Electric automobile and control system

Abstract

To provide an electric automobile which enables a driver to enjoy drive performance and an engine sound like those of an engine vehicle equipped with a manual transmission even during automatic driving.SOLUTION: This electric automobile comprises: an accelerator pedal; a shifter capable of selecting a gear stage by imitating operation of a transmission; a speaker that outputs a pseudo engine sound imitating an engine sound; and a control device. The control device changes, when the electric automobile is not in an automatic driving mode, motor torque output from an electric motor and the pseudo engine sound in response to the operation states of the accelerator pedal and the shifter operated by a driver. When the electric automobile is in the automatic driving mode, the control device virtually determines the operation states of the accelerator pedal and the shifter, and changes at least one of the motor torque output from the electric motor and the pseudo engine sound in response to the virtual operation states.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electric vehicle that uses an electric motor as a driving power device.

Background Art

[0002] A conventional engine vehicle (hereinafter referred to as an "MT vehicle") equipped with a manual transmission (MT) that switches gear stages by manual operation of a driver has characteristics in driving operation and driving characteristics and is popular among certain users. The torque characteristics of an internal combustion engine used as a driving power device of an engine vehicle are significantly different from those of an electric motor. Also, an electric vehicle naturally does not have an MT. Therefore, an electric vehicle and an MT vehicle usually have significant differences in driving operation and driving characteristics. On the other hand, the torque characteristics of an electric motor can be adjusted by controlling the applied voltage and field excitation. Therefore, in recent years, a technique has been proposed that enables a driver to enjoy driving operations and driving characteristics similar to those of an MT vehicle in an electric vehicle by adjusting the torque characteristics of the electric motor (for example, Patent Document 1 below).

[0003] Also, the engine sound that can be heard in response to driving operation is one of the attractions of an MT vehicle. Regarding this point as well, a technique has been proposed that enables a driver to enjoy an engine sound similar to that of an MT vehicle in an electric vehicle (for example, Patent Document 2 below).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In recent years, in order to reduce the burden of driving operations on the driver, there has been a concept of autonomous driving that automatically performs at least acceleration and deceleration without relying on the driver's driving operations. Here, it is assumed that even when the electric vehicle is in autonomous driving, the driver may want to enjoy the driving characteristics and engine sound like those of an MT vehicle. However, conventionally, the autonomous driving of electric vehicles has controlled the running of the vehicle based on the torque characteristics of ordinary electric motors. Also conventionally, no coordination with autonomous driving regarding engine sound has been considered. Therefore, when applying conventional autonomous driving technology, the driver of an electric vehicle cannot enjoy the driving characteristics and engine sound like those of an MT vehicle during autonomous driving.

[0006] One object of the present disclosure is in view of the above problems, and to provide a technology that enables a driver to enjoy driving characteristics and engine sound like those of an MT vehicle even when the electric vehicle is in autonomous driving.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] A first aspect of the present disclosure relates to an electric vehicle that uses an electric motor as a driving power device. The electric vehicle is configured to be switchable to an autonomous driving mode in which at least acceleration and deceleration are automatically performed without relying on the driver's driving operations to drive. The electric vehicle also includes an accelerator pedal, a shift device capable of selecting a gear stage by simulating the operation of a transmission, a speaker that outputs a pseudo engine sound simulating an engine sound, and a control device. When the electric vehicle is not in the autonomous driving mode, the control device changes the motor torque and the pseudo engine sound output by the electric motor in response to the operation states of the accelerator pedal and the shift device operated by the driver. When the electric vehicle is in the autonomous driving mode, the control device virtually determines the operation states of the accelerator pedal and the shift device, and changes at least one of the motor torque and the pseudo engine sound output by the electric motor in response to the virtual operation states.

[0008] A second aspect of the present disclosure relates to a control system for an electric vehicle that uses an electric motor as a driving power device. The control system includes one or more memories and one or more processors connected to the one or more memories. The electric vehicle is configured to be switchable to an automatic driving mode in which at least acceleration and deceleration are automatically performed without depending on a driving operation by a driver and the vehicle travels. The electric vehicle also includes an accelerator pedal, a shift device capable of selecting a gear stage by simulating an operation of a transmission, and a speaker that outputs a pseudo engine sound simulating an engine sound. When the electric vehicle is not in the automatic driving mode, the one or more processors change a motor torque output by the electric motor and a pseudo engine sound in response to an operation state of the accelerator pedal and the shift device operated by the driver. When the electric vehicle is in the automatic driving mode, the one or more processors virtually determine an operation state of the accelerator pedal and the shift device, and change at least one of a motor torque output by the electric motor and a pseudo engine sound in response to the virtual operation state.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, a driver can enjoy driving characteristics and engine sounds like those of a MT vehicle even when the electric vehicle is in the automatic driving state.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 10

Figure 11

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] 1 Configuration of Electric Vehicle FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of an electric vehicle 10 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the electric vehicle 10 includes an electric motor 2 as a power source. The electric motor 2 is, for example, a brushless DC motor or a three-phase AC synchronous motor. A rotation speed sensor 40 for detecting the rotation speed thereof is provided on the electric motor 2. The output shaft 3 of the electric motor 2 is connected to one end of a propeller shaft 5 via a gear mechanism 4. The other end of the propeller shaft 5 is connected to a drive shaft 7 in front of the vehicle via a differential gear 6.

[0013] The electric vehicle 10 includes drive wheels 8 which are the front wheels and driven wheels 12 which are the rear wheels. The drive wheels 8 are respectively provided at both ends of a drive shaft 7. A wheel speed sensor 30 is provided for each of the wheels 8, 12. In FIG. 1, only the wheel speed sensor 30 of the right rear wheel is depicted representatively. The wheel speed sensor 30 is also used as a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the vehicle speed of the electric vehicle 10. The wheel speed sensor 30 is connected to a control device 50 described later by an in-vehicle network such as a controller area network (CAN).

[0014] The electric vehicle 10 includes a battery 14 and an inverter 16. The battery 14 stores electric energy for driving the electric motor 2. That is, the electric vehicle 10 is a battery electric vehicle (BEV) that runs on the electric energy stored in the battery 14. The inverter 16 converts the DC power input from the battery 14 into the drive power of the electric motor 2. The power conversion by the inverter 16 is performed by PWM control by the control device 50. The inverter 16 is connected to the control device 50 by an in-vehicle network.

[0015] As a driving operation device for a driver to input a driving operation, the electric vehicle 10 includes an accelerator pedal 22 for inputting a driving operation related to acceleration and a brake pedal 24 for inputting a driving operation related to braking. An accelerator position sensor 32 for detecting an accelerator opening which is the operation amount of the accelerator pedal 22 is provided on the accelerator pedal 22. Also, a brake position sensor 34 for detecting a brake pedal depression amount which is the operation amount of the brake pedal 24 is provided on the brake pedal 24. The accelerator position sensor 32 and the brake position sensor 34 are connected to the control device 50 by an in-vehicle network.

