Vehicle

Abstract

To provide a vehicle for uniquely determining the occurrence of over-revolution independently of changeover to a circuit mode.SOLUTION: A vehicle includes: an engine; and an engine control part for, when a portable terminal operated by a vehicle user determines that the current position of the vehicle mounted with the engine is in a circuit, controlling the engine in a circuit mode in which the travelling function of the vehicle is improved, on the basis of a request transmitted from the portable terminal. When increasing the first maximum rotating speed of the engine up to a second maximum rotating speed higher than the first maximum rotating speed on the basis of the circuit mode, the engine control part utilizes a threshold value associated with the first maximum rotating speed which is to be used for the determination of the over-revolution of the engine, despite the increase in the first maximum rotating speed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to vehicles. [Background technology]

[0002] Limiters are known to restrict various functions for the safety of the vehicle or to save fuel. Examples of functions for safety include anti-lock brake systems and other anti-skid functions. Examples of functions for fuel saving include variable cylinder management, which automatically shuts down one-third or half of the engine depending on the driving conditions to save fuel.

[0003] There is also known a technology that identifies the current position of the vehicle from data acquired by a GPS (Global Positioning System) and map information, and changes the amount of steering force assist if the vehicle is on a circuit. There is also known a technology that releases the limiter when it is determined that the vehicle is located on a circuit (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-199382 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Depending on the driving conditions of the vehicle, the engine speed may exceed the maximum speed assumed at the time of design, resulting in so-called over-revving. In this case, the engine components may be subjected to greater stress than expected, which may reduce their durability. For example, if greater stress than expected is applied to components such as the engine connecting rod, piston, cylinder head, and camshaft, the durability of these components may be reduced. To prevent the durability of these components from being reduced, the occurrence of over-revving may be restricted by a limiter.

[0006] On the other hand, in a circuit mode intended to improve the vehicle's driving performance on a circuit, it is assumed that the limiter that restricts over-revving may be released to raise the maximum engine speed. In this case, the deterioration of the durability of parts is not due to the occurrence of over-revving, but rather to the switching to circuit mode based on the driver's intention.

[0007] If the criteria for determining whether over-revving has occurred differ depending on whether or not the vehicle is switched to circuit mode, it may be difficult to detect a decrease in the durability of parts. For example, as described above, it is expected that the maximum engine speed will be increased when the vehicle is switched to circuit mode. However, if the initial first threshold for determining whether over-revving has occurred is raised to a different second threshold at the same time as the maximum engine speed is increased, it will become difficult to determine whether over-revving has occurred.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle that can uniquely determine the occurrence of over-revving, regardless of whether or not the vehicle has been switched to the circuit mode. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The vehicle of the present invention comprises an engine, and an engine control unit that, when a mobile terminal operated by a user of the vehicle determines that the current location of the vehicle equipped with the engine is within a circuit, controls the engine in a circuit mode that improves the driving performance of the vehicle based on a request sent from the mobile terminal, and when the engine control unit increases the first maximum rotation speed of the engine to a second maximum rotation speed higher than the first maximum rotation speed based on the circuit mode, uses a threshold value associated with the first maximum rotation speed that is used to determine whether the engine is over-revving, regardless of the increase in the first maximum rotation speed.

[0010] In the above configuration, the engine control unit may count the number of times the mode is switched to the circuit mode each time the mode is switched to the circuit mode, and record first information including the total number of times the mode is switched to be used for diagnosing faults in engine parts of the engine in association with second information including the date of switching to the circuit mode in one of a plurality of storage devices provided in the vehicle.

