Vehicle management system and electric vehicle

Abstract

To enable a driver to further enjoy driving an electric vehicle with a sound when generating a pseudo engine sound in the electric vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle management system is applied to an electric vehicle having an electric motor as the driving source. The vehicle management system includes one or more processors constituted to output a pseudo engine sound from a speaker mounted to the electric vehicle. The one or more processors output an effect sound that changes in response to the yaw rate of the electric vehicle when the electric vehicle turns by superimposing it on the pseudo engine sound.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electric vehicle having an electric motor as a drive source.

Background Art

[0002] Since an electric motor has a small driving noise, a driver who drives an electric vehicle usually has few opportunities to feel the driving state of the electric vehicle by sound. Furthermore, in recent years, various technologies for enhancing the quietness inside the vehicle cabin (for example, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1) have been applied to electric vehicles. Although the sound generated during driving gives a certain kind of pleasure to the driver, in a normal electric vehicle like this, it has become difficult for the driver to enjoy the driving of the electric vehicle by sound.

[0003] Therefore, in recent years, a technology for generating a pseudo engine sound in an electric vehicle assuming a virtual engine vehicle having an engine (internal combustion engine) as a drive source has been considered. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle control device including a controller that estimates a pseudo engine sound (virtual sound) generated in the vehicle cabin when a virtual engine is controlled in response to a driving operation, and controls an acoustic device to generate the estimated pseudo engine sound.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By generating a pseudo engine sound in an electric vehicle, a driver can feel the driving state related to the driving operation of the electric vehicle through sound. This provides the driver with an opportunity to enjoy the driving of the electric vehicle through sound. By the way, an electric vehicle may perform a turning operation as well as a driving operation. However, by simply generating a conventional pseudo engine sound, the driver cannot feel the driving state related to the turning operation through sound. If the driver can also feel the driving state related to the turning operation through sound, it is considered that the driver can enjoy the driving of the electric vehicle through sound more.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] The first aspect of the present disclosure relates to a vehicle management system applied to an electric vehicle having an electric motor as a drive source. The vehicle management system includes one or more processors configured to generate an engine sound and output a pseudo engine sound from a speaker mounted on the electric vehicle. When the electric vehicle turns, the one or more processors superimpose an effect sound that changes in response to the yaw rate of the electric vehicle on the pseudo engine sound and output it from the speaker.

[0007] The second aspect of the present disclosure relates to an electric vehicle having an electric motor as a drive source. The electric vehicle includes a speaker and one or more processors configured to generate a pseudo engine sound and output the pseudo engine sound from the speaker. When the electric vehicle turns, the one or more processors superimpose an effect sound that changes in response to the yaw rate of the electric vehicle on the pseudo engine sound and output it from the speaker.

Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, when an electric vehicle turns, an effect sound that changes in response to the yaw rate of the electric vehicle is superimposed on a pseudo engine sound and output from a speaker. That is, the sound output from the speaker changes in response to both the driving state related to the driving operation of the electric vehicle and the driving state related to the turning operation. Thereby, the driver can also feel the driving state related to the turning operation by sound during the driving of the electric vehicle. As a result, it becomes possible for the driver to enjoy the driving of the electric vehicle more by sound.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

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Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] 1 Electric Vehicle and Vehicle Management System FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an electric vehicle 10 and a vehicle management system 100 according to the present embodiment. The electric vehicle 10 has an electric motor 44 as a drive source. Examples of the electric motor 44 include a brushless DC motor and a three-phase AC synchronous motor. The electric vehicle 10 uses the electric motor 44 as a power unit for traveling.

[0012] In addition, the electric vehicle 10 is equipped with various sensors 11. The various sensors 11 detect the driving state of the electric vehicle 10. Examples of the various sensors 11 include an accelerator position sensor, a brake position sensor, a steering angle sensor, a steering torque sensor, a wheel speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), a rotational speed sensor, a position sensor, a recognition sensor, etc. The accelerator position sensor detects the operation amount of the accelerator pedal. The brake position sensor detects the operation amount of the brake pedal. The steering angle sensor detects the steering angle of the steering wheel. The steering torque sensor detects the steering torque of the steering wheel. The wheel speed sensor detects the rotational speed of the wheels of the electric vehicle 10. The acceleration sensor detects the lateral acceleration and longitudinal acceleration of the electric vehicle 10. The gyro sensor detects the yaw angle and yaw rate of the electric vehicle 10. The IMU detects the angle, angular velocity, and acceleration related to each of the three axes of the electric vehicle 10. The rotational speed sensor detects the rotational speed of the electric motor 44. The position sensor detects the position of the electric vehicle 10. Examples of the position sensor include a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) sensor. The recognition sensor is a sensor for recognizing (detecting) the surrounding situation of the electric vehicle 10. Examples of the recognition sensor include a camera, a lidar (Light Detection And Ranging), a radar, etc.

[0013] In addition, the electric vehicle 10 is equipped with one or more speakers 70. For example, the speaker 70 is an in-vehicle speaker that outputs sound inside the passenger compartment of the electric vehicle 10. As another example, the speaker 70 may be an out-vehicle speaker that outputs sound outside the electric vehicle 10. The electric vehicle 10 may be equipped with both an in-vehicle speaker and an out-vehicle speaker.

[0014] Further, the electric vehicle 10 is provided with a human machine interface (HMI) 12 as an interface with the user. The HMI 12 presents various information to the user by means of display and sound, and also receives various inputs from the user. The HMI 12 is composed of a display (e.g., a multi-information display, a meter display), a switch, a speakerphone, a touch panel, etc. The speaker 70 may be configured as a part of the HMI 12.

[0015] The vehicle management system 100 is applied to such an electric vehicle 10 and manages the electric vehicle 10. The entire vehicle management system 100 may be mounted on the electric vehicle 10. As another example, at least a part of the vehicle management system 100 may be included in a management server outside the electric vehicle 10. In that case, the vehicle management system 100 may manage the electric vehicle 10 remotely. As still another example, the vehicle management system 100 may be distributed between the electric vehicle 10 and the management server.

[0016] Generally speaking, the vehicle management system 100 includes one or more processors 101 (hereinafter simply referred to as the processor 101) and one or more storage devices 102 (hereinafter simply referred to as the storage device 102). The processor 101 executes various processes. The processor 101 is composed of a general-purpose processor, a special-purpose processor, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), an integrated circuit, a conventional circuit, etc. The processor 101 can also be called circuitry or processing circuitry. The circuitry is hardware programmed to realize each function described below, or hardware that executes each function. The storage device 102 stores (stores) various information. Examples of the storage device 102 include a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), etc. The functions of the vehicle management system 100 are realized by the cooperation of the processor 101 and the storage device 102.