[0016] The electric vehicle 10 further includes a pseudo shift lever 26 (shift change device) and a pseudo clutch pedal 28 (clutch operation device) as driving operation devices. The shift lever and the clutch pedal are usually provided for operating a manual transmission (MT) in an engine vehicle (MT vehicle) equipped with an MT. However, naturally, the electric vehicle 10 does not have an MT. The pseudo shift lever 26 and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 are merely dummies that are different from the original shift lever and clutch pedal.

[0017] The pseudo shift lever 26 has a structure that mimics the shift lever provided in an MT vehicle and is configured to be able to arbitrarily select a gear stage from among a plurality of gear stages. The arrangement and the operating feel of the pseudo shift lever 26 are equivalent to those of an actual MT vehicle. The pseudo shift lever 26 is provided with positions corresponding to each gear stage such as first gear, second gear, third gear, fourth gear, fifth gear, sixth gear, and neutral, for example. The pseudo shift lever 26 is provided with a shift position sensor 36 that detects which position the pseudo shift lever 26 is in. The shift position sensor 36 is connected to the control device 50 via an in-vehicle network.

[0018] The pseudo clutch pedal 28 has a structure that mimics the clutch pedal provided in an MT vehicle. The arrangement and the operating feel of the pseudo clutch pedal 28 are equivalent to those of an actual MT vehicle. That is, the pseudo clutch pedal 28 is operated by the driver when executing a shift change by the pseudo shift lever 26. More specifically, when the driver attempts to execute a shift change by the pseudo shift lever 26, the driver depresses the pseudo clutch pedal 28. When the shift change is completed, the driver stops depressing and returns the pseudo clutch pedal 28 to its original position. The pseudo clutch pedal 28 is provided with a clutch position sensor 38 for detecting the amount of depression of the clutch pedal, which is the amount of operation of the pseudo clutch pedal 28. The clutch position sensor 38 is connected to the control device 50 via an in-vehicle network.

[0019] In this way, the pseudo shift lever 26 and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 constitute a shift device capable of selecting a gear stage by simulating the operation of a transmission (particularly, an MT).

[0020] The electric vehicle 10 is provided with a speaker 44. The arrangement and structure of the speaker 44 are not particularly limited. The speaker 44 is connected to the control device 50 by an in-vehicle network. The speaker 44 outputs sound according to the control signal of the control device 50. In particular, as will be described later, the speaker 44 outputs a pseudo engine sound that simulates the engine sound of an engine vehicle.

[0021] The electric vehicle 10 is provided with a driving environment detection sensor 31 for detecting the driving environment. The driving environment detection sensor 31 is composed of sensors for detecting the surrounding environment such as, for example, a camera, a radar, a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), etc., and sensors for detecting the vehicle state such as an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), etc.

[0022] The electric vehicle 10 is provided with an automatic driving mode switching switch 42. The automatic driving mode switching switch 42 is a switch for switching the on / off of the automatic driving mode in which the electric vehicle 10 performs automatic driving. When the electric vehicle 10 is in the automatic driving mode, it is controlled to travel in automatic driving. Here, automatic driving means automatically performing at least acceleration and deceleration without depending on the driving operation by the driver. The automatic driving mode may control the electric vehicle 10 to travel while automatically performing acceleration and deceleration and performing steering in response to the operation of the driver. Of course, the automatic driving mode may control the electric vehicle 10 to travel while automatically performing both acceleration and deceleration and steering. Furthermore, the automatic driving mode may control the electric vehicle to travel to a set destination. The automatic driving mode switching switch 42 is connected to the control device 50 by an in-vehicle network.

[0023] The control device 50 is typically an electronic control unit (ECU) mounted on the electric vehicle 10. The control device 50 may be a combination of a plurality of ECUs. The control device 50 includes an interface 52, a memory 54, and a processor 56. An in-vehicle network is connected to the interface 52. The memory 54 is connected to the processor 56 and stores a computer program executable by the processor 56. The memory 54 also stores various data necessary for the processes executed by the processor 56. The memory 54 is composed of a recording medium such as, for example, RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), SSD (Solid State Drive), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), etc. The computer program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. The processor 56 reads the computer program and data from the memory 54 and executes various processes.

[0024] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the electric vehicle 10 according to the present embodiment. Signals are input to the control device 50 from at least the wheel speed sensor 30, the driving environment detection sensor 31, the accelerator position sensor 32, the brake position sensor 34, the shift position sensor 36, the clutch position sensor 38, the rotational speed sensor 40, and the autonomous driving mode changeover switch 42. An in-vehicle network is used for communication between these sensors and the control device 50. In addition to these, various sensors (not shown) may be mounted on the electric vehicle 10 and connected to the control device 50 via the in-vehicle network.

[0025] Further, the control device 50 outputs signals to at least the inverter 16 and the speaker 44. An in-vehicle network is used for communication between these devices and the control device 50. In addition to these, various actuators and displays (not shown) may be mounted on the electric vehicle 10 and connected to the control device 50 via the in-vehicle network.

[0026] The control device 50 manages the operation characteristic information data D10. The operation characteristic information data D10 may be stored in the memory 54. The operation characteristic information data D10 is data that manages one or more pieces of operation characteristic information. The operation characteristic information represents the characteristics of operations related to at least one of the accelerator pedal 22 and the shift device (the pseudo shift lever 26 and the pseudo clutch pedal 28).

[0027] Figure 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation characteristic information. Examples of the characteristics represented by the operation characteristic information include, for example, the characteristics of the operation amount of the accelerator pedal 22 during acceleration, the characteristics of the shift change timing, and the characteristics of the operation amounts of the accelerator pedal 22 and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 during the execution of the shift change.

[0028] The characteristics of the operation amount of the accelerator pedal 22 during acceleration can be described, for example, from the perspective of how to give the operation amount of the accelerator pedal 22 until the target vehicle speed is reached. For example, one of the characteristics is to first step on the accelerator pedal 22 firmly and gradually loosen the stepping on of the accelerator pedal 22 as the target vehicle speed is approached, so as to give the operation amount of the accelerator pedal 22 to reach the target vehicle speed (Characteristic A1). Also, for example, one of the characteristics is to gradually increase the stepping on of the accelerator pedal 22 and give the operation amount of the accelerator pedal 22 to reach the target vehicle speed (Characteristic A2). Figure 3(A) schematically shows the above Characteristics A1 and A2. These characteristics can be described in more detail. For example, Characteristic A1 can be further described in more detail from the perspective of how much to increase the operation amount of the accelerator pedal 22 when stepping on the accelerator pedal 22 firmly. Also, for example, Characteristic A2 can be further described in more detail from the perspective of at what rate of change the stepping on of the accelerator pedal 22 is increased.

[0029] The characteristics of the shift change timing can be described, for example, from the perspective of which gear stage to select with respect to the vehicle speed of the electric vehicle 10. In FIG. 3(B), as an example of the characteristics from this perspective, two characteristics B1 and B2 are shown. The characteristics B1 and B2 respectively show in which speed range the five gear stages of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th are selected. The timing of the shift change is when the selected gear stage changes as the vehicle speed increases or decreases. Characteristic B1 shows the characteristic of performing a shift change in a speed range at regular intervals. On the other hand, characteristic B2 shows the characteristic of performing a shift change so as to maintain a low-speed gear for a longer time in the low-speed range compared to characteristic B1. These characteristics can be designed in various ways by changing the selection of the gear stage with respect to the vehicle speed. Also, these characteristics may be designed to have a hysteresis characteristic with respect to the increasing direction and the decreasing direction of the vehicle speed.

