Travel plan generation device, travel plan acquisition device, travel plan generation method, and travel plan acquisition method

Abstract

To provide a travel plan generation device that generates a travel plan with efficient energy replenishment even if a travel route includes an automobile road, a travel plan acquisition device, a travel plan generation method, and a travel plan acquisition method.SOLUTION: A travel plan generation device generates a travel plan for a travel of a vehicle up to a destination, determines, when the travel plan includes an automobile road, whether the vehicle runs out of energy during a travel on the automobile road before the vehicle travels on the automobile road, and also sets, when it is determined that the vehicle runs out of energy, first replenishment facilities for replenishment with energy which are located on the travel path before an entrance into the automobile road as a via point of the travel plan.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a travel plan generation device, a travel plan acquisition device, a travel plan generation method, and a travel plan acquisition method.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a technique for determining a recommended charging pattern based on a travel route from the current location of an electric vehicle to a destination, the remaining battery level, the positions of charging facilities on the travel route, and an allowable remaining amount range set in consideration of the influence on the battery life of the remaining battery level (Patent Document 1).

[0003] The technique of Patent Document 1 advances the virtual position of the vehicle little by little along the travel route to check the change in the remaining battery level, and determines whether the remaining battery level falls below the allowable remaining amount range. And in the invention of Patent Document 1, when it is determined that the remaining battery level falls below the allowable remaining amount range, a charging facility immediately before the virtual position of the vehicle at the time of the determination is determined as the recommended charging facility.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, when the travel route includes an expressway for automobiles, if it is determined that the remaining battery level falls below the allowable remaining amount range on the expressway for automobiles, and when the recommended charging facility is located on a general road, the vehicle may get off the expressway for automobiles halfway and charge at the recommended charging facility on the general road, so there is a possibility that energy replenishment may become inefficient.

[0006] The problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a driving plan generation device, a driving plan acquisition device, a driving plan generation method, and a driving plan acquisition method that generate a driving plan that efficiently replenishes energy even when the driving route includes an expressway. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention The system generates a vehicle travel plan. If the travel plan includes an expressway, it determines whether the vehicle has enough energy to reach the second refueling facility on the expressway before the vehicle enters the expressway. If it determines that the vehicle cannot reach the second refueling facility, it sets the first refueling facility, which is located before the entrance to the expressway on the travel route and supplies the vehicle's energy, as a waypoint in the travel plan. If it determines that the second refueling facility is within the vehicle's reachable range, it sets the second refueling facility as a waypoint. If it determines that the second refueling facility is not within the vehicle's reachable range, it sets the first refueling facility as a waypoint, even if the vehicle has enough energy to reach the third refueling facility on the general road after exiting the expressway. This solves the above problems. Furthermore, the present invention is The system obtains the vehicle's travel plan, and if the travel plan includes an expressway, it determines whether the vehicle has enough energy to reach the second refueling facility on the expressway before the vehicle enters the expressway. If it determines that the vehicle cannot reach the second refueling facility, it sets the first refueling facility, which is located before the entrance to the expressway on the travel route and provides energy to the vehicle, as a waypoint in the travel plan. If it is determined that the second refueling facility is within the vehicle's reachable range, it sets the second refueling facility as a waypoint. If it is determined that the second refueling facility is not within the vehicle's reachable range, it sets the first refueling facility as a waypoint, even if the vehicle has enough energy to reach the third refueling facility on the general road after exiting the expressway. This solves the above problems. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, even when the driving route includes an expressway, it is possible to generate a driving plan that ensures efficient energy replenishment. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a travel plan generation device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of generating a travel plan according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the travel plan generation method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a travel plan generation system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the travel plan generation method according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] ≪First Embodiment≫ Hereinafter, a driving plan generation device according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The driving plan generation device according to this embodiment is a device that generates a driving plan for a vehicle to travel from its current location to its destination, via a refueling facility that supplies energy for the vehicle to travel.

[0011] The configuration of the driving plan generation device according to this embodiment will be explained using Figure 1. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the driving plan generation device 10 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the driving plan generation device 10 is connected to the vehicle 20 via a network that constitutes a telecommunications network. The driving plan generation device 10 may be connected to multiple vehicles. The driving plan generation device 10 is also connected to an energy refueling facility via a network. The driving plan generation device 10 may be connected to multiple energy refueling facilities. Based on the location information of the vehicle 20, destination information, energy information, and energy refueling facility information, the driving plan generation device 10 generates a driving plan for the vehicle 20 to travel from its current location to its destination via the energy refueling facility. As shown in Figure 1, the driving plan generation device 10 includes at least a controller 100, a map database 110, a charging facility database 120, and a communication device 130. In this embodiment, the vehicle 20 is described using an electric vehicle as an example, which is powered by a motor supplied by a battery. However, it may also be a vehicle other than an electric vehicle, such as a vehicle powered by a gasoline engine or a hybrid vehicle powered by both an engine and a motor. When the vehicle 20 is an electric vehicle, energy is described as electricity, energy supply facilities as charging facilities, and energy consumption efficiency as electricity consumption. If the vehicle 20 is a vehicle with an engine as its power source, energy may be described as gasoline fuel, energy supply facilities as refueling facilities, and energy consumption efficiency as fuel consumption. In addition, in this embodiment, the driving plan generation device is assumed to be a server located outside the vehicle, but it is not limited to this, and the driving plan generation device may be an on-board device mounted on the vehicle 20.

[0012] The controller 100 includes a computer with hardware and software, which includes a ROM for storing programs, a CPU for executing the programs stored in the ROM, and RAM for functioning as an accessible storage device. The operating circuit can be an MPU, DSP, ASIC, FPGA, etc., instead of or in conjunction with the CPU. The controller 100 is configured as a functional block including a driving plan generation unit 101, a determination unit 102, a charging facility setting unit 103, a driving plan transmission unit 104, and a permission acquisition unit 105. Each function is executed through the cooperation of software and hardware for realizing or executing the above functions. First, the controller 100 generates a driving plan for the vehicle 20 to travel to its destination. Then, if the driving plan includes an expressway or other limited-access road, the controller 100 determines whether the battery level required for the vehicle 20 to travel on the expressway will be insufficient on the expressway before the vehicle 20 travels on it. If it is determined that the battery level will be insufficient on the expressway, the controller 100 sets the first charging facility as a waypoint in the driving plan. A charging facility is a facility equipped with a charging device for charging the battery of an electric vehicle. The first charging facility is a charging facility located before the entrance to an expressway on the driving route indicated in the driving plan. Battery charge refers to the remaining capacity of electricity stored in the battery of an electric vehicle. In this embodiment, the functions of the controller 100 are divided into five blocks and the functions of each functional block are explained, but the functions of the controller 100 do not necessarily have to be divided into five blocks, and may be divided into four or fewer functional blocks, or six or more functional blocks. Also, in this embodiment, the controller 100 is configured to perform each function as part of the driving plan generation device 10, but it is not limited to this, and each function of the controller 100 may be configured to be performed by the vehicle 20. For example, the driving plan generation device 10 includes a charging facility database 120 and manages the updating of the charging facility database 120.Furthermore, the onboard controller 200 of the vehicle 20 may obtain location information of charging facilities from the charging facility database 120 and generate a driving plan that passes through the charging facilities.