[0017] One or more vehicle management programs 105 (hereinafter simply referred to as the vehicle management program 105) are computer programs executed by the processor 101. The functions of the vehicle management system 100 may be realized by the cooperation of the processor 101 that executes the vehicle management program 105 and the storage device 102. The vehicle management program 105 is stored in the storage device 102. Alternatively, the vehicle management program 105 may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium.

[0018] For example, the vehicle management system 100 has a function as a sound management system that manages the sound related to the electric vehicle 10. As a function of the sound management system, the vehicle management system 100 generates and manages the sound output from the speaker 70 mounted on the electric vehicle 10. In particular, the vehicle management system 100 generates a "pseudo engine sound" that simulates the engine sound generated in an engine vehicle having an engine (internal combustion engine) as a drive source. Then, the vehicle management system 100 outputs the pseudo engine sound from the speaker 70 mounted on the electric vehicle 10.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a basic functional configuration of the vehicle management system 100 as a sound management system. The vehicle management system 100 includes, as functional blocks, a driving state acquisition unit 110, an engine sound source management unit 120, an engine sound generation unit 130, and a sound output control unit 140. These functional blocks are realized, for example, by the cooperation of a processor 101 that executes a vehicle management program 105 and a storage device 102.

[0020] The driving state acquisition unit 110 acquires driving state information DRV indicating the driving state of the electric vehicle 10. The driving state information DRV includes information related to the driving operation by the driver, information related to the running state of the electric vehicle 10, information related to the surrounding situation of the electric vehicle 10, and the like. Typically, the driving state information DRV includes information detected by various sensors 11 mounted on the electric vehicle 10. For example, the driving state information DRV includes the operation amount of the accelerator pedal (accelerator opening), the operation amount of the brake pedal (brake opening), the steering angle, the steering speed, the steering torque, the wheel speed, the vehicle speed, the longitudinal acceleration, the lateral acceleration, the yaw angle, the yaw rate, the rotational speed of the electric motor 44, and the like. The driving state information DRV may include information on the position of the electric vehicle 10. The driving state information DRV may include the surrounding situation of the electric vehicle 10 recognized (detected) by the recognition sensor.

[0021] In addition, the driving state information DRV includes the virtual engine rotational speed Ne. Here, it is assumed that the electric vehicle 10 uses a virtual engine as a driving power device. The virtual engine rotational speed Ne is the rotational speed of the virtual engine when it is assumed that the electric vehicle 10 is driven by the virtual engine. For example, the driving state acquisition unit 110 may calculate the virtual engine rotational speed Ne so as to increase as the wheel speed increases. Also, when the electric vehicle 10 is in the manual mode (MT mode) described later, the driving state acquisition unit 110 may acquire the virtual engine rotational speed Ne in the manual mode. Details of the virtual engine rotational speed Ne in the manual mode will be described later.

[0022] The engine sound source management unit 120 stores and manages the sound source data EVS (engine sound source data EVS) used to generate a pseudo engine sound. The engine sound source management unit 120 is mainly realized by the storage device 102. Typically, the engine sound source data EVS includes multiple types of sound source data. The multiple types of sound source data include, for example, sound source data for sounds caused by engine combustion (for low rotational speeds, medium rotational speeds, high rotational speeds), sound source data for sounds caused by the drive system such as gears (for low rotational speeds, medium rotational speeds, high rotational speeds), sound source data for noise sounds, etc. Each sound source data is pre-generated through simulations based on the engine model and vehicle model of an engine vehicle. Alternatively, each sound source data may be pre-generated by recording the sounds generated in an actual engine vehicle. Each sound source data is flexibly adjustable. That is, at least one of the sound pressure and frequency of the sound indicated by the sound source data is flexibly adjustable.

[0023] The engine sound generation unit 130 (engine sound simulator) is a simulator that generates a pseudo engine sound. The engine sound generation unit 130 acquires at least a part of the driving state information DRV from the driving state acquisition unit 110. In particular, the engine sound generation unit 130 acquires driving state information DRV (such as accelerator opening, vehicle speed, virtual engine rotation speed Ne, etc.) related to the driving operation of the electric vehicle 10 from the driving state acquisition unit 110. Further, the engine sound generation unit 130 reads the engine sound source data EVS from the engine sound source management unit 120. Then, the engine sound generation unit 130 generates a pseudo engine sound according to the driving state (such as accelerator opening, vehicle speed, virtual engine rotation speed Ne, etc.) related to the driving operation of the electric vehicle 10. The engine sound generation unit 130 transmits the generated engine sound data ES for reproducing the pseudo engine sound to the sound output control unit 140.

[0024] Note that the method for generating the pseudo engine sound is not particularly limited in this embodiment. For example, a well-known method adopted in games or the like may be adopted. Also, for example, a method of increasing or decreasing the frequency in proportion to the virtual engine rotation speed Ne and increasing or decreasing the sound pressure in proportion to the virtual engine torque according to a map of virtual engine rotation speed Ne - frequency and a map of virtual engine torque - sound pressure may be used. In this case, the virtual engine torque may be calculated from the virtual engine rotation speed Ne and the accelerator opening. Alternatively, when the electric vehicle 10 is in a manual mode (MT mode) described later, the virtual engine torque in the manual mode may be adopted. Details of the virtual engine torque in the manual mode will be described later.

[0025] When the sound output control unit 140 acquires the engine sound data ES, it outputs a pseudo engine sound from the speaker 70 based on the engine sound data ES. When outputting the pseudo engine sound, the sound output control unit 140 controls the amplifier according to the engine sound data ES to control the sound pressure of the pseudo engine sound. Also, the sound output control unit 140 controls the FMC (frequency modulator) according to the engine sound data ES to change the frequency of the pseudo engine sound.

[0026] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing another example of the basic functional configuration of the vehicle management system 100. In the example shown in Figure 3, the engine sound source management unit 120 stores and manages a plurality of types of engine sound source data EVS (EVS-1, EVS-2, ···, EVS-N) corresponding to each of a plurality of vehicle types. That is, in the example shown in Figure 3, the engine sound source management unit 120 stores and manages the engine sound source data EVS for each vehicle type. Each engine sound source data EVS-i (i = 1, 2, ···, N) is generated in advance through simulation or the like based on the engine model and vehicle model of the corresponding vehicle type. Alternatively, each engine sound source data EVS-i (i = 1, 2, ···, N) may be generated in advance by recording the sound actually generated in the corresponding vehicle type.