[0011] In the above configuration, the vehicle may further include a display control unit that controls the display of a display device provided in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and the display control unit may raise a first boundary rotation speed between a first meter display area that indicates the engine rotation speed and a second meter display area on the high rotation speed side adjacent to the first meter display area to a second boundary rotation speed on the high rotation speed side based on raising the first maximum rotation speed to the second maximum rotation speed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, the occurrence of over-revving can be uniquely determined regardless of whether or not the engine has been switched to the circuit mode. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is an example of a vehicle control system. [Figure 2] 1A is an example of a correspondence table stored in a mobile terminal, and FIG. 1B is an example of a hardware configuration of an engine ECU. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a processing sequence diagram illustrating an example of an operation of the vehicle control system. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a determination process. [Figure 5] 10 is an example of a switching information table. [Figure 6] (a) is an example of a tachometer in normal driving mode, and (b) is an example of a tachometer in circuit mode. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle control system ST includes a vehicle 10, a server 20, and a mobile terminal 30. In Fig. 1, a smartphone is shown as an example of the mobile terminal 30, but a tablet terminal may be used instead of a smartphone. By linking the vehicle 10, the server 20, and the mobile terminal 30, the vehicle control system ST provides a service limited to a circuit C1 to a driver 10D who is a user of the vehicle 10.

[0016] For example, when vehicle 10 enters circuit C1 and driver 10D operates mobile terminal 30 in office C2 within circuit C1 to launch a circuit app, mobile terminal 30 obtains GPS information including the current location of vehicle 10 via server 20. The circuit app is application software installed on mobile terminal 30 and is associated with vehicle 10. The circuit app is used when controlling vehicle 10 in a circuit mode that improves the driving performance of vehicle 10.

[0017] The vehicle 10 includes a DCM (Data Communication Module) 11 as a wireless communication device connected to an antenna ATN, a DCM-ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 12, and a GPS 13. The DCM-ECU 12 controls communication between the mobile terminal 30 and an engine ECU 15 (described later). The GPS 13 measures the position of the vehicle 10 and stores GPS information including the measured position. The DCM-ECU 12 acquires the GPS information from the GPS 13 and transmits the GPS information to the server 20 by radio waves WL via the DCM 11 and the antenna ATN. Therefore, when the server 20 requests the vehicle 10 to transmit GPS information, the server 20 can acquire the GPS information from the vehicle 10.

[0018] The GPS information reaches the server 20 via a mobile base station BS and a communication network NW. The communication network NW includes either the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network), or both. When the mobile terminal 30 requests the server 20 to transmit the GPS information, the server 20 transmits the GPS information to the mobile terminal 30 by radio waves WL via the communication network NW and the mobile base station BS. This allows the mobile terminal 30 to obtain the GPS information of the vehicle 10.

[0019] The server 20 also stores map information (hereinafter referred to as circuit information) including the location or area of ​​the circuit C1. When the mobile terminal 30 requests the server 20 to transmit the circuit information, the server 20 transmits the circuit information to the mobile terminal 30 by radio waves WL via the communication network NW and the mobile base station BS. This allows the mobile terminal 30 to obtain the circuit information.

[0020] When the mobile terminal 30 acquires the GPS information and the circuit information, it determines whether the current location of the vehicle 10 is within the circuit C1 based on the circuit information and the GPS information. If the location of the vehicle 10 is not within the circuit C1, the mobile terminal 30 rejects the switch to the circuit mode and notifies the driver 10D of this on the screen.

[0021] On the other hand, if the vehicle 10 is located within the circuit C1, the mobile terminal 30 presents the driver 10D with precautions that may arise from switching to the circuit mode and requests the driver 10D to agree to the switch. In this way, the circuit mode determines whether the vehicle 10 is located within the circuit C1 based on the circuit information and GPS information. Therefore, the circuit mode differs from the sports mode (or sports driving mode) in which the driving performance is improved simply by switching a switch provided inside the vehicle 10 without making such a determination.

[0022] When the mobile terminal 30 receives consent to switch from the driver 10D, it transmits circuit mode request information (hereinafter referred to as a request ID (Identifier)) including the consent to switch to the circuit mode to the server 20. The request ID is identification information that requests the vehicle 10 to switch to the circuit mode. A request ID is prepared and defined for each version of the circuit app. Therefore, when the version of the circuit app is updated, a different and independent request ID is transmitted based on the version update.

