vehicle

Abstract

To provide an electric vehicle which can attain excellent travel characteristic even in a retreat operation with respect to a travel mode improving a running performance.SOLUTION: An electric vehicle includes a vehicle control part which is switchable between a first travel mode and a second travel mode to which driving force map is applied to improve a running performance relative to the first travel mode. The vehicle control part can be switched into the second travel mode at both operations of a forward operation and a retreat operation. The second travel mode of the retreat operation adopts a driving force map whose characteristic is gentle relative to the second travel mode of the forward operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle having a driving mode that enhances off-road performance. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an electric vehicle equipped with an off-road selection switch for switching to a driving mode suitable for rough roads, a low-speed four-wheel driving selection switch for switching from two-wheel driving to low-speed four-wheel driving mode, and a shift lever for switching between reverse (backward driving) and drive (forward driving). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-66747 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] For example, when escaping from deep snow or mud, it is expected that the driver will switch between forward and reverse driving multiple times. However, in conventional electric vehicles, driving modes that improve off-road performance are only applied to forward driving, not to reverse driving. On the other hand, it has been found that when the same driving mode that improves off-road performance is applied to both forward driving and reverse driving, good driving characteristics that improve off-road performance cannot be obtained in reverse driving.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle that, in a driving mode that enhances off-road capability, can achieve good driving characteristics even when driving backward. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a vehicle control unit that can switch between a first driving mode and a second driving mode in which a driving force map is applied that has a power output characteristic for the same accelerator operation different from that of the first driving mode; the second driving mode includes an A mode in which the power output characteristics for the same accelerator operation are greater than those of the first driving mode, and a B mode in which the power output characteristics for the same accelerator operation are smaller than those of the first driving mode, The vehicle control unit is capable of switching to the second driving mode in both forward driving and reverse driving, and applies the driving force map with gentler characteristics to the second driving mode in reverse driving than to the second driving mode in forward driving. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] When driving in reverse, the driver's visibility is poorer than when driving forward, and the driver's rearward gaze results in a cramped driving posture, making driving difficult and making careful accelerator operation difficult. On the other hand, according to the present invention, in the second driving mode that enhances off-road performance, a driving force map with gentler characteristics is applied when driving in reverse than when driving forward. Therefore, a gentle driving force map is applied to less careful accelerator operation when driving in reverse, and a strong driving force map is applied to careful accelerator operation when driving forward. As a result, a balance is achieved between the power output in response to accelerator operation when driving forward and when driving in reverse, resulting in good driving characteristics that enhance off-road performance in both driving forward and driving in reverse. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1A is a driving force map showing characteristics of forward driving and reverse driving in the second driving mode, and FIG. 1B is a timing chart showing response characteristics. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart showing a process for switching between A mode and B mode executed by a vehicle control unit. [Figure 4] 10 is a timing chart showing an operation when switching between A mode and B mode. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing a forward / reverse switching process executed by a vehicle control unit. [Figure 6] 10 is a timing chart illustrating a forward / reverse switching process. [Figure 7] 10 is a timing chart illustrating the operation of forward / reverse switching processing when the engine is started. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] An electric vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is an HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) and includes drive wheels 2a, an engine 11 which is an internal combustion engine, a traction motor 12 which is an electric motor, a mechanical pump 14 which applies pressure to hydraulic fluid using part of the power of the engine 11, and a torque converter 15, a shift mechanism 16, an input clutch 17, and a continuously variable transmission 18 which are located on a torque transmission path from the engine 11 to the drive wheels 2a. The traction motor 12 is positioned so that it can transmit power to the drive wheels 2a via the continuously variable transmission 18 without passing through the torque converter 15, the shift mechanism 16, and the input clutch 17. The electric vehicle 1 may also have an electric pump which applies pressure to the hydraulic fluid in addition to the pump 14.

[0015] The shift mechanism 16 can switch the power of the engine 11 between rotation for forward driving (drive mode) and rotation for reverse driving (reverse mode) and output it to the continuously variable transmission 18. The shift mechanism 16 can switch using the pressure of the hydraulic oil from the pump 14 as power based on the switching control of the hydraulic circuit 26.

