Electric vehicle and vehicular characteristics customizing system

Abstract

To allow a user to enjoy customization of vehicular characteristics, without letting the vehicle become unable to travel, in an electric vehicle enabled to customize vehicular characteristics.SOLUTION: An electric vehicle includes a pseudo-shift operation member that simulates an operation member used for a shift operation of a manual shift internal combustion engine vehicle in addition to a drive operation member used for driving the vehicle. A control apparatus controlling the electric vehicle is enabled to control a movement of the electric vehicle to an operation of a drive operation member in accordance with an operating state of the pseudo-shift operation member. In a case where a customized setup of vehicular characteristic, the setup customized by a user, is suitable to the electric vehicle, the control apparatus changes the setup of the movement characteristic of the electric vehicle corresponding to the operation of the drive operation member and pseudo-shift operation member on the basis of the customized setup. In contrast, in a case where the customized setup is not suitable to the electric vehicle, the control apparatus maintains the setup of the movement characteristic at a present setup or a default setup.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electric vehicle having an electric motor as a drive source and a system for customizing the vehicle characteristics. [Background technology]

[0002] Various devices for enjoying driving simulator-type video games have been proposed and put to practical use. For example, JP 2008-180853 A discloses a reaction force device for driving simulators. This device is configured to detect the steering angle of the steering wheel and apply a reaction force to the steering wheel based on angle information indicating the detected steering angle and a predetermined friction characteristic. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-180853 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In driving simulator video games, users can customize the virtual vehicle they control to their preferred vehicle characteristics. If the desired vehicle characteristics are obtained through customization, the user's enjoyment will increase if they can try them out in a real vehicle. However, in the real world, safety takes priority, so the vehicle characteristics set in the game cannot be reflected in the real vehicle without limit.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems. An object of the present disclosure is to enable a user to enjoy customizing vehicle characteristics in an electric vehicle that can customize vehicle characteristics without causing a situation in which the vehicle becomes unable to run. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present disclosure provides an electric vehicle to achieve the above object. The electric vehicle of the present disclosure includes a pseudo-shift operation member that imitates an operation member used for shifting gears in a manual-gear internal combustion engine vehicle, in addition to the driving operation member used for driving the electric vehicle. The control device included in the electric vehicle of the present disclosure controls the operation of the electric vehicle in response to the operation of the driving operation member according to the operation state of the pseudo-shift operation member. The control device is configured to execute at least the following processes. The first process is to acquire customized settings of the vehicle characteristics of the manual-gear internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced by the electric vehicle. The second process is to change the settings of the operation characteristics of the electric vehicle in response to the operation of the driving operation member and the pseudo-shift operation member based on the customized settings, if the acquired customized settings are suitable for the electric vehicle. The third process is to maintain the settings of the operation characteristics of the electric vehicle in response to the operation of the driving operation member and the pseudo-shift operation member at the current settings or default settings, if the acquired customized settings are not suitable for the electric vehicle. As a fourth process, a customizable range from the current settings or the default settings may be presented to the user.

[0007] The present disclosure provides a vehicle characteristic customization system for achieving the above object. The vehicle characteristic customization system of the present disclosure is a system for customizing the vehicle characteristics of an electric vehicle that includes an electric motor as a drive source, a driving operation member used to control the torque of the electric motor, and a pseudo-shift operation member that imitates an operation member used to change the speed of a manual-speed internal combustion engine vehicle. The vehicle characteristic customization system of the present disclosure includes a human-machine interface and a processing circuit that can communicate with the human-machine interface. The human-machine interface can set customized settings of the vehicle characteristics of the manual-speed internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced in the electric vehicle. The processing circuit is configured to execute at least the following processes. The first process is to determine whether the customized settings set by the human-machine interface are compatible with the electric vehicle. The second process is to change the settings of the operating characteristics of the electric vehicle in response to the operation of the driving operation member and the pseudo-shift operation member based on the customized settings when the customized settings are compatible with the electric vehicle. The third process is to maintain the settings of the operational characteristics of the electric vehicle in response to the operation of the driving operation members and the pseudo gear shift operation members at the current settings or default settings if the customized settings that have been set are not suitable for the electric vehicle. Effect of the Invention

[0008] Since the electric vehicle of the present disclosure is equipped with a pseudo-speed change operation member, the operation of the electric vehicle in response to the operation of the driving operation member is controlled according to the operation state of the pseudo-speed change operation member, so that the vehicle characteristics of a manual-speed internal combustion engine vehicle can be reproduced in the electric vehicle. Furthermore, according to the electric vehicle of the present disclosure, the user can customize the settings of the vehicle characteristics of the manual-speed internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced in the electric vehicle to his or her liking. However, the customized settings are not unconditionally applied to the electric vehicle. If the customized settings are not compatible with the electric vehicle, the settings of the operating characteristics of the electric vehicle in response to the operation of the driving operation member and the pseudo-speed change operation member are maintained at the current settings or default settings. This allows the user to enjoy customizing the vehicle characteristics without inviting a situation in which the vehicle cannot be driven.

[0009] According to the vehicle characteristic customization system of the present disclosure, a user can customize the vehicle characteristic settings of a manual-speed internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced in an electric vehicle to his / her liking using a human-machine interface. However, the customized settings set by the human-machine interface are not unconditionally applied to the electric vehicle, and a determination is made as to whether or not the customized settings are compatible with the electric vehicle. If the customized settings are not compatible with the electric vehicle, the settings of the operation characteristics of the electric vehicle with respect to the operation of the driving operation members and the pseudo-speed change operation members are maintained at the current settings or default settings. This allows the user to enjoy customizing the vehicle characteristics without causing a situation in which the vehicle cannot be driven. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a tree diagram showing an example of an electric vehicle control mode selectable by the control device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a control device related to driving control of an electric vehicle. [Figure 4]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a control device related to sound control of an electric vehicle. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a tree diagram showing an example of an HMI operation procedure for customizing vehicle characteristics. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a method for customizing a gear shift characteristic by operating an HMI. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a method for customizing a gear shift characteristic by operating an HMI. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a method for customizing a gear shift characteristic by operating an HMI. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a method for customizing a gear shift characteristic by operating an HMI. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a method for customizing engine characteristics by operating an HMI. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a method for customizing engine characteristics by operating an HMI. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a method for customizing engine characteristics by operating an HMI. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing the process executed by the vehicle characteristic customization system. [Figure 14] 1 is a flow diagram between a mobile terminal and a vehicle control device showing an example of a process executed by a vehicle characteristic customization system using a mobile terminal. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram between the mobile terminal and the vehicle control device showing another example of the processing executed by the vehicle characteristic customization system using the mobile terminal. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram between the game machine and the vehicle control device, showing one example of processing executed by the vehicle characteristic customization system using the game machine. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] 1. Electric vehicle power system configuration 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an electric vehicle 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. First, the configuration of the power system of the electric vehicle 100 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0012] The electric vehicle 100 is equipped with two electric motors (M) 4F, 4R at the front and rear as a power source for driving. The electric motors 4F, 4R are, for example, three-phase AC motors. The front electric motor 4F is connected to a front drive shaft 5F that drives the front wheels 6F. The rear electric motor 4R is connected to a rear drive shaft 5R that drives the rear wheels 6R. The front wheels 6F are suspended by independent left and right electronically controlled front suspensions 7F. The rear wheels 6R are suspended by independent left and right electronically controlled rear suspensions 7R.

[0013] The front electric motor 4F and the rear electric motor 4R are respectively equipped with inverters (INV) 3F and 3R. The front inverter 3F and the rear inverter 3R are respectively connected to a battery (BATT) 2. The battery 2 stores electric energy for driving the electric motors 4F and 4R. In other words, the electric vehicle 100 is a battery electric vehicle (BEV) that runs on the electric energy stored in the battery 2. The inverters 3F and 3R are, for example, voltage-type inverters, and control the torque of the electric motors 4F and 4R by PWM control.