[0023] When the request ID is transmitted from the mobile terminal 30, the server 20 generates switching information including the request ID and transmits it to the vehicle 10. As will be described in detail later, the switching information is information for switching the driving performance of the vehicle 10 to driving performance specialized for driving on the circuit C1. For example, the server 20 transmits the switching information to the vehicle 10 by SMS (Short Message Service).

[0024] In the vehicle 10, the DCM-ECU 12 receives switching information from the server 20 via the DCM 11 and the antenna ATN. The vehicle 10 includes an engine 14, an engine ECU 15, a display device 16, and a meter ECU 17. The engine ECU 15 is an example of an engine control unit. The meter ECU 17 is an example of a display control unit. An engine speed sensor 14B is provided near a crankshaft 14A of the engine 14. The engine speed sensor 14B detects the rotation speed of the crankshaft 14A as the engine speed. The display device 16 is provided in the passenger compartment of the vehicle 10. The DCM-ECU 12, the engine ECU 15, and the meter ECU 17 can implement a control device for the vehicle 10.

[0025] When the DCM-ECU 12 receives the switching information, it transmits the switching information to the engine ECU 15 using a CAN (Controller Area Network) signal. As a result, the engine ECU 15 receives the switching information. When the DCM-ECU 12 receives the switching information, the engine ECU 15 determines whether or not both a first condition and a second condition, which are part of at least three or more conditions for stable combustion of fuel supplied to the engine 14 in the circuit mode, are not satisfied.

[0026] For example, the at least three conditions include a first condition related to the temperature of the coolant that cools the engine 14, a second condition related to atmospheric pressure, and a third condition related to the amount of fuel injected into the engine 14. The at least three conditions may also include, for example, a fourth condition related to the engine 14 rotation speed, a fifth condition related to the outside air temperature, and a sixth condition related to communication between the DCM-ECU 12 and the engine ECU 15. The engine ECU 15 determines whether, for example, both the first and second conditions among the first through sixth conditions are not satisfied. In this way, the engine ECU 15 determines whether both the first and second conditions are satisfied. Therefore, the engine ECU 15 can reduce the number of man-hours required for the adaptation compared to determining whether all of the first through sixth conditions are satisfied.

[0027] Here, if either the first condition or the second condition is satisfied, the engine ECU 15 permits switching to the circuit mode. As a result, the engine ECU 15 changes the control of the engine 14 based on the request ID included in the switching information. That is, the engine ECU 15 controls the engine 14 in the circuit mode. For example, the engine ECU 15 increases the first maximum rotation speed, which prevents over-revving, to a second maximum rotation speed that is higher than the first maximum rotation speed. As a result, the engine 14 can operate in the circuit mode, for example, where the engine rotation speed can be increased to a higher rotation speed.

[0028] Furthermore, the engine ECU 15 changes a plurality of torque upper limit maps (hereinafter simply referred to as torque maps) that determine the upper limit of the torque of the engine 14 based on the request ID. This allows the engine 14 to operate in a circuit mode that can output high torque. The circuit mode improves the driving performance of the vehicle 10 compared to a normal driving mode. In this way, by approving the use of the circuit mode, the vehicle control system ST can provide the driver 10D with a service that conveys the enjoyment of motorsports.

[0029] On the other hand, if neither the first condition nor the second condition is satisfied, the engine ECU 15 denies the switch to the circuit mode. In this case, the engine ECU 15 notifies the mobile terminal 30 of a switch error via the DCM-ECU 12, the server 20, or the like. This allows the driver 10D to confirm that the switch to the circuit mode has been denied.

