Vehicle control device and program

Abstract

A vehicle control device (10) for controlling a vehicle (101) comprises: a calculation unit (CA) that implements one or a plurality of functions related to vehicle control; a measurement unit (16) that measures the load of the vehicle control device for each of the functions implemented by the calculation unit, measures the amount of energy consumed by the vehicle control device for each of the functions when the functions are implemented, or measures the load and the amount of energy for each of the functions; and a notification control unit (17) that causes notification of at least one of the load and the amount of energy measured by the measurement unit for each of the functions.

Description

Vehicle control device and program Cross-reference to related applications

[0001] This application is based on Japanese Application No. 2024-196861 filed on November 11, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control device and a program.

[0003] In recent years, various data actually collected from a vehicle during running after sales is collected from the vehicle to a server via a communication network, and the data collected at the server is analyzed and utilized for future vehicle development or the control program of the vehicle is updated.

[0004] As an example, a verification method called a shadow mode is known in which, in order to verify the performance and safety of a program, the program to be verified is operated during the running of a vehicle after sales to check the output value. In the verification by the shadow mode, for example, in the background, that is, in a form not related to vehicle control, the program to be verified is operated, data regarding the output value is stored, and data regarding the output value is collected from the vehicle to the server via a communication network or the like. Then, the collected data is analyzed to verify the operation of the program to be verified.

[0005] In such technologies, the collected data may include personal data, and in consideration of its handling, some ask passengers in advance about the permission to use the data. Technologies related to such data collection are described in, for example, Patent Document 1.

[0006] Japanese Patent No. 7151743

[0007] Incidentally, when collecting data in shadow mode, the occupant has no way of knowing specifically what kind of load is being placed on the vehicle. For example, even if they understand that data collection will increase power consumption, they have no way of knowing exactly how much it will increase. As a result, they may mistakenly believe that the power consumption due to data collection is less than it actually is and consent to data collection. In this case, it can be detrimental to the occupant and could become the basis for unnecessary disputes.

[0008] This disclosure is made in view of the above circumstances and primarily aims to provide a vehicle control device and program that provides specific information on what effects various functions have on the vehicle when they are performed.

[0009] A vehicle control device for solving the above problems is a vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle, comprising: a calculation unit that performs one or more functions related to vehicle control; a measurement unit that measures the load of the vehicle control device for each function performed by the calculation unit, or measures the amount of energy consumed by the vehicle control device when the function is performed for each function, or measures the load and the amount of energy for each function; and a notification control unit that notifies at least one of the load and the amount of energy measured by the measurement unit for each function.

[0010] This allows the vehicle control system to notify the load and energy consumption of the vehicle control unit when various functions are performed. Therefore, it is possible to provide specific information about the impact on the vehicle.

[0011] A program for solving the above problems is a program implemented by a vehicle control device that controls a vehicle, comprising: a calculation step that implements one or more functions related to vehicle control; a measurement step that measures the load of the vehicle control device for each function implemented in the calculation step, or measures the amount of energy consumed by the vehicle control device when the function is implemented for each function, or measures the load and the amount of energy for each function; and a notification control step that causes at least one of the load and the amount of energy measured in the measurement step to be notified for each function.

[0012] This allows the vehicle control system to notify the load and energy consumption of the vehicle control unit when various functions are performed. Therefore, it is possible to provide specific information about the impact on the vehicle.

[0013] The above-mentioned and other purposes, features, and benefits of this disclosure will be further clarified by the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings. The diagrams are as follows: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the data acquisition system; Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the functions of the vehicle control device; Figure 3 is a flowchart of the consent selection process; Figure 4 is a flowchart of the setting process; Figure 5 is a flowchart of the data acquisition process; Figure 6 is a flowchart of the transmission process; Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the CID when instruction data is received; Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the CID when a function is performed; Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the CID when data is acquired; Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the CID when acquired data is transmitted; Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the CID when data is acquired in a modified example; Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the CID when a function is performed in a modified example; Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the CID when data is acquired in a modified example; Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the combination meter in a modified example; and Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the combination meter in a modified example.

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the vehicle control device and program described in this disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In principle, the same or corresponding parts in the drawings will be denoted by the same reference numerals between embodiments and modifications, and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0015] Figure 1 shows a data acquisition system 100 to which the vehicle control device 10 in this embodiment is applied. The vehicle control device 10 is mounted on the vehicle 101 and performs control and driving assistance for the vehicle 101.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, the data collection system 100 includes a server 102 and is capable of communicating with one or more vehicles 101 via a communication network 103 such as the Internet. In Figure 1, only one vehicle 101 is shown. The vehicle 101 is equipped with a vehicle control device 10, a sensor 20, an actuator 30, and the like.

[0017] Sensor 20 includes various sensors for measuring the driving conditions of the vehicle 101, such as a vehicle speed sensor 21, an acceleration sensor 22, and a yaw rate sensor 23. The sensors for measuring the driving conditions of the vehicle 101 may include other sensors, and it is not necessary to have any of the vehicle speed sensor 21, acceleration sensor 22, or yaw rate sensor 23.

[0018] Furthermore, the sensor 20 includes various sensors for detecting other vehicles and obstacles, such as a camera 24 and a millimeter-wave radar 25. The sensors for detecting other vehicles and obstacles are not limited to the millimeter-wave radar 25, but may also be laser radar (LiDAR), ultrasonic sensors, etc., and multiple such sensors may be provided in combination. The camera 24 may be a monocular or a compound camera. The camera 24 may capture either still images or videos. The number, position, and type of cameras 24 may be changed as desired. For example, the vehicle may be equipped with a front camera that captures the area in front of the vehicle, a right side camera that captures the area on the right side of the vehicle, a left side camera that captures the area on the left side of the vehicle, and a rear camera that captures the area behind the vehicle.

[0019] Furthermore, the sensor 20 includes various sensors for detecting various operations performed by the driver, such as an accelerator sensor 26 for detecting the amount of accelerator operation by the driver, a brake sensor 27 for detecting the amount of brake operation, and a steering angle sensor 28 for detecting the amount of steering (steering angle) of the steering wheel by the driver.

[0020] These sensors 20 are connected to the vehicle control device 10 wirelessly or via a wire, and the measurement results (or detection results) from these sensors 20 are input to the vehicle control device 10 as sensor information.