[0027] Regarding the pseudo engine sound generated by the engine sound generation unit 130, the HMI 12 is configured to execute a process of receiving an input for specifying one of a plurality of vehicle types from the user of the electric vehicle 10. The user can specify their preferred vehicle type from among the plurality of vehicle types by operating the HMI 12 to perform a specified input. The engine sound generation unit 130 acquires the engine sound source data EVS-k corresponding to the vehicle type specified by the user from among the plurality of types of engine sound source data EVS. Then, the engine sound generation unit 130 generates a pseudo engine sound from the acquired engine sound source data EVS-k. Thereby, the user who is the driver can enjoy the pseudo engine sound of their preferred vehicle type.

[0028] In the following description, the functional configuration described in Figure 2 is used as the basic functional configuration of the vehicle management system 100. However, in the following description, the functional configuration described in Figure 3 can also be adopted as the basic functional configuration of the vehicle management system 100.

[0029] 2 Output of sound according to the driving state related to the turning operation As described above, according to the vehicle management system 100 according to this embodiment, a pseudo engine sound is output from the speaker 70 mounted on the electric vehicle 10. The pseudo engine sound changes in response to the driving state (such as accelerator opening, vehicle speed, virtual engine rotation speed Ne, etc.) related to the driving operation of the electric vehicle 10. Therefore, the driver can feel the driving state related to the driving operation of the electric vehicle 10 by the pseudo engine sound. This provides the driver with an opportunity to enjoy the driving of the electric vehicle 10 by sound.

[0030] By the way, when the driver drives the electric vehicle 10, the electric vehicle 10 may perform a turning operation in addition to the driving operation. It is considered that the driver can enjoy the driving of the electric vehicle 10 by sound more if the driver can also feel the driving state related to the turning operation of the electric vehicle 10 by sound.

[0031] Therefore, the vehicle management system 100 according to this embodiment is further configured such that the sound output from the speaker 70 also changes in response to the driving state related to the turning operation of the electric vehicle 10. More specifically, the vehicle management system 100 has a function of superimposing an effect sound that changes in response to the yaw rate of the electric vehicle 10 on the pseudo engine sound and outputting it from the speaker 70 when the electric vehicle 10 turns. Hereinafter, the configuration of the vehicle management system 100 related to this function will be described in detail.

[0032] In the following, a case where a pseudo-skill sound that particularly simulates the tire skill sound is adopted as an effect sound superimposed on the pseudo-engine sound will be described. The skill sound and the pseudo-skill sound can also be referred to as "slip sound" and "pseudo-slip sound". The skill sound is a unique sound related to the turning operation of the vehicle. Therefore, by setting the effect sound as the pseudo-skill sound, it can be expected that the driver can more prominently feel the driving state related to the turning operation through sound. However, in the present embodiment, the effect sound superimposed on the pseudo-engine sound is not limited to the pseudo-skill sound, and various other sounds can also be adopted. For example, the effect sound may be an artificial sound that rings repeatedly or continuously at a specific pitch, an artificial sound that plays a specific melody, an instrument sound or environmental sound with a specific timbre, etc.

[0033] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a vehicle management system 100 related to a function of superimposing a pseudo-skill sound on a pseudo-engine sound and outputting it. In the example shown in FIG. 4, in addition to the basic functional configuration described in FIG. 2, the vehicle management system 100 further includes functional blocks of a skill sound output determination unit 150, a skill sound source management unit 160, and a skill sound generation unit 170. These functional blocks are realized, for example, by the cooperation of a processor 101 that executes a vehicle management program 105 and a storage device 102.

[0034] The skill sound output determination unit 150 acquires at least a part of the driving state information DRV from the driving state acquisition unit 110. In particular, the skill sound output determination unit 150 acquires the vehicle speed and yaw rate of the electric vehicle 10 from the driving state acquisition unit 110. The skill sound output determination unit 150 determines whether or not the condition for outputting the pseudo-skill sound is satisfied based on the acquired driving state information DRV.

[0035] The conditions for outputting the pseudo-skiing sound include that the electric vehicle 10 is turning. The determination of whether the electric vehicle 10 is turning may adopt a known and suitable method. For example, the skid sound output determination unit 150 determines whether the electric vehicle 10 is turning based on the change in yaw rate and the value of yaw angle. Also, for example, the skid sound output determination unit 150 determines whether the electric vehicle 10 is turning based on the values of steering angle and lateral acceleration.

[0036] The conditions for outputting the pseudo-skiing sound further include that the vehicle speed of the electric vehicle 10 is equal to or higher than a specified speed and the yaw rate of the electric vehicle 10 is equal to or higher than a specified threshold value. Thereby, even when the electric vehicle 10 is turning, when the vehicle speed of the electric vehicle 10 is lower than the specified speed or when the yaw rate of the electric vehicle is lower than the specified threshold value, the conditions for outputting the pseudo-skiing sound are not satisfied. That is, the pseudo-skiing sound is not output. If the sound output from the speaker 70 changes when the electric vehicle 10 is performing a turning operation but is moving slowly or making a turn that the driver cannot feel, it will rather give the driver a sense of discomfort. Therefore, by including such conditions, the output of the pseudo-skiing sound enables the driver to feel the driving state related to the turning operation without discomfort through the sound.

[0037] In the above conditions, the specified vehicle speed and the specified threshold value may be appropriately set according to the environment to which the present embodiment is applied. In particular, the skid sound output determination unit 150 is configured to receive a request from the user of the electric vehicle 10 to change the specified vehicle speed and the specified threshold value via the HMI 12. When the skid sound output determination unit 150 receives a request from the user, it changes at least one of the specified vehicle speed and the specified threshold value in response to the request.

[0038] For example, as shown in the following table, the skill sound output determination unit 150 manages the values of the specified vehicle speed and the specified threshold for each mode. The HMI 12 executes a process of receiving an input for selecting one of a plurality of modes from the user. When the user makes a selection input, the skill sound output determination unit 150 changes the specified vehicle speed and the specified threshold to the values corresponding to the mode selected by the user. In the example shown in the following table, "Basic" is a mode in which the standard specified speed and the specified threshold are set. "Easy" is a mode in which the values of the specified speed and the specified threshold are set smaller than those in "Basic". That is, when "Easy" is selected, a pseudo-skill sound is output even in a gentle turning operation as compared with "Basic". "Hard" is a mode in which the values of the specified speed and the specified threshold are set larger than those in "Basic". That is, when "Hard" is selected, a pseudo-skill sound is not output unless a stronger turning operation is performed as compared with "Basic". "Off" is a mode in which the values of the specified speed and the specified threshold are set to infinity. That is, when "Off" is selected, the pseudo-skill sound is not output.