[0030] The characteristics of the operation amounts of the accelerator pedal 22 and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 during the execution of a shift change can be described, for example, from the viewpoint of the speed of the shift change. In FIG. 3(C), as an example of the characteristics from this viewpoint, two characteristics C1 and C2 are shown. The characteristics C1 and C2 have different shift change periods. Correspondingly, the operation amounts of the accelerator pedal 22 and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 are different for the characteristics C1 and C2, respectively. The shift change period d2 of the characteristic C2 is shorter than the shift change period d1 of the characteristic C1. That is, the characteristic C2 shows a characteristic of a faster shift change than the characteristic C1. These characteristics can be described in more detail. For example, for each of the characteristics C1 and C2, they can be described in more detail from the viewpoint of at what rate of change the operation amounts of the accelerator pedal 22 and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 increase or decrease. Alternatively, the characteristics of the operation amounts of the accelerator pedal 22 and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 during the execution of a shift change may be described from the viewpoint of how to give the operation amounts of the accelerator pedal 22 and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 from the start to the completion of the shift change in order to represent characteristic operations (for example, blipping operations) during the shift change.

[0031] Each piece of operation characteristic information managed by the operation characteristic information data D10 includes information regarding characteristics as described above. Each piece of operation characteristic information may be information regarding combinations of these characteristics. In particular, one piece of operation characteristic information may be information on each characteristic of a model driver, corresponding to one model driver. For example, as shown in the following table, the operation characteristic information data D10 manages each piece of operation characteristic information. In this case, each piece of operation characteristic information can be generated by analyzing the actual driving operation data of the corresponding model driver. Alternatively, each piece of operation characteristic information can be generated by a machine learning model that takes the actual driving operation data as input. Each model driver is typically assumed to be a driver familiar with the driving operation of an MT vehicle. However, various drivers with different levels of proficiency in driving operations may be assumed. Alternatively, a virtual driver may be assumed.

Table 1

[0032] The data format of each piece of operation characteristic information may be suitably provided. For example, each piece of operation characteristic information is composed of information in which each characteristic is encoded. Also, for example, each piece of operation characteristic information is composed of information in which each characteristic is represented by a feature amount.

[0033] The control device 50 has a function as a control signal calculation unit 520. The control signal calculation unit 520 may be realized by the cooperation of a processor 56 and a memory 54 that execute processing according to a computer program. The control signal calculation unit 520 calculates control signals for actuators and devices. The control signals include at least a signal for PWM control of the inverter 16 and a signal for causing the speaker 44 to output sound. Hereinafter, the functions of the control device 50 will be described.

[0034] 2 Functions of the Control Device 2.1 Calculation of Motor Torque and Pseudo Engine Sound The control device 50 has a function of calculating a motor torque command value and a pseudo engine sound command value. The control device 50 generates a control signal for PWM controlling the inverter 16 based on the calculated motor torque command value. Also, the control device 50 generates a control signal for controlling the output of the speaker 44 based on the calculated pseudo engine sound command value.

[0035] Here, the control device 50 acquires a signal from the automatic driving mode changeover switch 42 and determines whether the electric vehicle 10 is in the automatic driving mode. In the present embodiment, the configuration of the said function of the control device 50 differs between the case where the electric vehicle 10 is not in the automatic driving mode (hereinafter referred to as the "normal driving mode") and the case where it is in the automatic driving mode.

[0036] 2.1.1 Normal Driving Mode FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the function of the control device 50 related to the calculation of the motor torque command value and the pseudo engine sound command value when the electric vehicle 10 is in the normal driving mode.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 4, in the normal driving mode, the control signal calculation unit 520 is composed of an MT vehicle model 530, a required motor torque calculation unit 540, and a pseudo engine sound calculation unit 541. Signals from the wheel speed sensor 30, the accelerator position sensor 32, the shift position sensor 36, and the clutch position sensor 38 are input to the control signal calculation unit 520. The control signal calculation unit 520 processes the signals from these sensors and calculates the motor torque to be output to the electric motor 2 and the pseudo engine sound to be output to the speaker 44.

[0038] The MT vehicle model 530 is a model that calculates the driving wheel torque that should be obtained by operating the accelerator pedal 22, the pseudo clutch pedal 28, and the pseudo shift lever 26, and the engine rotation speed of the engine, assuming that the electric vehicle 10 is an MT vehicle equipped with an engine, a clutch, and an MT. The driving wheel torque in an MT vehicle is determined by the operation of the gas pedal that controls the fuel supply to the engine, the shift lever (shifter) that switches the gear stage of the MT, and the operation of the clutch that connects the engine and the MT (clutch opening degree). The engine may be a spark ignition engine or a diesel engine. The MT vehicle model 530 may be stored in the memory 54 as data. Alternatively, the MT vehicle model 530 may be realized by the processing described in the computer program recorded in the memory 54. Hereinafter, the engine, clutch, and MT virtually realized by the MT vehicle model 530 are referred to as a virtual engine, a virtual clutch, and a virtual MT.

[0039] In the normal driving mode, the MT vehicle model 530 is input with the accelerator opening Pap detected by the accelerator position sensor 32 as the operation amount of the gas pedal of the virtual engine. Further, the MT vehicle model 530 is input with the shift position Sp detected by the shift position sensor 36 as the operation amount of the shifter of the virtual MT. Further, the MT vehicle model 530 is input with the clutch pedal depression amount Pc detected by the clutch position sensor 38. Furthermore, the MT vehicle model 530 is also input with the vehicle speed Vw (or wheel speed) detected by the wheel speed sensor 30 as a signal indicating the load state of the vehicle.

[0040] The MT vehicle model 530 is a model that simulates the torque characteristics of the driving wheel torque in an MT vehicle. The MT vehicle model 530 calculates the driving wheel torque Tw and the virtual engine rotation speed Ne of the virtual engine based on each of the above inputs. The MT vehicle model 530 is created so that the operation states of the accelerator pedal 22, the pseudo shift lever 26, and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 are reflected in the driving wheel torque Tw and the virtual engine rotation speed Ne. Details of the MT vehicle model 530 will be described later.

[0041] The required motor torque calculation unit 540 converts the driving wheel torque Tw calculated by the MT vehicle model 530 into the required motor torque. The required motor torque is the motor torque necessary to achieve the driving wheel torque Tw calculated by the MT vehicle model 530. The reduction ratio from the output shaft 3 of the electric motor 2 to the driving wheels 8 is used for the conversion from the driving wheel torque Tw to the required motor torque. The required motor torque calculated by the required motor torque calculation unit 540 becomes the motor torque command value.