[0030] Furthermore, when the engine ECU 15 changes the control of the engine 14, it transmits meter display control information to the meter ECU 17. The meter display control information is information for controlling the display of a tachometer provided on the display device 16. For example, when the engine ECU 15 changes the torque map, it generates meter display control information and transmits it to the meter ECU 17. The meter ECU 17 controls the display of the tachometer based on the meter display control information. When use of the circuit mode is selected, the boundary rotation speed between a first meter display area indicating the rotation speed of the engine 14 and a second meter display area adjacent to the first meter display area on the high rotation speed side is raised to the high rotation speed side.

[0031] As a result, the meter display transitions from a state in which the normal driving mode is set to a state in which the mode is set to the circuit mode. As a result, the driver 10D can recognize that the circuit mode has been selected. In this way, by selecting the use of the circuit mode, the vehicle control system ST can provide the driver 10D with a service that conveys the enjoyment of motorsports.

[0032] Next, the mobile terminal 30 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 2(a), the mobile terminal 30 includes a non-volatile memory (NVM) 31. The NVM 31 stores a correspondence table between a version ID that identifies the version of the circuit app and a request ID. For example, the version ID "Ver1" is associated with the request ID "#1." The version ID "Ver2" is associated with the request ID "#2." This allows the mobile terminal 30 to send the request ID "#2" when the version of the circuit app is updated, for example, from the version ID "Ver1" to the version ID "Ver2."

[0034] Next, the engine ECU 15 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 2(b). The hardware configurations of the DCM-ECU 12 and the meter ECU 17 described above are basically the same as the hardware configuration of the engine ECU 15, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted. The engine ECU 15 communicates indirectly with the mobile terminal 30 via the DCM-ECU 12, the server 20, etc.

[0035] The engine ECU 15 is a hardware circuit including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 15A, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 15B, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 15C, an input / output I / F (Interface) 15D, and an NVM 15E. The NVM 15E includes, for example, an NRAM (Nanotube RAM). The CPU 15A is an example of a processor and indirectly communicates with the mobile terminal 30. The CPU 15A, RAM 15B, ROM 15C, input / output I / F 15D, and NVM 15E are connected to one another via an internal bus 15F. Although omitted in FIG. 2(b), the input / output I / F 15D is connected to the DCM-ECU 12, the engine 14, and the meter ECU 17. A computer is realized by cooperation of at least the CPU 15A and the RAM 15B.

[0036] The software stored in advance in the ROM 15C is stored in the RAM 15B by the CPU 15A. The stored software is executed by the CPU 15A, causing the CPU 15A to execute a series of processes described below. The software may be one that corresponds to the process sequence diagram described below.

[0037] The ROM 15C also stores, for each request ID, a plurality of torque maps that respectively define the upper limit of torque of the engine 14. Since a request ID is prepared and defined for each version of the circuit app, it can be said that the ROM 15C stores a plurality of torque maps for each version of the circuit app.

[0038] Meanwhile, the NVM 15E stores a switching information table. The switching information table stores switching information including the number of times the mode has been switched to the circuit mode and the date of switching. For example, at a maintenance shop for the vehicle 10, a terminal that diagnoses malfunctions and defects of the engine 14 is operated by a maintenance technician to obtain the switching information from the NVM 15E. In this way, the switching information is used to diagnose deterioration in the durability of parts of the engine 14 and malfunctions of parts. The switching information may improve the accuracy of identifying deterioration in the durability of parts and the accuracy of malfunction diagnosis compared to when the presence or absence of switching is recorded as a history.

[0039] Next, the operation of the vehicle control system ST will be described with reference to FIG.

[0040] First, the mobile terminal 30 waits until the circuit app is launched (step S1: NO). For example, the mobile terminal 30 waits until the driver 10D performs a predetermined operation on the circuit app icon displayed on the mobile terminal 30 to instruct the circuit app to be launched. When the predetermined operation is performed on the circuit app icon while the vehicle 10 is stopped and the circuit app is launched (step S1: YES), the mobile terminal 30 requests determination information from the server 20 and the DCM-ECU 12 (step S2). The determination information is information for determining whether the vehicle 10 is located within the circuit C1.