[0013] The driving plan generation unit 101 generates a driving plan from the vehicle 20's current location to the destination based on the vehicle information of the vehicle 20. First, the driving plan generation unit 101 acquires the vehicle information of the vehicle 20. The vehicle information includes at least the location information of the vehicle 20, the destination information of the vehicle 20, and the battery information of the vehicle 20. The location information of the vehicle 20 is information indicating the current location of the vehicle 20. The destination information is information regarding the destination set for the vehicle 20. The destination information is, for example, a destination set by the user riding in the vehicle 20. The battery information is information indicating the remaining battery level of the vehicle 20. In this embodiment, the driving plan generation unit 101 acquires the vehicle information of the vehicle 20 before the vehicle 20 starts driving. The vehicle information of the vehicle 20 is also acquired while the vehicle 20 is driving. Based on the location information and destination information of the vehicle 20, the driving plan generation unit 101 calculates the driving route from the vehicle 20's current location to the destination. The driving route generated by the driving plan generation unit 101 may be the route that minimizes the driving time from the current location to the destination, or the route that minimizes the driving distance from the current location to the destination. The driving plan is determined by the coordinates of the current location, the coordinates of the destination, the driving route from the current location to the destination, the driving time from the current location to the destination, and the estimated time of arrival at the destination. If the driving route includes an expressway, the driving plan generation unit 101 also identifies the location of the entrance to the expressway, the location of the target exit to the expressway, and the section of the expressway on the driving route. The target exit of the expressway is, for example, the exit on the expressway on the driving route that is closest to the destination. The entrance and exit of the expressway are, for example, interchanges. The driving plan also includes a charging plan along the driving route. The charging plan is determined by the location of the charging facilities that the vehicle 20 will pass through for charging along the driving route, and the recommended amount of charge to be charged at those charging facilities. In this embodiment, the location of the intermediate charging facility and the recommended charge amount at the charging facility are set by the charging facility setting unit 103, which will be described later.

[0014] Furthermore, if the user, who is an occupant of the vehicle 20, grants permission to charge at a third charging facility on a public road near an intermediate exit of the expressway, and the third charging facility is set as a waypoint, the driving plan generation unit 101 generates a driving plan in which the vehicle 20 exits the expressway and charges at the third charging facility. Specifically, the driving plan generation unit 101 generates a driving plan in which the vehicle exits the expressway, passes through the third charging facility on a public road, returns to the expressway, and proceeds to the destination. User permission for charging at the third charging facility and setting the third charging facility as a waypoint will be described later.

[0015] The determination unit 102 determines whether the driving plan generated by the driving plan generation unit 101 includes an expressway. Based on the driving plan and map information, the determination unit 102 determines whether the driving route shown in the driving plan includes an expressway. The determination unit 102 refers to the map information stored in the map database 110, obtains the road type of the driving route, and determines whether the driving route includes a road section whose road type is an expressway.

[0016] Furthermore, if the determination unit 102 determines that the driving plan includes an expressway, it determines whether the battery level of the vehicle 20 will be insufficient on the expressway before the vehicle 20 travels on the expressway. For example, the determination unit 102 determines whether there is enough battery power to reach a predetermined location on the expressway. The predetermined location is, for example, a target exit for the vehicle 20 to leave the expressway or a charging facility located on the expressway. In other words, if the battery level of the vehicle 20 is insufficient on the expressway, it means that there is not enough battery power for the vehicle 20 to reach a target exit or charging facility on the expressway.

[0017] In this embodiment, if it is determined that the travel plan includes an expressway, the determination unit 102 first determines whether there is a second charging facility located on the travel route and on an expressway. Based on the location information of the charging facilities stored in the charging facility database 120 and the travel route, the determination unit 102 searches for a second charging facility and determines whether there is a second charging facility. The second charging facility is, for example, on an expressway and is the charging facility closest to the entrance for entering the expressway included in the travel route. That is, the second charging facility is the charging facility on the expressway that the vehicle 20 traveling along the travel route first reaches after entering the expressway from its entrance. Alternatively, the second charging facility may be a charging facility installed in a service area or parking area on an expressway.

[0018] Next, when the determination unit 102 determines that there is a second charging facility located on the driving route and on an exclusive automobile road, it determines whether the remaining battery level of the vehicle 20 can reach the second charging facility. Specifically, the determination unit 102 determines whether there is a remaining battery level necessary to reach the second charging facility based on the position information of the second charging facility, the position information of the vehicle 20, and the remaining battery level of the vehicle 20. First, the determination unit 102 refers to the charging facility database 120 to obtain the position information of the second charging facility. Then, the determination unit 102 obtains the position information of the vehicle 20, and calculates the target driving distance from the current position of the vehicle 20 to the second charging facility based on the position information of the second charging facility and the position information of the vehicle 20. Next, the determination unit 102 obtains the battery information of the vehicle 20 included in the vehicle information of the vehicle 20, and calculates the drivable distance that the vehicle 20 can travel based on the remaining battery level of the vehicle 20 and the reference power consumption. Then, the determination unit 102 compares the calculated drivable distance with the target driving distance, and determines that there is no remaining battery level necessary to reach the second charging facility when the drivable distance is less than the target driving distance. Also, when the drivable distance is greater than or equal to the target driving distance, the determination unit 102 determines that there is a remaining battery level necessary to reach the second charging facility. Further, in the present embodiment, in consideration of a case where the distance actually traveled when driving is shorter than the calculated drivable distance, it may be calculated on the safer side, that is, so that the drivable distance becomes shorter. For example, the reference power consumption for calculating the distance that the vehicle can travel based on the remaining battery level is set lower when the driving plan includes an exclusive automobile road than when the driving plan does not include an exclusive automobile road. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the vehicle 20 from actually traveling only a shorter distance than expected on the exclusive automobile road and leaving the exclusive automobile road halfway and passing through a charging facility. In the present embodiment, the determination of whether the remaining battery level of the vehicle 20 is insufficient on the exclusive automobile road is executed before the start of driving of the vehicle 20, for example, at the time of generating a driving plan. Also, not limited to this, the determination may be executed during driving after the start of driving of the vehicle 20 and before entering the exclusive automobile road.

