Vehicle Weight Estimation Using Slope-Aware Driving Force Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems fail to accurately account for changes in vehicle weight due to varying loads, leading to inaccuracies in driving force calculations and dynamic characteristics.
Innovation Solution
An information processing device that estimates vehicle total weight by acquiring driving force, front-rear acceleration, and road slope, and calculates target driving force using either an initial value or a stored estimation value based on the accuracy of the slope, with reliability evaluation and communication with a server for collective reliability assessment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If vehicle control is performed using a fixed initial weight value, then the control system is simple to implement, but the control accuracy deteriorates when vehicle weight changes due to varying loads
Solution Approach 1:
The system estimates vehicle weight by feeding back actual driving data (acceleration, driving force, slope) and comparing it with target values. The weight estimation is continuously updated based on the difference between actual and target acceleration, creating a closed-loop feedback mechanism that adapts to changing vehicle loads without requiring complex manual input systems
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle control system performs self-diagnosis and self-adjustment by automatically estimating its own weight using onboard sensors and existing driving data. The system serves itself by utilizing its own operational data (acceleration sensor readings, driving force commands, slope information) to determine its current weight state without external intervention or additional specialized weighing equipment
2Device complexity
If weight estimation uses only acceleration data without slope information, then the calculation is simple, but the estimation accuracy deteriorates on inclined roads
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple data sources (acceleration sensor data, driving force information, and slope data from navigation or map information) into a unified weight estimation calculation. By combining these previously separate information streams, the system achieves accurate weight estimation on both flat and inclined roads without significantly increasing computational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The weight estimation system is designed to be universally applicable across different road conditions (flat roads, uphill, downhill) by incorporating slope as a variable in the estimation formula. The same basic estimation mechanism works universally regardless of terrain, eliminating the need for separate calculation methods for different road types
3Reliability
If the system continuously updates weight estimation using every available data point, then the estimation remains current, but the calculation load and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs weight estimation selectively rather than continuously - using partial updates based on triggering conditions such as significant changes in driving conditions, slope changes, or accumulated data thresholds. This partial action approach maintains estimation currentness while avoiding the excessive computational burden of continuous recalibration at every data point
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calculations by pre-processing and storing baseline data (vehicle dimensions, capacity, typical load distributions) before actual weight estimation is needed. This preliminary preparation enables faster real-time estimation by reducing the computational complexity during active driving operations
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing device for a vehicle includes one or more processors configured to execute acquiring vehicle driving force that is driving force of the vehicle, acquiring front-rear acceleration that is an actual measurement value of acceleration along a front-rear axis of the vehicle from an acceleration sensor mounted on the vehicle, acquiring a slope at each point of a road on which the vehicle travels, and estimating an estimation value of total weight of the vehicle, when the vehicle travels at the point where the slope is acquired, based on the vehicle driving force at the point, the front-rear acceleration at the point, and the slope at the point.