Vehicle Control Device for Smooth Automated to Manual Driving Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control devices face challenges in smoothly switching from automated driving mode to manual driving mode without causing sudden acceleration, deceleration, or vibration, particularly due to differences in driving force, and often require additional components like actuators, increasing complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
A control device that includes a travel control unit capable of selecting between ordinary gear change control and gear change restricting control based on driver input, using multiple shift maps to manage gear range changes and maintain or expand the driving force range, thereby preventing unexpected gear changes and reducing the need for additional components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If gear change operation is performed to match driver's requested driving force when switching from automated driving mode to manual driving mode, then the driving force correspondence between modes is improved, but sudden acceleration or deceleration and vibration occur affecting riding comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by moving the accelerator pedal to a predetermined position using an actuator when automated driving mode is released. This preliminary adjustment of the accelerator pedal position ensures that the driving force in manual driving mode corresponds to the driving force in automated driving mode before the driver operates the pedal, thereby preventing sudden acceleration or deceleration and vibration.
Solution Approach 2:
The accelerator pedal acts as an intermediary element between the driver's operation and the driving force output. By controlling the accelerator pedal position through an actuator, the system mediates the transition between automated and manual driving modes, ensuring smooth correspondence of driving force without causing harmful sudden movements or vibrations.
2Ease of operation
If an actuator is provided to move the accelerator pedal to a predetermined position when automated driving mode is released, then smooth mode switching is achieved, but the number of components increases leading to increased device size and costs
Solution Approach 1:
The accelerator pedal serves multiple functions: it is both the operation element for manual driving control and the controlled element for automated driving mode transition. By making the accelerator pedal multi-functional, the system achieves smooth mode switching without requiring separate dedicated actuators or additional components, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the functions of the accelerator pedal as both the control interface for drivers and the actuated element for automated driving mode transitions. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate components, reducing the overall number of parts while achieving smooth mode switching between automated and manual driving modes.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device for a vehicle capable of switching between an automated driving mode in which driving force of a vehicle having a transmission is automatically controlled and a manual driving mode in which the driving force of the vehicle is controlled on the basis of a driver's operation on the vehicle includes: an operation element to which the driver's operation is input; and a travel control unit that outputs a command value for selecting a gear range of the transmission. The travel control unit selects which of ordinary gear change control and gear change restricting control is to be performed on the basis of an operation performed on the operation element when there is an automated driving release request in which the automated driving mode is released and the automated driving mode is switched to the manual driving mode during traveling of the vehicle in the automated driving mode.