JP7248376B2 - vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to vehicles .

Conventionally, there is a control device for a vehicle described in Patent Document 1. This control device restarts the engine by a starter motor if there is an abnormality in the alternator when restarting the engine in an idle stop state. Further, the control device restarts the engine by the alternator if an abnormality occurs in the starter motor when restarting the engine in the idling stop state. Further, the control device restarts the engine by either the alternator or the starter motor if both the alternator and the starter motor are normal when restarting the engine in the idling stop state.

JP 2016-11605 A

By the way, in the vehicle control device described in Patent Document 1, when the engine is restarted by the starter motor or the alternator, it is necessary to supply a large amount of electric power from the battery of the vehicle to the starter motor or the alternator. When a large amount of power is supplied from the battery to the starter motor or alternator, a phenomenon occurs in which the battery voltage of the vehicle temporarily drops. In a vehicle with an automatic driving function, if such a temporary drop in battery voltage occurs during execution of automatic driving, there is a risk that the power supplied to the automatic driving equipment for realizing the automatic driving function will decrease. If the operation of the automatic driving equipment is hindered due to this, there is a possibility that the appropriate automatic driving function cannot be maintained.

The present disclosure has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicle capable of maintaining an automatic driving function more accurately.

The vehicle that solves the above problems includes a power consumption calculation unit (461) that calculates the power consumption of the vehicle, an automatic operation control unit (460) that performs automatic operation control for automatically driving the vehicle, and an engine while the vehicle is running. and an engine control unit (25) that executes control to temporarily stop the engine and restarts the stopped engine while the vehicle is running. When restarting the engine while the automatic operation control is being executed, the engine control unit requests the automatic operation control unit to start the engine, and based on the request to start the engine, the automatic operation control unit The engine is restarted based on permitting the restart of the engine. When the engine control unit requests the automatic operation control unit to start the engine while the automatic operation control is being executed, the power consumption calculation unit determines whether the engine is restarted by the starter mounted on the vehicle. Current total power consumption, which is current total power consumption of all electric loads supplied with power from a battery mounted on the vehicle, is calculated before permission is given to the engine control unit. The automatic operation control unit determines whether or not the current total power consumption exceeds a predetermined value when an engine start request is received from the engine control unit while the automatic operation control is being executed. If it is determined that the electric power is less than or equal to the predetermined value, the engine control unit determines that there is a low possibility of interfering with the automatic operation control due to a temporary drop in the battery voltage due to the driving of the starter. to allow the engine to restart. If the automatic driving control unit determines that the current total power consumption exceeds a predetermined value, whether the vehicle's running speed has decreased to a predetermined speed or less after decreasing the vehicle's running speed? If it is determined that the running speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed, the restart of the engine by the engine control unit is prohibited, and if it is determined that the running speed of the vehicle has fallen below the predetermined speed. Therefore, even if a temporary drop in the battery voltage due to the drive of the starter interferes with the automatic driving control, it is determined that the situation is unlikely to appear in the running of the vehicle, and the engine control unit controls the engine. restart.
Another vehicle that solves the above problems includes a power consumption calculation unit (461) that calculates the power consumption of the vehicle, an automatic operation control unit (460) that performs automatic operation control for automatically driving the vehicle, and and an engine control unit (25) for executing control for temporarily stopping the engine during operation and for restarting the stopped engine while the vehicle is running. When restarting the engine while the automatic operation control is being executed, the engine control unit requests the automatic operation control unit to start the engine, and based on the request to start the engine, the automatic operation control unit The engine is restarted based on permitting the restart of the engine. When the engine control unit requests the automatic operation control unit to start the engine while the automatic operation control is being executed, the power consumption calculation unit determines whether the engine is restarted by the starter mounted on the vehicle. Current total power consumption, which is current total power consumption of all electric loads supplied with power from a battery mounted on the vehicle, is calculated before permission is given to the engine control unit. The automatic operation control unit determines whether or not the current total power consumption exceeds a predetermined value when an engine start request is received from the engine control unit while the automatic operation control is being executed. If it is determined that the electric power is less than or equal to the predetermined value, the engine control unit determines that there is a low possibility of interfering with the automatic operation control due to a temporary drop in the battery voltage due to the driving of the starter. to allow the engine to restart. When the automatic operation control unit determines that the current total power consumption exceeds the predetermined value, it calculates the future predicted value of the total power consumption of the electric load, and also calculates the future predicted value of the total power consumption. When it is determined whether or not the power consumption drop time period that is equal to or less than the value exists during the period from the present time until the predetermined time elapses, and it is determined that the power consumption drop time exists during the period from the present time to the elapse of the predetermined time. prohibits the restart of the engine by the engine control unit, and if it is determined that the power consumption decrease time does not exist in the period from the present to the elapse of a predetermined time, the running speed of the vehicle is reduced, and then It is determined whether or not the traveling speed of the vehicle has fallen below a predetermined speed, and during the period when the traveling speed of the vehicle exceeds the prescribed speed, the engine is prohibited from starting, and the traveling speed of the vehicle is reduced to the prescribed speed. If it is determined that the battery voltage drops below the level below, even if automatic operation control is hindered due to a temporary drop in battery voltage due to the driving of the starter, it is determined that the situation is unlikely to appear in the running of the vehicle. to allow the engine control unit to restart the engine.
