Vehicle Having an Automatic Transmission and a Manually Actuatable Selector Element

Abstract

A vehicle has an automatic transmission and a manually actuatable selector element which is provided for selecting a group of operating modes of the automatic operation. The selector element is additionally provided to switch the vehicle from a vehicle operating mode of non-highly automated driving into a vehicle operating mode of highly automated driving, or vice versa.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising: an automatic transmission; and a manually actuatable selector element which is provided for selecting a group of operating modes of the automatic operation, wherein the selector element is additionally provided to shift the vehicle from a non-highly automated driving vehicle operating mode into a highly automated driving vehicle operating mode, or vice versa.

2. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the group of operating modes comprises: a driving operating mode where individual gears of the automatic transmission are shifted in a controlled manner via a transmission control electronics system; a neutral operating mode where a non-positive connection between an input and an output of the automatic transmission is interrupted; and a reverse driving operating mode where the automatic transmission is shifted into a reverse driving gear.

3. The vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the selector element has at least one first position which is assigned to the non-highly automated driving operating mode.

4. The vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the selector element has at least one second position which is assigned to the highly automated driving operating mode, at least one first position which is assigned to the non-highly automated driving operating mode differs from the at least one second position which is assigned to the highly automated driving operating mode.

5. The vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one first position is a monostable position such that, after being deflected manually into the second position, the selector element returns automatically into the at least one first position.

6. The vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one first position and the second position are in each case stable positions, in which the selector element can remain non-actuated.

7. The vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein if the selector element is situated in the first position: the vehicle is situated in the non-highly automated driving operating state, and the automatic transmission is situated in the driving, neutral, reverse driving operating mode, or in a parked state.

8. The vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein if the selector element is situated in the first position: the vehicle is situated in the non-highly automated driving operating state, and the automatic transmission is situated in the driving, neutral, reverse driving operating mode, or in a parked state.

9. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein if the selector element is situated in the first position: the vehicle is situated in the non-highly automated driving operating state, and the automatic transmission is situated in the driving, neutral, reverse driving operating mode, or in a parked state.

10. The vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the automatic transmission is shiftable over between the driving, neutral or reverse driving operating modes out of the at least one first position by way of deflection of the selector element in a direction of a first actuating gate.

11. The vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first actuating gate is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the automatic transmission is shiftable into the at least one second position, which is assigned to the highly automated driving operating mode, out of the at least one first position, which is assigned to the non-highly automated driving operating mode, by way of deflection of the selector element in a direction transversely with respect to the first actuating gate.

13. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selector element is arranged in the region of a center console of the vehicle.

14. The vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the selector element is moveable out of the at least one second position in the direction of a second actuating gate which is parallel to the first actuating gate.

15. The vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein predefined functions of the highly automated driving vehicle operating mode are selectable by the movement of the selector element in the second actuating gate.

16. The vehicle as claimed in claim 15, wherein a signal for initiating an overtaking operation is generated by way of movement of the selector element in the second actuating gate.

17. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the automatic transmission is shiftable over into a third position out of the at least one first position by way of deflection of the selector element in a direction transversely with respect to the first actuating gate.

18. The vehicle as claimed in claim 17, wherein the automatic transmission is shiftable from a current gear into a next higher gear or into a next lower gear by way of movement of the selector element out of the third position in a third actuating gate which is parallel to the first actuating gate.

19. The vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the automatic transmission is shiftable over into a third position out of the at least one first position by way of deflection of the selector element in a direction transversely with respect to the first actuating gate.

20. The vehicle as claimed in claim 19, wherein the automatic transmission is shiftable from a current gear into a next higher gear or into a next lower gear by way of movement of the selector element out of the third position in a third actuating gate which is parallel to the first actuating gate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a first exemplary embodiment in accordance with the invention.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a second exemplary embodiment in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a “shifting gate diagram” of a vehicle with an automatic transmission, it being possible for the vehicle to be operated selectively in a “non-highly automated driving” or “highly automated driving” operating mode.

[0031] In the “non-highly automated driving” vehicle operating mode, shifting can be carried out between individual transmission operating modes D, N, R by means of a selector element 1 (shown in a merely highly diagrammatic manner here). The transmission operating mode D is the forward driving mode, N is the neutral state where the power flow between an input shaft and an output shaft of the automatic transmission is interrupted, and R is the reverse driving mode.

[0032] An operating element, for example a button, can be provided on the selector element. By actuating the operating element, the automatic transmission can be shifted into a parked state (P). As an alternative, it can be provided that the parked state can be engaged by way of movement of the selector element into an assigned parked position P.

[0033] As has already been mentioned, shifting over can be carried out between the individual transmission operating modes R, N, D and optionally P by way of movement (for example, by way of pivoting) of the selector lever in a first shift gate 2. The first shift gate 2 can be, for example, parallel to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0034] If the vehicle is situated in the “non-highly automated driving” operating mode in one of the transmission operating modes R, N, D and optionally P, shifting can be carried out into a “highly automated driving” (HAD for short) vehicle operating mode by way of pivoting of the selector element 1 in a direction 3 which is transverse with respect to the first actuating gate 2.

[0035] It can be provided that, as indicated in FIG. 1, the selector lever 1 has at least two stable positions, namely at least one stable position in the first actuating gate 2 and one second stable position which is assigned to the highly automated driving (HAD) vehicle operating mode.

[0036] If the selector element is situated in its “right-hand position” which is assigned to the highly automated driving (HAD) vehicle operating mode, it can thus be provided that the selector lever can be actuated in a second actuating gate 4. In the exemplary embodiment which is shown in FIG. 1, the second actuating gate 4 is parallel to the first actuating gate 2, that is to say parallel to a vehicle longitudinal direction. It can be provided that predefined functions of the highly automated driving vehicle operating mode can be selected by way of movement of the selector element 1 in the second actuating gate 4, that is to say by way of forward pivoting or rearward pivoting of the actuating element 1 in the second actuating gate. It can be provided that, for example, a signal from the driver for an overtaking operation which is then to be performed by a regulating electronics system in a fully automated manner can be given by way of forward pivoting of the selector element 1 in the second actuating gate 4.

[0037] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, a selector element 1 which is of a completely monostable configuration is shown in a diagrammatic manner. That is to say, the selector element 1 returns automatically into its “rest position” which is shown in FIG. 2 after every deflection of the selector element 1.

[0038] If the vehicle is situated in the non-highly automated driving vehicle operating mode, shifting between the individual automatic transmission modes (P), R, N, D can be carried out by way of pivoting of the selector element 1 in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, that is to say in the direction of the arrows 5a, 5b, which corresponds to the non-highly automated driving vehicle operating mode. Starting from said vehicle operating mode, shifting over into the highly automated driving (HAD) vehicle operating mode can be carried out by way of pivoting of the selector element to the right, that is to say in the direction of the arrow 6a. As an alternative to this, it might of course also be provided that shifting into the highly automated driving vehicle operating mode can be carried out by way of pivoting to the left, that is to say in the direction of the arrow 6b.

[0039] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.