[0014] 2. Electric vehicle control system configuration Next, the configuration of the control system of the electric vehicle 100 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0015] The electric vehicle 100 is equipped with a battery management system (BMS) 10. The battery management system 10 is a device that monitors the cell voltage, current, temperature, etc. of the battery 2. The battery management system 10 has a function of estimating the state of charge (SOC) of the battery 2.

[0016] The electric vehicle 100 is equipped with a vehicle speed sensor 11. At least one of wheel speed sensors (not shown) provided on each of the left and right front wheels 6F and the left and right rear wheels 6R is used as the vehicle speed sensor 11. The electric vehicle 100 is also equipped with an accelerator pedal stroke sensor 12. The accelerator pedal stroke sensor 12 is provided on an accelerator pedal 22, and outputs a signal indicating the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal 22, i.e., the accelerator opening. The electric vehicle 100 is also equipped with a brake pedal stroke sensor 13. The brake pedal stroke sensor 13 is provided on a brake pedal 23, and outputs a signal indicating the amount of depression of the brake pedal 23, i.e., the brake opening.

[0017] The accelerator pedal 22 and the brake pedal 23 are driving operation members used to drive the electric vehicle 100. In addition to these driving operation members, the electric vehicle 100 is equipped with pseudo gear shift operation members that imitate operation members used to change gears in a manually-shifted internal combustion engine vehicle. The pseudo gear shift operation members include a pseudo H-type shifter 24, a pseudo paddle shifter 25, and a pseudo clutch pedal 26 described below.

[0018] The pseudo-H-shaped shifter 24 is a dummy that is different from an actual H-shaped shifter. The pseudo-H-shaped shifter 24 has a structure similar to a shift stick provided in a console, and can be moved between shift positions along an H-shaped gate. However, since the electric vehicle 100 does not have an actual transmission, the shift positions of the pseudo-H-shaped shifter 24 are virtual shift positions. The pseudo-H-shaped shifter 24 is provided with a shift position sensor 14. The shift position sensor 14 outputs a signal indicating the shift position selected by the pseudo-H-shaped shifter 24.

[0019] The pseudo paddle shifter 25 is a dummy that is different from a real paddle shifter, which is a type of sequential shifter. The pseudo paddle shifter 25 has a structure similar to a shift paddle attached to a steering wheel, and the left and right paddles can be moved independently. The pseudo paddle shifter 25 is equipped with a paddle shift switch 15. The paddle shift switch 15 outputs an upshift signal when the right paddle is pulled, and outputs a downshift signal when the left paddle is pulled.

[0020] The pseudo clutch pedal 26 is a dummy that is different from an actual clutch pedal. The pseudo clutch pedal 26 has a structure similar to a clutch pedal equipped in a conventional manual-speed internal combustion engine vehicle. For example, the pseudo clutch pedal 26 is equipped with a reaction mechanism that generates a reaction force against the driver's depression. The position when no depression force is applied is the start end position of the pseudo clutch pedal 26, and the position when the pseudo clutch pedal 26 is depressed to the deepest is the end position of the pseudo clutch pedal 26. The driver can operate the pseudo clutch pedal 26 from the start end position to the end position against the reaction force from the reaction force mechanism. The pseudo clutch pedal 26 is equipped with a clutch pedal stroke sensor 16. The clutch pedal stroke sensor 16 outputs a signal indicating the depression amount of the pseudo clutch pedal 26. Since the electric vehicle 100 does not have an actual clutch, the operation amount of the pseudo clutch pedal 26, i.e., the clutch opening degree, is a virtual clutch opening degree.

[0021] Although the pseudo clutch pedal 26 is a pedal-type operating device operated by foot, a lever-type operating device or a dial-type operating device operated by hand may also be provided as the pseudo clutch operating device. The pseudo clutch operating device can be of various structures as long as the driver can operate it from the start position to the end position against a reaction force and can experience the same operating sensation by foot or hand as the clutch pedal provided in a conventional manually variable-speed internal combustion engine vehicle.

[0022] The electric vehicle 100 also includes a human-machine interface (HMI) 20 as an interface with the driver, and an in-vehicle speaker 21. The HMI 20 includes a touch panel display. The HMI 20 displays information on the touch panel display, and receives input from the driver via touch operation on the touch panel display. The in-vehicle speaker 21 provides information to the driver by voice, and is also capable of outputting a pseudo engine sound, which will be described later.

[0023] The electric vehicle 100 is equipped with a control device 101. Sensors and devices to be controlled mounted on the electric vehicle 100 are connected to the control device 101 via an in-vehicle network. In addition to the battery management system 10, vehicle speed sensor 11, accelerator pedal stroke sensor 12, brake pedal stroke sensor 13, shift position sensor 14, paddle shift switch 15, and clutch pedal stroke sensor 16, the electric vehicle 100 is also equipped with various other sensors.

[0024] The control device 101 is typically an electronic control unit (ECU). The control device 101 may be a combination of multiple ECUs. The control device 101 includes at least a processor 102 and a memory 103. The memory 103 includes a RAM for temporarily recording data and a ROM for storing a program 104 executable by the processor 102 and various data 105 related to the program. The program 104 is composed of multiple instruction codes. The processor 102 reads and executes the program 104 and data 105 from the memory 103, and generates control signals based on signals acquired from each sensor. The number of processors 102 included in the control device 101 may be one or more.

[0025] The control device 101 can control the electric vehicle 100 in various control modes. The driver can select the control mode by touching the touch panel display of the HMI 20. In more detail, by touching the touch panel display of the HMI 20, one or more programs 104 associated with each touch operation are read from the memory 103 and executed by the processor 102. The control modes of the electric vehicle 100 by the control device 101 that can be selected by the driver operating the HMI 20 will be described below.

[0026] 3. Electric vehicle control mode 2 is a tree diagram showing an example of control modes of the electric vehicle 100 that can be selected by the control device 101. In the HMI 20, a selection screen is displayed on the touch panel display according to the control tree shown in FIG.

[0027] An option "control mode" OP000 is displayed on the initial screen of the HMI 20. By selecting the option "control mode" OP000, an option "automatic mode" OP110 and an option "manual mode" OP120 are displayed on the touch panel display. When the option "automatic mode" OP110 is selected, the control mode of the electric vehicle 100 switches to the automatic mode. The automatic mode is a control mode for driving the electric vehicle 100 as a normal BEV. In the automatic mode, the driver can basically drive the electric vehicle 100 only by operating the accelerator pedal 22, the brake pedal 23, and the steering wheel (not shown). In the automatic mode, the shift operation of the pseudo H-type shifter 24, the shift operation of the pseudo paddle shifter 25, and the clutch operation of the pseudo clutch pedal 26 are disabled.

[0028] When the option "manual mode" OP120 is selected, the control mode of the electric vehicle 100 switches to the manual mode. The manual mode is a control mode for operating the electric vehicle 100 like a manually-shifted internal combustion engine vehicle. By selecting the option "manual mode" OP120, the following options are displayed on the touch panel display: "shift mode" OP210, "engine characteristics" OP220, "engine sound" OP230, "drive mode" OP240, and "suspension characteristics" OP250. By appropriately combining these options OP210-OP250, the driver can determine the characteristics of a manually-shifted internal combustion engine vehicle that he or she wishes the electric vehicle 100 to reproduce.

[0029] The option "shift mode" OP210 is an option for selecting a shift mode of the manual transmission when the electric vehicle 100 is operated like a manually-shifted internal combustion engine vehicle. By selecting the option "shift mode" OP210, the options "paddle shift" OP311, "stick shift with clutch operation" OP312, and "stick shift without clutch operation" OP313 are displayed on the touch panel display. When the option "paddle shift" OP311 is selected, the shift mode of the manual transmission reproduced in the electric vehicle 100 is switched to the paddle shift mode. The paddle shift mode is a mode in which the pseudo paddle shifter 25 is used for shift operation. In the paddle shift mode, the shift operation of the pseudo H-type shifter 24 is disabled. In the paddle shift mode, the operation when the gear ratio of the manual transmission is changed is reproduced by the shift operation of the pseudo paddle shifter 25. Note that the clutch operation in a real paddle shift type manual transmission is automatically performed by a robot. Therefore, in the paddle shift mode, there is no need for clutch operation of the pseudo clutch pedal 26. In the paddle shift mode, the clutch operation of the pseudo clutch pedal 26 is disabled.