[0016] The continuously variable transmission 18 transmits power at a changed speed from one pulley to the other pulley via a belt, and can change the gear ratio by changing the width of the pulleys using hydraulic oil. Furthermore, the continuously variable transmission 18 has the function of applying tension to the belt and suppressing belt slippage by changing the width of both pulleys using hydraulic oil. The continuously variable transmission 18 changes the pulley width using the same hydraulic oil as the hydraulic oil that switches the shift mechanism 16.

[0017] The electric vehicle 1 further includes an accessory 21 for driving the engine 11, an inverter 22 for driving the traction motor 12, a high-voltage battery 24 for supplying power for driving to the traction motor 12, a hydraulic circuit 26 for driving the shift mechanism 16 and the continuously variable transmission 18 using hydraulic oil, a vehicle control unit 31 for controlling the accessory 21, the inverter 22, and the hydraulic circuit 26, and a driving operation unit 40 operable by the driver. The driving operation unit 40 includes an accelerator operation unit 41, a brake operation unit 42, a steering operation unit 43, a shift operation unit 44, a second driving mode transition operation unit 45 for switching the driving mode, and an alarm unit 46 for outputting alarm information such as an alarm sound and an alarm display to the driver. The operation amount of the accelerator operation unit 41 and an operation signal of the second driving mode transition operation unit 45 are sent to the vehicle control unit 31. The vehicle control unit 31 can output the alarm information to the alarm unit 46.

[0018] The vehicle control unit 31 is composed of one ECU (Electronic Control Unit) or multiple ECUs that operate in cooperation with each other. The vehicle control unit 31 controls the operation of the engine 11, the traction motor 12, and the hydraulic circuit 26 in response to operation signals from the driving operation unit 40 and the state of each part of the electric vehicle 1 by having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) in the ECU execute a control program.

[0019] The vehicle control unit 31 can switch the driving mode of the electric vehicle 1 between a first driving mode and a second driving mode that provides better off-road performance than the first driving mode. The first driving mode is a driving mode suitable for driving on normal paved roads that are free of snow or mud, and may be a normal driving mode, an intelligent driving mode in which the power output characteristics in response to accelerator operation are gentler than those in the normal driving mode, or a sport mode in which the power output characteristics in response to accelerator operation are steeper than those in the normal driving mode.

[0020] The second driving mode is suitable for driving on rough roads such as snowy roads, muddy roads, and gravel roads, and employs a driving force map that provides better off-road performance than the first driving mode. The driving force map refers to a map that represents the power output characteristics in response to accelerator operation. The second driving mode includes two modes: Mode A (hereinafter also referred to as the "second A driving mode"), which allows the drive wheels 2a to spin to escape from deep snow or mud, and Mode B (hereinafter also referred to as the "second B driving mode"), which allows driving on rough roads while suppressing the drive wheels 2a from spinning. The driving force maps for Mode A and Mode B may be different. For example, the driving force map for Mode A may be a driving force map that is more likely to output high power at low speeds than the driving force map for the first driving mode. The driving force map for Mode B may be a driving force map that is more likely to output low power at low speeds even with large accelerator operation than the driving force map for the first driving mode. Furthermore, in the second driving mode, in addition to changing the driving force map, the traction control parameters, the control method of the braking device, the number of drive wheels 2a, and the method of power distribution to each drive wheel 2a may be changed from those in the first driving mode in order to improve off-road performance. In the first driving mode, driving by only the engine 11, driving by only the traction motor 12, or driving by both the engine 11 and the traction motor 12 is permitted, whereas in the second driving mode, the engine 11 is always driven, and driving by only the engine 11 or driving by both the engine 11 and the traction motor 12 is permitted. Furthermore, while the first driving mode is a driving mode that does not limit the vehicle speed, the second driving mode may be a mode that can be selected only at low vehicle speeds, for example, 40 km / h or less.

[0021] <Characteristics of forward and reverse driving in the second driving mode> FIG. 2 shows a driving force map (A) illustrating the characteristics of forward driving and reverse driving in the second driving mode, and a timing chart (B) illustrating the response characteristics.

[0022] The vehicle control unit 31 can switch to the second driving mode both when driving forward and when driving backward. The vehicle control unit 31 switches the driving force map and the responsiveness of the output power between the second driving mode when driving forward and the second driving mode when driving backward, as shown in Figures 2(A) and 2(B).