[0041] For example, the mobile terminal 30 directly requests the server 20 for the determination information. On the other hand, the mobile terminal 30 indirectly requests the determination information from the DCM-ECU 12. That is, the mobile terminal 30 requests the determination information from the DCM-ECU 12 via the server 20. When the determination information is requested from the mobile terminal 30, the server 20 transmits circuit information as the determination information to the mobile terminal 30 (step S3). When the determination information is requested from the mobile terminal 30 via the server 20, the DCM-ECU 12 transmits GPS information as the determination information to the mobile terminal 30 via the server 20 (step S4).

[0042] After acquiring the GPS information and the circuit information, the mobile terminal 30 determines whether the current location of the vehicle 10 is within the circuit C1 (step S5). If the current location is not within the circuit C1 (step S5: NO), the mobile terminal 30 skips the subsequent processing. In this case, the mobile terminal 30 refuses to switch to the circuit mode, and control of the vehicle 10 in the circuit mode is discontinued.

[0043] On the other hand, if the current location is within the circuit C1 (step S5: YES), the mobile terminal 30 determines whether or not there has been consent to switching to the circuit mode (step S6). For example, the mobile terminal 30 presents to the driver 10D on the screen of the mobile terminal 30 warnings resulting from switching to the circuit mode, and requests consent from the driver 10D to switch. The warnings include, for example, an explanation regarding the reduced durability of the components of the engine 14 and an explanation regarding deterioration of the engine 14. If the driver 10D performs an operation to reject the switch to the circuit mode, the mobile terminal 30 determines that there has been no consent to switching to the circuit mode (step S6: NO). In this case, the mobile terminal 30 rejects the switch to the circuit mode, and thus control of the vehicle 10 in the circuit mode is discontinued.

[0044] On the other hand, if the driver 10D performs an operation to consent to switching to the circuit mode (for example, pressing the "YES" button as shown in FIG. 1), the mobile terminal 30 determines that there is consent to switching to the circuit mode (step S6: YES). In this case, the mobile terminal 30 transmits a request ID to the server 20 (step S7). More specifically, the mobile terminal 30 checks the version ID that identifies the version of the current circuit app installed on the mobile terminal 30, and identifies and transmits the request ID that corresponds to the version ID. For example, if the version of the circuit app identified by the version ID "Ver2" is installed on the mobile terminal 30, the mobile terminal 30 transmits the request ID "#2".

[0045] When the server 20 receives the request ID, it transmits the switching information to the DCM-ECU 12 (step S8). More specifically, when the server 20 receives the request ID, it generates switching information including the received request ID and transmits the switching information to the DCM-ECU 12. When the DCM-ECU 12 receives the switching information, it transfers the switching information to the engine ECU 15 (step S9).

[0046] When the engine ECU 15 receives the switching information, it executes a determination process (step S10). The determination process is a process for determining whether both the first condition and the second condition among the at least three or more conditions described above are not satisfied. The determination process will be described in detail later. If either the first condition or the second condition is satisfied, the engine ECU 15 changes the torque map and immediately uses the changed torque map (step S11). More specifically, if either the first condition or the second condition is satisfied, the engine ECU 15 extracts a request ID from the switching information, and identifies and selects a torque map corresponding to the extracted request ID. For example, if the request ID "#2" is extracted, the engine ECU 15 identifies and selects one of the multiple torque maps associated with the request ID "#2."

[0047] Here, if the torque map associated with the request ID "#1" of the vehicle 10 is being used before receiving the switching information, the engine ECU 15 changes this torque map to the torque map associated with the request ID "#2". After changing the torque map, the engine ECU 15 uses the changed torque map to control the vehicle 10.