Another vehicle that solves the above problems includes a power consumption calculation unit (461) that calculates the power consumption of the vehicle, an automatic operation control unit (460) that performs automatic operation control for automatically driving the vehicle, and and an engine control unit (25) for executing control for temporarily stopping the engine during operation and for restarting the stopped engine while the vehicle is running. When restarting the engine while the automatic operation control is being executed, the engine control unit requests the automatic operation control unit to start the engine, and based on the request to start the engine, the automatic operation control unit The engine is restarted based on permitting the restart of the engine. When the engine control unit requests the automatic operation control unit to start the engine while the automatic operation control is being executed, the power consumption calculation unit determines whether the engine is restarted by the starter mounted on the vehicle. Current total power consumption, which is current total power consumption of all electric loads supplied with power from a battery mounted on the vehicle, is calculated before permission is given to the engine control unit. The automatic operation control unit, when there is an engine start request from the engine control unit while the automatic operation control is being executed, is the current total power consumption calculated by the power consumption calculation unit at that time. It is determined whether or not the total power consumption exceeds a predetermined value, and if it is determined that the first current total power consumption is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the battery voltage temporarily drops due to the driving of the starter. The restart of the engine by the engine control unit is permitted, judging that the possibility of impeding the operation control is low. When the automatic operation control unit determines that the first current total power consumption exceeds the predetermined value, after limiting the power supply to the one or more electric loads, the power consumption calculation unit calculates after the limitation. determines whether or not the second current total power consumption, which is the current total power consumption, exceeds a predetermined value, and if it is determined that the second current total power consumption is equal to or less than the predetermined value, It is judged that the possibility of interfering with the automatic operation control due to the temporary drop in the battery voltage is low, and the restart of the engine by the engine control unit is permitted. When it is determined that the second current total power consumption exceeds the predetermined value, the automatic driving control unit reduces the running speed of the vehicle, and then reduces the running speed of the vehicle to a predetermined speed or less. If it is determined that the running speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed, the restart of the engine by the engine control unit is prohibited, and it is determined that the running speed of the vehicle has fallen below the predetermined speed. In such a case, even if a temporary drop in the battery voltage due to the driving of the starter interferes with the automatic driving control, the engine control unit determines that the situation is unlikely to appear in the running of the vehicle. to allow the engine to restart.
Another vehicle that solves the above problems includes a power consumption calculation unit (461) that calculates the power consumption of the vehicle, an automatic operation control unit (460) that performs automatic operation control for automatically driving the vehicle, and and an engine control unit (25) for executing control for temporarily stopping the engine during operation and for restarting the stopped engine while the vehicle is running. When restarting the engine while the automatic operation control is being executed, the engine control unit requests the automatic operation control unit to start the engine, and based on the request to start the engine, the automatic operation control unit The engine is restarted based on permitting the restart of the engine. When the engine control unit requests the automatic operation control unit to start the engine while the automatic operation control is being executed, the power consumption calculation unit determines whether the engine is restarted by the starter mounted on the vehicle. Current total power consumption, which is current total power consumption of all electric loads supplied with power from a battery mounted on the vehicle, is calculated before permission is given to the engine control unit. The automatic operation control unit, when there is an engine start request from the engine control unit while the automatic operation control is being executed, is the current total power consumption calculated by the power consumption calculation unit at that time. It is determined whether or not the total power consumption exceeds a predetermined value, and if it is determined that the first current total power consumption is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the battery voltage temporarily drops due to the driving of the starter. The restart of the engine by the engine control unit is permitted, judging that the possibility of impeding the operation control is low. When the automatic operation control unit determines that the first current total power consumption exceeds the predetermined value, after limiting the power supply to the one or more electric loads, the power consumption calculation unit calculates after the limitation. determines whether or not the second current total power consumption, which is the current total power consumption, exceeds a predetermined value, and if it is determined that the second current total power consumption is equal to or less than the predetermined value, It is judged that the possibility of interfering with the automatic operation control due to the temporary drop in battery voltage accompanying is low. When it is determined that it exceeds, the restart of the engine is permitted after limiting the function of at least a part of the automatic driving equipment controlled by the automatic driving control.

