational output by controlling the torque distribution unit 500. As described above, the rotational output of the prime mover 100 is transmitted to the first driving wheel 300 and the propeller shaft 400 by the transmission 200. The rotational output transmitted to the propeller shaft 400 is further transmitted to the second driving wheel 600 via the torque distribution unit 500. The control device 700 determines the distribution of the rotational output between the first driving wheel 300 and the second driving wheel 600 by adjusting the rotational output transmitted to the second driving wheel 600 by the torque distribution unit 500.

[0024] The control device 700 distributes the rotational output based on the torque distribution amount. The torque distribution amount is the absolute value of the torque transmitted to the second drive wheel 600. In other words, the control device 700 changes the rotational output transmitted between the propeller shaft 400 and the second drive wheel 600 by the torque distribution unit 500 based on the torque distribution amount. At this time, the rotational output distributed to the first drive wheel 300 is changed according to the rotational output distributed to the second drive wheel 600.

[0025] For example, when the torque distribution amount is maximized, the torque magnitudes of the first driving wheel 300 and the second driving wheel 600 are in a 50:50 relationship. The control device 700 can set the torque distribution amount to 0 by blocking the transmission of the rotational output by the torque distribution unit 500. When the torque distribution amount is 0, the torque distribution amount is the minimum. Therefore, when the torque distribution amount is the minimum, the rotational output is transmitted only to the first driving wheel 300, so that the torque magnitudes of the first driving wheel 300 and the second driving wheel 600 are in a 100:0 relationship. Therefore, the control device 700 determines the rotational output to be distributed to the first driving wheel 300 and the second driving wheel 600 by changing the torque distribution amount by the torque distribution unit 500. When the torque magnitudes of the first driving wheel 300 and the second driving wheel 600 are in a 100:0 relationship, the vehicle 1000 is in a two-wheel drive state. When both the first drive wheel 300 and the second drive wheel 600 have a torque magnitude, the vehicle 1000 is in four-wheel drive.

[0026] When the speed ratio of the transmission 200 is changed, the control device 700 further controls the torque distribution unit 500 so that the amount of torque distributed to the second drive wheel 600 is smaller than when the speed ratio of the transmission 200 is constant. For example, when the speed ratio of the transmission 200 is constant and the torque magnitudes of the first drive wheel 300 and the second drive wheel 600 have a 50:50 relationship, when the speed ratio is changed, the control device 700 adjusts the torque magnitude relationship between 51:49 and 100:0.

[0027] With this configuration, the control device 700 reduces the shock that occurs during a gear shift when the torque is transmitted to the second drive wheel 600, compared to when the torque distribution unit 500 does not reduce the amount of torque distribution. Furthermore, the control device 700 improves the traction performance of the vehicle 1000 by causing the vehicle 1000 to run in four-wheel drive mode when the gear ratio of the transmission 200 is constant, using the torque distribution unit 500.

[0028] A-3. Control device processing: Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing of the control device 700 in the first embodiment. The processor 710 of the control device 700 in Fig. 1 starts processing in response to switching of the driving mode of the vehicle 1000 or starting of the engine.

[0029] 2, the processor 710 of the control device 700 determines the driving mode. That is, if the driving mode is the automatic driving mode, the processor 710 advances the process to step S120. If the driving mode is the manual driving mode, the processor 710 ends the process.

[0030] 2, the processor 710 of the control device 700 determines whether or not there is a passenger. That is, if there is no passenger in the vehicle 1000, the processor 710 advances the process to step S130. If there is a passenger in the vehicle 1000, the processor 710 advances the process to step S140.

[0031] 2, the processor 710 of the control device 700 determines whether or not the gear ratio of the transmission 200 is to be changed. For example, in the autonomous driving mode, the processor 710 changes the gear ratio due to acceleration at the time of starting or deceleration due to vehicle speed restrictions. If the gear ratio is to be changed, the processor 710 advances the process to step S131. If the gear ratio is not to be changed, the processor 710 returns the process to step S130.

[0032] In step S131 of FIG. 2, the processor 710 of the control device 700 controls the amount of torque distribution transmitted to the second drive wheel 600 when the gear ratio is changed in an unmanned autonomous driving mode to be greater than the amount of torque distribution transmitted to the second drive wheel 600 when the gear ratio is changed in a manned autonomous driving mode.

[0033] Moreover, processor 710 makes the time for shifting when changing the gear ratio in the unmanned automatic driving mode longer than the time for shifting when changing the gear ratio in the manned automatic driving mode. That is, processor 710 changes the gear ratio by transmission 200 more gradually than the change in the gear ratio in the manned automatic driving mode. By adopting such a configuration, the shock generated during gear shifting in the unmanned automatic driving mode is reduced compared to that in the manned automatic driving mode.