[0021] The actuator 30 includes, for example, an actuator for driving the vehicle 101, such as a motor that serves as the main engine of the vehicle 101. It may also include actuators for controlling the behavior of the vehicle 101, such as an actuator for operating the steering wheel, an actuator for operating the brake pedal, and an actuator for operating the accelerator pedal. Furthermore, the actuator 30 may include devices for operating equipment of the vehicle 101, such as a display (CID 40 described later), speakers, indicators, and headlights. The driving and operation of the vehicle 101 are controlled by this actuator 30.

[0022] The vehicle control device 10 is mainly composed of a microcomputer equipped with an arithmetic processing unit 10a such as a CPU and a storage unit 10b such as various types of memory. The functions provided by the microcomputer can be provided by software recorded in a physical memory device and the computer that executes it, by software only, by hardware only, or by a combination thereof. For example, when the microcomputer is provided by electronic circuits which are hardware, it can be provided by digital circuits including a large number of logic circuits or by analog circuits. For example, the arithmetic processing unit 10a of the microcomputer executes a program stored in a non-transitory tangible storage medium which is its own storage unit 10b. The program includes, for example, a program that realizes the functions shown in Figure 2. When the program is executed, the method corresponding to the program is executed. The storage unit 10b is, for example, a non-volatile memory. The program stored in the storage unit 10b can be downloaded and updated via a communication network 103 such as the Internet, for example, OTA (Over The Air).

[0023] The vehicle control device 10 is equipped with various functions (application programs) to support the operation of the vehicle 101, and these functions control the actuator 30 based on sensor information input from the sensor 20.

[0024] Typical functions for assisting the driving of vehicle 101 include, for example, adaptive cruise control (ACC), forward collision warning (FCW), advanced emergency braking system (AEBS), night vision / pedestrian detection (NV / PD), traffic sign recognition (TSR), lane departure warning (LDW), lane keeping assist system (LKAS), rear cross traffic alert (RCTA), adaptive front lighting system (AFS), and advanced parking assist (APA). Vehicle 101 may be equipped with all of these functions, or only some of them. It may also be equipped with other driving assistance functions. Furthermore, it may be equipped with functions to realize autonomous driving of vehicle 101. These functions are realized when the processing unit 10a executes the driver assistance control program stored in the storage unit 10b.

[0025] Furthermore, the vehicle control device 10 is configured to allow the setting of a mode called shadow mode, which allows the driver assistance control program under verification (hereinafter referred to as the program under verification) to be operated and its output values ​​checked while the vehicle 101 is in operation after sale, that is, in an actual use case, in order to verify the performance and safety of the driver assistance control program. In verification using shadow mode, for example, the program under verification is operated in the background, that is, without being involved in vehicle control, and data related to its output values ​​is stored, and the server 102 is made to collect the data related to the output values ​​via the communication network 103. Shadow mode is a type of data collection mode for collecting data.

[0026] The configuration and functions related to the shadow mode according to this embodiment will be described below. The timing for switching to shadow mode will be described later. The driver assistance control program that actually operates the vehicle 101 will be referred to as the "implemented program" below, in comparison with the program under verification. It will also be referred to as the "implemented program" in Figure 1. The program under verification is stored in the storage unit 10b. A dedicated storage device for shadow mode may also be provided.

[0027] During shadow mode, the program under verification is executed, and various functions to support the operation of the vehicle 101 are performed in the background. The functions performed by the execution of the program under verification may be the same as the functions actually implemented by the arithmetic processing unit 10a, or some may be omitted. In addition, functions other than those actually implemented by the arithmetic processing unit 10a may be performed.

[0028] When the program under verification is running in shadow mode, the arithmetic processing unit 10a receives sensor information from various sensors 20. Based on the received sensor information, the arithmetic processing unit 10a executes various functions of the program under verification and outputs various control signals to operate each actuator 30. These control signals (output results) based on the program under verification are not actually input to the actuators 30, but are stored in the storage unit 10b as data related to the output results. At that time, the arithmetic processing unit 10a also stores the data related to the input sensor information in association with the output results.

[0029] Furthermore, the arithmetic processing unit 10a may store the control signals processed and output based on the implementation program as data related to the output results in the storage unit 10b. In other words, the control signals processed and output based on the implementation program may be stored in order to compare and verify the output results of the implementation program with the output results of the program under verification.

[0030] Furthermore, the arithmetic processing unit 10a may input sensor information (vehicle speed, yaw rate, acceleration amount, accelerator pedal operation amount, brake pedal operation amount, steering angle, etc.) detected when the vehicle 101 is operating, as well as the control signals processed and output based on the implementation program, to the actuator 30, and store this information in the storage unit 10b. In other words, sensor information related to the actual operation of the vehicle 101 for each scene, that is, sensor information necessary to verify the actual operation, may also be stored.

[0031] The vehicle control device 10 uploads the data stored in the storage unit 10b to the server 102 via the communication network 103 at a predetermined transmission timing. The predetermined transmission timing is any timing, but for example, it is the timing when the server 102 issues an upload instruction. Alternatively, it may be the timing when the vehicle 101 is charging, when it is parked, or when the ignition switch is turned off.

[0032] Incidentally, when collecting data in shadow mode, the consent of the occupants or users of vehicle 101 (hereinafter collectively referred to as "occupants, etc.") is generally required. This is to prevent the collection of data that is undesirable to the occupants, etc. However, there are few occupants, etc. who understand what effects the implementation of shadow mode has on vehicle 101 and give their consent. This is because there is no way to know specifically what effects it has on vehicle 101.

[0033] For example, when running the program under verification, the utilization rate (CPU usage) of the arithmetic processing unit 10a and the usage of the memory unit 10b (mainly main memory) will naturally increase compared to when only the implemented program is run. However, there is no way to know exactly how much they have increased. Also, even if it is understood that data collection will increase power consumption, there is no way to know exactly how much the power consumption will increase. As a result, there are cases where people mistakenly believe that the power consumption and load due to data collection are less than they actually are, and consent to data collection is made. In this case, it can be detrimental to passengers, etc., and can become the basis for unnecessary disputes.

[0034] Therefore, the vehicle control device 10 of this embodiment is designed to specifically inform the vehicle 101 of the effects that will occur as a result of data collection. This will be explained in detail below.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the arithmetic processing unit 10a of the vehicle control device 10 has the functions of an input unit 11, an arithmetic unit CA, a data acquisition unit 14, a communication unit 15, a measurement unit 16, a notification control unit 17, and a consent acceptance unit 18. The functions of the arithmetic unit CA include the functions of a vehicle control unit 12 and a verification unit 13. These functions are realized by the arithmetic processing unit 10a when a program stored in the storage unit 10b is executed.