[0019] In this embodiment, the determination unit 102 determines whether it is possible to reach the target exit of the expressway on the driving route if it determines that there is no second charging facility located on the driving route and on the expressway. Specifically, the determination unit 102 determines whether there is enough battery power to reach the target exit based on the location information of the target exit, the location information of the vehicle 20, and the battery level of the vehicle 20. That is, the determination unit 102 determines whether it is possible to drive to the target exit of the expressway without charging with the current battery level. Specifically, the determination unit 102 first obtains the location information of the target exit of the expressway by referring to the map database 110. Then, the determination unit 102 obtains the location information of the vehicle 20 and calculates the target driving distance from the current location of the vehicle 20 to the target exit of the expressway based on the location information of the target exit and the location information of the vehicle 20. Next, the determination unit 102 obtains the battery information of the vehicle 20 and calculates the possible driving distance based on the battery level of the vehicle 20 and the standard energy consumption. The determination unit 102 then compares the calculated driving distance with the target driving distance and determines that if the driving distance is less than the target driving distance, there is insufficient battery power to reach the target exit of the expressway. If the driving distance is equal to or greater than the target driving distance, the determination unit 102 determines that there is sufficient battery power to reach the target exit of the expressway.

[0020] Further, the determination unit 102 is not limited to determining whether it is possible to reach a predetermined position such as a target exit or a charging facility on an exclusive road for automobiles. Instead, the determination unit 102 may compare the remaining battery level of the vehicle 20 with a preset remaining battery level threshold value to determine whether the remaining battery level is less than or equal to the remaining battery level threshold value. The remaining battery level threshold value is a threshold value for determining whether the vehicle 20 needs to be charged. For example, the remaining battery level threshold value is the remaining battery level when the vehicle 20 can travel a distance of 50 km. In this embodiment, when the determination unit 102 determines that the remaining battery level of the vehicle 20 is less than or equal to the remaining battery level threshold value, the determination unit 102 searches for a charging facility located within the reachable range that can be reached with the remaining battery level of the vehicle 20 based on the battery information of the vehicle 20 and the location information of the charging facility. At this time, when the driving plan includes an exclusive road for automobiles, the determination unit 102 determines whether there is a second charging facility located on the driving route and on the exclusive road within the reachable range of the vehicle 20. This determination is not limited to being executed before the vehicle 20 starts driving and may also be executed during driving. The reachable range is, for example, the travelable distance that the vehicle 20 can travel with the remaining battery level of the vehicle 20. The determination unit 102 acquires the battery information of the vehicle 20 and calculates the travelable distance that the vehicle 20 can travel with the remaining battery level. The determination unit 102 acquires the position information of the vehicle 20 and the position information of the charging facility and calculates the target travel distance, which is the distance from the position of the vehicle 20 to the charging facility. The determination unit 102 determines whether there is a second charging facility that is a charging facility with a target travel distance shorter than the travelable distance and is located on the driving route and on the exclusive road based on the travelable distance and the target travel distance.

[0021] The charging facility setting unit 103 sets charging facilities that will be waypoints to be reached in order to charge the vehicle 20 in the driving plan. In this embodiment, if the determination unit 102 determines that the battery level will be insufficient on the expressway, the charging facility setting unit 103 obtains location information of charging facilities along the driving route from the charging facility database 120 and sets the first charging facility located before the entrance to the expressway on the driving route as a waypoint in the driving plan. For example, if the determination unit 102 determines that it is not possible to reach the second charging facility on the expressway, the charging facility setting unit 103 sets the first charging facility as a waypoint. Also, if the determination unit 102 determines that it is not possible to reach the target exit of the expressway, the charging facility setting unit 103 sets the first charging facility as a waypoint. For example, the first charging facility is located before the entrance to the expressway and is the charging facility closest to the entrance to the expressway. In this embodiment, even if there is sufficient battery power to reach the third refueling facility located on a public road after exiting an intermediate exit on an expressway on the travel route, the determination unit 102 determines that the battery power is insufficient on the expressway, and sets the first refueling facility as a waypoint. An intermediate exit on an expressway is an exit on the travel route that is located before the target exit of the expressway and is not an exit that the vehicle 20 is scheduled to use to exit the expressway in the travel plan. For example, an intermediate exit on an expressway is an exit on an expressway that is located before the second charging facility.

[0022] Furthermore, if the determination unit 102 determines that it is possible to reach the second charging facility on the expressway, the charging facility setting unit 103 sets the second charging facility as a waypoint. Also, if the determination unit 102 determines that it is possible to reach the target exit of the expressway, the charging facility setting unit 103 sets a charging facility on the route after the target exit as a waypoint. For example, the charging facility setting unit 103 sets the charging facility closest to the target exit on the route after the target exit as a waypoint.

[0023] Furthermore, if the determination unit 102 determines that the driving plan does not include an expressway, the charging facility setting unit 103 searches for charging facilities along the driving route and sets a charging facility located on the driving route and within the driving distance as a waypoint. First, the charging facility setting unit 103 searches for charging facilities located along the driving route based on the location information of the charging facilities and the driving route. The charging facilities are not limited to charging facilities on the driving route, but may also be charging facilities located within a predetermined range from the driving route. Then, based on the remaining battery level of the vehicle 20, the charging facility setting unit 103 sets a charging facility that the vehicle 20 can reach with its remaining battery level as a waypoint. For example, the charging facility setting unit 103 sets the charging facility that is closest to the destination among the charging facilities along the driving route that the vehicle 20 can reach as a waypoint.

