Fuel-Efficient Driving System Slope Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel-saving driving systems face challenges in maintaining a smooth driving experience and efficient fuel consumption when transitioning to a descending slope, as they often result in jerky vehicle behavior and poor fuel efficiency due to inaccurate gradient mapping and varying vehicle loads, leading to repeated fuel cut-offs and injections.
Innovation Solution
A fuel-saving driving system that uses GPS for vehicle positioning, a database for slope data, and a controller to calculate and adjust the target vehicle speed linearly based on current speed and distance to the descending slope starting point, reducing the need for repeated fuel cut-offs and injections by optimizing fuel injection timing and amount.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If fuel-cut control is performed before descending slope based on mapped gradient data, then fuel efficiency is improved, but vehicle behavior becomes jerky and driver comfort deteriorates due to repeated fuel injection and cut-off
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary speed-reduction control before the descending slope by calculating a target vehicle speed and controlling the vehicle to travel at this speed. This preliminary action reduces the need for repeated fuel injection and cut-off during the descent, thereby improving both fuel efficiency and driver comfort
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the vehicle speed sensor to monitor actual vehicle speed and compares it with the target vehicle speed. Based on this feedback, the control unit adjusts the fuel injection amount to maintain the target speed, preventing jerky behavior while achieving fuel savings
2Productivity
If target vehicle speed is determined based on mapped gradient data, then fuel-saving control can be performed, but the control becomes inaccurate when actual gradient differs from mapped data or vehicle load varies
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the target vehicle speed based on the distance to the descending slope starting point. The control unit calculates the target speed considering the remaining distance and vehicle mass, allowing the speed profile to adapt in real-time rather than following a fixed predetermined pattern
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the control parameter from a fixed predetermined speed to a dynamically calculated target speed that considers distance to descending slope and vehicle mass. This parameter change allows the control to adapt to varying gradient conditions and vehicle loads, improving both effectiveness and accuracy
3Stability of the object's composition
If fuel injection is temporarily increased to maintain vehicle speed, then speed stability is improved, but fuel consumption increases and fuel efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary acceleration before the descending slope to build up speed, then maintains this speed through the descent using minimal fuel injection. This preliminary action stores kinetic energy that can be used during the descent, reducing the need for continuous fuel injection and improving fuel efficiency while maintaining speed stability
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention has an object to provide a fuel-saving driving system which gradually decreases a target vehicle speed from start of control to passage of a descending-slope starting point in a linear form and can obtain fuel-saving and smooth driving feeling without repeating fuel-cut and injection. The present invention has a vehicle-position specifying device (2) for specifying the position of a vehicle, a storage device (11) for storing data of a descending slope located in the vehicle traveling direction, a vehicle speed measuring device (3) for measuring a speed (Va) of the vehicle (1), and a controller (10), the controller (10) has a function of determining (calculating) a target speed (requested speed Vd) of the vehicle (1) from the vehicle speed (Va) and the data of the descending slope.