[0034] 2, processor 710 of control device 700 determines the end of operation. That is, if processor 710 determines that prime mover 100 is running, processor 710 returns the process to step S130. If processor 710 determines that prime mover 100 has stopped, processor 710 ends the process.

[0035] 2, the processor 710 of the control device 700 determines whether or not the gear ratio of the transmission 200 is to be changed. The determination is made in the same manner as in step S130. If the gear ratio is to be changed, the processor 710 advances the process to step S141. If the gear ratio is not to be changed, the processor 710 returns the process to step S140.

[0036] In step S141 of FIG. 2, the processor 710 of the control device 700 controls the amount of torque distributed to the second drive wheel 600 when changing the gear ratio in a manned automatic driving mode so that it is greater than the amount of torque distributed to the second drive wheel 600 when changing the gear ratio in a manual driving mode.

[0037] Moreover, processor 710 makes the time for shifting when changing the gear ratio in the manned automatic driving mode longer than the time for shifting when changing the gear ratio in the manual driving mode. That is, processor 710 changes the gear ratio by transmission 200 more gradually than the change in the gear ratio in the manual driving mode. By adopting such a configuration, the shock generated during gear shifting in the manned automatic driving mode is reduced compared to that in the manual driving mode.

[0038] 2, processor 710 of control device 700 determines the end of operation. That is, if processor 710 determines that prime mover 100 is running, processor 710 returns the process to step S140. If processor 710 determines that prime mover 100 has stopped, processor 710 ends the process.

[0039] From the above, when comparing the manual driving mode and the automatic driving mode, the amount of torque distribution transmitted to the second drive wheel 600 when the gear ratio is changed in the manual driving mode is smaller than the amount of torque distribution transmitted to the second drive wheel 600 when the gear ratio is changed in the automatic driving mode.

[0040] Furthermore, the time required for shifting when the gear ratio is changed in the manual driving mode is shorter than the time required for shifting when the gear ratio is changed in the automatic driving mode.

[0041] With this configuration, the control device 700 changes the shift time and the distribution amount of torque transmitted to the second drive wheel 600 depending on whether the driving mode is manual or automatic. For example, if a shock occurring during a shift is caused by the distribution amount of torque transmitted to the second drive wheel 600, the control device 700 controls the vehicle 1000 taking the shock into consideration depending on whether the driving mode is manual or automatic. That is, the control device 700 can change the distribution amount of torque and the shift time to appropriate values ​​depending on whether the driving mode is automatic or manual.

[0042] More specifically, in the manual driving mode, since a short shift time may be required, the control device 700 reduces the distribution amount of torque transmitted to the second driving wheel 600 to reduce shocks that occur during shifting. In the automatic driving mode, the control device 700 increases the distribution amount of torque transmitted to the second driving wheel 600 to improve the traction performance of the four-wheel drive. Therefore, the control device 700 can change the distribution amount of torque and the shift time to appropriate amounts depending on whether the driving mode is automatic or manual.

[0043] Furthermore, in the autonomous driving mode, the appropriate torque distribution and the time required for gear shifting may differ depending on whether the vehicle is manned or unmanned. For example, in the autonomous driving mode with a driver, it is assumed that the time required for gear shifting may be shortened because the driver desires to move faster. In such a case, the control device 700 reduces the amount of torque distributed to the second drive wheel 600, thereby reducing the shock that occurs during gear shifting compared to the case of the unmanned autonomous driving mode. Therefore, in the autonomous driving mode, the control device 700 can change the torque distribution and the time required for gear shifting to an appropriate value depending on whether the vehicle is manned or unmanned.

[0044] B. Second embodiment: Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing of the control device 700 in the second embodiment. The configuration of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment in Fig. 1. As in the first embodiment, the processing of the control device 700 in the second embodiment starts in response to switching of the driving mode of the vehicle 1000 or starting of the engine.

[0045] 3, the processor 710 of the control device 700 determines the driving mode. That is, if the driving mode is the automatic driving mode, the processor 710 advances the process to step S220. If the driving mode is the manual driving mode, the processor 710 advances the process to step S211.

[0046] In step S211 of Fig. 3, the processor 710 of the control device 700 determines whether or not the gear ratio of the transmission 200 is to be changed. For example, the processor 710 of the control device 700 makes this determination upon receiving a command for acceleration or deceleration by an operation of the driver. If the gear ratio is to be changed, the processor 710 advances the process to step S212. If the gear ratio is not to be changed in step S211, the processor 710 returns the process to step S211.