[0030] When the option "stick shift with clutch operation" OP312 is selected, a stick shift mode with clutch operation is selected. The stick shift mode with clutch operation is a mode in which the pseudo H-type shifter 24 and the pseudo clutch pedal 26 are used for shifting operations. In this mode, the operation when the gear ratio of a manual transmission is changed is reproduced by the shift operation of the pseudo H-type shifter 24 and the clutch operation of the pseudo clutch pedal 26. Also, in this mode, the shift operation of the pseudo paddle shifter 25 is disabled.

[0031] When the option "Clutch-less stick shift" OP313 is selected, the clutch-less stick shift mode is selected. The clutch-less stick shift mode is a mode in which only the pseudo H-type shifter 24 is used for shifting without using the pseudo clutch pedal 26. There are genuine H-type shifter type manual transmissions in which the clutch operation is performed by the driver himself and in which the clutch operation is left to a robot. In this mode, the operation when the gear ratio of the manual transmission is changed is reproduced by the shift operation of the pseudo H-type shifter 24. Also, in this mode, the shift operation of the pseudo paddle shifter 25 and the clutch operation of the pseudo clutch pedal 26 are disabled.

[0032] The option "engine characteristics" OP220 is an option for selecting the characteristics of the internal combustion engine when the electric vehicle 100 is operated like a manually-shifted internal combustion engine vehicle. By selecting the option "engine characteristics" OP220, for example, an option "engine characteristics A" OP321 and an option "engine characteristics B" OP322 are displayed on the touch panel display. The engine characteristics A and the engine characteristics B are different engine characteristics. For example, engine characteristics such as low-medium rotation type, high rotation type, and full-range type are set as default settings for the engine characteristics A and B.

[0033] The option "engine sound" OP230 is an option for selecting an engine sound to be reproduced in the electric vehicle 100. By selecting the option "engine sound" OP230, an option "engine sound A" OP331 and an option "engine sound B" OP332 are displayed on the touch panel display. The engine sound A and the engine sound B are different engine sounds. For example, engine sounds such as a four-cylinder supercharged engine, a flat six engine, and a V12 engine are set as default settings for the engine sounds A and B.

[0034] The option "drive mode" OP240 is an option for selecting the drive mode of the electric vehicle 100. By selecting the option "drive mode" OP240, an option "four-wheel drive" OP341 and an option "rear-wheel drive" OP342 are displayed on the touch panel display. When the option "four-wheel drive" OP341 is selected, the drive mode of the electric vehicle 100 is switched to the four-wheel drive mode. In the four-wheel drive mode, the front wheels 6F are driven by the front electric motor 4F, and the rear wheels 6R are driven by the rear electric motor 4R. The torque distribution between the front wheels 6F and the rear wheels 6R can be fixed or variable by the control of the electric motors 4F, 4R by the inverters 3F, 3R. When the option "rear-wheel drive" OP342 is selected, the drive mode of the electric vehicle 100 is switched to the rear-wheel drive mode. In the rear-wheel drive mode, only the rear wheels 6R are driven by the rear electric motor 4R. However, in the electric vehicle 100, instead of or in addition to the rear-wheel drive mode, a front-wheel drive mode in which only the front wheels 6F are driven by the front electric motor 4F can also be selected.

[0035] The option "Suspension characteristics" OP250 is an option for selecting the suspension characteristics of the electric vehicle 100. By selecting the option "Suspension characteristics" OP250, an option "Suspension characteristics A" OP351 and an option "Suspension characteristics B" OP352 are displayed on the touch panel display. The damping forces of the suspensions 7F and 7R are different between the suspension characteristics A and the suspension characteristics B. For example, suspension characteristics such as soft, medium, and hard are set as default settings for the suspension characteristics A and B.

[0036] By operating the touch panel display of the HMI 20 according to the control tree described above, the control mode of the electric vehicle 100 can be switched to suit the driver's preference. The switchable control modes include a mode related to the driving control of the electric vehicle 100 and a mode related to the sound control of the electric vehicle 100. Specifically, the mode related to the option "engine sound" OP230 is the mode related to sound control, and the other modes are the modes related to driving control. In the following chapters, the driving control and sound control of the electric vehicle 100 by the control device 101 will be described.

[0037] 4. Electric vehicle driving control Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a control device 101 related to driving control of an electric vehicle 100. In detail, Fig. 3 shows the configuration particularly related to torque control among driving control. One or more driving control programs 104 stored in a memory 103 are executed by a processor 102, whereby the processor 102 functions as a driving control device.

[0038] A control mode signal is input from the HMI 20 to the control device 101 as a driving control device. The control mode signal includes information about the control mode selected by the driver. The control device 101 executes process P110 based on the control mode signal. In process P110, the control mode is switched in accordance with the control mode signal. The control mode switching that particularly affects driving control is switching between automatic mode and manual mode.

[0039] When the control mode is switched to the automatic mode, the control device 101 executes a process P120 for torque calculation in the automatic mode. In the process P120, the control device 101 obtains the vehicle speed from the signal of the vehicle speed sensor 11, and obtains the accelerator opening from the signal of the accelerator pedal stroke sensor 12. The control device 101 has a motor torque map with the accelerator opening and the vehicle speed as parameters. The control device 101 inputs the vehicle speed and the accelerator opening into the motor torque map, and controls the inverters 3F, 3R to generate the torque obtained from the motor torque map in the electric motors 4F, 4R.

[0040] When the control mode is switched to the manual mode, the control device 101 executes a process P130 for torque calculation in the manual mode. The process P130 includes a process P131 for calculating the torque to be generated at the drive wheels. The process P130 also includes a process P132 and a process P133. The process P132 is a process for calculating the torque to be generated at the front electric motor 4F, and the process P133 is a process for calculating the torque to be generated at the rear electric motor 4R. The process P132 and the process P133 are executed according to the drive wheel torque calculated in the process P130 and the torque distribution between the front wheels 6F and the rear wheels 6R.

[0041] A vehicle model MOD01 is used for calculating the drive wheel torque in process P131. The vehicle model MOD01 includes an engine model MOD11, a clutch model MOD12, and a transmission model MOD13. An engine virtually realized by the vehicle model MOD01 is called a virtual engine, a clutch virtually realized is called a virtual clutch, and a transmission virtually realized is called a virtual transmission. A virtual engine is modeled in the engine model MOD11. A virtual clutch is modeled in the clutch model MOD12. A virtual transmission is modeled in the transmission model MOD13.

[0042] The engine model MOD11 calculates a virtual engine speed and a virtual engine torque. The virtual engine speed is calculated from the vehicle speed, the total reduction ratio, and the slip ratio of the virtual clutch. The virtual engine torque is calculated from the virtual engine speed and the accelerator opening. The vehicle speed is obtained from the signal of the vehicle speed sensor 11. The accelerator opening is obtained from the signal of the accelerator pedal stroke sensor 12. The total reduction ratio is a numerical value obtained by multiplying the speed change ratio of the virtual transmission by the reduction ratio determined by the mechanical structure from the virtual transmission to the drive wheels. In the engine model MOD11, the relationship between the virtual engine speed and the virtual engine torque is specified for each accelerator opening. The driver can select the engine characteristics of the engine model MOD11 by operating the HMI 20.

[0043] The clutch model MOD12 calculates a torque transmission gain. The torque transmission gain is a gain for calculating the degree of torque transmission of the virtual clutch according to the clutch opening. When the stick shift mode with clutch operation is selected as the shift mode, the clutch opening is acquired from a signal of the clutch pedal stroke sensor 16. The clutch opening is 0% at the start position of the pseudo clutch pedal 26 and 100% at the end position of the pseudo clutch pedal 26. In the clutch model MOD12, a torque transmission gain is given with respect to the clutch opening. The torque transmission gain is converted into the clutch torque capacity of the virtual clutch, that is, the virtual clutch torque capacity. Then, based on a comparison between the virtual clutch torque capacity and the virtual engine torque calculated by the engine model MOD11, a virtual clutch torque input from the virtual clutch to the virtual transmission is calculated. In addition, in the clutch model MOD12, a value obtained by subtracting the torque transmission gain from 1 is calculated as a slip ratio. The slip ratio is used to calculate the virtual engine speed in the engine model MOD11.

