Vehicle Shift Control Anticipating Road Slope
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic transmission systems in vehicles often fail to adjust gears promptly in response to abrupt changes in driving load, leading to delays or excessive acceleration due to mismatched driving torque, which can result in driver dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A shift control apparatus and method that detects road slope information ahead to calculate a target gear ratio, ensuring equal residual driving torque at the current location and an upcoming sloping point, thereby optimizing gear shifts to match predicted changes in driving load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If gear shifting is controlled based on uniform shift patterns using vehicle speed and accelerator pedal position, then the transmission system operates simply and reliably, but the system cannot respond promptly to abrupt changes in driving load, causing delays in acceleration or excessive acceleration
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting road slope information in advance and calculating the effective sloping point before the vehicle actually encounters the slope. The controller predicts future driving load changes based on this slope data and proactively adjusts gear ratios accordingly, rather than waiting for the vehicle to actually experience the load change. This anticipatory gear adjustment eliminates delays in acceleration response when entering sloped sections.
2Power
If the driver manipulates the accelerator pedal to respond to detected changes in driving load, then acceleration can be maintained, but the driver experience is degraded due to the delay in perceiving the lack of driving torque
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring multiple parameters including vehicle speed, accelerator pedal position, and calculated driving load. The controller compares actual driving conditions with expected conditions based on road slope information, and automatically adjusts gear ratios in response to detected discrepancies. This closed-loop control ensures driving torque is maintained without requiring driver intervention, eliminating the perception delay experienced by drivers in conventional systems.
3Ease of operation
If gear shifts are made frequently to maintain optimal driving torque, then drivability is improved, but fuel efficiency deteriorates due to increased gear shift frequency
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies parameter changes by calculating an optimal target gear ratio that balances drivability and fuel efficiency. Rather than making frequent small adjustments, the controller computes a precise target gear ratio based on predicted driving load at the effective sloping point, then executes a single optimal gear shift. This reduces unnecessary gear changes while maintaining appropriate driving torque, thereby improving fuel efficiency without sacrificing drivability.
Data Source
AI summary
A shift control apparatus and a method for a vehicle are provided. The shift control apparatus and the method for a vehicle that can control gear shifts by detecting a slope ahead based on road information are provided. The shift control apparatus for a vehicle may include: an engine; a transmission configured to receive power from the engine; and a controller configured to check an effective sloping point based on road information, to calculate a target gear ratio based on a first engine torque at a location of the vehicle and a gear ratio of the transmission when the effective sloping point is reached within a predetermined amount of time, to set a target gear position based on the target gear ratio, and to control the transmission based on the target gear position.