[0036] The input unit 11 receives sensor information from the sensor 20. The input unit 11 then inputs some or all of the received sensor information to the vehicle control unit 12 as input values ​​for the implementation program. The input unit 11 also inputs some or all of the received sensor information to the verification unit 13 as input values ​​for the program to be verified. The input unit 11 also inputs some or all of the received sensor information to the data acquisition unit 14.

[0037] The vehicle control unit 12 operates the implementation program and performs processing based on various functions (application programs) realized by the implementation program, based on the input values ​​(sensor information) input from the input unit 11. The vehicle control unit 12 then inputs the control signals (control signals for the actuator 30) as a result of this processing to the actuator 30 and the data acquisition unit 14.

[0038] The verification unit 13 operates the program to be verified and performs processing based on the input values ​​(sensor information) input from the input unit 11, according to the various functions (application programs) implemented by the program to be verified. The verification unit 13 then inputs the control signals (control signals for the actuator 30) as a result of this processing to the data acquisition unit 14. As mentioned above, these control signals are not input to the actuator 30.

[0039] The data acquisition unit 14 determines whether the data acquisition start condition has been met based on at least one of the input values ​​(sensor information) input from the input unit 11 and the output results (control signals) input from the verification unit 13.

[0040] The data collection start conditions may include, for example, a range of one or more parameters (upper limit, lower limit, or both) for when the data collection start conditions are met, as components of the data collection start conditions. Parameters to be judged in the data collection start conditions may include parameters included in sensor information such as vehicle speed, yaw rate, accelerator operation amount, brake operation amount, and steering amount, as well as parameters included in output results such as required torque. Parameters calculated or estimated from sensor information and output results may also be included. For example, the relative distance to an obstacle (such as a vehicle or pedestrian in front), relative speed to the obstacle, and collision margin time (TTC: Time-To-Collision), calculated from the recognition results of the camera image or the detection results of the millimeter-wave radar 25, may be set as parameters of the data collection start conditions. Furthermore, the difference between the output results based on the implementation program and the output results of the program under verification may be set as a parameter of the data collection start conditions. For example, the difference between the brake operation amount output by processing based on the implementation program and the brake operation amount output by processing based on the program under verification may be used as a parameter.

[0041] Furthermore, whether or not the scene in which vehicle 101 is driving (hereinafter simply referred to as "scene") is a predetermined collection scene may also be a component of the collection start condition. Scenes include, for example, scenes of overtaking a vehicle in front, scenes of weaving between vehicles, scenes of following a vehicle in front, scenes of a pedestrian crossing in front of vehicle 101 at night, scenes of vehicle 101 merging from an acceleration lane onto the main road on an expressway, scenes of parking or stopping, and scenes of waiting at a traffic light, and various other scenes that can be expected when vehicle 101 is driving.

[0042] These scenes are estimated based on sensor information. For example, the vehicle control device 10 may be made to recognize a camera image or the like to estimate the scene. More specifically, sensor information such as a camera image may be input into a learned inference model such as a deep neural network to estimate the scene. Note that image recognition does not necessarily have to be performed by the vehicle control device 10, and may be performed by an external device of the vehicle control device 10, for example, an image recognition device, and the result may be input as sensor information.

[0043] Further, among various functions (application programs) based on the verification target program, the implemented function (implemented function) may be used as a component of the collection start condition. For example, when the collision damage mitigation braking control function is implemented, the collection start condition may be satisfied. Note that which function has been implemented can be determined based on the output result (control signal) input from the verification unit 13.

[0044] The collection start condition in the present embodiment is set by combining the collection scene, the implemented function, and the parameter range (that is, in an AND condition). For example, it may be assumed that the collection start condition is satisfied when it is a scene of following a vehicle ahead and the vehicle speed (parameter of the collection start condition) is equal to or higher than a threshold value (50 km / h).

[0045] Note that the combination of the components of the collection start condition may be the collection scene and the implemented function, the collection scene and the parameter range, or the implemented function and the parameter range. Also, as components included in one collection start condition, there may be two or more types of implemented functions, and in that case, the implemented functions may be in an AND condition or an OR condition. For example, it may be a condition that both the forward vehicle approach warning function and the collision damage mitigation braking control function are implemented, or it may be a condition that either one of them is implemented. Similarly, the parameter range may be a range of two or more types of parameters (such as vehicle speed and steering amount).

[0046] In addition, the establishment of the collection start condition means that all the conditions of the components constituting the collection start condition are satisfied. For example, when the collection scene of the collection start condition is "a scene of following a vehicle ahead", the implementation function of the collection start condition is "a following driving function", and the threshold value of the parameter of the collection start condition is "50 km / h or more", when it is a scene of following a vehicle ahead, when the following driving function is implemented, and when the vehicle speed (parameter of the collection start condition) is equal to or higher than the threshold value (50 km / h), it is determined that the collection start condition is established.

[0047] In addition, the collection start condition is not limited to only one, and a plurality of collection start conditions may be set. For example, the first collection start condition is a scene of following a vehicle ahead and the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than the first threshold value, and the second collection start condition may be a scene where a pedestrian crosses in front of the vehicle 101, and the distance from the pedestrian is equal to or less than the second threshold value and the brake operation amount is equal to or higher than the third threshold value.

[0048] When any one of the collection start conditions is established, the data collection unit 14 stores the data related to the input value and the output result in the storage unit 10b. As described above, the input value includes, for example, sensor information input to the arithmetic processing unit 10a. In addition, the output result includes, for example, a control signal processed and output based on the verification target program and a control signal processed and output based on the implementation program. The output result may also include sensor information related to the actual operation of the vehicle 101 for each scene. The output result may also include the difference between the output result based on the implementation program and the output result of the verification target program. Note that the data to be stored (collected) may be changed according to the established collection start condition. For example, when the collection start condition that is a scene of following a vehicle ahead and the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than the first threshold value is established, data related to the vehicle speed is collected, while when the collection start condition that is a scene where a pedestrian crosses in front of the vehicle 101, the distance from the pedestrian is equal to or less than the second threshold value, and the brake operation amount is equal to or higher than the third threshold value is established, data related to the brake operation amount may be collected.