[0044] When the paddle shift mode is selected as the shift mode, the clutch opening degree input to the clutch model MOD12 is calculated using the clutch operation model. Also, when the clutch operation-less stick shift mode is selected as the shift mode, the clutch opening degree input to the clutch model MOD12 is calculated using the clutch operation model. The clutch operation model is a model that simulates the clutch operation of an exemplary driver. When the paddle shift mode is selected, the vehicle speed, virtual engine speed, and a signal from the paddle shift switch 15 are input to the clutch operation model. When the clutch operation-less stick shift mode is selected, the vehicle speed, virtual engine speed, and a signal from the shift position sensor 14 are input to the clutch operation model.

[0045] The signals from the paddle shift switch 15 and the shift position sensor 14 are used to time the clutch operation. When the driver's shift operation is detected by the signals from the paddle shift switch 15 and the shift position sensor 14, the clutch opening is maximized in the clutch operation model so as to disengage the virtual clutch. The vehicle speed and the virtual engine speed are used to calculate the clutch opening. In the clutch operation model, the clutch opening is calculated based on the rotational speed difference between the rotational speed of the input shaft of the virtual transmission calculated from the vehicle speed and the virtual engine speed so as to smoothly match the virtual engine speed.

[0046] The transmission model MOD13 calculates a virtual gear ratio. The virtual gear ratio is a gear ratio determined by a virtual shift position in a virtual transmission. The virtual gear ratio is set for each shift position. The maximum virtual gear ratio is set for 1st gear, and the virtual gear ratio decreases in the order of 2nd gear, 3rd gear, 4th gear, and so on. In each stick shift mode, the shift position is in one-to-one correspondence with the signal of the shift position sensor 14. In the paddle shift mode, the shift position is increased by one step in response to an upshift signal from the paddle shift switch 15, and is decreased by one step in response to a downshift signal from the paddle shift switch 15. Note that while the number of shift positions is physically determined in the pseudo H-type shifter 24, the pseudo paddle shifter 25 has no physical constraints on the number of shift positions. Therefore, the transmission model MOD13 can be made different between the stick shift mode and the paddle shift mode by setting, and the number of shift positions in the paddle shift mode can be made greater than the number of shift positions in the stick shift mode.

[0047] The transmission model MOD13 calculates a virtual transmission torque using the virtual gear ratio and the virtual clutch torque. The virtual transmission torque is a virtual torque output from the virtual transmission. The control device 101 controls the inverters 3F, 3R so as to change the output torque of the electric motors 4F, 4R in response to the virtual transmission torque. The virtual transmission torque changes discontinuously in response to switching of the virtual gear ratio. This discontinuous change in the virtual transmission torque generates a torque shock in the electric vehicle 100, creating the impression that the vehicle is equipped with a stepped transmission.

[0048] The vehicle model MOD01 calculates the drive wheel torque from the virtual transmission torque and the reduction ratio. When the four-wheel drive mode is selected as the drive mode, the drive wheel torque is the sum of the torques acting on the left and right front wheels 6F and the left and right rear wheels 6R. The torque distribution to the front wheels 6F and the rear wheels 6R can be fixed or can be changed actively or passively. When the rear-wheel drive mode is selected as the drive mode, the drive wheel torque is the sum of the torques acting on the left and right rear wheels 6R.

[0049] In process P132, the torque of the front electric motor 4F in the manual mode (front motor torque) is calculated by multiplying the drive wheel torque calculated in process P131 by the torque distribution rate to the front wheels 6F and the reduction ratio from the output shaft of the front electric motor 4F to the front wheels 6F. The control device 101 controls the front inverter 3F so that the front electric motor 4F generates the front motor torque calculated in process P132.

[0050] In process P133, the torque of the rear electric motor 4R in the manual mode (rear motor torque) is calculated by multiplying the drive wheel torque calculated in process P131 by the torque distribution rate to the rear wheels 6R and the reduction ratio from the output shaft of the rear electric motor 4R to the rear wheels 6R. The control device 101 controls the rear inverter 3R so as to cause the rear electric motor 4R to generate the rear motor torque calculated in process P133.

[0051] In the configuration shown in Fig. 3, the battery management system 10 and the brake pedal stroke sensor 13 are not necessarily required for the above-mentioned driving control. However, if switching of the control mode affects the SOC of the battery 2, the signal of the battery management system 10 may be used as information for determining whether or not to switch the control mode. Also, in a case where the operation method of the electric vehicle 100 changes significantly, such as switching between the automatic mode and the manual mode, the condition for switching may be that the brake pedal 23 is depressed. In that case, the signal of the brake pedal stroke sensor 13 can be used as information for determining that the brake pedal 23 is depressed.

[0052] 5. Sound control for electric vehicles 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of a control device 101 related to sound control of an electric vehicle 100. One or more sound control programs 104 stored in a memory 103 are executed by the processor 102, causing the processor 102 to function as a sound control device. The processor 102 functioning as a torque control device and the processor 102 functioning as a sound control device may be separate processors or may be the same processor.

[0053] The control device 101 as a sound control device can generate artificially generated sounds from the in-vehicle speaker 21. One of the artificial sounds is a pseudo engine sound that resembles the engine sound of a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle. When a control mode signal indicating that the manual mode has been selected is input from the HMI 20, the control device 101 as a sound control device executes process P140. In process P140, a pseudo engine sound is generated based on the virtual engine torque and virtual engine speed calculated in process P131.

[0054] In process P140, the engine sound selected by the HMI 20 is used as the sound source of the pseudo engine sound to be generated from the in-vehicle speaker 21. However, in process P140, the sound of the sound source is not used as is. In process P140, the sound pressure of the sound source is changed, for example, by an amplifier, and the frequency of the sound source is changed, for example, by a frequency modulator.

[0055] The process P140 includes a process P141 for calculating the engine sound pressure and a process P142 for calculating the engine sound frequency. In the process P141, the sound pressure of the pseudo engine sound is calculated from the virtual engine torque using a sound pressure map M11. The sound pressure map M11 is created so that the sound pressure increases as the virtual engine torque increases. In the process P142, the frequency of the pseudo engine sound is calculated from the virtual engine speed using a frequency map M12. The frequency map M12 is created so that the frequency increases as the virtual engine speed increases. The virtual engine torque and the virtual engine speed change depending on the accelerator operation, the shift operation, and the clutch operation of the driver. By changing the sound pressure and the frequency of the pseudo engine sound according to the changing virtual engine torque and the virtual engine speed, the driver can be given a sense of reality as if he or she were driving a real manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle.

[0056] 6. Vehicle characteristic customization system 6-1. Overview The driver of the electric vehicle 100 can enjoy operating a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle in the electric vehicle 100 by operating the HMI 20 to switch the control mode to the manual mode. In addition, the driver can set the vehicle characteristics of the manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced by the electric vehicle 100 to his / her preferred characteristics by selecting a preferred option from options prepared in advance for various modes such as the shift mode and engine characteristics.

[0057] However, for some users, such as drivers who have thoroughly enjoyed driving in manual mode, the setting of vehicle characteristics by a combination of pre-prepared options may not be satisfactory. For example, there are manual-speed internal combustion engine vehicles with various vehicle characteristics in the world, but the vehicle characteristics of all vehicles cannot necessarily be realized by a combination of pre-prepared options. However, there may be a user who wants to realize a vehicle characteristic that cannot be realized by a combination of pre-prepared options. In addition, there may be a user who wants to realize a vehicle that does not exist in reality but that he or she experienced in a video game, for example, in the electric vehicle 100. In order to meet the needs of such users, the electric vehicle 100 is provided with a vehicle characteristic customization system that allows the user to freely customize the vehicle characteristics of the manual-speed internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced in the electric vehicle 100. The vehicle characteristic customization system is composed of a control device 101 and an HMI 20.