[0023] As shown in Figure 2(A), the driving force map for the second driving mode when driving backward has a gentler characteristic than the driving force map for the second driving mode when driving forward. When comparing modes A with each other and modes B with each other, the driving force map shows a gentler characteristic when driving backward than when driving forward. A driving force map with a gentle characteristic means that when the same accelerator operation is performed, the output power is small, and when the accelerator operation is gradually increased at a predetermined gradient, the rate of increase in the output power is low.

[0024] As shown in Figure 2(B), the responsiveness of the power output in the second operation mode during reverse driving is slower than the responsiveness of the power output in the second operation mode during forward driving. In a comparison between A modes and a comparison between B modes, the responsiveness during reverse driving is slower than that during forward driving. A slow responsiveness means that the rate of increase in power is low in response to a sudden operation of the accelerator operating unit 41.

[0025] As described above, since the power output characteristics in the second driving mode become gentler during reverse driving than during forward driving, good driving characteristics can be obtained when driving on a rough road while switching between forward and reverse driving in the second driving mode. Compared with forward driving, the driver's visibility deteriorates, and difficult driving situations occur, such as the driving posture becoming cramped when the driver turns their field of vision backward. Therefore, it becomes difficult to perform a careful accelerator operation during reverse driving. However, a gentle drive force map is applied to the accelerator operation with reduced carefulness during reverse driving, and an intense drive force map is applied to the careful accelerator operation during forward driving, so that the power output according to the accelerator operation is balanced between forward and reverse driving. As a result, the good driving characteristics as described above can be obtained.

[0026] <Switching process between A mode and B mode> FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the switching process between A mode and B mode executed by the vehicle control unit. FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing the operations when switching between A mode and B mode.

[0027] The vehicle control unit 31 executes an A-B mode switching process (FIG. 3) for switching between A mode and B mode during the second driving mode. The A mode and the B mode can be automatically switched by the vehicle control unit 31 when the driver operates the switching operation unit between the A mode and the B mode included in the second driving mode transition operation unit 45, or according to the slip situation of the drive wheels 2a and the operation situation of the driver's accelerator operation unit 41.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 3, in the AB mode switching process, the vehicle control unit 31 determines whether the condition for switching between A mode and B mode is met (step S1), and repeats the determination process of step S1 until the condition is met. If the above condition is met, the vehicle control unit 31 switches between A mode and B mode with a gradual change process (step S2). In step S2, the driving force map, traction control parameters, braking system control method, and other control targets are switched to correspond to the selected A mode or B mode. The gradual change process will be described later.

[0029] Once the mode has been switched, vehicle control unit 31 displays information indicating whether the second driving mode is mode A or mode B on notification unit 46 of driving operation unit 40 (step S3). Furthermore, vehicle control unit 31 determines whether the vehicle is being driven in reverse (step S4), and if the determination is NO, returns the process to step S1. On the other hand, if the vehicle is being driven in reverse, vehicle control unit 31 outputs an alarm from notification unit 46 of driving operation unit 40 indicating a switch to mode A or mode B (step S5), and returns the process to step S1. Then, vehicle control unit 31 repeats the process from step S1 again.

[0030] According to the above-described AB mode switching process, when the mode switches between A mode and B mode during the second driving mode, a driver driving forward is notified of the mode switch by a change in the display on the notification unit 46. On the other hand, a driver driving backward while looking behind cannot be notified of the mode switch by the display alone, and is notified of the mode switch by the output of an alarm sound from the notification unit 46. Therefore, in both driving forward and driving backward, the driver can drive the electric vehicle 1 while understanding the switch between A mode and B mode.

[0031] Next, the gradual change process executed when switching modes in step S2 will be described with reference to the timing chart of Fig. 4. The gradual change process is a process for reducing abrupt power fluctuations that occur due to switching of the driving force map when switching between A mode and B mode, as shown at times t1 and t2 in Fig. 4. The reduction of abrupt power fluctuations can be achieved, for example, by limiting the time change rate of the power fluctuation to an upper limit value or less, or by increasing the time constant of a filter that converts abrupt time changes into gradual time changes in the calculation process for converting the required driving force determined based on the driving force map into the actual driving force that is actually output.