[0042] The pseudo engine sound calculation unit 541 generates a pseudo engine sound using the virtual engine rotational speed Ne calculated by the MT vehicle model 530 as a parameter. For example, the pseudo engine sound calculation unit 541 generates a pseudo engine sound by combining sound source file data selected according to the calculated virtual engine rotational speed Ne. In this case, the sound source file data includes a plurality of sound source files prepared for each level of the magnitude of the engine rotational speed for each of a plurality of types of sounds, such as sounds related to combustion in the engine and sounds related to the operation of the drive system such as the power train. The sound source file data may include sound source files for sounds that do not depend on the magnitude of the engine rotational speed, such as noise sounds and sounds related to the occurrence of specific events (e.g., engine stalls). The sound source file data may be stored in the memory 54. The pseudo engine sound generated by the pseudo engine sound calculation unit 541 becomes the pseudo engine sound command value.

[0043] The pseudo engine sound calculation unit 541 may be further configured to generate a pseudo engine sound using the engine torque of the engine model of the MT vehicle model 530 as a parameter. The engine model and engine torque in the MT vehicle model 530 will be described later. In this case, the pseudo engine sound calculation unit 541 can be configured to generate a pseudo engine sound using, for example, a map that associates the virtual engine rotation speed Ne with a frequency and a map that associates the engine torque with a sound pressure. At this time, the pseudo engine sound calculation unit 541 increases or decreases the frequency of the pseudo engine sound in proportion to the virtual engine rotation speed Ne, and increases or decreases the sound pressure in proportion to the engine torque.

[0044] As described above, in the normal driving mode, the control device 50 calculates a motor torque command value and a pseudo engine sound command value using the MT vehicle model based on the actual operation states of the accelerator pedal 22, the pseudo shift lever 26, and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 operated by the driver. Then, the control device 50 controls the inverter 16 and the speaker 44 based on the calculated motor torque command value and pseudo engine sound command value. In this way, in the normal driving mode, the control device 50 changes the motor torque output by the electric motor 2 and the pseudo engine sound output by the speaker 44 in response to the actual operation states of the accelerator pedal 22, the pseudo shift lever 26, and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 operated by the driver. Thereby, in the normal driving mode, the driver can enjoy the driving characteristics and engine sound like those of an MT vehicle.

[0045] 2.1.2 Automatic Driving Mode FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 50 related to the calculation of the motor torque command value and the pseudo engine sound command value when the electric vehicle is in the automatic driving mode.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 5, in the automatic driving mode, in addition to the configuration in the normal driving mode, the control signal calculation unit 520 further includes an automatic driving control processing unit 550. Further, signals from the wheel speed sensor 30 and the driving environment detection sensor 31 are input to the control signal calculation unit 520. In addition, the control signal calculation unit 520 refers to the operation characteristic information data D10.

[0047] The automatic driving control processing unit 550 calculates various control amounts for the electric vehicle 10 to travel in the automatic driving mode. The vehicle speed Vw detected by the wheel speed sensor 30 and the detection information SEN detected by the driving environment detection sensor 31 are input to the automatic driving control processing unit 550. The detection information SEN includes, for example, information (position, speed, type, etc.) of an object (other vehicle, pedestrian, road marking, sign, etc.) detected in the surroundings, GNSS position information, attitude information, etc. Further, map information (not shown) may be input to the automatic driving control processing unit 550.

[0048] Based on these pieces of information, the automatic driving control processing unit 550 generates a driving plan for automatic driving. The generated driving plan may be appropriately configured according to the content of the automatic driving. For example, when only acceleration and deceleration are automatically performed, the driving plan may be composed of a determination of acceleration or deceleration, a target vehicle speed, etc. Further, for example, when both acceleration / deceleration and steering are automatically performed, the driving plan may be composed of a travel trajectory, a target vehicle speed on the travel trajectory, etc.

[0049] The automatic driving control processing unit 550 calculates various control amounts so that the electric vehicle 10 travels according to the generated driving plan. In particular, the automatic driving control processing unit 550 calculates the accelerator opening Pap, the shift position Sp, and the clutch pedal depression amount Pc as control amounts related to the driving of the electric vehicle 10. That is, the automatic driving control processing unit 550 virtually determines the operation states of the accelerator pedal 22, the pseudo shift lever 26, and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 when the electric vehicle 10 travels according to the driving plan.

[0050] The automatic driving control processing unit 550 uses the operation characteristic information to determine the virtual operation state. The automatic driving control processing unit 550 selects and acquires the operation characteristic information from among one or more pieces of operation characteristic information managed by the operation characteristic information data D10. The automatic driving control processing unit 550 may determine the operation characteristic information to be selected according to a request from the driver. In this case, the control device 50 may be configured to receive an input of a request from the driver. For example, the control device 50 presents a list of one or more pieces of operation characteristic information (or a list of corresponding model drivers) managed by the operation characteristic information data D10 to the driver. The driver inputs a request for desired operation characteristic information (or a model driver) with reference to the presented list. The control device 50 stores the input request in the memory 54. The automatic driving control processing unit 550 selects the operation characteristic information based on the input request.

[0051] The automatic driving control processing unit 550 determines the virtual operation state based on the selected operation characteristic information. For example, consider a case where the generated driving plan indicates accelerating from the current vehicle speed (e.g., 20 km / h) to the target vehicle speed (e.g., 50 km / h). Also, assume that the selected operation characteristic information is "Operation Characteristic Information 2" in Table 1 above. At this time, the automatic driving control processing unit 550 determines the operation state of the accelerator pedal 22 such that the depression gradually becomes stronger until the target vehicle speed is reached according to characteristic A2 (see FIG. 3(A)), and calculates the accelerator opening Pap. Also, the automatic driving control processing unit 550 determines the operation state (execution of a shift change) of the pseudo shift lever 26 according to characteristic B1 (see FIG. 3(B)), and calculates the shift position Sp. Further, when executing a shift change, the automatic driving control processing unit 550 determines the operation states of the accelerator pedal 22 and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 according to characteristic C2 (see FIG. 3(C)), and calculates the accelerator opening Pap and the clutch pedal depression amount Pc.

[0052] In this way, the automatic driving control processing unit 550 can virtually determine various operation states of the accelerator pedal 22, the pseudo shift lever 26, and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 according to the selected operation characteristic information.

[0053] The automatic driving control processing unit 550 may be configured to calculate other control amounts (not shown) according to the generated driving plan. For example, the automatic driving control processing unit 550 may calculate the control amount for the braking system as the control amount related to the braking of the electric vehicle 10. Also for example, the automatic driving control processing unit 550 may calculate the control amount for the steering system as the control amount related to the operation of the electric vehicle 10.

