An electronic control unit is configured to select one of a series mode, a series-parallel mode and a parallel mode as a running mode. A load level of a hybrid vehicle is set to a value that is high in the order of a load level at which the parallel mode is selected, a load level at which the series-parallel mode is selected, and a load level at which the series mode is selected. That is, the electronic control unit selects the series-parallel mode in an intermediate load region, selects the series mode in a low load region, and selects the parallel mode in a high load region.

A simulating method for an electric vehicle (EV) includes creating a simulation model associating a plurality of target behaviors of a target vehicle with the EV, obtaining a plurality of vehicle parameters of the EV to generate a set of EV control parameters, obtaining a plurality of configuration parameters of the target vehicle, based on the set of EV control parameters and the plurality of configuration parameters of the target vehicle, using the simulation model to provide a set of simulated target-vehicle controls, where the simulation model is a neural network trained to reflect a relationship between the set of EV control parameters and the set of simulated target-vehicle controls, and outputting the set of simulated target-vehicle controls to the EV, such that the EV is controlled to achieve the plurality of target behaviors of the target vehicle based on the set of simulated target-vehicle controls.

A computer-implemented method of adaptively controlling an autonomous operation of a vehicle is provided. The method includes steps of (a) in a critic network in a computing system configured to autonomously control the vehicle, determining, using samples of passively collected data and a state cost, an estimated average cost, and an approximated cost-to-go function that produces a minimum value for a cost-to-go of the vehicle when applied by an actor network; and (b) in an actor network in the computing system and operatively coupled to the critic network, determining a control input to apply to the vehicle that produces the minimum value for the cost-to-go, wherein the actor network is configured to determine the control input by estimating a noise level using the average cost, a cost-to-go determined from the approximated cost-to-go function, a control dynamics for a current state of the vehicle, and the passively collected data.

Disclosed are a device and method for controlling a traveling characteristic of a vehicle. The device includes: a user terminal configured to configure and display a screen for a setting mode, on which a parameter value that determines drivability and traveling characteristic of the vehicle is displayed and from which a driver performs a change and a setting to the displayed parameter value; a controller configured to be provided in the vehicle, to receive a parameter value that results from the driver performing the change and the setting, from the user terminal, and to apply the received parameter value to control logic for controlling a traveling state of the vehicle; and a communication unit configured to be provided in the vehicle and to make a connection between the user terminal and the control unit in such a manner that transmission and reception of the parameter value are possible.

This invention involves the effect of multiple rules of the road at different elevation profiles on the speed constraints and therefore the overall fuel efficiency. A vehicle designed to optimize fuel consumption that is comprised of the rules of the road that determine maximum speed, minimum speed, stop signs, streetlights, and/or changes in other rules that determine the allowable speeds of the road, a localization mechanism, and an optimization engine to optimize the fuel economy by selecting a speed profile within that maintains the vehicle within the assigned range of speeds and minimizes fuel consumption. A wide variety of methods that typically are used to optimize the fuel efficiency of human drivers operating standard vehicles can also be applied towards autonomous vehicles driving at different speed constraints and with different changes in the elevation.

A control device for a hybrid vehicle is provided with a driving plan preparing part preparing a driving plan setting one or more via-points on a projected route from a starting point to a destination to divide the projected route into a plurality of driving routes and divide the driving routes further into pluralities of driving sections and setting which driving mode of an EV mode or HV mode to drive over in each driving section and with a driving mode switching part switching the driving modes according to a driving plan. The driving plan preparing part is configured to be able to prepare a driving plan setting the driving modes of all driving sections in at least one driving route to the EV mode.

A vehicular breaking force control system that includes a control device including a processor that acquires a plurality of longitudinal accelerations from a driving assistance system, and calculates a driving/braking request when the vehicle is in a coasting state in which an acceleration operation or a deceleration operation are not performed during running of the vehicle. The processor further acquires a driving force lower limit set for a powertrain actuator having a set gear ratio, and distributes the driving/braking request to at least one of (i) a powertrain system including the powertrain actuator and (ii) a brake system including a brake actuator. The driving/braking request is distributed to the at least one of the powertrain system and the brake system based on the acquired driving force lower limit.

A distance-to-empty presentation apparatus of a fuel cell vehicle includes: a traveling speed acquisition unit configured to acquire a traveling speed of the fuel cell vehicle; a traveling distance acquisition unit configured to acquire a traveling distance of the fuel cell vehicle in a fuel filling period, the fuel filling period is a period from the time when the fuel is filled in the fuel cell vehicle previously to the time when the fuel is filled in the fuel cell vehicle this time; a fuel residual amount acquisition unit configured to acquire a fuel residual amount of the fuel cell vehicle; a fuel consumption amount acquisition unit configured to acquire a fuel consumption amount of the fuel cell vehicle; a fuel efficiency calculation unit configured to calculate fuel filling period fuel efficiency by using the traveling distance in the fuel filling period and a traveling period fuel consumption amount that is the fuel consumption amount during traveling preparation and during traveling in the fuel filling period, wherein the fuel filling period fuel efficiency is fuel efficiency in the fuel filling period; a distance-to-empty calculation unit configured to calculate a distance to empty of the fuel cell vehicle by using the fuel filling period fuel efficiency and the fuel residual amount; and a presentation device configured to present the distance to empty.

The disclosure relates generally to an in-vehicle feedback system, and more particularly, to an in-vehicle device with a display or graphical interface that collects driving data and provides feedback based on the driving data. The system may comprise an in-vehicle device that includes a graphical user interface and a processor and a data collection device wirelessly connected to the in-vehicle device. The in-vehicle device may be configured to receive vehicle telematics data from the data collection device and the processor may process the telematics data in real time and cause the telematics data to be displayed on the graphical user interface. The graphical user interface may include a speed display and an acceleration display.

A four-wheel drive system with boosting operation includes: a battery; a voltage boosting device; a front wheel drive unit connected parallel to the battery via the voltage boosting device and including a first motor generator and a first inverter; and a rear wheel drive unit connected parallel to the battery bypassing the voltage boosting device and including a second motor generator and a second inverter. An output power of front wheel drive unit is higher than an output power of rear wheel drive unit, and the output power of rear wheel drive unit is higher than a boosted output power of voltage boosting device. The control method of four-wheel drive system with boosting operation includes controlling the front and rear wheel drive units such that an output power flowing through the voltage boosting device does not exceed a rated boosted output power of voltage boosting device.