[0049] Furthermore, the data acquisition unit 14 stores data by attaching tag information indicating the fulfilled acquisition start condition and the date and time it was fulfilled, so that data is grouped together for each fulfilled acquisition start condition. In other words, sensor information acquired as a result of the acquisition start condition is grouped together and stored as data in association with the said tag information.

[0050] The communication unit 15 transmits the data collected by the data collection unit 14 and stored in the storage unit 10b to the server 102 via the communication network 103 at a predetermined transmission timing. The predetermined transmission timing is as described above.

[0051] The measurement unit 16 measures the load on the vehicle control device 10 for each function (implemented function) performed by the verification unit 13 of the calculation unit CA, and also measures the amount of energy consumed by the vehicle control device 10 when the function is performed for each implemented function. Here, the functions performed by the verification unit 13 are the functions that are being verified among the functions that support the operation of the vehicle 101. Specifically, the load on the vehicle control device 10 refers to the usage status of the calculation processing unit 10a (CPU usage rate) and the amount of main memory used (memory usage rate). CPU usage rate refers to the proportion of time spent by the calculation processing unit 10a performing processing related to the function it has implemented within a given unit of time. Memory usage refers to the proportion of the main memory (RAM) that constitutes the storage unit 10b that is occupied by the currently running program.

[0052] The amount of energy consumed by the vehicle control device 10 is the amount of electrical energy supplied to the arithmetic processing unit 10a, and can be calculated from the supplied current and voltage. The current and voltage are detected by the current sensor and voltage sensor, respectively. The amount of energy may also be displayed by converting the amount of electrical energy into gasoline.

[0053] Furthermore, the measurement unit 16 measures the amount of data transmitted and received by the communication unit 15 via the communication network 103. The measurement unit 16 also measures the communication charges (communication fees) incurred when transmitting and receiving data via the communication network 103.

[0054] The notification control unit 17 notifies the system of the load and energy amount measured by the measurement unit 16 for each function when the function is performed. Specifically, the notification control unit 17 displays the measured load and energy amount on the CID 40, which is a display unit provided in the vehicle 101. The CID 40 is a center information display. In this embodiment, the CID 40 is made up of a touch panel. However, it is not limited to the CID 40; the information may also be displayed on a HUD (head-up display) or a display provided in the combination meter. When the load and energy amount are measured by the measurement unit 16, the notification control unit 17 displays them on the CID 40 in real time (by push notification).

[0055] Furthermore, the notification control unit 17 also displays the amount of data and communication charges measured by the measurement unit 16 on the CID 40. When the amount of data and communication charges are measured by the measurement unit 16, the notification control unit 17 displays them on the CID 40 in real time (via push notification).

[0056] The consent acceptance unit 18 displays a display screen (hereinafter simply referred to as the consent selection screen) on the CID 40 at a predetermined timing to accept input of consent or refusal regarding permission for data collection. The predetermined timing may be when the vehicle 101 is started, at intervals of a certain period (for example, every week or every month), or at any timing based on the actions of the passenger or other person. Consent or refusal is accepted by the consent acceptance unit 18 by being entered into the CID 40.

[0057] If consent for data collection is entered into the consent acceptance unit 18, shadow mode is set. This causes the verification unit 13 to execute the program to be verified. If consent for data collection is also entered into the consent acceptance unit 18, data collection is performed by the data collection unit 14, and the collected data is stored in the storage unit 10b. Measurement (measurement of load, energy amount, data amount, and communication charges) is also performed by the measurement unit 16.

[0058] On the other hand, if a refusal to consent to data collection is entered into the consent acceptance unit 18, the shadow mode will not be set. As a result, the verification target program will not be executed by the verification unit 13. Also, if a refusal to consent to data collection is entered into the consent acceptance unit 18, data collection by the data collection unit 14 will not be performed. Furthermore, measurement by the measurement unit 16 will not be performed. If a refusal to consent to data collection is entered into the consent acceptance unit 18, the input unit 11 may input sensor information only to the vehicle control unit 12. Also, if a refusal to consent to data collection is entered, the data collection unit 14 does not need to determine whether the collection start condition has been met.

[0059] The process from data collection to transmission will be explained. First, the process of selecting consent or refusal to data collection will be explained with reference to Figure 3. This process is performed by the vehicle control device 10 at a predetermined timing. As mentioned above, the consent acceptance unit 18 of the vehicle control device 10 displays a consent selection screen at a predetermined timing (step S101). The consent acceptance unit 18 then determines whether consent has been entered on the consent selection screen (step S102). If the result of this determination is positive, that is, if consent has been entered, the consent acceptance unit 18 accepts the consent and stores in the storage unit 10b that data collection has been consented to (step S103). The consent acceptance unit 18 also sets shadow mode (step S104).

[0060] On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S102 is negative, that is, if disagreement is entered, the consent acceptance unit 18 accepts the disagreement and stores in the storage unit 10b that data collection was not consented to (step S105). In response to this, if shadow mode was set, the consent acceptance unit 18 cancels the shadow mode setting (step S106).

[0061] Next, the setting process related to setting the conditions for starting data collection will be explained with reference to Figure 4. The setting process is performed by the vehicle control device 10. After the vehicle 101 starts up (for example, after the ignition switch is turned on), the vehicle control device 10 determines whether consent has been given for data collection and whether shadow mode is set (step S201). If this determination result is negative, the vehicle control device 10 terminates the setting process.

[0062] On the other hand, if the determination result in step S201 is positive, the communication unit 15 of the vehicle control device 10 receives instruction data from the server 102 (step S202). The measurement unit 16 of the vehicle control device 10 measures the amount of instruction data received by the communication unit 15 and also measures the communication charges incurred at the time of reception (step S203).

[0063] Then, the vehicle control device 10 sets the data collection start conditions based on the instruction data (step S204). If multiple types of data collection start conditions are instructed by the instruction data, the vehicle control device 10 sets all of them in the storage unit 10b. In this embodiment, the data collection start conditions include the execution of one of the functions to be verified (a function based on the program to be verified) as a component.

[0064] Furthermore, if the instruction data includes instructions regarding the amount of data to be collected, the vehicle control device 10 also stores the instructed amount of data to be collected in step S204. The instruction regarding the amount of data to be collected is, for example, an instruction to collect data 10 times when the first collection start condition is met, with the type of collection start condition and the number of data collections associated.