[0054] Even in the automatic driving mode, the driving wheel torque Tw and the virtual engine rotation speed Ne of the virtual engine are calculated by the MT vehicle model 530. In particular, the MT vehicle model 530 may be the same between the normal driving mode and the automatic driving mode. However, in the automatic driving mode, the accelerator opening Pap calculated by the automatic driving control processing unit 550 is input to the MT vehicle model 530 as the operation amount of the gas pedal of the virtual engine. Also, the shift position Sp calculated by the automatic driving control processing unit 550 is input to the MT vehicle model 530 as the operation amount of the shifter of the virtual MT. Also, the clutch pedal depression amount Pc calculated by the automatic driving control processing unit 550 is input to the MT vehicle model 530. Further, similar to the normal driving mode, the vehicle speed Vw (or wheel speed) detected by the wheel speed sensor 30 is also input to the MT vehicle model 530 as a signal indicating the load state of the vehicle.

[0055] Based on each of the above inputs, the MT vehicle model 530 calculates the driving wheel torque Tw and the virtual engine rotation speed Ne.

[0056] The processing of the required motor torque calculation unit 540 and the pseudo engine sound calculation unit 541 may be the same as in the normal driving mode. That is, the required motor torque calculation unit 540 converts the driving wheel torque Tw calculated by the MT vehicle model 530 into the required motor torque. The pseudo engine sound calculation unit 541 generates a pseudo engine sound using the virtual engine rotational speed Ne calculated by the MT vehicle model 530 as a parameter.

[0057] As described above, in the automatic driving mode, the control device 50 virtually determines the operation states of the accelerator pedal 22, the pseudo shift lever 26, and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 using the selected operation characteristic information so as to achieve the driving plan related to the automatic driving. Based on the virtual operation states, the control device 50 calculates a motor torque command value and a pseudo engine sound command value using the MT vehicle model. Then, the control device 50 controls the inverter 16 and the speaker 44 based on the calculated motor torque command value and pseudo engine sound command value. In this way, in the automatic driving mode, the control device 50 determines the virtual operation states and changes the motor torque output by the electric motor 2 and the pseudo engine sound output by the speaker 44 in response to the virtual operation states. Thereby, even in the automatic driving mode, the driver can enjoy the driving characteristics and engine sound similar to those of an MT vehicle, just like in the normal driving mode. In particular, the driver can enjoy the driving characteristics and engine sound corresponding to various operation characteristics by switching the operation characteristic information to be selected. For example, the driver can experience the driving characteristics and engine sound resulting from a highly skilled driving operation by selecting the operation characteristic information representing the operation characteristics of a skilled model driver. Thereby, an improvement in the driver's skill can be expected.

[0058] In the automatic driving mode, the control device 50 may also be configured to change only one of the motor torque output by the electric motor 2 and the pseudo engine sound output by the speaker 44 in response to a virtual operation state. For example, when only the motor torque is changed in response to the virtual operation state, the pseudo engine sound is generated according to a predetermined algorithm regardless of the virtual engine rotation speed Ne. Alternatively, the output of the pseudo engine sound from the speaker 44 is stopped in the automatic driving mode. Also, for example, when only the pseudo engine sound is changed in response to the virtual operation state, the motor torque is generated according to a predetermined algorithm by the automatic driving control processing unit 550. The control device 50 may be configured to switch between these patterns according to the driver's selection.

[0059] 2.2 MT Vehicle Model Hereinafter, the MT vehicle model 530 will be described in detail. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the MT vehicle model 530. The MT vehicle model 530 is composed of an engine model 531, a clutch model 532, an MT model 533, an axle-drive wheel model 534, and a PCU model 535. In the engine model 531, a virtual engine is modeled. In the clutch model 532, a virtual clutch is modeled. In the MT model 533, a virtual MT is modeled. In the axle-drive wheel model 534, a virtual torque transmission system from the axle to the drive wheels is modeled. And in the PCU model 535, some functions of a virtual plant control unit (PCU) that integrally controls the virtual engine, the virtual clutch, and the virtual MT are modeled. Each model may be represented by, for example, a calculation formula or a map.

[0060] Input and output of calculation results are performed between the models. Also, the accelerator opening Pap, the shift position Sp, and the clutch pedal depression amount Pc input to the MT vehicle model 530 are used in the PCU model 535. The vehicle speed Vw (or wheel speed) is used in a plurality of models.

[0061] The PCU model 535 calculates the virtual throttle opening TA of the virtual engine, the virtual clutch opening CP of the virtual clutch, and the gear position GP of the virtual MT.

[0062] The virtual throttle opening TA is associated with the accelerator opening Pap and is calculated to be larger as the accelerator opening Pap increases. The virtual throttle opening TA is input to the engine model 531. The virtual clutch opening CP is associated with the clutch pedal depression amount Pc and is calculated to be larger as the clutch pedal depression amount Pc increases. The virtual clutch opening CP is input to the clutch model 532. The gear position GP is associated with the shift position Sp, and the gear position corresponding to the shift position Sp is set. The gear position GP is input to the MT model 533.

[0063] The engine model 531 calculates the virtual engine rotational speed Ne. The virtual engine rotational speed Ne can be calculated, for example, by the following equation (1). In the following equation (1), the virtual engine rotational speed Ne is calculated from the rotational speed Nw of the wheel 8, the overall reduction ratio R, and the slip ratio Rslip of the virtual clutch. In equation (1), the rotational speed Nw of the wheel 8 is detected by the wheel speed sensor 30. The overall reduction ratio R is calculated from the gear ratio (transmission ratio) r calculated by the MT model 533 described later and the reduction ratio defined by the axle - drive wheel model 534. The slip ratio Rslip is calculated by the clutch model 532 described later.

Equation

[0064] However, Equation (1) is the calculation formula for the virtual engine rotation speed Ne in the state where the virtual engine and the virtual MT are connected by the virtual clutch. When the virtual clutch is disengaged, the virtual engine torque Te generated in the virtual engine is the torque obtained by adding the torque due to the moment of inertia to the virtual engine output torque Teout. When the virtual clutch is disengaged, the virtual engine output torque Teout is zero. Therefore, when the virtual clutch is disengaged, the engine model 531 calculates the virtual engine rotation speed Ne by the following Equation (2) using the virtual engine torque Te and the moment of inertia J of the virtual engine. A map with the virtual throttle opening TA as a parameter is used for the calculation of the virtual engine torque Te.

Number

[0065] The engine model 531 further calculates the virtual engine output torque Teout. The virtual engine output torque Teout can be calculated from the virtual engine rotation speed Ne and the accelerator opening Pap. For the calculation of the virtual engine output torque Teout, as shown in FIG. 7(A), a map 561 defining the relationship among the accelerator opening Pap, the virtual engine rotation speed Ne, and the virtual engine output torque Teout is used. In the map 561, the virtual engine output torque Teout with respect to the virtual engine rotation speed Ne is given for each accelerator opening Pap. The torque characteristics shown in the map 561 can be set to the characteristics assuming a gasoline engine, or can be set to the characteristics assuming a diesel engine. Also, the characteristics assuming a naturally aspirated engine can be set, or the characteristics assuming a supercharged engine can be set.

[0066] The clutch model 532 calculates the torque transmission gain k. The torque transmission gain k is a gain for calculating the degree of torque transmission of the virtual clutch according to the virtual clutch opening CP. The clutch model 532 has, for example, a map 562 as shown in FIG. 7(B). In the map 562, the torque transmission gain k is given for the virtual clutch opening CP. CP0 corresponds to a clutch opening of 0%, and CP3 corresponds to a clutch opening of 100%. The ranges from CP0 to CP1 and from CP2 to CP3 are dead zones where the torque transmission gain k does not change with the virtual clutch opening CP.