Table 1

[0039] The above is an example of the change of the specified vehicle speed and the specified threshold, and the skill sound output determination unit 150 may have more modes. Alternatively, the skill sound output determination unit 150 may be configured to change the specified vehicle speed and the specified threshold in response to a request from the user by other methods. For example, the skill sound output determination unit 150 may be configured to change the values of the specified vehicle speed and the specified threshold to the values specified by a request from the user. The change of the values in this case may be performed stepwise or continuously.

[0040] In this way, by enabling the change of the specified vehicle speed and the specified threshold value in the skill sound output determination unit 150, the user who is the driver can adjust the driving state in which the pseudo-skill sound is output according to their preferences. Alternatively, the output of the pseudo-skill sound can be stopped.

[0041] In this way, the skill sound output determination unit 150 determines whether the condition for outputting the pseudo-skill sound is satisfied. When the skill sound output determination unit 150 determines that the condition for outputting the pseudo-skill sound is satisfied, it transmits a request signal SRQ for requesting the output of the pseudo-skill sound to the skill sound generation unit 170. The request signal SRQ may include information specifying the reproduction time of the pseudo-skill sound and the like. Note that the condition for outputting the pseudo-skill sound as described above does not assume a case where a skill sound actually occurs from the vehicle. The pseudo-skill sound is an example of an effect sound that changes in response to the yaw rate of the electric vehicle 10 and is output regardless of tire slip or the like if the condition is satisfied.

[0042] The skill sound source management unit 160 stores and manages the sound source data SVS (skill sound source data SVS) used to generate the pseudo-skill sound. The skill sound source management unit 160 is mainly realized by the storage device 102. The skill sound source data SVS is generated in advance through simulations based on the vehicle model or the like. Alternatively, the skill sound source data SVS may be generated in advance by recording the skill sound generated in an actual vehicle.

[0043] Upon receiving the request signal SRQ from the skill sound output determination unit 150, the skill sound generation unit 170 generates a pseudo-skill sound. When generating the pseudo-skill sound, the skill sound generation unit 170 reads the skill sound source data SVS from the skill sound source management unit 160. The skill sound generation unit 170 also acquires the yaw rate of the electric vehicle 10 from the driving state information DRV of the driving state acquisition unit 110. Then, the skill sound generation unit 170 uses the skill sound source data SVS to generate a pseudo-skill sound that changes in response to the yaw rate of the electric vehicle 10.

[0044] In particular, in the present embodiment, the skill sound generation unit 170 executes a sound pressure calculation process P10 for calculating the sound pressure of the pseudo-skill sound. In the sound pressure calculation process P10, the sound pressure of the pseudo-skill sound is calculated based on the yaw rate of the electric vehicle 10. Here, in the sound pressure calculation process P10, the sound pressure of the pseudo-skill sound is calculated so as to increase as the yaw rate increases. For example, in the sound pressure calculation process P10, the sound pressure of the pseudo-skill sound is calculated from the yaw rate using a sound pressure map M10. The sound pressure map M10 is created such that the sound pressure increases as the yaw rate increases.

[0045] By executing the sound pressure calculation process P10 in this way, the skill sound generation unit 170 can generate a pseudo-skill sound whose sound pressure changes in response to the yaw rate of the electric vehicle 10. In particular, by increasing the sound pressure as the yaw rate increases, the driver can easily feel the change in the driving state related to the turning operation by sound. Also, since the driver can recognize the degree of turning from the magnitude of the sound pressure, it can be expected that the driver will pay attention to the degree of turning and drive the electric vehicle 10. As a result, an improvement in driving safety by the driver can be expected.

[0046] The skill sound generation unit 170 transmits skill sound data SS for reproducing the generated pseudo-skill sound to the sound output control unit 140.

[0047] When the sound output control unit 140 acquires the skill sound data SS, it superimposes the pseudo-skill sound based on the skill sound data SS on the pseudo-engine sound and outputs it from the speaker 70. When outputting the pseudo-skill sound, the sound output control unit 140 controls the amplifier according to the skill sound data SS to control the sound pressure of the pseudo-skill sound.

[0048] By providing the functional configuration of the vehicle management system 100 in this way, it is possible to realize the function of superimposing and outputting the pseudo-skill sound on the pseudo-engine sound. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow executed by the vehicle management system 100 based on the above-described functional configuration. The processing flow shown in FIG. 5 may be repeatedly executed at a predetermined processing cycle.

[0049] In step S110, the vehicle management system 100 determines whether or not the electric vehicle 10 is turning. If the electric vehicle 10 is not turning (step S110; No), the vehicle management system 100 stops the output of the pseudo-skill sound from the speaker 70 (step S120). That is, in this case, only the pseudo-engine sound is output from the speaker 70. If the electric vehicle 10 is turning (step S110; Yes), the process proceeds to step S130.

[0050] In step S130, the vehicle management system 100 determines whether or not the vehicle speed of the electric vehicle 10 is equal to or higher than a specified speed. If the vehicle speed of the electric vehicle 10 is lower than the specified speed (step S130; No), the vehicle management system 100 stops the output of the pseudo-skill sound from the speaker 70 (step S120). If the vehicle speed of the electric vehicle 10 is equal to or higher than the specified speed (step S130; Yes), the process proceeds to step S140.

[0051] In step S140, the vehicle management system 100 determines whether or not the yaw rate of the electric vehicle 10 is equal to or higher than a specified threshold value. If the yaw rate of the electric vehicle 10 is lower than the specified threshold value (step S140; No), the vehicle management system 100 stops the output of the pseudo-skill sound from the speaker 70 (step S120). When the yaw rate of the electric vehicle 10 is equal to or higher than the specified threshold value, the vehicle management system 100 generates a pseudo-skill sound and superimposes the generated pseudo-skill sound on the pseudo-engine sound and outputs it from the speaker 70 (step S150).

[0052] As described above, according to the vehicle management system 100 according to the present embodiment, the pseudo-skill sound is superimposed on the pseudo-engine sound and output from the speaker 70. Here, the pseudo-skill sound changes in response to the yaw rate of the electric vehicle 10. That is, the sound output from the speaker 70 changes in response to both the driving state related to the driving operation and the driving state related to the turning operation of the electric vehicle 10. Thereby, the driver can feel both the driving state related to the driving operation and the driving state related to the turning operation by sound during the driving of the electric vehicle 10. As a result, it becomes possible for the driver to enjoy the driving of the electric vehicle 10 more by sound.