[0065] After the settings are configured, the notification control unit 17 of the vehicle control device 10 displays the amount of instruction data and the communication charges measured in step S203 on the CID 40 (step S205). As a result, as shown in Figure 7, the amount of instruction data and the communication charges incurred when the instruction data was received are displayed in a predetermined display frame 41 on the CID 40, along with the receipt of the instruction data. The configuration process is then completed.

[0066] If no instruction data has been sent from server 102, the setup process may be terminated. In this case, data collection will be performed according to the settings (collection start conditions and amount of data to be collected) that were previously received and stored in storage unit 10b.

[0067] Next, the data collection process for collecting data will be explained with reference to Figure 5. The data collection process is performed by the vehicle control device 10 at predetermined timings while the vehicle 101 is running. For example, it may be performed at predetermined intervals, or it may be performed each time sensor information is input.

[0068] While the vehicle 101 is starting up, the vehicle control device 10 determines whether consent has been given for data collection and whether shadow mode is set (step S301). If the result of this determination is negative, the vehicle control device 10 performs normal vehicle control (step S302).

[0069] On the other hand, if the determination result in step S301 is positive, the input unit 11 inputs the sensor information received from the sensor 20 as input values ​​to the calculation unit CA (vehicle control unit 12 and verification unit 13) (step S203). Also in step S203, the input unit 11 inputs part or all of the sensor information to the data acquisition unit 14.

[0070] Next, the vehicle control unit 12 executes the implementation program and performs processing based on the various functions (application programs) realized by the implementation program, based on the input values ​​(sensor information) input from the input unit 11 (step S304). As mentioned above, the vehicle control unit 12 also inputs the control signals (output results) as a result of this processing to the actuator 30 and the data acquisition unit 14.

[0071] Furthermore, the verification unit 13 operates the program to be verified and performs processing based on various functions (application programs) realized by the program to be verified, based on the input values ​​(sensor information) input from the input unit 11 (step S305). The verification unit 13 inputs the control signals (output results) as a result of this processing to the data acquisition unit 14. As mentioned above, these control signals are not input to the actuator 30. Steps S304 and S305 in this embodiment correspond to calculation steps.

[0072] Furthermore, in step S305, the measurement unit 16 measures the load on the vehicle control device 10 and the amount of energy consumed when the function to be verified by the verification unit 13 is performed (step S306). Specifically, it measures the CPU usage rate, memory usage rate, and amount of power consumed when the function to be verified is performed. Step S306 in this embodiment corresponds to the measurement step.

[0073] The notification control unit 17 then displays the load and energy consumed of the vehicle control device 10, as measured by the measurement unit 16, on the CID 40 (step S307). Specifically, it displays the CPU usage rate, memory usage rate, and power consumption. At that time, it may also display the type of function performed (the function to be verified). As a result, as shown in Figure 8, the CID 40 displays the CPU usage rate, memory usage rate, and power consumption along with the function performed in the background. In Figure 8, "ACC (beta version)" is displayed to indicate that the adaptive cruise control (ACC) function was performed based on the program to be verified.

[0074] Note that depending on the input values ​​(sensor information), the functions based on the implemented program may not be executed, in which case the processing in step S304 will be skipped. Similarly, depending on the input values ​​(sensor information), the functions based on the program to be verified (the functions to be verified) may not be executed, in which case the processing in steps S305 to S307 will be skipped.

[0075] Next, the data acquisition unit 14 of the vehicle control device 10 determines whether the data acquisition start condition has been met (step S308). In this embodiment, the data acquisition start condition includes the execution of one of the functions to be verified, so if the data acquisition start condition is met, it is equivalent to the execution of one of the functions to be verified. If this determination result is negative, the vehicle control device 10 terminates the data acquisition process.

[0076] If the determination result in step S308 is positive, the data acquisition unit 14 stores the input value and output result data in the storage unit 10b as described above (step S309). The data acquisition unit 14 then displays the amount of data stored (collected) in the storage unit 10b and the progress of data collection on the CID 40 (step S310). The progress of data collection is, for example, the number of times data has been collected (= the number of times the collection start condition has been met). Alternatively, the progress may be displayed in terms of the amount of data stored in the storage unit 10b (in bytes). If the amount of data to be collected was indicated by instruction data, the percentage of the collected data may be displayed, or the amount of data to be collected may be displayed together. As a result, for example, as shown in Figure 9, the amount of data collected and the percentage of the collected data are displayed on the CID 40. After that, the data acquisition process is terminated.

[0077] Next, the transmission process for sending the collected data will be explained with reference to Figure 6. The transmission process is performed by the vehicle control device 10 at a predetermined transmission timing. After the start of the transmission process, the vehicle control device 10 determines whether or not consent has been given to data collection (step S401). If the result of this determination is negative, the vehicle control device 10 terminates the transmission process.

[0078] On the other hand, if the determination result in step S401 is affirmative, the communication unit 15 of the vehicle control device 10 transmits the collected data stored in the storage unit 10b to the server 102 (step S402). The measurement unit 16 of the vehicle control device 10 measures the amount of collected data transmitted by the communication unit 15 and also measures the communication charge incurred during transmission (step S403). The notification control unit 17 of the vehicle control device 10 displays the amount of collected data (transmitted data) and the communication charge, which were measured in step S403, on the CID 40 (step S404). As a result, as shown in Figure 10, the CID 40 displays the amount of collected data (transmitted data) and the communication charge incurred during transmission, along with the transmission of the collected data. The transmission process is then terminated. Note that if the amount of data to be collected was instructed by the instruction data, and the transmission of the instructed amount of collected data has been completed, the vehicle control device 10 may release the shadow mode setting until it receives the next instruction data.

[0079] The vehicle control device 10 of this embodiment provides the following effects.

[0080] The vehicle control device 10 is equipped with a notification control unit 17 that displays the load and energy consumed of the vehicle control device 10, measured by the measurement unit 16, for each function being executed. This allows the system to determine the amount of energy consumed, specifically the amount of power, by which the function being executed is performed, even if the function being executed is performed in the background during shadow mode. It also allows the system to determine the load on the vehicle control device 10 caused by the execution, specifically the CPU usage and memory usage. This makes it possible to choose whether or not to consent to data collection by knowing specifically what impact the data collection will have on the vehicle control device 10.