[0067] The clutch model 532 further calculates the clutch output torque Tcout using the torque transmission gain k. The clutch output torque Tcout is the torque output from the virtual clutch. The clutch output torque Tcout is calculated, for example, by the following equation (3).

Equation

[0068] The clutch model 532 further calculates the slip ratio Rslip. The slip ratio Rslip can be calculated using a map that gives the slip ratio Rslip for the virtual clutch opening CP, similar to the torque transmission gain k.

[0069] The MT model 533 calculates the gear ratio (transmission ratio) r. The gear ratio r is determined by the gear stage. The MT model 533 has, for example, a map 563 as shown in FIG. 7. In the map 563, the gear ratio r is given for the gear stage GP.

[0070] The MT model 533 further calculates the transmission output torque Tgout using the gear ratio r. The transmission output torque Tgout is the torque output from the virtual MT. The transmission output torque Tgout can be calculated, for example, by the following equation (4). The transmission output torque Tgout changes discontinuously according to the switching of the gear ratio. Due to this discontinuous change in the transmission output torque Tgout, a shift shock occurs, producing the feel of a vehicle equipped with a stepped transmission.

Number

[0071] The axle and drive wheel model 534 calculates the drive wheel torque Tw using a predetermined reduction ratio rr. The reduction ratio rr is a fixed value determined by the mechanical structure from the virtual MT to the drive wheels 8. The value obtained by multiplying the reduction ratio rr by the gear ratio r is the aforementioned overall reduction ratio R. The drive wheel torque Tw can be calculated, for example, by the following equation (5).

Number

[0072] 2.3 Torque Characteristics of the Electric Motor Realized by the MT Vehicle Model As described above, the required motor torque calculation unit 540 converts the drive wheel torque Tw calculated by the MT vehicle model 530 into the motor torque. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a comparison between the torque characteristics of the electric motor 2 realized by motor control using the MT vehicle model 530 and the torque characteristics of the electric motor 2 realized by normal motor control as an electric vehicle (EV). According to the motor control using the MT vehicle model 530, as shown in FIG. 8, torque characteristics (solid line in the figure) that simulate the torque characteristics of the MT vehicle can be realized according to the gear stage selected by the operation of the shift device.

[0073] 3 Modification Example The electric vehicle 10 according to this embodiment can adopt a modified aspect as follows. In the following description, the differences from the above-described embodiment will be mainly described, and the contents common to the above-described embodiment will be omitted as appropriate.

[0074] 3.1 First Modification Example The shift device provided in the electric vehicle 10 can be configured with a sequential shifter that can select a gear stage by an upshift operation and a downshift operation instead of the pseudo shift lever 26 and the pseudo clutch pedal 28.

[0075] 3.1.1 Configuration of Electric Vehicle FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the electric vehicle 10 according to the first modification example. As shown in FIG. 9, in the first modification example, the electric vehicle 10 is provided with a pseudo paddle shifter 27 (sequential shifter) instead of the pseudo shift lever 26 and the pseudo clutch pedal 28. In an MT vehicle, a paddle shifter is usually provided for operating an MT (especially a sequential manual transmission (SMT)). The pseudo paddle shifter 27 is merely a dummy different from the original paddle shifter provided in the MT vehicle. Generally, an MT vehicle equipped with a sequential shifter is a clutch pedal-less MT vehicle that does not have a clutch pedal.

[0076] The pseudo paddle shifter 27 has a structure imitating that of the paddle shifter equipped in a clutch pedal-less MT vehicle. The pseudo paddle shifter 27 is attached to the steering wheel. The pseudo paddle shifter 27 includes an upshift switch 27u and a downshift switch 27d. The upshift switch 27u is provided on the right side of the steering wheel, and the downshift switch 27d is provided on the left side of the steering wheel. The upshift switch 27u and the downshift switch 27d can be operated independently. In the pseudo paddle shifter 27, the upshift operation is an operation of pulling the upshift switch 27u forward. The downshift operation is an operation of pulling the downshift switch 27d forward. Also, the signal emitted by the upshift switch 27u by the upshift operation is called an upshift signal. The signal emitted by the downshift switch 27d by the downshift operation is called a downshift signal. The upshift switch 27u and the downshift switch 27d are connected to the control device 50 by an in-vehicle network.

[0077] Thus, in the first modification example, the shift device is constituted by the pseudo paddle shifter 27. As a similar configuration, it is also possible to constitute the shift device by a lever-type sequential shifter.

[0078] The configuration of the control system according to the first modification example is such that, with respect to the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the shift position sensor 36 and the clutch position sensor 38 are replaced with the upshift switch 27u and the downshift switch 27d. That is, the control device 50 receives signals from the upshift switch 27u and the downshift switch 27d instead of the shift position sensor 36 and the clutch position sensor 38.

[0079] In addition, the characteristics represented by each operation characteristic information managed by the operation characteristic information data D10 correspond to differences in the shift device. Therefore, examples of the characteristics represented by the operation characteristic information include the characteristic of the operation amount of the accelerator pedal 22 during acceleration and the characteristic of the timing of the upshift operation or downshift operation.

[0080] The characteristic of the operation amount of the accelerator pedal 22 during acceleration can be described in the same manner as that explained in FIG. 3(A). The characteristic of the timing of the upshift operation or downshift operation can also be described in the same manner as that explained in FIG. 3(B). That is, the characteristic of the timing of the upshift operation or downshift operation can be described from the viewpoint of which gear stage is selected with respect to the vehicle speed of the electric vehicle 10. In this case, the timing of the upshift operation is when the gear stage selected as the vehicle speed increases goes up. The timing of the downshift operation is when the gear stage selected as the vehicle speed decreases goes down.

[0081] 3.1.2 Function of the control device FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 50 related to the calculation of the motor torque command value and the pseudo engine sound command value when the electric vehicle 10 according to the first modification is in the normal operation mode.

[0082] As shown in Fig. 10, in the first modification, the shift position sensor 36 and the clutch position sensor 38 are replaced with the upshift switch 27u and the downshift switch 27d with respect to the configuration shown in Fig. 4. Also, the MT vehicle model 530 may be a model that calculates the drive wheel torque Tw and the virtual engine rotational speed Ne that should be obtained by operating the accelerator pedal 22 and the pseudo paddle shifter 27 when assuming that the electric vehicle 10 is a clutch pedal-less MT vehicle in particular. The clutch pedal-less MT vehicle is an MT vehicle that does not have a clutch pedal because the clutch is automatically operated. The drive wheel torque in the clutch pedal-less MT vehicle is determined by the operation of the gas pedal that controls the fuel supply to the virtual engine and the operation of the shifter that switches the gear stage of the SMT (virtual SMT).