[0058] 6-2. Customization procedure FIG. 5 is a tree diagram showing an example of an operation procedure of the HMI 120 for customizing vehicle characteristics. An option "Customize" CM000 is displayed on a screen at the same level as the option "Control Mode" OP000 of the HMI 120 or on a screen at a lower level. By selecting the option "Customize" CM000, the options "Paddle Shift Transmission Characteristics" CM110, "Stick Shift Transmission Characteristics" CM120, "Engine Characteristics" CM130, "Engine Sound" CM140, and "Suspension Characteristics" CM150 are displayed on the touch panel display. The user can select the option of the characteristic he or she wants to customize from among these options CM110-CM150.

[0059] When the option "Paddle shift shift characteristics" CM110 is selected, an option "Default setting" CM211 and an option "Customized setting" CM212 become selectable. When the user selects the option "Default setting" CM211, the shift characteristics in the paddle shift mode are set to the default setting that has been set in advance. When the user selects the option "Customized setting" CM212, the shift characteristics in the paddle shift mode are set to the customized setting that has been customized by the user. By switching between these two options, the user can arbitrarily switch the shift characteristics in the paddle shift mode between the default setting and the customized setting.

[0060] The customized setting becomes available by the user registering it in the memory 103. Therefore, in the initial state, the option "Customized Setting" C212 cannot be selected. To register the customized setting, the option "Customize" CM311 is selected while the option "Default Setting" CM211 is selected. This selection allows the user to customize the shift characteristics in the paddle shift mode based on the default setting and register the customized shift characteristics as a customized setting. Customization of the shift characteristics includes, for example, changing the gear ratio for each shift position. It may also include changing the number of shift positions. If a customized setting has already been registered in the memory 103, the option "Customize" CM312 can also be selected while the option "Customized Setting" CM212 is selected. This selection allows the user to customize the shift characteristics in the paddle shift mode based on the currently registered customized setting. The customized shift characteristics are registered in the memory 103 as a new customized setting.

[0061] When the option "stick shift transmission characteristics" CM120 is selected, it becomes possible to customize the transmission characteristics in the stick shift mode with clutch operation and the stick shift mode without clutch operation. The procedure for customizing the transmission characteristics in these stick shift modes is the same as the procedure for customizing the transmission characteristics in the paddle shift mode. By selecting the option "default setting" CM221 and then selecting the option "customization" CM321, the user can customize the transmission characteristics in the stick shift mode based on the default setting. Also, by selecting the option "customized setting" CM222 and then selecting the option "customization" CM322, the user can customize the transmission characteristics in the stick shift mode based on the currently registered customized setting. The customization of the transmission characteristics includes, for example, changing the gear ratio for each shift position. However, in the stick shift mode, the number of shift positions is physically determined by the structure of the pseudo H-type shifter 24. For this reason, the customization of the transmission characteristics in the stick shift mode does not include changing the number of shift positions.

[0062] When the option "engine characteristics" CM130 is selected, it becomes possible to customize the engine characteristics of the manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced in the electric vehicle 100. The procedure for customizing the engine characteristics is similar to the procedure for customizing the transmission characteristics. By selecting the option "default setting" CM231 and then selecting the option "customization" CM331, the user can customize the engine characteristics based on the default setting. As the default setting, either the setting of engine characteristics A or engine characteristics B can be selected. In addition, by selecting the option "customized setting" CM232 and then selecting the option "customization" CM332, the user can customize the engine characteristics based on the currently registered customized setting. The customization of the engine characteristics includes, for example, a change in the engine speed-engine torque map. It may further include a change in the accelerator opening-engine torque map.

[0063] When the option "engine sound" CM140 is selected, it becomes possible to customize the pseudo engine sound of a manually-shifted internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced by the electric vehicle 100. The procedure for customizing the pseudo engine sound is the same as the procedure for customizing the shift characteristics. By selecting the option "default setting" CM241 and then selecting the option "customize" CM341, the user can customize the pseudo engine sound based on the default setting. As the default setting, either the setting of engine sound A or the setting of engine sound B can be selected. In addition, by selecting the option "customized setting" CM242 and then selecting the option "customize" CM342, the user can customize the pseudo engine sound based on the currently registered customized setting. Customization of the engine sound includes, for example, changing the sound pressure-engine torque map and changing the frequency-engine speed map. It may further include changing the sound source.

[0064] When the option "Suspension characteristics" CM150 is selected, it becomes possible to customize the suspension characteristics. The procedure for customizing the suspension characteristics is the same as the procedure for customizing the gear shift characteristics. By selecting the option "Default settings" CM251 and then selecting the option "Customize" CM351, the user can customize the suspension characteristics based on the default settings. As the default settings, either the setting of suspension characteristics A or suspension characteristics B can be selected. In addition, by selecting the option "Customized settings" CM252 and then selecting the option "Customize" CM352, the user can customize the suspension characteristics based on the currently registered customized settings. Customizing the suspension characteristics includes, for example, changing the suspension damping force. The suspension damping force on the front wheel side and the suspension damping force on the rear wheel side may be changed independently.

[0065] 6-3. Specific examples of customization 6-3-1.How to customize gear shift characteristics A method for customizing vehicle characteristics when the option "Customize" is selected on the HMI 120 will be specifically described with several examples. First, as one specific example, a method for customizing gear shift characteristics in a paddle shift mode will be described with reference to Figs. 6 to 9.

[0066] First, when the user selects the option "Customize" CM311 or the option "Customize" CM312, a screen SCR1 as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the touch panel display of the HMI 120. A characteristic diagram of the gear ratio for each shift position is displayed on the screen SCR1. This characteristic diagram corresponds to a map of the gear ratio for each shift position used in the transmission model MOD13. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the shift positions in the paddle shift mode range from 1st gear to 8th gear. The characteristic diagram shows the gear ratio for each shift position with a black circle. For example, the black circle TR3 shows the gear ratio for 3rd gear, and the black circle TR4 shows the gear ratio for 4th gear. In addition, the characteristic diagram shows the allowable range of the gear ratio for each shift position with a high-low line. Along with the characteristic diagram, a confirmation button BTN11 and a reset button BTN12 are displayed on the screen SCR1.

[0067] The user can directly edit the characteristic diagram of the gear ratio for each shift position on the screen SCR. For example, if the user wants to lower the gear ratio of the 4th gear, he or she can drag the black circle TR4 downward with the finger F01 as shown in FIG. 7 to lower the position of the black circle TR4 on the characteristic diagram. The gear ratios of the other shift positions can be edited individually in the same manner. Although not shown in the figure, in customizing the gear ratio characteristics in the paddle shift mode, it is also possible to delete the black circle corresponding to the 8th gear from the characteristic diagram to make it a 7-speed gear, or to add the black circle corresponding to the 9th gear to the characteristic diagram to make it a 9-speed gear. Then, when the user has customized the gear ratio characteristics to his or her liking as a whole, the user can click the confirm button BTN11 with the finger F01, and the customized gear ratio characteristics are registered in the memory 103 as customized settings. On the other hand, if the user wants to start over with the customization, the user can click the reset button BTN12 with the finger F01 to return all the black circles on the characteristic diagram to their original positions before editing.

[0068] By operating the HMI 120 as described above, the user can customize the shift characteristics of the manual-shift internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced by the electric vehicle 100 to the desired shift characteristics. However, it is not necessarily possible to register all the shift characteristics customized by the user. For example, comparing the black circle TR3 and the black circle TR4 shown in FIG. 9, the black circle TR4 is set at a higher position than the black circle TR3. This means that the gear ratio of the fourth gear is set higher than the gear ratio of the third gear. However, such a gear ratio setting does not allow the electric vehicle 100 to run smoothly, and may lead to a situation in which the electric vehicle 100 cannot run. In other words, when the relationship of the gear ratios between the shift positions is evaluated as a whole, the relationship shown in FIG. 9 cannot be accepted as the setting of the operating characteristics of the electric vehicle 100 as a manual-shift internal combustion engine vehicle. The same applies to a case in which the gear ratios between adjacent shift positions are extremely far apart, and it cannot be said that the shift characteristics are suitable for the electric vehicle 100.