[0024] Furthermore, if the determination unit 102 determines that the battery level is below the battery level threshold and that there is no second charging facility within the reachable range of the vehicle 20, the charging facility setting unit 103 sets the first charging facility, which is within the reachable range of the vehicle 20 and located before the entrance to the expressway, as a waypoint.In this embodiment, even if there is a third refueling facility on a general road located near an intermediate exit of an expressway on the travel route within the reachable range of the vehicle 20, the charging facility setting unit 103 sets the first refueling facility as a waypoint if the determination unit 102 determines that there is no second charging facility within the reachable range of the vehicle 20.In addition, if the determination unit 102 determines that the battery level is below the battery level threshold and that there is a second charging facility within the reachable range of the vehicle 20, the charging facility setting unit 103 sets the second charging facility as a waypoint. In this case, if a first charging facility located before the entrance to the expressway and a second charging facility on the expressway are both within the reachable range of the vehicle 20, the charging facility setting unit 103 prioritizes setting the second charging facility as a waypoint over the first charging facility. This is because the second charging facility on the expressway is often located in a service area or parking area of ​​the expressway, and users can charge their vehicle 20 while taking a break at the service area or parking area, making the second charging facility more convenient for users than the first charging facility.

[0025] Furthermore, the charging facility setting unit 103 sets a recommended charge amount for the vehicle 20 at the charging facilities that serve as waypoints. For example, when the first charging facility is set as a waypoint, the charging facility setting unit 103 sets the recommended charge amount at the first charging facility so that the battery level is at least the amount necessary to reach the second charging facility. In other words, the charging facility setting unit 103 sets the recommended charge amount at the charging facility so that the battery level is at least the amount necessary to reach the destination or the next charging facility that serves as a waypoint on the driving route.

[0026] Furthermore, if the charging facility setting unit 103 obtains information from the user riding in the vehicle 20, indicated by the permission acquisition unit 105 (described later), indicating that it is permissible to exit the expressway at an intermediate exit and charge the vehicle 20 at a third charging facility on a general road, the charging facility setting unit 103 sets the third charging facility on the general road, located near the intermediate exit of the expressway, as a waypoint. For example, if the charging facility setting unit 103 obtains information from the user indicating that it is permissible to exit the expressway at an intermediate exit and charge the vehicle at a third charging facility, and the determination unit 102 determines that it is not possible to reach the second charging facility, the charging facility setting unit 103 sets the third charging facility as a waypoint.

[0027] If the charging facility setting unit 103 has set charging facilities to be passed through in the driving plan, the driving plan transmission unit 104 transmits the driving plan, including the locations of the charging facilities to be passed through, to the vehicle 20 via the communication device 130.

[0028] The permission acquisition unit 105 obtains permission information from the user, who is an occupant of the vehicle 20, indicating whether or not it is permissible to exit the expressway at an intermediate exit and charge the vehicle at the third charging facility on a public road. For example, if the determination unit 102 determines that it is not possible to reach the second charging facility, and the third charging facility is located near an intermediate exit on the expressway before the second charging facility, the permission acquisition unit 105 outputs a control signal to the vehicle 20 that displays a screen on the output device 240 prompting the user to input permission information. The permission acquisition unit 105 then obtains the permission information entered by the user into the input device 250 via the communication device 130.

[0029] The map database 110 stores map information. The map information includes road information, for example, with intersections and junctions as nodes and road sections between nodes as links. The road information also includes information on road types, such as expressways and other limited-access roads and general roads. In this embodiment, the map information is used when the driving plan generation unit 101 generates a driving plan.

[0030] The charging facility database 120 stores charging facility information. The charging facility information includes at least identification information for the charging facility and location information indicated by longitude and latitude. The charging facility database 120 stores charging facility information for each charging facility.

[0031] The communication device 130 transmits and receives information to and from the vehicle's onboard communication device 260 via the network. The communication device 130 transmits the driving plan generated by the controller 100 to the vehicle's onboard communication device 260. The communication device 130 also receives vehicle information and user-inputted approval / rejection information from the vehicle's onboard communication device 260.

[0032] Next, the vehicle 20 will be described. The vehicle 20 includes at least an on-board controller 200, a vehicle position detection device 210, a charge status acquisition device 220, a drive device 230, an output device 240, an input device 250, and an on-board communication device 260. In this embodiment, the vehicle 20 is assumed to be a vehicle capable of autonomous driving, but it is not limited to this and may be a vehicle operated by a driver.

[0033] The on-board controller 200 controls various parts of the vehicle 20 and is a computer composed of a ROM that stores programs, a CPU that executes the programs stored in the ROM, and RAM that functions as an accessible storage device. The on-board controller 200 acquires various information from, for example, the vehicle position detection device 210 and the charge status acquisition device 220, and transmits this information to the driving plan generation device 10 via the on-board communication device 260. The on-board controller 200 also acquires driving plan information via the on-board communication device 260 and outputs a signal for a target control amount to the drive device 230 to control the driving of the vehicle 20 in accordance with the driving plan.

[0034] The vehicle position detection device 210 detects the current position of the vehicle 20, and can use, for example, a GPS device. The vehicle position detection device 210 acquires the position information of the vehicle 20 by receiving radio waves transmitted from multiple communication satellites with a receiver. In addition, the vehicle position detection device 210 can detect changes in the position information of the vehicle 20 by periodically receiving radio waves transmitted from multiple communication satellites. The acquired position information of the vehicle 20 is transmitted to the driving plan generation device 10. In this embodiment, the current position information is used when the vehicle 20 is driving along the driving route.

[0035] The charging status acquisition device 220 acquires battery information indicating the remaining battery charge of the battery installed in the vehicle 20. The acquired battery information is transmitted to the driving plan generation device 10 via the in-vehicle communication device 260.

[0036] The drive unit 230 performs driving control, including acceleration, deceleration, and steering, of the vehicle 20 in order to drive according to the driving plan obtained from the driving plan generation device 10. The drive unit 230 includes, for example, an electric motor and / or internal combustion engine that are the driving source, a power transmission device including a drive shaft and an automatic transmission that transmits the output from these driving sources to the drive wheels, and a braking device that brakes the wheels. The drive unit 230 may also include other equipment necessary for the driving of the vehicle 20, such as headlights, turn signals, hazard lights, and wipers.

[0037] The output device 240 is a device that outputs information to a user riding in the vehicle 20. The output device 240 is, for example, a display. The output device 240 displays, for example, map information including the travel route. The output device 240 also outputs a selection screen for the user to input approval / rejection information.