[0083] Therefore, in the normal operation mode according to the first modification, the accelerator opening Pap detected by the accelerator position sensor 32 is input to the MT vehicle model 530 as the operation amount of the gas pedal of the virtual engine. Also, the upshift signal Su transmitted from the upshift switch 27u and the downshift signal Sd transmitted from the downshift switch 27d are input to the MT vehicle model 530 as the operation amount of the shifter that determines the gear stage of the virtual SMT.

[0084] The MT vehicle model 530 according to the first modification can be configured in the same manner as that shown in Fig. 6. However, the PCU model 535 calculates the virtual throttle opening TA, the virtual clutch opening CP, and the gear stage GP of the virtual SMT based on the accelerator opening Pap, the upshift signal Su, the downshift signal Sd, and the vehicle speed Vw.

[0085] The virtual throttle opening TA is associated with the accelerator opening Pap and is calculated to increase as the accelerator opening Pap increases. Further, when an upshift signal Su is input and when a downshift signal Sd is input, the virtual throttle opening TA may be temporarily decreased regardless of the accelerator opening Pap. This means that when a shift operation of the pseudo paddle shifter 27 is performed, the virtual throttle is temporarily closed.

[0086] The virtual clutch opening CP is basically set to 0%. When an upshift signal Su is input and when a downshift signal Sd is input, the virtual clutch opening CP is temporarily set to 100%. This means that when a shift operation of the pseudo paddle shifter 27 is performed, the virtual clutch is temporarily disengaged. When calculating the virtual clutch opening CP when engaging the virtual clutch, the vehicle speed Vw and the virtual engine rotational speed Ne are used. The virtual clutch opening CP is calculated based on the rotational speed difference so as to smoothly match the rotational speed of the input shaft of the virtual SMT calculated from the vehicle speed Vw with the virtual engine rotational speed Ne.

[0087] The gear position GP is increased by one step each time an upshift signal Su is input. However, when the gear position GP is at the maximum gear position, the gear position is maintained. The gear position GP is decreased by one step each time a downshift signal Sd is input. However, when the gear position GP is at the minimum gear position, the gear position is maintained.

[0088] When the electric vehicle 10 according to the first modification example is in the normal driving mode, the configuration of the functions of the control device 50 related to the calculation of the motor torque command value and the pseudo engine sound command value may be the same as that shown in FIG. 5. However, in the automatic driving mode according to the first modification example, the automatic driving control processing unit 550 is configured to virtually determine the operation states of the accelerator pedal 22 and the pseudo paddle shifter 27, and calculate the accelerator opening Pap, the upshift signal Su, and the downshift signal Sd. Also in the automatic driving mode according to the first modification example, the automatic driving control processing unit 550 determines the virtual operation state based on the selected operation characteristic information. The automatic driving control processing unit 550 can virtually determine various operation states of the accelerator pedal 22 and the pseudo paddle shifter 27 according to the selected operation characteristic information.

[0089] As described above, the electric vehicle 10 according to the first modification example is configured. Even when the first modification example is adopted, the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

[0090] 3.2 Second Modification Example In the electric vehicle 10 according to the embodiment, a pseudo engine sound is output from the speaker 44 during traveling. The pseudo engine sound is assumed to give the driver a sense of exhilaration. The attractiveness of the pseudo engine sound output from the speaker 44 is indicated by the magnitude of the sense of exhilaration given to the driver. That is, the improvement of the attractiveness of the pseudo engine sound is achieved by increasing the sense of exhilaration given to the driver.

[0091] The inventor of the present disclosure focused on the fact that the driver's sense of exhilaration increases when the driver's biological state (heart rate, pulse, body temperature, blood pressure, etc.) is in tune with the audible sound. Therefore, in order to increase the sense of exhilaration given to the driver, the control device 50 according to the embodiment can be further configured to change the pseudo engine sound based on the driver's biological state.

[0092] In the control system according to the second modification example, a signal is further input to the control device 50 from a biological state sensor for detecting the biological state of the driver. The control device 50 acquires the biological state of the driver from the signal of the biological state sensor. The biological state sensor is composed of a heart rate sensor for detecting the heart rate, a pulse wave sensor for detecting the pulse, a body temperature sensor for detecting the body temperature, a blood pressure sensor for detecting the blood pressure, and the like. The biological state sensor is, for example, built into the steering wheel and configured to be able to detect the biological state of the driver holding the steering wheel. Alternatively, the biological state sensor may be built into a wearable device worn by the driver.

[0093] The control device 50 according to the second modification example can be configured by appropriately modifying the pseudo engine sound calculation unit 541. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the pseudo engine sound calculation unit 541 for realizing the control device 50 according to the second modification example. The pseudo engine sound calculation unit 541 is composed of a pseudo engine sound generation unit 541a and a pseudo engine sound correction unit 541b.

[0094] The pseudo engine sound generation unit 541a generates a pseudo engine sound using the virtual engine rotation speed Ne as a parameter. The pseudo engine sound generation unit 541a may be configured to generate a pseudo engine sound by the method described in the above-described embodiment. The pseudo engine sound generated by the pseudo engine sound generation unit 541a is input to the pseudo engine sound correction unit 541b.

[0095] The information on the driver's biological state detected by the biological state sensor 46 is input to the pseudo engine sound correction unit 541b. The pseudo engine sound correction unit 541b corrects the pseudo engine sound generated by the pseudo engine sound generation unit 541a based on the driver's biological information. For example, when the pace of the heart rate or pulse is fast, the frequency (or sound pressure) of the pseudo engine sound is increased, and when the pace is slow, the frequency (or sound pressure) of the pseudo engine sound is decreased. Also, for example, when the body temperature is rising, the frequency (or sound pressure) of the pseudo engine sound may be increased. Also, for example, a base sound corresponding to the pace of the heart rate or pulse may be added to the pseudo engine sound. Also, for example, the driver's mood and feelings may be judged from various biological states, and the tone color, frequency, or sound pressure of the pseudo engine sound may be changed, an additional sound may be added, etc. according to the judged mood and feelings.

[0096] The pseudo engine sound calculation unit 541 outputs the pseudo engine sound corrected by the pseudo engine sound correction unit 541b.

[0097] As described above, according to the second modification example, the control device 50 changes the pseudo engine sound based on the driver's biological state. Thereby, the attractiveness of the pseudo engine sound output from the speaker 44 can be improved.

[0098] 3.3 Third Modification Example The electric vehicle 10 may be configured to be switchable to an EV mode in which it travels with normal motor control as an EV according to the driver's selection. When the EV mode is selected, the control device 50 may be configured to stop the output of the pseudo engine sound from the speaker 44. Also, when the EV mode is selected, in the normal driving mode, the control device 50 may be configured to change the motor torque output by the electric motor 2 according to the operation state of the accelerator pedal 22 operated by the driver, regardless of the operation state of the shift device. Further, when the EV mode is selected, in the autonomous driving mode, the control device 50 may be configured to change the motor torque output by the electric motor 2 according to a predetermined control algorithm, regardless of the virtual operation state. According to the third modification example, the driver can also enjoy the normal driving characteristics as an EV.