[0081] When the consent acceptance unit 18 receives input of consent for data collection, the data collection unit 14 sets to shadow mode and begins data collection. This allows passengers to choose whether or not to consent to data collection. Furthermore, the consent acceptance unit 18 is configured to accept input of consent or refusal for data collection after the notification control unit 17 displays the load on the vehicle control device 10 and the amount of energy consumed in connection with data collection. Therefore, passengers can appropriately choose to consent or refuse after knowing how much load is being generated or how much energy is being consumed.

[0082] The notification control unit 17 displays the communication charges and the amount of data received when receiving instruction data. This allows for a concrete understanding of the impact on the secondary task of receiving instruction data, which is a secondary operation associated with data collection.

[0083] The notification control unit 17 displays the communication charges and data volume associated with transmitting the collected data. This allows for a concrete understanding of the impact of the secondary task of transmitting the collected data, which is a secondary operation associated with data collection.

[0084] The notification control unit 17 displays the progress status, showing how much data has actually been collected compared to the amount of data to be collected. This allows the user to know how much data has been collected.

[0085] In shadow mode, one or more functions to be verified are performed in the background, without being involved in the actual control of the vehicle 101. For this reason, shadow mode is set only after consent for data collection has been entered.

[0086] Furthermore, the CPU and memory usage were displayed while the function being tested was running in shadow mode. This allows us to understand how much load is being generated when the function being tested is running in the background.

[0087] Similarly, the power consumption while the function under test was running in shadow mode was displayed. This allows us to understand how much power is consumed when the function under test is running in the background.

[0088] Furthermore, while in shadow mode, when a function being tested was executed, the type of function executed was displayed. This allows users to understand what functions were being performed in the background.

[0089] The notification control unit 17 displayed in real time the type of function performed, CPU usage, memory usage, and power consumption when the function under verification was executed. This made it possible to know specifically when the function under verification was performed during shadow mode and what kind of impact it had.

[0090] <Modification> A part of the vehicle control device 10 of the above embodiment may be modified. Modifications will be described below.

[0091] In the above embodiment, the notification control unit 17 may display the data collected by the data collection unit 14. For example, if the data collection unit 14 stores a camera image as collected data when a specific function is performed, it may display the camera image. Also, if it stores various parameters such as vehicle speed as collected data when a specific function is performed, it may display them. Also, if it stores output results (such as required torque), camera image recognition results, collision margin time with obstacles, etc., when a specific function is performed, it may display them. The timing of the display can be any timing, for example, when the data is stored (step S310) or when the data is transmitted (step S404, etc.).

[0092] In the above embodiment, the type of display unit (CID40, HUD, combination meter) used to display information (CPU usage, power consumption, data volume, communication charges, etc.) may be different depending on the type of information to be displayed. Also, the display format may be different depending on the type of display unit used to display the information.

[0093] In the above embodiment, the contents of the data stored in the storage unit 10b may be displayed. The contents of the data include sensor information such as vehicle speed, steering angle, and accelerator opening, as well as recognition results and position information based on camera images, as shown in Figure 11.

[0094] In the above embodiment, when displaying CPU usage and memory usage on the CID 40 or HUD, the percentage may be shown using a bar graph or pie chart, as shown in Figure 12. In Figure 12, "α" represents the CPU usage (or memory usage) based on the implemented program, and "β" represents the CPU usage (or memory usage) based on the program under verification. When storing data, it may also be illustrated as shown in Figure 13. This makes the display more intuitive and easier to understand compared to displaying it with characters or numbers, and it can be displayed simply.

[0095] In the above embodiment, when displaying information on the combination meter 42, only the necessary information may be displayed, as shown in Figure 14. Alternatively, the information may be illustrated as a diagram, as shown in Figure 15. In Figure 15, the storage of data is illustrated and displayed on the combination meter 42.

[0096] In the above embodiment, the notification control unit 17 displayed the load (CPU usage, etc.) and energy amount (electricity) when the function was performed, but it is sufficient to display only one of them. Also, the notification control unit 17 displayed the data amount and communication charges when sending and receiving data, but it is sufficient to display only one of them. Furthermore, the notification control unit 17 does not need to display the data amount and communication charges. Also, when transmitting collected data, the notification control unit 17 may display at least one of the data amount and communication charges.

[0097] In the above embodiment, the notification control unit 17 displayed the amount of data and communication charges each time data was sent or received, but it may also display them all together over a certain period of time. For example, it may display the total communication charges and the amount of data sent and received for one week or one trip.

[0098] In the above embodiment, when the input unit 11 inputs sensor information, it may determine whether the data collection start condition has been met based on the input sensor information. For example, if the data collection start condition is set by combining the range of the collection scene and the parameters, or if only one of the collection scene and the range of the parameters is set as a condition, and the function to be implemented is not included in the condition, it may be determined whether the data collection start condition has been met. This makes it possible to determine whether the data collection start condition has been met before the verification unit 13 performs the function, and if the data collection start condition has not been met, it is possible to restrict the execution of the function by the verification unit 13. This prevents the function from being performed unnecessarily, and reduces the load on the vehicle control device 10 and the amount of energy consumed.

[0099] In the above embodiment, the amount of energy consumed was displayed as electrical energy, but the amount of electrical energy may also be converted to fuel (such as gasoline) and displayed. Alternatively, the electricity consumption and fuel efficiency may be calculated and displayed considering the amount of electrical energy consumed.

[0100] In the above embodiment, the progress of the collected data may be classified and displayed according to the data content, for example, according to the type of collection start condition.

[0101] In the above embodiment, the measurement unit 16 may calculate the average value of the load or the total amount of energy measured over a predetermined period. For example, it may calculate the average CPU usage rate or the total amount of power consumed from the time the ignition switch of the vehicle 101 is turned on until it is turned off (during one trip) and display these values ​​when the vehicle 101 is started or stopped.

[0102] In the above embodiment, the notification control unit 17 displayed information (such as power consumption) on the CID 40, which serves as the display unit of the vehicle 101, but it may also output audio from a speaker. Alternatively, it may transmit the information to a terminal outside the vehicle 101, for example, the mobile device of the vehicle 101 owner, and display it there.

[0103] In the above embodiment, the load and energy amount of the vehicle control device 10 were measured and reported by the verification unit 13 when the function to be verified was performed. As an alternative, the load and energy amount of the vehicle control device 10 may be measured and reported by the vehicle control unit 12 when the function was performed while the function to be verified was not being performed.