[0032] When switching between mode A and mode B in step S2, as shown in the gradual change period in Fig. 4, the vehicle control unit 31 performs a gradual change process on the output power to reduce power fluctuations based on changes to the driving force map. Furthermore, the vehicle control unit 31 performs a more gradual change during reverse driving than during forward driving. A gradual change means that the time rate of change of the power fluctuations during the gradual change period is smaller.

[0033] When driving backward in the second driving mode, where careful accelerator operation is difficult, it is expected that the switching between mode A and mode B will occur simultaneously with rapid fluctuations in accelerator operation. In such a case, the above-described gradual change processing makes the gradual change during backward driving more gradual than during forward driving, and it is possible to suppress abrupt power fluctuations even when the mode switching and rapid fluctuations in accelerator operation occur simultaneously.

[0034] <Forward / reverse switching process in second driving mode> 5 is a flowchart showing the forward / reverse switching process executed by the vehicle control unit. First, the problem solved by the forward / reverse switching process will be described.

[0035] In the second driving mode (for example, the 2A driving mode), in order to realize a sudden rise in power output in response to accelerator operation, the power of the engine 11 is added to the power of the highly responsive traction motor 12 (hereinafter also referred to as "motor assist"), and the power is output to the drive wheels 2a. The power is output to the drive wheels 2a via the continuously variable transmission 18, but if the power input to the continuously variable transmission 18 rises suddenly, the belt of the continuously variable transmission 18 may slip, preventing the power from being transmitted normally. Therefore, in the second driving mode, in which a sudden rise in power may occur, control is performed to suppress belt slippage even in the event of a sudden rise in power, by applying hydraulic oil pressure to the continuously variable transmission 18, widening the width of the input and output pulleys, and tensioning the belt.

[0036] On the other hand, when switching between forward driving and reverse driving in the second driving mode, because engine 11 is always operating in the second driving mode, shift mechanism 16 is switched to reverse the rotation direction of the power output from engine 11. Because shift mechanism 16 is switched using hydraulic oil, and because hydraulic oil is shared between shift mechanism 16 and continuously variable transmission 18, switching of shift mechanism 16 reduces the pressure of the hydraulic oil in continuously variable transmission 18, which presents a problem of weakening the effect of suppressing belt slippage.

[0037] The switching operation between forward driving and reverse driving in the second driving mode may be performed immediately after switching from the first driving mode to the second driving mode. Furthermore, if the electric vehicle 1 is stopped or in EV driving in the immediately preceding first driving mode, a situation may arise in which the engine 11 is not started. EV driving means that the engine 11 is stopped and the vehicle is driven only by the power of the traction motor 12. In such a situation, the switching between forward driving and reverse driving in the second driving mode and the starting of the engine 11 are performed at the same time. If hydraulic oil pressure is applied to the continuously variable transmission 18 and belt slippage is suppressed when the engine 11 is started, the rotational resistance of the engine 11 increases, which creates a problem of making it difficult to start the engine 11.

[0038] The forward / reverse switching process shown in FIG. 5, which will be described next, includes processes for solving the two problems described above. When the driver operates the shift operating unit 44 during the second traveling mode and requests a switch between forward driving and reverse driving, the vehicle control unit 31 starts the forward / reverse switching process. When the forward / reverse switching process starts, the vehicle control unit 31 first determines whether the engine has started (before the engine has started or while the engine is running) (step S11). If the engine has started, the vehicle control unit 31 sets the start flag "F=1" (step S12). If the engine has not started, the vehicle control unit 31 sets the start flag "F=0" (step S13). In the second traveling mode, the engine 11 is always driven. However, if a shift operation is performed immediately after switching to the second traveling mode, the engine 11 may be stopped, and it may be determined in step S11 that the engine has started. The start process for the engine 11 is executed during the switching process to the second traveling mode, which is executed in parallel with the forward / reverse switching process shown in FIG. 5.

[0039] Once the start flag F is set, the vehicle control unit 31 determines the switching direction between forward driving and reverse driving (step S14), and calculates the delay time T depending on the switching direction (step S15 or step S16). Then, the vehicle control unit 31 sets a delay of the calculated delay time T until maximum motor assist can be performed (step S17), and controls the hydraulic circuit 26 to switch the shift mechanism 16 (step S18). Setting the motor assist delay in step S17 means that the motor assist is stopped or suppressed until the delay time T has elapsed, and this means that the output of the travel motor 12 is delayed.