[0069] In the vehicle characteristic customization system, the conditions of the gear shift characteristics that are suitable for the electric vehicle 100 are determined in advance. If the setting of the gear shift characteristics customized by the user, i.e., the customized setting, does not meet the suitable conditions, the customized setting is not registered in the memory 103 even if the confirmation button BTN11 is clicked with the finger F01. In this case, an error display ERR is displayed on the screen SCR1, and the gear ratio at each shift position is forcibly returned to the original position as shown by a white circle on the characteristic diagram. Alternatively, the error display ERR may be displayed on the screen SCR1 and the user may simply wait for the click of the reset button BTN12. In any case, if the customized setting is not suitable for the electric vehicle 100, the registration of the customized setting is canceled, and the setting of the operating characteristics of the electric vehicle 100 as a manually-shifted internal combustion engine vehicle is maintained at the current setting or the default setting.

[0070] 6-3-2.How to customize engine characteristics Next, as another specific example, a method for customizing the engine characteristics of a manually-shiftable internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced in the electric vehicle 100 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0071] First, when the user selects the option "Customize" CM331 or the option "Customize" CM332, a screen SCR2 as shown in Fig. 10 is displayed on the touch panel display of the HMI 120. A characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the engine speed and the engine torque is displayed on the screen SCR2. This characteristic diagram corresponds to the engine speed-engine torque map used in the engine model MOD11. The characteristic diagram shows the currently set torque curve TC, and the upper limit UL and lower limit LL of the engine torque relative to the engine speed. Along with the characteristic diagram, a confirm button BTN21 and a reset button BTN22 are displayed on the screen SCR2.

[0072] The user can directly edit the characteristic curve of the engine torque against the engine speed on the screen SCR2. For example, if the user wants to increase the engine torque in the high revolution range, the user can drag the high revolution end of the torque curve TL upward with the finger F01 as shown in FIG. 11. This moves the high revolution range of the torque curve TL upward as a whole, and the engine characteristics change to a high revolution type. The user can customize the torque curve TL to any shape between the upper limit UL and the lower limit LL. When the user has customized the engine characteristics as a whole to his / her preference, the user can click the confirm button BTN21 with the finger F01, and the customized engine characteristics are registered in the memory 103 as customized settings. On the other hand, if the user wants to start the customization over again, the user can click the reset button BTN22 with the finger F01, and the torque curve TL on the characteristic curve will return to its original shape.

[0073] By operating the HMI 120 as described above, the user can customize the engine characteristics of the manual-speed internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced in the electric vehicle 100 to the desired shift characteristics. However, as in the case of customizing the shift characteristics, in the vehicle characteristic customization system, the conditions for setting the engine characteristics that are suitable for the electric vehicle 100 are determined in advance. For example, a setting in which the engine torque increases suddenly in the high speed range or a setting in which the engine torque decreases suddenly in the medium speed range is determined to be outside the range of suitability for the electric vehicle 100. If the customized setting of the engine characteristics is outside the range of suitability, the registration of the customized setting is canceled, and the setting of the operating characteristics of the electric vehicle 100 as a manual-speed internal combustion engine vehicle is maintained at the current setting or the default setting.

[0074] Incidentally, there are engine characteristics of manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicles that are easy to handle even for beginners, and engine characteristics that are difficult to handle unless the driver is an expert with a certain degree of driving experience. This also applies to the case where the engine characteristics of a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle are reproduced in the electric vehicle 100. Although the engine characteristics of the electric vehicle 100 can be customized, if even beginners can customize the engine characteristics for experts, depending on the content of the customization, it may become difficult to drive the vehicle. However, if the range of customization is limited to those for beginners, it will not be possible to meet the needs of experts who want to try out various engine characteristics.

[0075] In order to avoid situations where driving is difficult for beginners while also meeting the needs of experts, the upper and lower limits of the engine torque relative to the engine speed are changed according to the user's driving history in the manual mode. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 12, a first upper limit UL1 and a second upper limit UL2 that is larger than the first upper limit UL1 are prepared as the upper limit for the torque curve TL. Also, a first lower limit LL1 and a second lower limit LL2 that is smaller than the first lower limit LL1 are prepared as the lower limit for the torque curve TL. For a user with little driving experience in the manual mode, i.e., a beginner, the range from the first lower limit LL1 to the first upper limit UL1 is used as the settable range of the customized setting. For a user with much driving experience in the manual mode, i.e., an expert, the range from the second lower limit LL2 to the second upper limit UL2 is used as the settable range of the customized setting. For example, the driving history in the manual mode may be the accumulated driving distance in the manual mode or the accumulated driving time in the manual mode.

[0076] Changing the settable range of the customized settings according to the driving history in the manual mode can also be applied to the customization of the gear shift characteristics described above. In addition, the above-mentioned method for customizing the gear shift characteristics and the method for customizing the engine characteristics can also be applied to the customization of other vehicle characteristics such as engine sound and suspension characteristics.

[0077] 6-4. Processing flow The above-mentioned processing executed by the vehicle characteristic customization system can be represented by a flow chart as shown in Fig. 13. The control device 101 constituting the vehicle characteristic customization system executes the routine shown in this flow chart at a predetermined cycle.

[0078] According to the flow diagram, in step S101, it is determined whether customized settings have been acquired in the HMI 120. Acquiring customized settings means that settings customized by the user are input to the HMI 120. To give a specific example, in the case of "6-3-1. Method for customizing gear shift characteristics", it is determined that customized settings have been acquired when the Confirm button BTN11 is clicked. Subsequent processing is skipped until customized settings are acquired.

[0079] When the customized settings are acquired, step S102 is executed. In step S102, it is determined whether or not the acquired customized settings are compatible with the electric vehicle 100. When the customized settings compatible with the electric vehicle 100 are acquired, in step S103, the settings of the operating characteristics of the electric vehicle 100 as a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle are changed based on the customized settings. However, if the acquired customized settings are not compatible with the electric vehicle 100, in step S104, the settings of the operating characteristics of the electric vehicle 100 as a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle are maintained at the original settings. This allows the user to enjoy customizing the vehicle characteristics without inviting a situation in which the electric vehicle 100 becomes unable to run.

[0080] 7. Vehicle characteristic customization system using mobile devices 7-1. Overview In the above-described embodiment, the vehicle characteristic customization system is configured by the control device 101 and the HMI 120 mounted on the electric vehicle 100. With this configuration, the user can customize the vehicle characteristics of the manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced by the electric vehicle 100 while in the electric vehicle 100. However, some users may wish to perform customization outside the electric vehicle 100. For example, if the customization is completed at home, it becomes possible to cause the electric vehicle 100 to reproduce the desired vehicle characteristics of the manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle immediately after getting into the electric vehicle 100.

[0081] A mobile terminal can be used as a tool for performing customization outside the electric vehicle 100. By making it possible to download customized settings created on the mobile terminal to the electric vehicle 100, a vehicle characteristic customization system using a mobile terminal can be constructed. Representative examples of mobile terminals include smartphones and tablet PCs. Two examples of processing executed by a vehicle characteristic customization system using a mobile terminal are described below.

[0082] 7-2. First Example of Processing Executed by Vehicle Characteristics Customization System FIG. 14 is a flow diagram between a mobile terminal and a vehicle control device of the first example. The flow diagram shows a process executed by a vehicle characteristic customization system using a mobile terminal. In the vehicle characteristic customization system using a mobile terminal, communication is performed between a mobile terminal 200 and a control device 101. The mobile terminal 200 includes an HMI 201 and a communication circuit 202. However, the HMI 201 includes not only hardware including a touch panel display, but also software for displaying a screen on the touch panel display. The control device 101 includes a processing circuit 111 and a communication circuit 112. The processing circuit 111 is composed of a processor 102 and a memory 103. Hereinafter, a first example of a process performed between the mobile terminal 200 and the control device 101 will be described with reference to the flow diagram.

[0083] In step S201, the HMI 201 of the mobile terminal 200 accepts a customization request from a user. The customization request accepted by the HMI 201 is sent to the communication circuit 202. In step S202, the communication circuit 202 transmits the customization request to the control device 101.