[0048] The above-mentioned determination process will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[0049] As described above, when the engine ECU 15 receives the switching information, the engine ECU 15 first determines whether or not the first condition is met (step S21). For example, the engine ECU 15 determines whether or not the water temperature of the coolant that cools the engine 14 is equal to or higher than the threshold water temperature as the first condition. The threshold water temperature is set based on design, experiments, etc. to a water temperature at which the fuel supplied to the engine 14 can be stably burned.

[0050] If the first condition is not met because the coolant temperature is lower than the threshold water temperature (step S21: NO), the engine ECU 15 then determines whether the second condition is met (step S22). For example, the engine ECU 15 determines whether the atmospheric pressure is equal to or higher than the threshold air pressure as the second condition. The threshold air pressure is set based on design, experiments, etc. to a pressure at which the fuel supplied to the engine 14 can be stably burned.

[0051] If the second condition is not met because the atmospheric pressure is lower than the threshold pressure (step S22: NO), the engine ECU 15 denies switching to the circuit mode (step S23). That is, if both the first condition and the second condition are not met, the engine ECU 15 may not be able to stably burn the fuel supplied to the engine 14. In such a case, the engine ECU 15 denies switching to the circuit mode because it may not be suitable to control the engine 14 in the circuit mode.

[0052] If the driver 10D refuses to switch to the circuit mode, the engine ECU 15 notifies the mobile terminal 30 of a switching error (step S24) and ends the determination process. More specifically, the engine ECU 15 notifies the mobile terminal 30 of the switching error. The switching error reaches the mobile terminal 30 via the DCM-ECU 12, the server 20, etc. This allows the driver 10D to confirm that the switching to the circuit mode has been refused. Note that if the driver 10D refuses to switch to the circuit mode, the engine ECU 15 skips the process of step S11 described above.

[0053] On the other hand, if either the first condition or the second condition is met (step S21: YES, step S22: YES), the engine ECU 15 permits switching to the circuit mode (step S25). That is, if the first condition is met because the coolant temperature is equal to or higher than the threshold water temperature, the engine ECU 15 permits switching to the circuit mode. Also, if the second condition is met because the atmospheric pressure is equal to or higher than the threshold atmospheric pressure, the engine ECU 15 permits switching to the circuit mode.

[0054] When switching to the circuit mode is permitted, the engine ECU 15 records the switching information (step S26). More specifically, the engine ECU 15 counts the number of switchings each time a switch to the circuit mode occurs. After counting the number of switchings, the engine ECU 15 associates first information including the total number of switchings with second information including the date of switching, and records the association information as switching information. The CPU 15A stores the switching information in the NVM 15E, allowing the engine ECU 15 to record the switching information.

[0055] 5, every time a switch to the circuit mode occurs, the engine ECU 15 stores the total number of times the mode has been switched and the date of the switch as a history. The engine ECU 15 may record the switching information in one of a plurality of storage devices provided in the vehicle 10. For example, the CPU 15A of the engine ECU 15 may record the switching information in the NVM provided in the DCM-ECU 12 or the meter ECU.

[0056] After recording the switching information, the engine ECU 15 increases the maximum rotation speed of the engine 14 (step S27). That is, the engine ECU 15 increases the first maximum rotation speed to a second maximum rotation speed that is higher than the first maximum rotation speed. After increasing the maximum rotation speed, the engine ECU 15 stops increasing the over-rev determination threshold used to determine over-rev (step S28). That is, the engine ECU 15 maintains and uses the original over-rev determination threshold set at the time of design. This original over-rev determination threshold is set to, for example, the same value as the first maximum rotation speed. On the other hand, the over-rev determination threshold may be set to a value close to the first maximum rotation speed as long as it is within a range in which over-rev can be determined. In this way, the original over-rev determination threshold is associated with the first maximum rotation speed.

