Vehicle Transmission Start Gear Control for Smooth Acceleration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gear shifts during acceleration phases in vehicles with controllable transmissions cause temporary power loss, affecting driving comfort and responsiveness, particularly during rapid acceleration or steep inclines.
Innovation Solution
A method and control arrangement that selects a starting gear based on the target speed and maintains it engaged during acceleration, reducing or eliminating the need for gear shifts, thereby enhancing comfort, smoothness, and driveability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If gear shifts are performed during acceleration phases, then the vehicle can adapt to different speed ranges and maintain optimal power source operation, but temporary power loss occurs causing reduced driving comfort and responsiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The control arrangement predicts the driver's intended target speed based on current acceleration phase data and pre-determines the optimal gear selection before the acceleration completes. This preliminary gear selection is made to minimize the number of gear shifts during the acceleration phase, thereby preventing temporary power loss and maintaining driving comfort and responsiveness while still adapting to the target speed range.
2Use of energy by moving object
If multiple gear shifts are performed during acceleration, then the transmission can optimize power source operation across different speeds, but the time required for acceleration increases due to temporary power loss during each shift
Solution Approach 1:
The control arrangement predicts the driver's intended target speed and pre-determines the optimal gear selection before the acceleration completes. This preliminary gear selection is made to minimize the number of gear shifts during the acceleration phase, thereby reducing the time lost to temporary power interruptions while still allowing the power source to operate efficiently across the target speed range.
3Ease of operation
If the transmission maintains a fixed gear during acceleration, then power delivery remains smooth and continuous, but the vehicle cannot adapt to changing speed requirements and optimal power band operation
Solution Approach 1:
The control arrangement predicts the driver's intended target speed and pre-determines the optimal gear selection before the acceleration completes. This allows the transmission to maintain smooth and continuous power delivery by minimizing gear shifts during acceleration, while still ensuring the vehicle adapts to the target speed range and operates within the optimal power band of the power source.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling operation of a vehicle is disclosed, wherein the vehicle comprises a transmission and a power source operably connected to driven wheels of the vehicle via the transmission. The transmission is controllable between at least two different gears to provide at least two different transmission ratios between the power source and the driven wheels of the vehicle. The method comprises the steps of selecting a starting gear in the transmission based on an inputted target speed, and then accelerating the vehicle from standstill with the starting gear engaged in the transmission. The present disclosure further relates to a computer program, a computer-readable medium, a control arrangement, and a vehicle.