[0038] The input device 250 receives input information from the user. The input device 250 receives information such as the user's destination and whether or not it is permissible to exit an expressway and charge the vehicle 20 at a third charging facility on a public road.

[0039] The in-vehicle communication device 260 transmits and receives information with the communication device 130 of the driving plan generation device 10 via the network. The in-vehicle communication device 260 receives driving plan information for the vehicle 20 from the communication device 130. The in-vehicle communication device 260 also transmits vehicle information and user-inputted approval / approval information to the communication device 130.

[0040] Next, an example of generating a vehicle 20 travel plan performed by the travel plan generation device 10 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the travel plan for vehicle 20 generated by the travel plan generation device according to this embodiment. In Figure 2, the travel route R1 is the route from the vehicle 20's starting position Ps to the destination Pd. The starting position Ps is the vehicle 20's current position at the time of travel plan generation. The travel route R1 includes an expressway R2 in part. The expressway R2 is the section of the travel route R1 shown by the dotted line. The expressway R2 has an entrance Pa for the vehicle 20 to enter the expressway R2 and a target exit Pb for the vehicle 20 to exit the expressway R2. The target exit Pb is the exit on the expressway R2 included in the travel route R1 that is closest to the destination Pd. Vehicle 20 departs from starting position Ps according to the travel plan, enters the expressway R2 from entrance Pa, exits the expressway R2 from target exit Pb, and heads towards destination Pd. The first charging facility C1 is a charging facility on the travel route R1 and is located before the entrance Pa of the expressway R2. The second charging facility C2 is a charging facility on both the travel route R1 and the expressway R2, and is the charging facility on the expressway that is closest to the entrance of the expressway. The third charging facility C3 is a charging facility on a public road and is located near the intermediate exit Pc, before the second charging facility C2. In Figure 2, at the time the travel plan is generated (when vehicle 20 is at starting position Ps), vehicle 20 does not have enough battery power to reach the second charging facility C2, but has enough battery power to reach the third charging facility C3. In other words, vehicle 20 cannot reach the second charging facility C2, but can reach the third charging facility C3. In this situation, the route generation device according to this embodiment determines that it cannot reach the second charging facility C2 on the expressway R2, and therefore sets the first charging facility C1 as an waypoint. As a result, in this embodiment, even if the charge level is sufficient, the vehicle 20 is charged at the first charging facility before entering the expressway R2, so the vehicle 20 can travel to the second charging facility C2 without having to leave the expressway midway to charge.In other words, in this embodiment, even if there is sufficient battery charge to reach the third charging facility C3, the vehicle 20 will pass through the first charging facility. Therefore, in this embodiment, the vehicle 20 can reach the second charging facility C2 on the expressway R2 without having to leave the expressway R2 midway to charge at the third charging facility C3, thus enabling efficient charging. Furthermore, since there is no need to exit the expressway R2 to go to the third charging facility C3 for charging, the driving time can be shortened. On the other hand, a general driving plan generation device different from the present invention will, for example, set the charging facility closest to the destination Pd within the range that the vehicle can travel with its battery charge as a waypoint. In the situation shown in Figure 2, a general driving plan generation device will generate a driving plan that passes through the third charging facility C3 because the vehicle 20 can reach the third charging facility C3. Therefore, the vehicle will have to exit the expressway R2 midway and charge at the third charging facility C3 on the general road, resulting in inefficient charging and a longer driving time.

[0041] Next, using Figure 3, an example of a flowchart of the driving plan generation method executed by the driving plan generation device according to this embodiment will be explained. In this embodiment, when the user of vehicle 20 inputs information about the destination of vehicle 20, the control flow is executed from step S1.

[0042] In step S1, the controller 100 generates a travel plan for the vehicle 20 to travel from its current location to its destination. Based on the location information and destination information of the vehicle 20, the controller 100 generates a travel plan that includes the route the vehicle 20 will take. In step S2, the controller 100 determines whether the travel plan generated in step S1 includes an expressway. If it is determined that the travel plan includes an expressway, the controller 100 proceeds to step S3. If it is determined that the travel plan does not include an expressway, the controller 100 proceeds to step S10. In step S3, the controller 100 searches for a second charging facility on the travel route and on an expressway. In step S4, the controller 100 determines, based on the search in step S3, whether there is a second charging facility on the travel route and on an expressway. If it is determined that there is no second charging facility on the travel route and on an expressway, the controller 100 proceeds to step S5. If it is determined that there is a second charging facility on the route and on an expressway, the controller 100 proceeds to step S8.

[0043] In step S5, the controller 100 determines whether or not it can reach the target exit of the expressway. The controller 100 obtains battery information of the vehicle 20 and determines whether or not it can reach the target exit based on the battery information. If it is determined that it can reach the target exit of the expressway, the controller 100 proceeds to step S6. If it is determined that it cannot reach the target exit of the expressway, the controller 100 proceeds to step S7. In step S6, the controller 100 searches for a charging facility on the travel route that is located after the target exit of the expressway. In step S7, the controller 100 searches for a first charging facility located on the travel route that is located before the entrance of the expressway.

[0044] In step S8, the controller 100 determines whether it is possible to reach the second charging facility located on the driving route and on the expressway. The controller 100 acquires battery information of the vehicle 20 and determines whether it is possible to reach the second charging facility based on the battery information of the vehicle 20. If it is determined that it is possible to reach the second charging facility located on the driving route and on the expressway, the controller 100 proceeds to step S11. If it is determined in step S8 that it is not possible to reach the second charging facility located on the driving route and on the expressway, the controller 100 proceeds to step S9. In step S9, the controller 100 searches for the first charging facility located on the driving route and before the entrance to the expressway. In step S10, the controller 100 searches for charging facilities along the driving route. In step S11, the controller 100 sets the found charging facility as a waypoint in the driving plan. That is, if the first charging facility is found in step S7 or step S9, the controller 100 sets the first charging facility as a waypoint. Furthermore, in step S8, if it is determined that the vehicle can reach the second charging facility, the controller 100 sets the second charging facility as a waypoint. Also, in step S6, if a charging facility located after the target exit is found, the controller 100 sets that charging facility as a waypoint. Also, in step S10, if a charging facility along the driving route is found, the controller 100 sets that charging facility as a waypoint. In step S12, the controller 100 starts the vehicle driving according to the driving plan that includes the waypoints set in step S11. The controller 100 transmits driving plan information and control signals to the vehicle 20 to control the vehicle's driving based on the driving plan. After receiving the driving plan information and control signals, the vehicle 20 starts driving according to the driving plan.