[0053] 3 Application to an electric vehicle equipped with a manual mode (MT mode) An electric motor used as a driving power device in a general electric vehicle has significantly different torque characteristics from an internal combustion engine that has been used as a driving power device in a conventional vehicle (CV: Conventional Vehicle). Due to the difference in torque characteristics of the power device, a CV requires a transmission, while a general electric vehicle generally does not have a transmission. Of course, a general electric vehicle does not have a manual transmission (MT) that switches the gear ratio by the driver's manual operation. For this reason, there is a significant difference in the driving feeling between the driving of a conventional vehicle with an MT (hereinafter referred to as an MT vehicle) and the driving of an electric vehicle.

[0054] On the other hand, an electric motor can control torque relatively easily by controlling the applied voltage and field excitation. Therefore, in an electric motor, it is possible to obtain desired torque characteristics within the operating range of the electric motor by implementing appropriate control. Taking advantage of this feature, the torque of the electric vehicle can be controlled to simulate the torque characteristics peculiar to an MT vehicle. Also, in order for the driver to obtain a driving feeling like that of an MT vehicle, it is possible to provide a pseudo-shifting operation member that can select a gear stage by simulating the shifting operation of a transmission in the electric vehicle. By these, it becomes possible to simulate an MT vehicle in an electric vehicle.

[0055] That is, the electric vehicle controls the output of the electric motor so as to simulate the driving characteristics (torque characteristics) peculiar to MT vehicles. The driver operates the pseudo-shifting operation member to perform a pseudo-shifting operation. In response to the pseudo-shifting operation by the driver, the electric vehicle changes the driving characteristics (torque characteristics) by simulating an MT vehicle. As a result, the driver of the electric vehicle can obtain a feeling as if driving an MT vehicle. Hereinafter, the control mode of the electric motor for simulating the driving characteristics and shifting operation of the MT vehicle is referred to as the "manual mode" or the "MT mode".

[0056] The electric vehicle 10 according to the present disclosure may be provided with such a manual mode (MT mode). In the MT mode, the electric vehicle 10 generates a pseudo-engine sound according to the driving operation of the driver and outputs the pseudo-engine sound from the speaker 70. Since not only the driving operation of the MT vehicle but also the engine sound of the MT vehicle are reproduced, the satisfaction of the driver who pursues reality is increased.

[0057] Hereinafter, a configuration example of the electric vehicle 10 provided with the manual mode (MT mode) will be described.

[0058] 3.1 First Configuration Example (Sequential Shifter) FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a first configuration example of the power control system of the electric vehicle 10 according to the present embodiment. The electric vehicle 10 includes an electric motor 44, a battery 46, and an inverter 42. The electric motor 44 is a power device for traveling. The battery 46 stores electric energy for driving the electric motor 44. That is, the electric vehicle 10 is a battery electric vehicle (BEV) that travels with the electric energy stored in the battery 46. The inverter 42 converts the DC power input from the battery 46 during acceleration into the driving power of the electric motor 44. Further, the inverter 42 converts the regenerative power input from the electric motor 44 during deceleration into DC power and charges the battery 46.

[0059] The electric vehicle 10 is provided with an accelerator pedal 22 for a driver to input an acceleration request for the electric vehicle 10. The accelerator pedal 22 is provided with an accelerator position sensor 32 for detecting the accelerator opening degree.

[0060] The electric vehicle 10 is provided with a sequential shifter 24 as a pseudo-shifting operation member. The sequential shifter 24 may be of a paddle type or a lever type.

[0061] The paddle-type sequential shifter 24 is a dummy different from the original paddle-type shifter. The paddle-type sequential shifter 24 has a structure imitating the paddle-type shifter provided in a clutch-pedal-less MT vehicle. The paddle-type sequential shifter 24 is attached to the steering wheel. The paddle-type sequential shifter 24 is provided with an upshift switch and a downshift switch for selecting a shift position. The paddle-type sequential shifter 24 issues an upshift signal 34u by an upshift operation of pulling the upshift switch forward, and issues a downshift signal 34d by a downshift operation of pulling the downshift switch forward.

[0062] On the other hand, the lever-type sequential shifter 24 is a dummy different from the original lever-type shifter. The lever-type sequential shifter 24 has a structure imitating the lever-type shifter provided in a clutch-pedal-less MT vehicle. The lever-type sequential shifter 24 is configured to output an upshift signal 34u by an upshift operation of tilting the shift lever forward, and output a downshift signal 34d by a downshift operation of tilting the shift lever backward.

[0063] A wheel speed sensor 36 is provided on the wheel 26 of the electric vehicle 10. The wheel speed sensor 36 is used as a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the vehicle speed of the electric vehicle 10. Further, a rotational speed sensor 38 for detecting the rotational speed thereof is provided on the electric motor 44.

[0064] The electric vehicle 10 is equipped with a control device 50. The control device 50 is typically an electronic control unit (ECU) installed in the electric vehicle 10. The control device 50 may also be a combination of multiple ECUs. The control device 50 includes an interface, a memory, and a processor. An in-vehicle network is connected to the interface. The memory includes a RAM for temporarily recording data and a ROM for storing programs executable by the processor and various data related to the programs. The program is composed of a plurality of instructions. The processor reads the program and data from the memory and executes them, and generates a control signal based on the signals acquired from each sensor.

[0065] For example, the control device 50 controls the electric motor 44 by PWM control of the inverter 42. Signals from an accelerator position sensor 32, a sequential shifter 24, a wheel speed sensor 36, and a rotational speed sensor 38 are input to the control device 50. The control device 50 processes these signals and calculates a motor torque command value for PWM control of the inverter 42.

[0066] The control device 50 includes an automatic mode (EV mode) and a manual mode (MT mode) as control modes. The automatic mode is a normal control mode for driving the electric vehicle 10 as a general electric vehicle. The automatic mode is programmed to continuously change the output of the electric motor 44 according to the operation of the accelerator pedal 22. On the other hand, the manual mode is a control mode for driving the electric vehicle 10 like an MT vehicle. The manual mode is programmed to change the output characteristics of the electric motor 44 with respect to the operation of the accelerator pedal 22 according to the upshift operation and downshift operation with respect to the sequential shifter 24. That is, the manual mode is a control mode capable of changing the output of the electric motor 44 in response to the driving operation of vehicle components other than the accelerator pedal 22 and the brake pedal. The automatic mode (EV mode) and the manual mode (MT mode) are switchable.

[0067] The control device 50 includes an automatic mode torque calculation unit 54 and a manual mode torque calculation unit 56. Each of the units 54 and 56 may be an independent ECU, or may be a function of an ECU obtained by executing a program recorded in a memory by a processor.