[0084] In step S203, the communication circuit 112 of the control device 101 receives the customization request transmitted from the mobile terminal 200. The customization request received by the communication circuit 112 is input to the processing circuit 111. In step S204, the processing circuit 111 receives the customization request and reads out from the memory 103 the default settings of the vehicle characteristics for which customization is requested. The read out default settings are sent to the communication circuit 112. In step S205, the communication circuit 112 transmits the default settings to the mobile terminal 200. Note that although the default settings are read out here, if customized settings have already been registered, the currently registered customized settings may be read out depending on the user's request.

[0085] In step S206, the communication circuit 202 of the mobile terminal 200 receives the default settings transmitted from the control device 101. The default settings received by the communication circuit 202 are sent to the HMI 201. In step S207, the HMI 201 displays the default settings on a screen. The user customizes the vehicle characteristics of the manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced in the electric vehicle 100, based on the default settings displayed on the screen of the HMI 201.

[0086] In step S208, the HMI 201 accepts the customized setting from the user. The customized setting accepted by the HMI 201 is sent to the communication circuit 202. In step S209, the communication circuit 202 transmits the customized setting to the control device 101.

[0087] In step S210, the communication circuit 112 of the control device 101 receives the customized setting transmitted from the mobile terminal 200. The customized setting received by the communication circuit 112 is input to the processing circuit 111. In step S211, the processing circuit 111 determines whether or not the customized setting is compatible with the electric vehicle 100. Here, it is assumed that the customized setting is compatible with the electric vehicle 100. In step S211, the processing circuit 111 changes the setting of the operating characteristics of the electric vehicle 100 as a manually variable transmission internal combustion engine vehicle based on the customized setting.

[0088] 7-3. Second Example of Processing Executed by Vehicle Characteristics Customization System FIG. 15 is a flow diagram between a mobile terminal and a vehicle control device in the second example. The flow diagram shows the processing executed by the vehicle characteristic customization system using a mobile terminal. In the second example, the mobile terminal 200 includes an HMI 201, a communication circuit 202, and a processing circuit 203. The processing circuit 203 is composed of a processor and a memory. The control device 101 includes a processing circuit 111 and a communication circuit 112. Hereinafter, the second example of the processing performed between the mobile terminal 200 and the control device 101 will be described with reference to the flow diagram.

[0089] In step S301, the HMI 201 of the mobile terminal 200 accepts a customization request from a user. The customization request accepted by the HMI 301 is sent to the communication circuit 202. In step S302, the communication circuit 202 transmits the customization request to the control device 101.

[0090] In step S303, the communication circuit 112 of the control device 101 receives the customization request transmitted from the mobile terminal 200. The customization request received by the communication circuit 112 is input to the processing circuit 111. In step S304, the processing circuit 111 receives the customization request and reads out from the memory 103 the default settings of the vehicle characteristics for which customization is requested. The read out default settings are sent to the communication circuit 112. In step S305, the communication circuit 112 transmits the default settings to the mobile terminal 200.

[0091] In step S306, the communication circuit 202 of the mobile terminal 200 receives the default settings transmitted from the control device 101. The default settings received by the communication circuit 202 are sent to the HMI 201. In step S307, the HMI 201 displays the default settings on a screen. The user customizes the vehicle characteristics of the manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced in the electric vehicle 100, based on the default settings displayed on the screen of the HMI 201.

[0092] In step S308, the HMI 201 accepts a customized setting from the user. The customized setting accepted by the HMI 201 is input to the processing circuit 203. In step S309, the processing circuit 203 judges whether the customized setting is suitable for the electric vehicle 100. For this judgment, a filter prepared for each specification of the electric vehicle 100 is used. The specification of the electric vehicle 100 affects the judgment of whether the customized setting is suitable for the electric vehicle 100. The processing circuit 203 acquires identification information of the electric vehicle 100 from the control device 101 with which the mobile terminal 200 communicates, and selects a filter to be used based on the identification information. If the customized setting is suitable for the electric vehicle 100, the customized setting is sent to the communication circuit 202. In step S310, the communication circuit 202 transmits the customized setting to the control device 101.

[0093] On the other hand, if the processing circuit 203 determines that the customized settings are not suitable for the electric vehicle 100 (step S315), the HMI 201 redisplays the default settings on the screen (step S316). The user recustomizes the vehicle characteristics of the manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced in the electric vehicle 100 based on the default settings redisplayed on the screen of the HMI 201.

[0094] In step S311, the communication circuit 112 of the control device 101 receives the customized setting transmitted from the mobile terminal 200. The customized setting received by the communication circuit 112 is input to the processing circuit 111. In step S312, the processing circuit 111 changes the setting of the operating characteristics of the electric vehicle 100 as a manually variable internal combustion engine vehicle based on the customized setting.

[0095] 8. Vehicle characteristic customization system using game console 8-1. Overview In driving simulator video games, a user can customize the virtual vehicle operated in the video game to his / her preferred vehicle characteristics. By connecting a game console capable of playing such video games to the electric vehicle 100 and enabling the customized settings of the virtual vehicle created in the video game to be uploaded to the electric vehicle 100, a vehicle characteristic customization system using the game console can be constructed.

[0096] 8-2. Examples of processing performed by the vehicle characteristic customization system FIG. 16 is a flow diagram between a game machine and a vehicle control device. The flow diagram shows the processing executed by the vehicle characteristic customization system using a game machine. In the vehicle characteristic customization system using a game machine, communication is performed between the game machine 300 and the control device 101. The game machine 300 includes an HMI 301, a communication circuit 302, and a processing circuit 303. However, the HMI 301 includes not only hardware including a touch panel display, but also software for displaying a screen on the touch panel display. The control device 101 includes a processing circuit 111 and a communication circuit 112. Hereinafter, an example of processing performed between the game machine 300 and the control device 101 will be described with reference to the flow diagram.

[0097] In step S401, the HMI 301 of the game machine 300 accepts the user's selection of a vehicle model to be customized. A plurality of vehicle models of the electric vehicle 100 to be customized are registered in the video game played on the game machine 300. The user can select the vehicle model of the electric vehicle 100 to be customized from among the registered vehicle models.

[0098] In step S402, the HMI 301 accepts a charge from the user. By paying for the video game, the user can increase the types of vehicle characteristics that can be customized and expand the settable range of the customized setting. Explaining with reference to FIG. 12, for example, if no charge is made, the torque curve TC cannot be changed, but by charging a certain amount, the torque curve TC can be customized in the range from a first lower limit LL1 to a first upper limit UL1, and by charging another certain amount, the torque curve TC can be customized in the range from a second lower limit LL2 to a second upper limit UL2. In step S403, the HMI 301 expands the settable range of the customized setting according to the amount of the charge from the user.

[0099] In step S404, HMI 301 accepts customized settings from the user. The customized settings accepted by HMI 201 are input to processing circuit 303. In step S405, processing circuit 303 changes the settings of the movement characteristics of the virtual vehicle in the video game based on the customized settings. In step S406, HMI 301 accepts operation of the virtual vehicle by the user. The operation of the virtual vehicle accepted by HMI 301 is input to processing circuit 303. In step S407, processing circuit 303 calculates the movement of the virtual vehicle in the video game based on the input operation. The calculation result of the movement of the virtual vehicle by processing circuit 303 is sent to HMI 303.

[0100] In step S408, HMI 301 displays the movement of the virtual vehicle in the video game on the screen. The user looks at the movement of the virtual vehicle displayed on the screen of HMI 201 and judges whether the customized settings that the user has set are satisfactory. The user can repeat steps S404, S406, and S408 until a satisfactory result is obtained. Here, it is assumed that the customized settings have produced a satisfactory result for the user.

[0101] In step S409, the HMI 301 accepts a request to upload customized settings from the user. The customized settings requested to be uploaded by the HMI 301 are sent to the communication circuit 302. In step S410, the communication circuit 302 transmits the customized settings to the control device 101.

