Hybrid Vehicle Driver Coach Feedback System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Certain driver behaviors can reduce or eliminate the fuel economy benefits and increase wear on components in hybrid power trains, particularly by not optimizing deceleration and acceleration techniques.
Innovation Solution
A system with a controller that provides specific operator guidance by interpreting target deceleration and acceleration rates, identifying improvement opportunities, and offering feedback to drivers through a display, to optimize hybrid power train operations and extend battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If driver operates hybrid vehicle without optimized techniques, then fuel economy benefits are reduced or eliminated, but system complexity remains unchanged
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time feedback to the driver through a display interface, showing target deceleration rates, actual deceleration rates, and performance metrics. This feedback loop enables drivers to adjust their operating behavior to optimize fuel economy while maintaining ease of operation through intuitive visual guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically monitors and analyzes driver behavior, calculating target deceleration rates and providing guidance without requiring the driver to manually compute or understand complex hybrid system parameters. The driver simply follows the visual guidance provided, making the system self-regulating and easy to use.
2Use of energy by moving object
If driver uses non-optimized deceleration techniques, then fuel economy is reduced, but device complexity remains unchanged
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors actual deceleration rate against target deceleration rate and provides real-time feedback through the display. This feedback mechanism enables the system to adapt to varying driving conditions and optimize energy recovery without increasing physical system complexity, as the solution is implemented through software-based monitoring and guidance.
3Reliability
If driver behavior is not monitored or guided, then component wear increases, but system complexity remains manageable
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides continuous feedback to the driver about deceleration performance and provides guidance to optimize braking behavior. This feedback loop helps reduce unnecessary wear on friction brakes by encouraging regenerative braking usage, thereby extending component life without requiring complex mechanical modifications to the braking system itself.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system improves fuel economy and reduces wear on vehicle components by optimizing deceleration and acceleration techniques, enhancing the efficiency and longevity of hybrid power trains.
Implementation Method 1
One of the power sources includes a regenerative device that at least intermittently recovers vehicle kinetic energy
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a deceleration definition module that interprets a target deceleration rate, a deceleration detection module that identifies a vehicle deceleration event, and a deceleration quality module that identifies a deceleration improvement opportunity in response to the target deceleration rate and the vehicle deceleration event. The apparatus further includes an operator feedback module that provides a specific operator guidance in response to the deceleration improvement opportunity.