[0068] The automatic mode torque calculation unit 54 has a function of calculating the motor torque when controlling the electric motor 44 in the automatic mode. A motor torque command map is stored in the automatic mode torque calculation unit 54. The motor torque command map is a map that determines the motor torque from the accelerator opening and the rotational speed of the electric motor 44. Signals from the accelerator position sensor 32 and the rotational speed sensor 38 are input to each parameter of the motor torque command map. Motor torque corresponding to these signals is output from the motor torque command map. Therefore, in the automatic mode, even if the driver operates the sequential shifter 24, the operation is not reflected in the motor torque.

[0069] The manual mode torque calculation unit 56 includes an MT vehicle model. The MT vehicle model is a model for calculating the drive wheel torque that should be obtained by operating the accelerator pedal 22 and the sequential shifter 24 when assuming that the electric vehicle 10 is an MT vehicle.

[0070] The MT vehicle model included in the manual mode torque calculation unit 56 will be described with reference to FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 7, the MT vehicle model includes an engine model 561, a clutch model 562, and a transmission model 563. Note that the engine, clutch, and transmission virtually realized by the MT vehicle model are referred to as a virtual engine, a virtual clutch, and a virtual transmission, respectively. In the engine model 561, the virtual engine is modeled. In the clutch model 562, the virtual clutch is modeled. In the transmission model 563, the virtual transmission is modeled.

[0071] The engine model 561 calculates the virtual engine rotational speed Ne and the virtual engine output torque Teout. The virtual engine rotational speed Ne is calculated based on the rotational speed Nw of the wheels, the overall reduction ratio R, and the slip ratio Rslip of the virtual clutch. For example, the virtual engine rotational speed Ne is expressed by the following equation (1). Equation (1): Ne = Nw × R / (1 - Rslip)

[0072] The virtual engine output torque Teout is calculated from the virtual engine rotational speed Ne and the accelerator opening Pap. As shown in FIG. 7, a map defining the relationship among the accelerator opening Pap, the virtual engine rotational speed Ne, and the virtual engine output torque Teout is used for the calculation of the virtual engine output torque Teout. In this map, the virtual engine output torque Teout with respect to the virtual engine rotational speed Ne is given for each accelerator opening Pap. The torque characteristics shown in FIG. 7 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.

[0073] The clutch model 562 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 Pc. The virtual clutch opening Pc is normally 0%, and is temporarily opened up to 100% in conjunction with the switching of the virtual gear stage of the virtual transmission. The clutch model 562 has a map as shown in FIG. 7. In this map, the torque transmission gain k is given for the virtual clutch opening Pc. In FIG. 7, Pc0 corresponds to the position where the virtual clutch opening Pc is 0%, and Pc3 corresponds to the position where the virtual clutch opening Pc is 100%. The ranges from Pc0 to Pc1 and from Pc2 to Pc3 are dead zones where the torque transmission gain k does not change with the virtual clutch opening Pc. The clutch model 562 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. For example, the clutch output torque Tcout is given by the product of the virtual engine output torque Teout and the torque transmission gain k (Tcout = Teout × k).

[0074] Also, the clutch model 562 calculates the slip ratio Rslip. The slip ratio Rslip is used in the calculation of the virtual engine rotational speed Ne in the engine model 561. For calculating the slip ratio Rslip, a map in which the slip ratio Rslip is given for the virtual clutch opening Pc can be used, similar to the torque transmission gain k.

[0075] The transmission model 563 calculates the gear ratio (shift ratio) r. The gear ratio r is the gear ratio determined by the virtual gear stage GP in the virtual transmission. Upon receiving an upshift operation of the sequential shifter 24, the virtual gear stage GP is shifted up by one stage. On the other hand, upon receiving a downshift operation of the sequential shifter 24, the virtual gear stage GP is shifted down by one stage. The transmission model 563 has a map as shown in FIG. 7. In this map, the gear ratio r is given to the virtual gear stage GP such that the larger the virtual gear stage GP, the smaller the gear ratio r. The transmission model 563 calculates the transmission output torque Tgout using the gear ratio r obtained from the map and the clutch output torque Tcout. For example, the transmission output torque Tgout is given by the product of the clutch output torque Tcout and the gear ratio r (Tgout = Tcout × r). The transmission output torque Tgout changes discontinuously according to the switching of the gear ratio r. This discontinuous change in the transmission output torque Tgout generates a shift shock and gives the impression of a vehicle equipped with a stepped transmission.

[0076] The MT vehicle model 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 transmission to the drive wheels. The value obtained by multiplying the reduction ratio rr by the gear ratio r is the aforementioned overall reduction ratio R. The MT vehicle model calculates the drive wheel torque Tw from the transmission output torque Tgout and the reduction ratio rr. For example, the drive wheel torque Tw is given by the product of the transmission output torque Tgout and the reduction ratio rr (Tw = Tgout × rr).

[0077] The control device 50 converts the drive wheel torque Tw calculated by the MT vehicle model into the required motor torque Tm. The required motor torque Tm is the motor torque necessary to achieve the drive wheel torque Tw calculated by the MT vehicle model. For the conversion of the drive wheel torque Tw to the required motor torque Tm, the reduction ratio from the output shaft of the electric motor 44 to the drive wheels is used. Then, the control device 50 controls the inverter 42 according to the required motor torque Tm to control the electric motor 44.

[0078] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the torque characteristics of the electric motor 44 realized by motor control using the MT vehicle model, compared with the torque characteristics of the electric motor 44 realized by normal motor control as an electric vehicle (EV). According to the motor control using the MT vehicle model, 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 virtual gear stage selected by the sequential shifter 24. In FIG. 8, the number of gear stages is six.

[0079] 3.2 Second Configuration Example FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a second configuration example of the power control system of the electric vehicle 10 according to the present embodiment. Here, only the configuration different from the above-described first configuration example will be described. Specifically, in the second configuration example, the electric vehicle 10 includes a pseudo shift lever (pseudo shift device) 27 and a pseudo clutch pedal 28 as pseudo shift operation members. The pseudo shift lever 27 and the pseudo clutch pedal 28 are merely dummies different from the original shift lever and clutch pedal.

[0080] The pseudo shift lever 27 has a structure that simulates the shift lever provided in the MT vehicle. The arrangement and operation feeling of the pseudo shift lever 27 are equivalent to those of an actual MT vehicle. That is, the pseudo shift lever 27 is configured to be able to arbitrarily select a gear stage from a plurality of gear stages. The pseudo shift lever 27 is provided with positions corresponding to each gear stage such as first speed, second speed, third speed, fourth speed, fifth speed, sixth speed, reverse, and neutral. The pseudo shift lever 27 is provided with a shift position sensor 27a that detects the gear stage by determining which position the pseudo shift lever 27 is in.