[0047] 3, the processor 710 of the control device 700 controls the amount of torque distributed to the second driving wheel 600 when the gear ratio is changed in the manual driving mode to be smaller than the amount of torque distributed to the second driving wheel 600 when the gear ratio is changed in the unmanned automatic driving mode. Note that, due to processing of other driving modes described later, the amount of torque distributed in the manual driving mode becomes the smallest among the driving modes.

[0048] In addition, processor 710 makes the time for shifting the gear ratio when changing the gear ratio in the manual driving mode longer than the time for shifting the gear ratio when changing the gear ratio in the unmanned automatic driving mode. That is, processor 710 changes the gear ratio in the unmanned automatic driving mode faster than the change in the gear ratio in the manual driving mode.

[0049] 3, processor 710 of control device 700 determines the end of operation. That is, if processor 710 determines that prime mover 100 is running, processor 710 returns the process to step S211. If processor 710 determines that prime mover 100 has stopped, processor 710 ends the process.

[0050] 3, the processor 710 of the control device 700 determines whether or not there is a passenger in the vehicle 1000. That is, the processor 710 advances the process to step S230 if there is no passenger in the vehicle 1000. The processor 710 advances the process to step S240 if there is a passenger in the vehicle 1000.

[0051] 3, the processor 710 of the control device 700 determines whether or not the gear ratio of the transmission 200 is to be changed. The determination is made in the same manner as in step S130 of the first embodiment. If the gear ratio is to be changed, the processor 710 advances the process to step S231. If the gear ratio is not to be changed, the processor 710 returns the process to step S230.

[0052] 2, the processor 710 of the control device 700 controls the amount of torque distributed to the second driving wheel 600 when the gear ratio is changed in the unmanned automatic driving mode to be larger than the amount of torque distributed to the second driving wheel 600 when the gear ratio is changed in the manual driving mode. However, the processor 710 controls the amount of torque distributed to the second driving wheel 600 when the gear ratio is changed in the unmanned automatic driving mode to be smaller than the amount of torque distributed to the second driving wheel 600 when the gear ratio is changed in the manned automatic driving mode.

[0053] In addition, processor 710 makes the time required for shifting the gear ratio in the unmanned automatic driving mode shorter than the time required for shifting the gear ratio in the manned automatic driving mode or the manual driving mode. In other words, the time required for shifting the gear ratio in the unmanned automatic driving mode is the shortest among the driving modes.

[0054] 3, processor 710 of control device 700 determines the end of operation. That is, if processor 710 determines that prime mover 100 is running, processor 710 returns the process to step S230. If processor 710 determines that prime mover 100 has stopped, processor 710 ends the process.

[0055] 3, the processor 710 of the control device 700 determines whether or not the gear ratio of the transmission 200 is to be changed. The determination is made in the same manner as in step S230. If the gear ratio is to be changed, the processor 710 advances the process to step S241. If the gear ratio is not to be changed, the processor 710 returns the process to step S240.

[0056] 3, the processor 710 of the control device 700 controls the amount of torque distributed to the second drive wheels 600 when the gear ratio is changed in the manned autonomous driving mode to be larger than the amount of torque distributed to the second drive wheels 600 when the gear ratio is changed in the unmanned autonomous driving mode. In other words, the amount of torque distributed in the manned autonomous driving mode is the largest among the driving modes.

[0057] In addition, processor 710 makes the shift time when changing the gear ratio in the attended automatic driving mode longer than the shift time when changing the gear ratio in the manual driving mode. In other words, the shift time in the attended automatic driving mode is the longest among the driving modes.

[0058] 2, processor 710 of control device 700 determines the end of operation. That is, if processor 710 determines that prime mover 100 is running, processor 710 returns the process to step S240. If processor 710 determines that prime mover 100 has stopped, processor 710 ends the process.

[0059] By adopting such a configuration, the control device 700 performs gear shifting faster in the unmanned automatic driving mode than in the manual driving mode. Since the unmanned automatic driving mode does not have a passenger, it is not necessary to consider shocks that occur during gear shifting. Therefore, the unmanned automatic driving mode can shorten the gear shifting time. Therefore, the control device 700 can change the torque distribution and gear shifting time appropriately according to the unmanned automatic driving mode.

