EV Range Contour Display for Route Planning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery-powered vehicles face challenges in determining available driving range without full battery depletion, as existing systems lack accurate and real-time route-based energy consumption predictions, leading to uncertain travel capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system that uses a controller to display contour lines on a geographical map indicating available driving distances based on energy stored in the battery, predicting energy consumption along various routes, and updating these predictions in real-time with stochastic energy depletion events, incorporating data from external sources like traffic and weather.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the battery is the sole propulsion power source, then the vehicle can operate independently without external charging infrastructure, but full depletion of the battery renders the powertrain inoperable requiring time-consuming recharge
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by calculating and displaying contour lines indicating available driving distance before the battery is fully depleted. The controller continuously predicts energy consumption along multiple possible routes and updates these predictions in advance, allowing the driver to plan routes and destinations before energy runs out, thus preventing operational failure rather than reacting to it.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously updating the predicted energy consumption based on actual energy depletion events that occur during driving. The contour lines and their associated distance information are dynamically adjusted as the battery charge level changes, providing real-time feedback to the driver about the current available range and enabling adaptive route planning throughout the journey.
2Measurement precision
If the system displays detailed route-based energy consumption predictions, then the driver receives accurate available range information, but the system complexity increases due to multiple possible routes and real-time updates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the available driving range information into discrete contour lines on the map display. Each contour line represents a specific distance threshold from the current location and encloses regions with different probability levels of achieving that distance. This segmentation transforms complex multi-route energy consumption calculations into visualized distance zones, making the information more digestible while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by displaying different levels of certainty for different regions. The contour lines are accompanied by probability indicators that vary locally based on the specific route characteristics and energy consumption predictions for each area. This allows the system to provide detailed accurate information where needed while simplifying the display in less critical areas.
3Reliability
If the system updates energy consumption predictions in real-time, then the available range information remains accurate during driving, but the computational load and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic action by updating energy consumption predictions at specific intervals triggered by energy depletion events rather than continuously. The controller monitors battery charge level and updates the contour line positions and associated distance information only when significant energy changes occur, reducing computational load while maintaining accurate real-time range information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamics by making the contour lines and their associated distance information movable and adjustable rather than static. The display dynamically adapts to changing battery charge levels and driving conditions, automatically repositioning contour lines and updating probability indicators without requiring manual intervention or continuous heavy computation.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a powertrain having a battery-powered electric machine. The vehicle also includes a controller programmed to display, on a geographical map, at least one contour line indicating an available driving distance from a current location. The distance of the contour line from the current location is based on energy stored within the battery and predicted energy consumption due to driving along each of a plurality of possible routes originating from the current location. The predicted energy consumption is updated based on energy depletion events that occur during driving.