EV Torque Control for Simulated Manual Stall Sensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicles lack the driving sensation of an engine stall, which is a key experience for drivers accustomed to manual transmission vehicles, as existing torque control techniques cannot simulate the driver's manual shifting operation effectively, leading to discomfort.
Innovation Solution
An electric vehicle equipped with an accelerator pedal, pseudo-clutch pedal, pseudo-shifter, and a controller that simulates the torque characteristics of a manual transmission vehicle, allowing the driver to experience an engine stall by controlling the motor torque and notifying the driver of the stall production process, while avoiding it in specific situations detected by external sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If torque fluctuation control is performed to simulate shifting operation in EVs, then the discomfort for drivers accustomed to MT vehicles is suppressed, but the driver cannot experience the authentic driving sensation of engine stall
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of an internal combustion engine's torque characteristics through software control. The controller simulates engine torque curves, including the stall phenomenon, by calculating and applying appropriate torque reduction when virtual engine speed drops below idle speed. This allows drivers to experience authentic MT vehicle sensations without a physical engine.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the physical mechanical engine system with an electrical motor controlled by software algorithms. Instead of using an actual internal combustion engine that can physically stall, the system uses electronic torque control to simulate stall conditions, substituting mechanical complexity with computational control.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the electric motor controls torque to simulate MT vehicle characteristics, then pseudo-shifting operation is achieved, but the driver experiences discomfort due to inability to voluntarily determine shifting timing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic torque control that continuously adjusts motor torque based on simulated engine parameters, vehicle speed, accelerator pedal position, and virtual gear stage. The system dynamically calculates torque reduction amounts and timing to simulate realistic engine behavior, including voluntary shifting initiated by driver input through the pseudo-shifter.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the controller monitors simulated engine speed, vehicle operating conditions, and driver inputs through the pseudo-shifter and pseudo-clutch pedal. This feedback loop allows the system to adjust torque output in real-time to match desired engine characteristics and respond to driver-initiated shifting operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If pseudo-shifter and pseudo-clutch pedal are added to EVs, then MT vehicle operation experience is provided, but the driving feeling of actual engine stall cannot be experienced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of an internal combustion engine's torque characteristics through software control. The controller simulates engine torque curves, including the stall phenomenon, by calculating and applying appropriate torque reduction when virtual engine speed drops below idle speed. This allows drivers to experience authentic MT vehicle sensations without a physical engine.
Data Source
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AI summary
The controller (50) of the electric vehicle (10) is configured to control the torque of the electric motor (2) using the MT vehicle model (530) based on the operation amount of the accelerator pedal (22), the operation amount of the pseudo-clutch pedal (28), and the shift position of the pseudo-shifter (26). Further, the controller is configured to execute the stall production process for changing the engine output torque used for calculation of the driving wheel torque to zero when the calculated virtual engine speed using the MT vehicle model becomes lower than the prescribed stall engine speed.