[0104] In the above embodiment, if any driving assistance function is performed by the vehicle control unit 12 when shadow mode is not set, the load and energy amount of the vehicle control device 10 may be measured and reported. Also, if any driving assistance function is performed by the vehicle control unit 12 when data collection has not been consented to, the load and energy amount of the vehicle control device 10 may be measured and reported.

[0105] In the above embodiment, when the verification unit 13 and the vehicle control unit 12 each perform their functions, only the load and energy generated by the function performed by the verification unit 13 may be reported. In other words, the load and energy generated by the verification unit 13 and the load and energy generated by the vehicle control unit 12 may be measured and reported separately.

[0106] Specifically, the load and energy amounts generated when only the vehicle control unit 12 performs its function are stored in advance for each function. Then, when the verification unit 13 and the vehicle control unit 12 each perform their functions, the load and energy amounts generated when only the vehicle control unit 12 performed its function are read from the total load and energy consumption of the vehicle control device 10, and these are subtracted to calculate only the load and energy amounts generated when the verification unit 13 performed the function being verified. Then, only the calculated load and energy amounts are displayed separately.

[0107] Furthermore, as another variation, a separate arithmetic processing unit (CPU) may be provided to perform the functions of the verification unit 13, in addition to the arithmetic processing unit (CPU) that performs the functions of the vehicle control unit 12. By measuring the load and energy consumption of the arithmetic processing unit that performs the functions of the verification unit 13, it is possible to identify only the load and energy amount caused by the functions performed by the verification unit 13.

[0108] In the above embodiment, the load and energy consumption of the vehicle control device 10 were displayed based on actual measurements. However, the load and energy consumption of each function to be verified may be measured in advance through simulations or experiments and stored, and when the function to be verified is performed, the stored load and energy consumption for each function may be displayed. Similarly, the amount of data and communication charges may also be displayed based on data that has been stored in advance. This can reduce the processing burden.

[0109] In the above embodiment, the program to be verified may be executed while the vehicle 101 is stopped, thereby performing the function to be verified. For example, the functions to be verified may include functions that occur while the vehicle 101 is stopped, such as a function to detect the approach of a suspicious person, or a function to detect vibrations of the vehicle 101 and take images of the area around the vehicle 101. When the function to be verified is performed while the vehicle 101 is stopped, as shown in Figure 1, the executed function and the collected data may be transmitted via the communication network 103 to the vehicle 101 owner's terminal (such as a mobile terminal 201) for display. In this case, the display may be in real time, or the executed function may be displayed in response to a call from the terminal.

[0110] - In step S204 of the above embodiment, the data content to be collected and the amount of data to be collected, as instructed by the instruction data, may be arbitrarily changed. For example, the instruction may be to collect data 10 times when the first collection start condition is met, and data 5 times when the second collection start condition is met, with the type of collection start condition and the number of data collections associated. Alternatively, the instruction may be to collect data 10 times in the first scene and data 5 times in the second scene, with the type of collection scene and the number of data collections associated. Alternatively, the instruction may be to collect data 10 times when the first function is performed and data 5 times when the second function is performed, with the type of function being performed and the number of data collections associated. The unit of data amount may also be bytes instead of counts. In other words, the instruction may be to collect 10 MB or more of data. The instruction may also be to collect camera images, collect sensor information, etc., with the data content to be collected.

[0111] - In step S205 of the above embodiment, the amount of data of the instruction data and the communication charges were displayed, but the timing of the display may be changed at will. Also, in step S404, the total amount of data transmitted and received and the communication charges may be displayed.

[0112] The control unit and its method described herein may be implemented by a dedicated computer provided by configuring a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions embodied by a computer program. Alternatively, the control unit and its method described herein may be implemented by a dedicated computer provided by configuring a processor by one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, the control unit and its method described herein may be implemented by one or more dedicated computers configured by a combination of a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions and a processor configured by one or more hardware logic circuits. Furthermore, the computer program may be stored as instructions executed by the computer on a computer-readable non-transitional tangible recording medium.

[0113] The following is an addendum to the technical ideas that can be derived from each of the above embodiments and modified examples. [Configuration 1] A vehicle control device (10) for controlling a vehicle (101), comprising: a calculation unit (CA) that performs one or more functions related to vehicle control; a measurement unit (16) that measures the load of the vehicle control device for each function performed by the calculation unit, or measures the amount of energy consumed by the vehicle control device when the function is performed for each function, or measures the load and the amount of energy for each function; and a notification control unit (17) that notifies the vehicle control device of at least one of the load and the amount of energy measured by the measurement unit for each function. [Configuration 2] A vehicle control device according to Configuration 1, comprising: a data collection unit (14) that collects data when the calculation unit performs or has performed the function; a communication unit (15) that transmits the data collected by the data collection unit to a server via a communication network; and a consent acceptance unit (18) that requests consent for data collection by the data collection unit from the passenger or owner of the vehicle and receives input of consent or non-consent from the passenger or owner, wherein the consent acceptance unit receives input of consent for data collection, and the data collection unit performs the data collection. [Configuration 3] A vehicle control device according to Configuration 2, wherein the consent acceptance unit is configured to receive input of consent or non-consent for data collection after the notification control unit has notified at least one of the load and the amount of energy. [Configuration 4] The vehicle control device according to Configuration 2 or 3, wherein the communication unit is configured to receive instruction data via the communication network that instructs the data collection unit to specify at least one of the data content to be collected and the amount of data to be collected; the measurement unit measures the communication charge or the amount of communication data of the received instruction data based on the receipt of the instruction data; and the notification control unit causes the measurement unit to notify the communication charge or the amount of communication data measured by the measurement unit.[Configuration 5] The vehicle control device according to any one of Configurations 2 to 4, wherein the measurement unit measures the communication charges or the amount of data transmitted based on the data transmission by the communication unit, and the notification control unit causes the measurement unit to notify the communication charges or the amount of data measured by the measurement unit. [Configuration 6] The amount of data to be collected by the data collection unit is predetermined, and the notification control unit causes the data collection unit to notify the progress status indicating how much data has actually been collected relative to the amount of data to be collected, according to any one of Configurations 2 to 5. [Configuration 7] The calculation unit is configured to perform one or more functions to be verified in a manner that does not involve the actual control of the vehicle by executing the program to be verified in shadow mode, and the shadow mode is set when the consent acceptance unit inputs consent for the data collection, according to any one of Configurations 2 to 6. [Configuration 8] The calculation unit is configured to perform one or more functions to be verified in a manner that does not involve the actual control of the vehicle by executing the program to be verified during shadow mode, and the measurement unit measures at least one of the CPU usage rate and memory usage rate as the load when the function to be verified is being performed during shadow mode, as described in any of Configurations 1 to 7. [Configuration 9] The calculation unit is configured to perform one or more functions to be verified in a manner that does not involve the actual control of the vehicle by executing the program to be verified during shadow mode, and the measurement unit measures the amount of energy consumed by the execution of the function to be verified as the energy amount when the function to be verified is being performed during shadow mode, as described in any of Configurations 1 to 8. [Configuration 10] The notification control unit is configured to notify the calculation unit of the functions to be verified that have been performed by the calculation unit during shadow mode, as described in any of Configurations 7 to 9.[Configuration 11] The vehicle control device according to any one of Configurations 7 to 10, wherein the notification control unit causes the data content collected by the data acquisition unit based on the execution of the function to be verified during the shadow mode. [Configuration 12] The vehicle control device according to any one of Configurations 1 to 11, wherein the measurement unit calculates the average value of the load or the total value of the energy amount measured over a predetermined period, and the notification control unit causes the average value of the load or the total value of the energy amount to be notified. [Configuration 13] The vehicle control device according to any one of Configurations 1 to 12, wherein one or more of the functions relating to vehicle control include a function that can be performed while the vehicle is stopped, and when the measurement unit measures either the load or the energy amount for the function performed while the vehicle is stopped, the notification control unit causes at least one of the measured load and energy amount to be notified to a predetermined terminal (201) via a communication network. [Configuration 14] A vehicle control device according to any one of Configurations 1 to 13, wherein when the measurement unit measures either the load or the amount of energy for the function performed while the vehicle is running, the notification control unit displays them in real time on a display unit (40) provided by the vehicle. [Configuration 15] A program implemented by a vehicle control device (10) that controls a vehicle (101), comprising: a calculation step for performing one or more functions related to vehicle control; a measurement step for measuring the load of the vehicle control device for each of the functions performed in the calculation step, or measuring the amount of energy consumed by the vehicle control device when the function is performed for each of the functions, or measuring the load and the amount of energy for each of the functions; and a notification control step for notifying at least one of the load and the amount of energy measured in the measurement step for each of the functions.