[0102] In step S411, the communication circuit 112 of the control device 101 receives the customized setting transmitted from the game console 300. The customized setting received by the communication circuit 112 is input to the processing circuit 111. In step S412, the processing circuit 111 changes the setting of the operating characteristics of the electric vehicle 100 as a manually-shifted internal combustion engine vehicle based on the customized setting.

[0103] 9. Effects According to the vehicle characteristic customization system of this embodiment, a user can use the HMI to customize the settings of the vehicle characteristics of a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced in the electric vehicle 100 to his / her liking. However, the customized settings set by the HMI are not unconditionally applied to the electric vehicle 100, and a determination is made as to whether or not the customized settings are suitable for the electric vehicle. If the customized settings are not suitable for the electric vehicle 100, the settings of the operating characteristics of the electric vehicle 100 as a manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle are maintained at the current settings or default settings. This allows the user to enjoy customizing the vehicle characteristics without inviting a situation in which the electric vehicle 10 becomes unable to run.

[0104] 10. Other embodiments As another configuration of the electric vehicle 100, the pseudo paddle shifter 25 may not be provided, and only the pseudo H-type shifter 24 and the pseudo clutch pedal 26 may be provided. As another configuration of the electric vehicle 100, the pseudo H-type shifter 24 and the pseudo clutch pedal 26 may not be provided, and only the pseudo paddle shifter 25 may be provided. As another configuration of the electric vehicle 100, the pseudo paddle shifter 25 and the pseudo clutch pedal 26 may not be provided, and only the pseudo H-type shifter 24 may be provided. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 2 battery, 3F front inverter, 3R rear inverter, 4F front electric motor, 4R rear electric motor, 5F front drive shaft, 5R rear drive shaft, 6F front wheel, 6R rear wheel, 7F front suspension, 7R rear suspension, 10 battery management system, 11 vehicle speed sensor, 12 accelerator pedal stroke sensor, 13 brake pedal stroke sensor, 14 shift position sensor, 15 paddle shift switch, 16 clutch pedal stroke sensor, 18 GPS, 20 HMI, 21 in-car speaker, 22 accelerator pedal, 23 brake pedal, 24 pseudo H-type shifter, 25 pseudo paddle shifter, 26 pseudo clutch pedal, 100 electric vehicle, 101 control device, 102 processor, 103 memory, 104 program, 105 data, 200 mobile terminal, 300 game machine

Claims

1. An electric vehicle having an electric motor as a drive source, A driving operation member used for driving the electric vehicle; A pseudo speed change operation member that imitates an operation member used for speed change operation of a manually-shifted internal combustion engine vehicle; a control device that controls the operation of the electric vehicle in response to the operation of the driving operation member in accordance with the operation state of the pseudo speed change operation member; The control device includes: Obtaining customized settings of vehicle characteristics of the manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced in the electric vehicle; If the customized settings are suitable for the electric vehicle, changing settings of the operational characteristics of the electric vehicle with respect to the operation of the driving operation member and the pseudo gear shift operation member based on the customized settings; if the customized settings are incompatible with the electric vehicle, maintaining the settings of the operational characteristics at current settings or default settings. An electric vehicle characterized by

2. 2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, The control device is configured to present to a user the current settings or customizable ranges from the default settings. An electric vehicle characterized by

3. 2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, The driving operation member includes an accelerator pedal, The pseudo speed-change operation member includes a pseudo shifter that imitates a shifter of a manual transmission, The customized setting includes a relationship between a vehicle speed of the host vehicle, an operation amount of the accelerator pedal, a shift position selected by an operation of the pseudo shifter, and a torque of the electric motor. An electric vehicle characterized by

4. 2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, The driving operation member includes an accelerator pedal, A pseudo shifter that imitates a manual transmission shifter, A pseudo clutch operating device that simulates a clutch operating device, The customized setting includes a relationship between the vehicle speed of the host vehicle, the operation amount of the accelerator pedal, a shift position selected by operation of the pseudo shifter, the operation amount of the pseudo clutch operation device, and the torque of the electric motor. An electric vehicle characterized by

5. 5. The electric vehicle according to claim 4, The customized setting includes whether or not the pseudo clutch operating device is used. An electric vehicle characterized by

6. 5. The electric vehicle according to claim 4, The pseudo shifter comprises: A pseudo-sequential shifter that imitates the sequential shifter of a manual transmission, A pseudo H-type shifter that simulates an H-type shifter of a manual transmission, The customized setting includes whether to use the pseudo-sequential shifter or the pseudo-H-type shifter. An electric vehicle characterized by

7. 2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, The customized settings include at least one of engine characteristics, transmission characteristics, and suspension characteristics of the manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle. An electric vehicle characterized by

8. A system for customizing vehicle characteristics of an electric vehicle including an electric motor as a drive source, a driving operation member used to control the torque of the electric motor, and a pseudo speed change operation member simulating an operation member used to change speeds of a manually-shifted internal combustion engine vehicle, comprising: a human-machine interface capable of configuring customized settings of vehicle characteristics of the manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle to be reproduced in the electric vehicle; a processing circuit in communication with the human machine interface; The processing circuitry includes: determining whether the customized settings configured by the human-machine interface are compatible with the electric vehicle; If the customized settings are suitable for the electric vehicle, changing settings of the operational characteristics of the electric vehicle with respect to the operation of the driving operation member and the pseudo gear shift operation member based on the customized settings; if the customized settings are incompatible with the electric vehicle, maintaining the settings of the operational characteristics at current settings or default settings. A vehicle characteristic customization system comprising:

9. 9. The vehicle characteristic customization system according to claim 8, the human-machine interface includes a touch panel display; The human-machine interface displaying a characteristic diagram showing vehicle characteristics of the manual transmission internal combustion engine vehicle on the touch panel display; enabling a user to modify the characteristic diagram on the touch panel display by a touch operation; and accepting the modified characteristic curve as the customized setting. A vehicle characteristic customization system comprising:

10. 9. The vehicle characteristic customization system according to claim 8, The processing circuitry is configured to present the current settings or customizable ranges from the default settings to a user via the human-machine interface. A vehicle characteristic customization system comprising:

11. 9. The vehicle characteristic customization system according to claim 8, The processing circuitry includes: Recording a driving history of a driver using the pseudo gear shift operation member; and expanding a settable range of the customized settings in the human-machine interface in response to the driving history. A vehicle characteristic customization system comprising:

12. 9. The vehicle characteristic customization system according to claim 8, The human-machine interface is installed in a mobile terminal capable of wireless or wired connection to the electric vehicle. A vehicle characteristic customization system comprising:

13. 13. The vehicle characteristic customization system according to claim 12, the processing circuit is mounted on the electric vehicle; The processing circuitry is configured to: determine whether the customized settings downloaded from the mobile device are compatible with the electric vehicle. A vehicle characteristic customization system comprising:

14. 13. The vehicle characteristic customization system according to claim 12, A part of the processing circuit is mounted on the mobile terminal, The portion of the processing circuitry comprises: Using a filter prepared for each electric vehicle, determining whether the customized setting set by the human-machine interface is compatible with the electric vehicle; uploading the customized configuration determined to be compatible with the electric vehicle to the electric vehicle. A vehicle characteristic customization system comprising:

15. 9. The vehicle characteristic customization system according to claim 8, The human-machine interface is installed in a game console that can be connected to the electric vehicle wirelessly or via a wire; The human-machine interface is capable of setting, as the customized setting, vehicle characteristics of a virtual vehicle set by a user in a video game operated on the game machine. A vehicle characteristic customization system comprising:

16. 16. The vehicle characteristic customization system of claim 15, The video game is A mode for selecting an electric vehicle to which the customized configuration is to be uploaded; and a mode of setting vehicle characteristics of the virtual vehicle using a filter for a selected electric vehicle. A vehicle characteristic customization system comprising:

17. 16. The vehicle characteristic customization system of claim 15, The human-machine interface expands the range of customization settings according to the amount of money paid by the user for the video game. A vehicle characteristic customization system comprising:

18. 9. The vehicle characteristic customization system according to claim 8, The human-machine interface and the processing circuit are mounted on the electric vehicle. A vehicle characteristic customization system comprising:

Images