[0099] 4 Others The electric vehicle 10 according to the above embodiment is a front-wheel drive vehicle that drives the front wheels with one electric motor 2. However, the technical features according to this embodiment are also applicable to an electric vehicle in which two electric motors are arranged front and rear to drive each of the front wheels and the rear wheels. It is also applicable to an electric vehicle equipped with in-wheel motors on each wheel. In these cases, for the MT vehicle model, a model of an all-wheel drive vehicle with a manual transmission can be used.

[0100] The electric vehicle 10 according to the above embodiment does not include a transmission. However, the technical features according to this embodiment are also applicable to an electric vehicle equipped with a stepped or continuously variable automatic transmission. In this case, the power train consisting of the electric motor and the automatic transmission may be controlled so as to output the motor torque calculated by the MT vehicle model.

[0101] The technical features according to this embodiment are widely applicable to not only battery electric vehicles but also electric vehicles that use an electric motor as a driving power device. For example, the technical features according to this embodiment are applicable to hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) that have a mode of traveling only with the driving force of an electric motor. Further, they are also applicable to fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) that supply electric energy generated by a fuel cell to an electric motor.

Explanation of Signs

[0102] 2 Electric motor, 10 Electric vehicle, 22 Accelerator pedal, 26 Pseudo shift lever, 27 Pseudo paddle shifter, 28 Pseudo clutch pedal, 44 Speaker, 50 Control device, 54 Memory, 56 Processor, 530 MT vehicle model

Claims

1. An electric vehicle that uses an electric motor as a driving power unit, The vehicle is configured to be switchable to an automatic driving mode in which at least acceleration and deceleration are automatically performed without the driver's operation, Accelerator pedal and A shift device capable of selecting a gear stage by simulating the operation of a transmission; a speaker that outputs a pseudo engine sound that simulates an engine sound; A control device; Equipped with The control device includes: When the electric vehicle is not in the autonomous driving mode, changing the motor torque output by the electric motor and the pseudo engine sound in response to an operation state of the accelerator pedal and the shift device operated by the driver; When the electric vehicle is in the autonomous driving mode, The operation states of the accelerator pedal and the shift device are virtually determined, At least one of the motor torque output by the electric motor and the pseudo engine sound is changed in response to the virtual operating state. It is configured as follows: Electric car.

2. 2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, The control device includes: Manage one or more pieces of operation characteristic information representing characteristics of an operation related to at least one of the accelerator pedal and the shift device; When the electric vehicle is in the autonomous driving mode, a virtual operation state is determined based on operation characteristic information selected from the one or more pieces of operation characteristic information. It is configured as follows: Electric car.

3. 3. The electric vehicle according to claim 2, The shift device is A gear shift change device capable of arbitrarily selecting a gear from among a plurality of gears; a clutch operation device that is operated by the driver when a shift change is performed by the shift change device to simulate a clutch operation; It is made up of Electric car.

4. 4. The electric vehicle according to claim 3, Each of the one or more pieces of operation characteristic information includes information regarding at least one of a characteristic of the operation amount of the accelerator pedal during acceleration, a characteristic of the timing of the shift change, and a characteristic of the operation amount of the accelerator pedal and the clutch operating device when the shift change is performed. Electric car.

5. 3. The electric vehicle according to claim 2, The shift device is configured as a sequential shifter capable of selecting the gear stage by upshifting and downshifting operations. Electric car.

6. 6. The electric vehicle according to claim 5, Each of the one or more pieces of operation characteristic information includes information regarding at least one of a characteristic of an operation amount of the accelerator pedal during acceleration and a characteristic of a timing of the upshift operation or the downshift operation. Electric car.

7. 7. An electric vehicle according to claim 1, The control device includes: one or more memories storing an MT vehicle model; one or more processors in communication with the one or more memories; Equipped with The MT vehicle model is a model that simulates the output characteristics of drive wheel torque in an MT vehicle that has an internal combustion engine in which engine torque is controlled by operation of a gas pedal, a manual transmission in which gear stages are changed by operation of a shifter, and a clutch that connects the internal combustion engine and the manual transmission, The one or more processors: determining an operation amount of the gas pedal for the MT vehicle model from the operation state of the accelerator pedal; determining an operation amount of the shifter and an operation of the clutch for the MT vehicle model from the operation state of the shift device; calculating the drive wheel torque and the virtual engine rotation speed of the internal combustion engine using the MT vehicle model based on the operation amount of the gas pedal and the operation amount of the shifter; when changing the motor torque in response to the operation state, changing the motor torque so as to apply the drive wheel torque to the drive wheels of the electric vehicle; When the pseudo engine sound is changed in response to the operating state, the pseudo engine sound is changed using the virtual engine rotation speed as a parameter. It is configured as follows: Electric car.

8. 7. An electric vehicle according to claim 1, The control device further comprises: acquiring a biological condition of the driver; The pseudo engine sound is changed based on the biological condition. Electric car.

9. A control system for an electric vehicle that uses an electric motor as a driving power unit, one or more memories; one or more processors in communication with the one or more memories; Including, The electric vehicle includes: The vehicle is configured to be switchable to an automatic driving mode in which at least acceleration and deceleration are automatically performed without the driver's operation, The electric vehicle includes: Accelerator pedal and A shift device capable of selecting a gear stage by simulating the operation of a transmission; a speaker that outputs a pseudo engine sound that simulates an engine sound; Equipped with The one or more processors: When the electric vehicle is not in the autonomous driving mode, changing the motor torque output by the electric motor and the pseudo engine sound in response to an operation state of the accelerator pedal and the shift device operated by the driver; When the electric vehicle is in the autonomous driving mode, The operation states of the accelerator pedal and the shift device are virtually determined, At least one of the motor torque output by the electric motor and the pseudo engine sound is changed in response to the virtual operating state. It is configured as follows: Control system.

10. 10. The control system of claim 9, the one or more memories store one or more pieces of operation characteristic information representing characteristics of an operation related to at least one of the accelerator pedal and the shift device, The one or more processors determine a virtual operation state based on operation characteristic information selected from the one or more operation characteristic information when the electric vehicle is in the autonomous driving mode. It is configured as follows: Control system.

11. 11. A control system according to claim 9 or 10, The one or more memories include an MT vehicle model that simulates the output characteristics of a drive wheel torque in an MT vehicle having an internal combustion engine in which engine torque is controlled by operation of a gas pedal and a manual transmission in which gear stages are changed by operation of a shifter and a clutch is stored; The one or more processors: determining an operation amount of the gas pedal for the MT vehicle model from the operation state of the accelerator pedal; determining an operation amount of the shifter and the clutch for the MT vehicle model from the operation state of the shift device; calculating the drive wheel torque and the virtual engine rotation speed of the internal combustion engine using the MT vehicle model based on the operation amount of the gas pedal and the operation amount of the shifter; when changing the motor torque in response to the operation state, changing the motor torque so as to apply the drive wheel torque to the drive wheels of the electric vehicle; When the pseudo engine sound is changed in response to the operating state, the pseudo engine sound is changed using the virtual engine rotation speed as a parameter. It is configured as follows: Control system.

Images