[0040] Fig. 6 is a timing chart illustrating the forward / reverse switching process. The timing chart in Fig. 6 shows an example in which the driver switches from the first driving mode to the second driving mode, from forward driving to reverse driving, and from reverse driving to forward driving at times t10, t11, and t12, respectively, and also repeats accelerator operation multiple times, varying in magnitude, after times t10, t11, and t12. As shown at time t10 in Fig. 6, when the driving mode is switched from the first driving mode to the second driving mode, hydraulic oil is applied to the continuously variable transmission 18, and control is performed to suppress belt slippage.

[0041] When the shift mechanism 16 is switched from timing t11 or t12, the switching operation of the shift mechanism 16 temporarily reduces the pressure of the hydraulic oil acting on the continuously variable transmission 18. The pressure reduction periods T3 and T4 are approximately constant regardless of the direction of the shift (forward to reverse, or reverse to forward). If a large motor assist is applied during these periods T3 or T4 and the power output from the travel motor 12 rises suddenly, the drop in hydraulic oil pressure could cause the belt of the continuously variable transmission 18 to slip.

[0042] On the other hand, by setting the delay time T (=T1 or T2) (step S17) for stopping or suppressing the motor assist in the forward / reverse switching process in Fig. 5, the motor assist is stopped or suppressed during the periods T3 and T4 of hydraulic oil pressure drop, as shown in periods T1 and T2 in Fig. 6. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the belt of the continuously variable transmission 18 from slipping during the periods T3 and T4 of hydraulic oil pressure drop.

[0043] Here, the delay time T for stopping or suppressing the motor assist when switching from forward to reverse is compared with when switching from reverse to forward. Because the driving force map for reverse driving is gentler than that for forward driving, the rate of increase in the output power is gentler after switching from forward to reverse, even when the accelerator is operated to the maximum. A gentle rate of increase in the output power suppresses belt slippage even if the drop in hydraulic oil pressure in the continuously variable transmission 18 has not been completely resolved. Therefore, in steps S15 and S16 of the forward / reverse switching process in FIG. 5, the delay time T for stopping or suppressing the motor assist is calculated to be shorter when switching from forward to reverse than when switching from reverse to forward. This control prevents the delay time for stopping or suppressing the motor assist from becoming unnecessarily long, thereby achieving highly responsive driving characteristics in the second driving mode.

[0044] 7 is a timing chart illustrating the operation of the forward / reverse switching process when the engine is started. As described above, if the driver performs a shift operation to switch between forward driving and reverse driving (timing t21) immediately after timing t20 when the vehicle is switched to the second driving mode, the start period T20 of the engine 11 may overlap with the forward / reverse switching process.

[0045] In this case, in the process of switching the driving mode to the second driving mode, the vehicle control unit 31 starts the engine 11 and delays (period T21) the increase in pressure of the hydraulic oil in the continuously variable transmission 18 to reduce the starting resistance of the engine 11. Furthermore, once the engine 11 has started, the vehicle control unit 31 increases the pressure of the hydraulic oil in the continuously variable transmission 18 to suppress slippage of the belt of the continuously variable transmission 18.

[0046] Meanwhile, in the forward / reverse switching process, when calculating the delay time T for stopping or suppressing motor assist in step S15 or S16, the vehicle control unit 31 adds a time "F × α" corresponding to engine start if engine start occurs during delay time T. Therefore, the start of the engine 11 extends the time during which the hydraulic oil pressure drops and the time during which belt slippage of the continuously variable transmission 18 cannot be suppressed, and the delay time T is lengthened accordingly. Therefore, even if the driver performs a sudden accelerator operation after a shift operation, the motor assist is stopped or suppressed during the delay time T (delay time T22 in FIG. 7) that is set long in response to engine start, and belt slippage in the continuously variable transmission 18 can be prevented during the second driving mode.