[0081] The pseudo clutch pedal 28 has a structure that mimics the clutch pedal of an MT vehicle. The arrangement and operating feel of the pseudo clutch pedal 28 are equivalent to those of an actual MT vehicle. The pseudo clutch pedal 28 is operated when the pseudo shift lever 27 is operated. That is, when the driver wants to change the gear stage setting with the pseudo shift lever 27, the driver depresses the pseudo clutch pedal 28, and when the gear stage setting change is completed, releases the depression and returns the pseudo clutch pedal 28 to its original position. The pseudo clutch pedal 28 is provided with a clutch position sensor 28a for detecting the depression amount of the pseudo clutch pedal 28.

[0082] Signals from the accelerator position sensor 32, the shift position sensor 27a, the clutch position sensor 28a, the wheel speed sensor 36, and the rotational speed sensor 38 are input to the control device 50. The control device 50 processes these signals and calculates a motor torque command value for PWM control of the inverter 42.

[0083] Similar to the first configuration example described above, the control device 50 includes an automatic mode and a manual mode as control modes. The automatic mode is programmed to continuously change the output of the electric motor 44 in response to the operation of the accelerator pedal 22. On the other hand, the manual mode is a control mode for driving the electric vehicle 10 like an MT vehicle. The manual mode is programmed to change the output and output characteristics of the electric motor 44 in response to the operations of the pseudo clutch pedal 28 and the pseudo shift lever (pseudo shift device) 27. That is, the manual mode is a control mode capable of changing the output of the electric motor 44 in response to the driving operation of vehicle components other than the accelerator pedal 22 or the brake pedal.

[0084] The vehicle model equipped with the manual mode torque calculation unit 56 is the same as that shown in FIG. 7. However, the virtual clutch opening Pc is replaced by the depression amount of the pseudo clutch pedal 28 detected by the clutch position sensor 28a. Also, the virtual gear stage GP is determined by the shift position of the pseudo shift lever 27 detected by the shift position sensor 27a.

[0085] 4 Output of pseudo blipping sound As described above, the electric vehicle 10 can be configured to include a manual mode (MT mode). At this time, the electric vehicle 10 is equipped with a pseudo shift operation member such as a sequential shifter. In the manual mode, the driver can perform a shift change (change of gear stage) that simulates the shift operation of the transmission by operating the pseudo shift operation member.

[0086] By the way, the driver can feel the change in the pseudo engine sound in response to the operation of the accelerator pedal. If the driver can also feel the change in the pseudo engine sound in response to the operation of the pseudo shift operation member, it is considered that the driving of the electric vehicle 10 can be enjoyed more by the sound.

[0087] Therefore, when the electric vehicle 10 is equipped with a pseudo shift operation member, the vehicle management system 100 according to the present embodiment may be further configured such that the pseudo engine sound output from the speaker 70 changes in response to the operation of the pseudo shift operation member. More specifically, when a shift change is performed by operating the pseudo shift operation member, the vehicle management system 100 has a function of outputting a pseudo blipping sound that simulates a blipping sound from the speaker 70. Hereinafter, the configuration of the vehicle management system 100 related to this function will be described in detail.

[0088] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an engine sound generation unit 130 related to a function of outputting a pseudo blipping sound. The engine sound generation unit 130 shown in FIG. 10 can be applied to any of the vehicle management systems 100 in FIGS. 2 to 4. Thereby, a vehicle management system 100 that realizes a function of outputting a pseudo blipping sound can be configured.

[0089] In the example shown in FIG. 10, the engine sound generation unit 130 includes, as functional blocks, a basic sound generation unit 131, a blipping sound generation unit 132, a shift change determination unit 133, and a mediation unit 134. These functional blocks are realized, for example, by the cooperation of a processor 101 that executes a vehicle management program 105 and a storage device 102.

[0090] The basic sound generation unit 131 generates a basic pseudo engine sound. Therefore, the basic sound generation unit 131 may be configured to generate a pseudo engine sound by the method described in FIG. 2. That is, the basic sound generation unit 131 generates a basic pseudo engine sound from sound source data EVS based on the driving state (such as accelerator opening, vehicle speed, virtual engine rotation speed Ne, etc.) related to the driving operation of the electric vehicle 10. The basic sound generation unit 131 transmits basic engine sound data ES0 for generating the generated basic pseudo engine sound to the mediation unit 134.

[0091] The blipping sound generation unit 132 generates a pseudo blipping sound. The blipping sound generation unit 132 manages a characteristic setting PS regarding the characteristics (such as sound pressure and reproduction time) of the generated pseudo blipping sound. Based on the characteristic setting PS, the blipping sound generation unit 132 generates a pseudo blipping sound that reproduces the blipping sound from the sound source data EVS. The blipping sound generation unit 132 is configured to receive a request to change the characteristic setting PS from the user of the electric vehicle 10 via the HMI 12. When receiving a request from the user, the blipping sound generation unit 132 changes the characteristic setting PS in response to the request. For example, the HMI 12 is configured to receive an input of a value of either the sound pressure or the reproduction time of the pseudo blipping sound from the user. When the user inputs a value, the blipping sound generation unit 132 changes the characteristic setting PS to the value input by the user. In this way, the blipping sound generation unit 132 changes the characteristics of the generated pseudo blipping sound in response to the request from the user. Thereby, the user who is the driver can adjust the output pseudo blipping sound to their preference.

[0092] The characteristic setting PS may manage the characteristics of the pseudo blipping sound when upshifting and the characteristics of the pseudo blipping sound when downshifting separately. That is, the characteristic setting PS may be managed such that the pseudo blipping sound output when upshifting and the pseudo blipping sound output when downshifting are different. In particular, the characteristic setting PS may be changed to output the pseudo blipping sound only when downshifting. That is, in this case, the pseudo blipping sound is not output when upshifting. Thereby, it is possible to output the pseudo blipping sound in accordance with the case where the blipping sound occurs in an actual MT vehicle.

[0093] The blipping sound generation unit 132 transmits the blipping sound data ESB for reproducing the generated pseudo blipping sound to the mediation unit 134.