[0057] Even if the engine ECU 15 raises the over-rev determination threshold at the same time as the maximum rotation speed of the engine 14 is raised, the process of step S28 maintains and uses the original value of the over-rev determination threshold at the time of design. This allows the occurrence of over-rev to be uniquely determined regardless of whether or not the vehicle is switched to the circuit mode. If the raising of the over-rev determination threshold is stopped, the engine ECU 15 executes the process of step S11 described above and ends the determination process.

[0058] In this way, when switching to the circuit mode is permitted, the engine ECU 15 increases the first maximum rotation speed of the engine 14 to a second maximum rotation speed that is higher than the first maximum rotation speed. In this case, the engine ECU 15 maintains the over-rev determination threshold associated with the first maximum rotation speed, which is used to determine whether the engine 14 is over-revving, regardless of whether the first maximum rotation speed is increased. This allows the engine ECU 15 to uniquely determine whether over-revving has occurred, regardless of whether switching to the circuit mode has occurred.

[0059] Furthermore, the engine ECU 15 counts the number of switchings each time a switch to the circuit mode occurs. After counting the number of switchings, the engine ECU 15 associates the total number of switchings used for diagnosing engine component failures with the switching date and records the total number of switchings in the engine ECU 15 itself as switching information. By acquiring and analyzing the switching information, a decrease in the durability of the engine 14 components may be detected early. Furthermore, by acquiring and analyzing the switching information, a component failure may be detected early.

[0060] Based on the increase of the first maximum engine speed to the second engine speed limit value, the meter ECU 17 controls the display of the tachometer displayed on the display device 16. For example, as shown in Fig. 6(a), in the normal running mode, the boundary engine speed between the non-red zone NRD and the red zone RD of the tachometer 18 may be set to the first maximum engine speed Ne1.

[0061] In this case, when switching to the circuit mode is permitted, the boundary rotation speed between the non-red zone NRD and the red zone RD of the tachometer 18 is set to the second maximum rotation speed Ne2, as shown in FIG. 6(b). That is, the meter ECU 17 raises the boundary rotation speed between the non-red zone NRD and the red zone RD to the higher rotation speed side. This allows the driver 10D to instantly confirm that the mode has been switched to the circuit mode. In other words, the driver 10D does not mistakenly believe that the mode has not been switched to the circuit mode.

[0062] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention as set forth in the claims. For example, the engine ECU 15 may execute the process of step S26 described above immediately after the process of step S11. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 10 vehicles 12 DCM-ECU 14 Engine 14A crankshaft 14B Engine speed sensor 15 Engine ECU 16 Display device 17 Meter ECU 20 servers 30 Mobile Devices

Claims

1. The engine and an engine control unit that, when a mobile terminal operated by a user of the vehicle determines that the current location of the vehicle equipped with the engine is within a circuit, controls the engine in a circuit mode that improves the driving performance of the vehicle based on a request transmitted from the mobile terminal; When the engine control unit increases the first maximum rotation speed of the engine to a second maximum rotation speed higher than the first maximum rotation speed based on the circuit mode, the engine control unit utilizes a threshold value associated with the first maximum rotation speed, which is used to determine over-revving of the engine, regardless of the increase in the first maximum rotation speed. A vehicle characterized by:

2. The engine control unit counts the number of times the mode is switched to the circuit mode each time the mode is switched to the circuit mode, and records first information including the total number of times the mode is switched to be used for diagnosing a fault in an engine part of the engine in association with second information including a date of switching to the circuit mode in one of a plurality of storage devices provided in the vehicle.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 .

3. a display control unit that controls the display of a display device provided in a passenger compartment of the vehicle; the display control unit increases a first boundary rotation speed between a first meter display area indicating the rotation speed of the engine and a second meter display area adjacent to the first meter display area on the high rotation speed side to a second boundary rotation speed on the high rotation speed side based on the increase of the first maximum rotation speed to the second maximum rotation speed.

3. A vehicle according to claim 1 or 2.

Images