[0047] As described above, according to the electric vehicle 1 of this embodiment, a gentler driving force map is applied when driving in reverse than when driving in forward in the second driving mode. Therefore, by applying a gentler driving force map when driving in reverse in the second driving mode, which is difficult to drive and makes careful accelerator operation difficult, a balance is achieved between the power output when driving forward and when driving in reverse when the driver operates the accelerator with the intention of outputting similar power. Therefore, good driving characteristics in the second driving mode that improve off-road capability can be obtained.

[0048] Furthermore, with the electric vehicle 1 of this embodiment, when switching between forward driving and reverse driving during the second driving mode, a delay of delay time T is applied to the output of the traction motor 12. When the shift mechanism 16 is switched, a situation occurs in which the belt of the continuously variable transmission 18 is prone to slippage due to a drop in hydraulic oil pressure. With the above configuration, by setting the delay time T, a sudden increase in power output from the traction motor 12 in a situation in which the belt is prone to slippage can be prevented, thereby suppressing belt slippage. Therefore, good driving characteristics are achieved in the second driving mode.

[0049] Furthermore, according to the electric vehicle 1 of this embodiment, the delay time T is set shorter when switching from forward driving to reverse driving than when switching from reverse driving to forward driving. Therefore, unnecessary output delay of the traveling motor 12 depending on the direction of switching between forward driving and reverse driving is suppressed, and highly responsive traveling characteristics of the second traveling mode can be achieved.

[0050] Furthermore, according to the electric vehicle 1 of this embodiment, the delay time T is set longer when switching between forward driving and reverse driving accompanied by engine start in the second driving mode. Therefore, to enable engine start with less resistance, the increase in hydraulic oil pressure during engine start is suppressed, and the delay in output of the travel motor 12 by the delay time T can suppress slippage of the belt of the continuously variable transmission 18 caused by a drop in hydraulic oil pressure. Therefore, good driving characteristics are achieved in the second driving mode.

[0051] Furthermore, according to the electric vehicle 1 of this embodiment, when switching between A mode and B mode in the second traveling mode, the gradual change in the power output to the drive wheels 2a is more gradual during reverse driving than during forward driving. Therefore, even when switching between A mode and B mode and abrupt fluctuations in accelerator operation occur simultaneously during reverse driving in the second traveling mode, when careful accelerator operation is difficult, the gradual change during reverse driving is performed, so that abrupt power fluctuations can be suppressed. Therefore, good driving characteristics are achieved in the second traveling mode.

[0052] The above describes an embodiment of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the power of the engine 11 and the power of the traction motor 12 are transmitted via the continuously variable transmission 18. However, a configuration in which only the power of the traction motor 12 is transmitted to the drive wheels 2a via the continuously variable transmission 18 and the power of the engine 11 is transmitted to the drive wheels 2a via a separate path may also be used. Furthermore, in the embodiment, an example of a driving force map and response characteristics for the second driving mode is illustrated. However, the illustrated example is merely a simplified driving force map and response characteristics, and the actual driving force map and response characteristics can be modified in various ways. Furthermore, the power or driving force output to the drive wheels is proportional to the torque output to the drive wheels. Therefore, the term "power" used in the present embodiment may be replaced with "torque." Other details shown in the embodiment can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1 Electric vehicles 2a Drive wheels 11 Engine 12 Travel motor 16 Shift mechanism 18 Continuously variable transmission 31 Vehicle control unit 40 Driving operation unit 41 Accelerator operation section 44 Shift operation unit 45 Second driving mode transition operation section 46 Information Department

Claims

1. a vehicle control unit that can switch between a first driving mode and a second driving mode in which a driving force map is applied that has a power output characteristic for the same accelerator operation different from that of the first driving mode; the second driving mode includes an A mode in which the power output characteristics for the same accelerator operation are greater than those of the first driving mode, and a B mode in which the power output characteristics for the same accelerator operation are smaller than those of the first driving mode, The vehicle control unit is capable of switching to the second driving mode in both forward driving and reverse driving, and applies the driving force map with gentler characteristics to the second driving mode in reverse driving than to the second driving mode in forward driving.

2. The vehicle control unit 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the gradual change in power fluctuation when switching between the A mode and the B mode is made more gradual during reverse driving than during forward driving.

3. Equipped with a notification unit, The second driving mode is a driving mode in which the occupant is notified via the notification unit that the second driving mode is a driving mode for driving on rough roads.

3. A vehicle according to claim 1 or claim 2.

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