[0045] As described above, in this embodiment, a driving plan is generated for the vehicle to travel to its destination. If the driving plan includes an expressway, before the vehicle travels on the expressway, it is determined whether the vehicle will run out of energy while traveling on the expressway. If it is determined that the vehicle will run out of energy, a first replenishment facility, which is an energy replenishment facility located before the entrance to the expressway on the driving route, is set as a waypoint in the driving plan. This makes it possible to generate a driving plan that efficiently replenishes energy even when the driving route includes an expressway.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, it is determined whether the vehicle's remaining energy is sufficient to reach the second refueling facility on the expressway. If it is determined that the vehicle cannot reach the second refueling facility, the first refueling facility is set as an intermediate stop. This allows the vehicle to reach the energy refueling facility on the expressway even if its current energy level is insufficient, by efficiently replenishing its energy.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, energy information indicating the vehicle's remaining energy is acquired, the remaining driving distance is calculated based on the remaining energy, the target driving distance from the vehicle's location to the second refueling facility is calculated based on the vehicle's location information and the location information of the second refueling facility, and it is determined whether or not the vehicle can reach the second refueling facility based on the remaining driving distance and the target driving distance. This makes it possible to determine whether or not the vehicle can reach a charging facility on an expressway.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, even if there is sufficient energy to exit an expressway located before the second refueling facility and reach a refueling facility on a public road, if it is determined that the vehicle cannot reach the second refueling facility, the first refueling facility is set as an intermediate stop. This allows the vehicle to reach an energy refueling facility on an expressway without having to exit an expressway midway and pass through an energy refueling facility on a public road, even if the current energy level is insufficient to reach the energy refueling facility on the expressway.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, energy information indicating the vehicle's remaining energy is acquired, and it is determined whether the remaining energy is below an energy threshold. If it is determined that the remaining energy is below the energy threshold, it is determined whether there is a second refueling facility located on an expressway within the reachable range of the vehicle with the remaining energy. If it is determined that there is no second refueling facility, the first refueling facility is set as a waypoint. This allows the vehicle to reach an energy refueling facility on an expressway even if the current energy level is insufficient to do so, by efficiently replenishing energy.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the remaining energy level is used to calculate the drivable distance the vehicle can travel, and based on the vehicle's location information and the location information of the second refueling facility, the target drivable distance from the vehicle's location to the second refueling facility is calculated. Based on the drivable distance and the target drivable distance, it is determined whether or not there is a second refueling facility. This makes it possible to determine whether or not there is a charging facility on an expressway that the vehicle can reach with its current energy level.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if it is determined that a second refueling facility exists, the second refueling facility is prioritized as a waypoint over the first refueling facility. This allows the user to charge the vehicle 20 while taking a break at a service area or similar location on an expressway.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the recommended amount of energy to be supplied at the first refueling facility is set so that the vehicle's remaining energy is at least sufficient to reach the second refueling facility. This ensures that the vehicle has enough energy to reach a charging facility on an expressway before entering the expressway.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second refueling facility is located on an expressway and is the refueling facility closest to the entrance of the expressway. This allows the vehicle to be charged at a charging facility located before the entrance of the expressway if it is not possible to reach any charging facilities on the expressway.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the travel plan includes an expressway, the reference energy consumption efficiency for calculating the distance the vehicle can travel based on the vehicle's remaining energy is set to a second energy consumption efficiency that is lower than the first energy consumption efficiency when the travel plan does not include an expressway. This makes it possible to determine with a greater degree of caution whether the vehicle's remaining energy will be insufficient on the expressway when the travel plan includes an expressway.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if it is determined that the vehicle cannot reach the second refueling facility, information is obtained from the user in the vehicle indicating whether or not it is permissible to exit the expressway located before the second refueling facility and refuel the vehicle at the third refueling facility on a public road. If the information indicates that it is permissible to refuel the vehicle at the third refueling facility, the third refueling facility is set as a waypoint, and a driving plan is generated in which the vehicle exits the expressway and refuels at the third refueling facility. This allows the user to exit the expressway midway and charge the vehicle at a charging facility on a public road if they permit it.

[0056] ≪Second Embodiment≫ Next, the driving plan generation device and driving plan acquisition device according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a block diagram of the driving plan generation system according to this embodiment. The second embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment. The second embodiment has the same configuration as the first embodiment and operates in the same manner as the first embodiment, except that it differs from the driving plan generation device according to the first embodiment in the points described below, and the description of the first embodiment will be referenced as appropriate. The configuration in this embodiment that differs from the first embodiment is that some of the functions provided in the driving plan generation device of the first embodiment are provided in the driving plan acquisition device 21. Specifically, the charging facility setting unit in the first embodiment is provided in the driving plan acquisition device 21 in the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the driving plan acquisition device 21 includes an on-board controller 200, a map database 270, and a charging facility database 280. In addition to the functions described in the first embodiment, the on-board controller 200 includes, as a functional block, a driving plan acquisition unit 201, a determination result acquisition unit 202, and a charging facility setting unit 203. The driving plan acquisition unit 201 acquires a driving plan from the driving plan generation device 10 via the in-vehicle communication device 260. The determination result acquisition unit 202 acquires the determination results of the determinations performed by the driving plan generation device 10 from the driving plan generation device 10 via the in-vehicle communication device 260. Before the vehicle 20 travels on the expressway, the determination result acquisition unit 202 acquires the determination result of whether the vehicle's battery level will be insufficient while traveling on the expressway. The acquired determination results include, for example, the determination result of whether the vehicle 20 can reach the second charging facility and the determination result of whether the vehicle 20 can reach the target exit of the expressway.

[0057] The charging facility setting unit 203 has the same functions as the charging facility setting unit 103 in the first embodiment, and sets charging facilities that will be waypoints that the vehicle 20 will pass through for charging in the acquired driving plan. If the charging facility setting unit 203 obtains a determination result from the driving plan generation device 10 that the driving plan includes an expressway, it refers to the charging facility database 280 to search for charging facilities along the driving route shown in the driving plan and sets the searched charging facilities as waypoints. Alternatively, if the driving plan generation device 10 searches for charging facilities along the driving route, the charging facility setting unit 203 may obtain location information of the searched charging facilities from the driving plan generation device 10 and set the said charging facilities as waypoints.