[0094] The shift change determination unit 133 determines whether a shift change has been made by operating the pseudo-shifting operation member. The shift change determination unit 133 acquires the operation state of the shifting operation member from the driving state information DRV. For example, when the pseudo-shifting operation member is the sequential shifter 24, the driving state information DRV includes information such as the upshift signal 34u and the downshift signal 34d. Then, upon receiving that the upshift signal 34u or the downshift signal 34d has been transmitted, the shift change determination unit 133 determines that a shift change has been made. Also, for example, when the pseudo-shifting operation members are the pseudo-shift lever 27 and the pseudo-clutch pedal 28, the driving state information DRV includes the detection information of the shift position sensor 27a. Then, upon receiving that the shift position of the pseudo-shift lever 27 detected by the shift position sensor 27a has changed, the shift change determination unit 133 determines that a shift change has been made. The shift change determination unit 133 transmits the determination result RT to the arbitration unit 134.

[0095] The arbitration unit 134 receives the basic engine sound data ES0 from the basic sound generation unit 131 and receives the blipping sound data ESB from the blipping sound generation unit 132. Also, the arbitration unit 134 acquires the determination result RT from the shift change determination unit 133. Based on the determination result RT, the arbitration unit 134 outputs either the basic engine sound data ES0 or the blipping sound data ESB as the engine sound data ES. The engine sound data ES is transmitted to the sound output control unit 140, and a sound based on the engine sound data ES is output from the speaker 70 by the sound output control unit 140. Normally, the arbitration unit 134 outputs the basic engine sound data ES0 as the engine sound data ES. That is, normally, the basic pseudo-engine sound is output from the speaker 70. On the other hand, when the determination result RT indicates that a shift change has been made, the arbitration unit 134 outputs the blipping sound data ESB as the engine sound data ES. That is, when a shift change is made, a pseudo-blipping sound is output from the speaker 70.

[0096] By providing the functional configuration of the engine sound generation unit 130 in this way, the function of outputting a pseudo blipping sound can be realized. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow executed in the vehicle management system 100 based on the above-described functional configuration. The processing flow shown in FIG. 11 may be repeatedly executed at a predetermined processing cycle.

[0097] First, in a normal state, the vehicle management system 100 outputs a normal pseudo engine sound from the speaker 70 (step S210).

[0098] The vehicle management system 100 determines whether a shift change has been made by operating the pseudo shift operation member (step S220). When no shift change has been made (step S220; No), the vehicle management system 100 ends the current process without outputting a pseudo blipping sound. On the other hand, when a shift change has been made (step S220; Yes), the vehicle management system 100 outputs a pseudo blipping sound instead of the basic pseudo engine sound (step S230).

[0099] The vehicle management system 100 continues to output the pseudo blipping sound until the reproduction of the pseudo blipping sound ends (step S240). When the reproduction of the pseudo blipping sound ends, the vehicle management system 100 resumes outputting the basic pseudo engine sound (step S250).

[0100] As described above, the vehicle management system 100 can realize the function of outputting a pseudo blipping sound. The pseudo blipping sound is output when a shift change is made by operating the pseudo shift operation member. Thereby, the driver can feel the change in the pseudo engine sound in response to the operation of the pseudo shift operation member. As a result, the driver can enjoy driving the electric vehicle 10 more by sound.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0101] 10 Electric vehicle, 100 Vehicle management system, 22 Accelerator pedal, 24 Sequential shifter, 27 Pseudo shift lever, 28 Pseudo clutch pedal, 44 Electric motor, 70 Speaker, 100 Vehicle management system, 101 Processor, 102 Memory device, 105 Vehicle management program

Claims

1. A vehicle management system applied to an electric vehicle having an electric motor as a drive source, comprising one or more processors configured to generate a pseudo engine sound and output the pseudo engine sound from a speaker mounted on the electric vehicle, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: when the electric vehicle turns, superimpose an effect sound that changes in response to the yaw rate of the electric vehicle on the pseudo engine sound and output the sound from the speaker. The vehicle management system is configured as described above. Vehicle management system.

2. The vehicle management system according to claim 1, wherein the effect sound is a pseudo skid sound that simulates a skid sound. Vehicle management system.

3. The vehicle management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more processors are configured to increase the sound pressure of the effect sound as the yaw rate of the electric vehicle increases. Vehicle management system.

4. The vehicle management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: when the vehicle speed of the electric vehicle is less than a specified speed or the yaw rate of the electric vehicle is less than a specified threshold value, stop outputting the effect sound from the speaker. The vehicle management system is configured as described above. Vehicle management system.

5. The vehicle management system according to claim 4, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: in response to a request from a user, change at least one of the specified speed and the specified threshold value. The vehicle management system is configured as described above. Vehicle management system.

6. The vehicle management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electric vehicle further comprises a pseudo shift operation member capable of selecting a gear stage by simulating a shift operation of a transmission, and the one or more processors are further configured to: when a shift change is made by operating the pseudo shift operation member, output a pseudo blipping sound that simulates a blipping sound from the speaker. The vehicle management system is configured as described above. Vehicle management system.

7. The vehicle management system according to claim 6, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: in response to a request from a user, change the characteristics of the pseudo blipping sound. The vehicle management system is configured as described above. Vehicle management system.

8. An electric vehicle having an electric motor as a drive source, comprising a speaker, and one or more processors configured to generate a pseudo engine sound and output the pseudo engine sound from the speaker. The electric vehicle is provided with the above components. The one or more processors are configured to superimpose, on the pseudo engine sound, an effect sound that changes in response to the yaw rate of the electric vehicle when the electric vehicle turns, and output the superimposed sound from the speaker. An electric vehicle.

9. The electric vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the effect sound is a pseudo skid sound that simulates a skid sound. An electric vehicle.

10. The electric vehicle according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising a pseudo shift operation member capable of selecting a gear stage by simulating a shift operation of a transmission, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to output, from the speaker, a pseudo blipping sound that simulates a blipping sound when a shift change is made by an operation of the pseudo shift operation member. An electric vehicle.

11. The electric vehicle according to claim 10, having a manual mode that simulates the driving characteristics of a manual transmission vehicle, wherein, in the manual mode, the output characteristics of the electric motor with respect to an operation of an accelerator pedal are configured to change according to the gear stage selected by the pseudo shift operation member. An electric vehicle.

12. The electric vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the pseudo shift operation member includes a sequential shifter that selects the gear stage by an upshift operation and a downshift operation. An electric vehicle.

13. The electric vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the pseudo shift operation member includes a pseudo shift device that arbitrarily selects the gear stage from a plurality of gear stages, and a pseudo clutch pedal that simulates an operation of a clutch of a transmission and is operated when the pseudo shift device is operated. An electric vehicle. ​ ​ ​ ​

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