[0114] This disclosure is described in accordance with the embodiments, but it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to such embodiments or structures. This disclosure also includes various modifications and variations within the equivalence. In addition, various combinations and forms, as well as other combinations and forms that include only one, more, or fewer of those elements, fall within the scope and concept of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device (10) for controlling a vehicle (101), comprising: a calculation unit (CA) that performs one or more functions related to vehicle control; a measurement unit (16) that measures the load of the vehicle control device for each function performed by the calculation unit, or measures the amount of energy consumed by the vehicle control device when the function is performed for each function, or measures the load and the amount of energy for each function; and a notification control unit (17) that notifies the vehicle control device of at least one of the load and the amount of energy measured by the measurement unit for each function.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, comprising: a data collection unit (14) that collects data when the calculation unit performs or has performed the function; a communication unit (15) that transmits the data collected by the data collection unit to a server via a communication network; and a consent acceptance unit (18) that requests consent for data collection by the data collection unit from the passenger or owner of the vehicle and receives input of consent or non-consent from the passenger or owner, wherein the consent acceptance unit inputs consent for data collection, and the data collection unit performs the data collection.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein the consent acceptance unit is configured to accept input of consent or refusal to consent to data collection after the notification control unit has notified at least one of the load and the amount of energy.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein the communication unit is configured to receive instruction data via the communication network that instructs the data collection unit to specify at least one of the data content to be collected and the amount of data to be collected; the measurement unit measures the communication charge or the amount of communication data of the received instruction data based on the receipt of the instruction data; and the notification control unit causes the measurement unit to notify the communication charge or the amount of communication data measured by the measurement unit.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein the measurement unit measures the communication charges or the amount of data transmitted based on the data transmission by the communication unit, and the notification control unit causes the measurement unit to notify the communication charges or the amount of data measured by the measurement unit.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein the amount of data to be collected by the data collection unit is predetermined, and the notification control unit causes the data collection unit to notify the progress status indicating how much data has actually been collected relative to the amount of data to be collected.

7. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the calculation unit is configured to perform one or more functions to be verified in a manner that does not involve the actual control of the vehicle by executing the program to be verified while in shadow mode, and the shadow mode is set when the consent acceptance unit inputs consent for the data collection.

8. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the calculation unit is configured to perform one or more functions to be verified in a manner that does not involve the actual control of the vehicle by executing the program to be verified in shadow mode, and the measurement unit measures at least one of the CPU usage rate and the memory usage rate as the load when the function to be verified is being performed in shadow mode.

9. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the calculation unit is configured to perform one or more functions to be verified in a manner that does not involve the actual control of the vehicle by executing the program to be verified during shadow mode, and the measurement unit measures the amount of energy consumed by the execution of the function to be verified as the energy amount when the function to be verified is being performed during shadow mode.

10. The vehicle control device according to claim 7, wherein the notification control unit causes the unit to provide notification of the function performed by the calculation unit among the functions to be verified during the shadow mode.

11. The vehicle control device according to claim 7, wherein the notification control unit causes the data collection unit to provide notification of the data content collected based on the performance of the function to be verified during the shadow mode.

12. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the measurement unit calculates the average value of the load or the total amount of energy measured over a predetermined period, and the notification control unit causes the average value of the load or the total amount of energy to be notified.

13. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein one or more of the functions relating to vehicle control include a function that can be performed while the vehicle is stopped, and when the measurement unit measures either the load or the amount of energy for the function performed while the vehicle is stopped, the notification control unit causes at least one of the measured load and amount of energy to be notified to a predetermined terminal (201) via a communication network.

14. When the measurement unit measures either the load or the amount of energy for the function performed while the vehicle is in motion, the notification control unit displays them in real time on the display unit (40) provided by the vehicle, the vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

15. A program implemented by a vehicle control device (10) that controls a vehicle (101), comprising: a calculation step that implements one or more functions related to vehicle control; a measurement step that measures the load of the vehicle control device for each function implemented in the calculation step, or measures the amount of energy consumed by the vehicle control device when the function is implemented for each function, or measures the load and the amount of energy for each function; and a notification control step that causes the vehicle control device to notify the vehicle control device of at least one of the load and the amount of energy measured in the measurement step for each function.

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