[0058] Furthermore, if the charging facility setting unit 203 obtains a determination result from the driving plan generation device 10 indicating that the second charging facility cannot be reached, it refers to the charging facility database 280 to search for the first charging facility and sets the found first charging facility as a waypoint. If the first charging facility is found by the driving plan generation device 10, the charging facility setting unit 203 may obtain location information of the first charging facility from the driving plan generation device and set the first charging facility as a waypoint. Also, if the charging facility setting unit 203 obtains a determination result from the driving plan generation device 10 indicating that the second charging facility can be reached, it obtains location information of the second charging facility and sets the second charging facility as a waypoint.

[0059] Furthermore, if the charging facility setting unit 203 obtains a determination result from the driving plan generation device 10 indicating that it is not possible to reach the target exit of the expressway, it refers to the charging facility database 280 to search for a first charging facility and sets the found first charging facility as a waypoint. If the driving plan generation device 10 finds a first charging facility, the charging facility setting unit 203 may obtain location information of the first charging facility from the driving plan generation device and set the first charging facility as a waypoint. Furthermore, if the charging facility setting unit 203 obtains a determination result indicating that it is possible to reach the target exit of the expressway, it refers to the charging facility database 280 to search for a charging facility on the driving route after the target exit and sets the found charging facility as a waypoint. Furthermore, if the driving plan generation device 10 finds a charging facility on the driving route after the target exit, the charging facility setting unit 203 may obtain location information of the charging facility from the driving plan generation device and set the charging facility as a waypoint.

[0060] When waypoints are set in the driving plan, the on-board controller 200 outputs a signal for a target control amount to the drive unit 230 to control the driving of the vehicle 20 in accordance with the driving plan. In this embodiment, the driving plan acquisition device 21 is a device mounted on the vehicle 20, but it is not limited to this and may be a device installed outside the vehicle 20. In this case, when waypoints are set in the acquired driving plan, the driving plan acquisition device 21 transmits the driving plan information including the waypoints to the vehicle 20. In this embodiment, the controller 100 of the driving plan generation device 10 includes a driving plan generation unit 101, a determination unit 102, and a transmission unit 106. When the driving plan generation unit 101 generates a driving plan, the transmission unit 106 transmits the generated driving plan to the driving plan acquisition device 21. Also, when the determination unit 102 performs various determinations, the transmission unit 106 transmits the determination result of the determination to the driving plan acquisition device 21.

[0061] Next, an example of the control procedure in the driving plan acquisition device will be described with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a flowchart of the driving plan generation method according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, when a driving plan is transmitted from the driving plan generation device 10 to the driving plan acquisition device 21, the control flow is executed from step S21. In step S21, the on-board controller 200 acquires a driving plan for the vehicle 20 to travel from its current location to its destination. In step S22, the on-board controller 200 determines whether or not it has obtained a determination result indicating that the driving plan includes an expressway. If it has obtained a determination result indicating that the driving plan includes an expressway, the on-board controller 200 proceeds to step S23. If it has obtained a determination result indicating that the driving plan does not include an expressway, the on-board controller 200 proceeds to step S30. In step S23, the on-board controller 200 determines whether or not it has obtained a determination result indicating whether or not it can reach the target exit of the expressway. If it has been determined that a determination result has been obtained, the on-board controller 200 proceeds to step S27. If it is determined that no judgment result has been obtained, the in-vehicle controller 200 proceeds to step S24.

[0062] In step S24, the on-board controller 200 determines whether or not it has obtained a determination result regarding whether or not it can reach the second charging facility located on the driving route and on the expressway. If it determines that it has obtained a determination result, the on-board controller 200 proceeds to step S25. If it determines that it has not obtained a determination result, the on-board controller 200 returns to step S23 and repeats the flow thereafter. In step S25, the on-board controller 200 determines whether or not it has obtained a determination result indicating that it cannot reach the second charging facility. If it determines that it has obtained a determination result indicating that it cannot reach the second charging facility, the on-board controller 200 proceeds to step S26. If it does not obtain a determination result indicating that it cannot reach the second charging facility, that is, if it obtains a determination result indicating that it can reach the second charging facility, the on-board controller 200 proceeds to step S31. In step S26, the on-board controller 200 searches for the first charging facility located on the driving route and before the entrance to the expressway. The on-board controller 200 may acquire location information of the first charging facility from the driving plan generation device.

[0063] In step S27, the on-board controller 200 determines whether or not it has obtained a determination result indicating that it cannot reach the target exit of the expressway. If it has obtained a determination result indicating that it cannot reach the target exit of the expressway, the on-board controller 200 proceeds to step S28. If it has not obtained a determination result indicating that it cannot reach the target exit of the expressway, that is, if it has obtained a determination result indicating that it can reach the target exit, the on-board controller 200 proceeds to step S29. In step S28, the on-board controller 200 searches for a first charging facility located on the driving route, before the entrance to the expressway. In step S29, the on-board controller 200 searches for a charging facility on the driving route located after the target exit of the expressway. In step S30, the on-board controller 200 searches for a charging facility on the driving route. In step S31, the on-board controller 200 sets the searched charging facilities as waypoints in the driving plan. In step S32, the onboard controller 200 initiates the vehicle's movement according to the travel plan, which includes the waypoints set in step S31. The onboard controller 200 transmits a control signal to the drive unit 230 to control the vehicle's movement based on the travel plan. After receiving the travel plan information and the control signal, the drive unit 230 begins driving according to the travel plan.

[0064] As described above, in this embodiment, a driving plan is obtained for the vehicle to travel to its destination. If the driving plan includes an expressway, a determination result is obtained before the vehicle travels on the expressway to determine whether or not the vehicle will run out of energy while traveling on the expressway. If the determination result indicates that the vehicle will run out of energy, a first replenishment facility, which is an energy replenishment facility located before the entrance to the expressway on the driving route, is set as a waypoint in the driving plan. This makes it possible to generate a driving plan that efficiently replenishes energy even when the driving route includes an expressway.