[0060] Furthermore, the control device 700 performs gear shifting more gently in the manned automatic driving mode than in the manual driving mode or the unmanned automatic driving mode. Moreover, the control device 700 increases the distribution amount of torque transmitted to the second drive wheel 600 in the manned automatic driving mode than in the manual driving mode or the unmanned automatic driving mode. In the manned automatic driving mode, the passenger is not the driver, so cannot predict the shock that occurs during gear shifting. Therefore, in the manned automatic driving mode, the control device 700 reduces the shock that occurs during gear shifting and improves the traction performance by the wheel drive, thereby reducing the discomfort of the passenger caused by the running of the vehicle 1000.

[0061] C. Other embodiments: (1) In the above embodiment, the control device 700 does not need to change the time for shifting when changing the gear ratio with the transmission 200. In other words, the control device 700 may change only the amount of torque distributed to the second driving wheel 600 when changing the gear ratio with the transmission 200. For example, the control device 700 can reduce the shock that occurs during shifting even when only the amount of torque distributed to the second driving wheel 600 is reduced. (2) In the above embodiment, the autonomous driving mode may include either a manned autonomous driving mode or an unmanned autonomous driving mode. For example, in the flowchart of FIG. 2, the process of step S120 may not be performed, and the control device 700 may perform only two types of processes, that is, the unmanned autonomous driving mode process and the manual driving mode process. (3) In the above embodiment, the rotational output of prime mover 100 is transmitted to first drive wheel 300 and propeller shaft 400 by transmission 200. This transmission may be performed directly or indirectly. For example, the rotational output may be transmitted directly by a dry clutch, as in a manual transmission, or indirectly by a fluid clutch, as in an automatic transmission. (4) In the above embodiment, an engine is illustrated as prime mover 100. However, prime mover 100 may generate rotational output using a motor.

[0062] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be realized in various configurations without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the technical features of the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each form described in the Summary of the Invention column can be appropriately replaced or combined in order to solve some or all of the above problems or to achieve some or all of the above effects. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be appropriately deleted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] Reference Signs List 100: prime mover, 200: transmission, 300: first drive wheel, 300L, 300R: front wheels, 400: propeller shaft, 500: torque distribution section, 600: second drive wheel, 600L, 600R: rear wheels, 700: control device, 710: processor, 720: ROM, 730: RAM, 1000: vehicle

Claims

1. A control device for a vehicle, The vehicle is The prime mover, a propeller shaft that transmits the rotational output of the prime mover; a first drive wheel to which the rotational output is transmitted without passing through the propeller shaft; a second drive wheel to which the rotational output is transmitted via the propeller shaft; a torque distribution unit that distributes the rotational output to the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel; a transmission capable of changing a rotational speed of the rotational output to transmit the rotational output to the first drive wheel and the propeller shaft, the transmission capable of changing the rotational speed at a plurality of different gear ratios; Equipped with The control device includes: The vehicle has an automatic driving mode and a manual driving mode as driving modes, When changing the gear ratio of the transmission, the torque distribution unit is controlled so that a distribution amount of the torque transmitted to the second drive wheel is smaller than when the gear ratio of the transmission is constant; A control device in which the amount of torque distributed to the second drive wheel when the gear ratio is changed in the manual driving mode is smaller than the amount of torque distributed to the second drive wheel when the gear ratio is changed in the automatic driving mode.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, A vehicle control device, wherein a time required for shifting when the gear ratio is changed in the manual driving mode is shorter than a time required for shifting when the gear ratio is changed in the automatic driving mode.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, The autonomous driving mode includes a manned autonomous driving mode used when there is a passenger in the vehicle, and an unmanned autonomous driving mode used when there is no passenger in the vehicle, The control device includes: a distribution amount of torque transmitted to the second drive wheels when the gear ratio is changed in the unmanned automatic driving mode is made larger than a distribution amount of torque transmitted to the second drive wheels when the gear ratio is changed in the manned automatic driving mode; A vehicle control device that makes a gear shift time when changing a gear ratio in the unmanned autonomous driving mode longer than a gear shift time when changing a gear ratio in the manned autonomous driving mode.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, The autonomous driving mode includes an unmanned autonomous driving mode that is used when there are no passengers in the vehicle; A vehicle control device, wherein the control device makes a shift time when changing a gear ratio in the manual driving mode longer than a shift time when changing a gear ratio in the unmanned automatic driving mode.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 4, The autonomous driving mode includes an autonomous driving mode with a driver that is used when there is a driver in the vehicle; The control device includes: A torque distribution amount when changing the gear ratio in the manned automatic driving mode is made larger than a torque distribution amount when changing the gear ratio in the unmanned automatic driving mode, A vehicle control device that makes a shift time when changing a gear ratio in the manned automatic driving mode longer than a shift time when changing a gear ratio in the manual driving mode.

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