[0065] The embodiments described above are provided to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Therefore, each element disclosed in the above embodiments is intended to include all design modifications and equivalents that fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 10…Travel plan generation device 100... Controller 101...Driving plan generation unit 102…Judgment section 103... Charging Facility Settings Section 104...Travel plan transmission unit 105...Permit acquisition department 110...Map Database 120... Charging Facility Database 130...Communication device 20... Vehicles 200... In-car controller 210... Vehicle position detection device 220...Charging status acquisition device 230…Drive system 240…Output device 250...Input device 260... In-vehicle communication device

Claims

1. A driving plan generation unit that generates a driving plan for the vehicle, If the aforementioned travel plan includes an expressway, a determination unit determines whether the vehicle's remaining energy is sufficient to reach the second refueling facility on the expressway before the vehicle travels on the expressway. If the determination unit determines that the vehicle cannot reach the second replenishment facility, the system includes a replenishment facility setting unit that sets a first replenishment facility, which is a replenishment facility for supplying energy to the vehicle located before the entrance to the expressway on the travel route, as a waypoint in the travel plan. If the supply facility setting unit determines that the second supply facility is within the reachable range of the vehicle, it sets the second supply facility as the waypoint. If it is determined that there is no second refueling facility within the reachable range of the vehicle, the driving plan generating device sets the first refueling facility as a waypoint, even if there is enough energy to reach the third refueling facility on a public road after exiting the expressway.

2. The determination unit, Energy information indicating the remaining energy of the vehicle is acquired, The driving distance that the vehicle can travel with the remaining energy is calculated, Based on the location information of the vehicle and the location information of the second supply facility, the target travel distance from the vehicle's location to the second supply facility is calculated. A travel plan generation device according to claim 1, which determines whether or not it is possible to reach the second supply facility based on the travelable distance and the target travel distance.

3. The determination unit, Energy information indicating the remaining energy of the vehicle is acquired, Determine whether the remaining energy is below the energy threshold. If it is determined that the remaining energy is below the energy threshold, it is determined whether there is a second refueling facility located on the expressway within the reachable range of the vehicle with the remaining energy, The aforementioned supply facility setting unit is The travel plan generation device according to claim 1, wherein if the determination unit determines that there is no second supply facility, the first supply facility is set as a waypoint.

4. The driving distance that the vehicle can travel with the remaining energy is calculated, Based on the location information of the vehicle and the location information of the second supply facility, the target travel distance from the vehicle's location to the second supply facility is calculated. A travel plan generation device according to claim 3, which determines whether or not there is a second refueling facility based on the drivable distance and the target travel distance.

5. The aforementioned supply facility setting unit is The travel plan generation device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, if the determination unit determines that the second supply facility exists, the second supply facility is set as a waypoint with priority over the first supply facility.

6. The driving plan generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the supply facility setting unit sets a recommended amount of energy to be supplied at the first supply facility so that the remaining energy of the vehicle is at least the amount of energy necessary to reach the second supply facility.

7. The travel plan generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second refueling facility is located on the expressway and is the refueling facility closest to the entrance of the expressway.

8. The driving plan generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the determination unit sets the reference energy consumption efficiency for calculating the distance the vehicle can travel based on the vehicle's remaining energy to a second energy consumption efficiency that is lower than the first energy consumption efficiency when the driving plan does not include the expressway.

9. If the determination unit determines that the vehicle cannot reach the second refueling facility, the vehicle further comprises a permission acquisition unit that obtains permission information from the user in the vehicle indicating whether or not it is permissible to exit the expressway located before the second refueling facility and refuel the vehicle at a third refueling facility on a public road, If the permission acquisition unit obtains the information indicating whether or not it is permissible to replenish the vehicle's energy at the third replenishment facility, the replenishment facility setting unit sets the third replenishment facility as a waypoint. The driving plan generation device according to claim 1, wherein the driving plan generation unit generates a driving plan in which the vehicle exits the exit and replenishes energy at the third replenishment facility.

10. A driving plan acquisition unit that acquires the vehicle's driving plan, If the aforementioned travel plan includes an expressway, a determination result acquisition unit acquires a determination result of whether the vehicle's remaining energy is sufficient to reach the second refueling facility on the expressway before the vehicle travels on the expressway. If the determination result acquisition unit acquires a determination result that the vehicle cannot reach the second replenishment facility, the system includes a replenishment facility setting unit that sets the first replenishment facility, which is a facility for supplying energy to the vehicle located before the entrance to the expressway on the travel route, as a waypoint in the travel plan, If the supply facility setting unit determines that the second supply facility is within the reachable range of the vehicle, it sets the second supply facility as the waypoint. If it is determined that there is no second refueling facility within the reachable range of the vehicle, the travel plan acquisition device sets the first refueling facility as a waypoint, even if there is enough energy to reach the third refueling facility on a public road after exiting the expressway.

11. A method for generating a travel plan, which is performed by a travel plan generation device, The aforementioned travel plan generation device is Generate a vehicle travel plan, If the aforementioned travel plan includes an expressway, before the vehicle travels on the expressway, it is determined whether the vehicle's remaining energy is sufficient to reach the second refueling facility on the expressway. If it is determined that the vehicle cannot reach the second supply facility, the first supply facility, which is a supply facility for replenishing the vehicle's energy located before the entrance to the expressway on the route, is set as a waypoint in the travel plan. If it is determined that the second supply facility is within the reachable range of the vehicle, the second supply facility is set as the waypoint. A method for generating a travel plan in which, if it is determined that there is no second refueling facility within the reachable range of the vehicle, the first refueling facility is set as a waypoint, even if there is enough energy to reach a third refueling facility on a public road exiting the expressway.

12. A method for acquiring a travel plan, which is performed by a travel plan acquisition device, The aforementioned travel plan acquisition device is Obtain the vehicle's travel plan, If the aforementioned travel plan includes an expressway, before the vehicle travels on the expressway, the determination result is obtained as to whether the vehicle's remaining energy is sufficient to reach the second refueling facility on the expressway. If a determination is made that the vehicle cannot reach the second supply facility, the first supply facility, which is a facility that supplies energy to the vehicle and is located before the entrance to the expressway on the travel route, is set as a waypoint in the travel plan. If it is determined that the second supply facility is within the reachable range of the vehicle, the second supply facility is set as the waypoint. A method for acquiring a travel plan in which, if it is determined that there is no second refueling facility within the reachable range of the vehicle, the first refueling facility is set as a waypoint, even if there is enough energy to reach a third refueling facility on a public road exiting the expressway.

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