According to this configuration, when the total power consumption of the electrical load exceeds a predetermined value, that is, when there is a high possibility that the operation of the automatic operation equipment will be hindered due to a temporary drop in the battery voltage accompanying the driving of the starter. Since the engine is prohibited from starting, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the operation of the automatic driving device is hindered by the driving of the starter. This makes it easier to ensure the operation of the automatic driving equipment, so it is possible to more accurately maintain the automatic driving function.

It should be noted that the above means and the reference numerals in parentheses described in the claims are examples showing the correspondence with specific means described in the embodiments described later.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a vehicle capable of maintaining an automatic driving function more accurately.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle equipped with an automatic driving ECU according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure of processing executed by the automatic driving ECU of the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure of processing executed by the automatic driving ECU of the second embodiment. FIGS. 4A to 4C are timing charts showing changes in the SOC value of the battery, the total power consumption of the electric load, and the vehicle speed in the second embodiment. FIGS. 5A to 5C are timing charts showing changes in the SOC value of the battery, the total power consumption of the electric load, and the vehicle speed in the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of processing executed by an automatic driving ECU according to a modification of the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the procedure of processing executed by the automatic driving ECU of the third embodiment. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of power supply restriction processing executed by the automatic driving ECU of the third embodiment. FIGS. 9A and 9B are timing charts showing respective transitions of the total power consumption of the electric load and the vehicle speed in the third embodiment. FIGS. 10A and 10B are timing charts showing respective transitions of the total power consumption of the electric load and the vehicle speed in the third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the procedure of power supply restriction processing executed by the automatic driving ECU of the first modification of the third embodiment. FIG. 12 is a chart showing an example of the relationship between electrical loads and their priorities in the first modified example of the third embodiment. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the procedure of power supply restriction processing executed by the automatic driving ECU of the second modification of the third embodiment. FIG. 14 is a chart showing an example of the relationship among the electrical loads, their priorities, and the power consumption of the electrical loads in the second modification of the third embodiment. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the procedure of power supply restriction processing executed by the automatic driving ECU of the fourth embodiment. FIG. 16 is a chart showing an example of a restriction pattern of functions of automatic driving control by the automatic driving ECU of the fourth embodiment. FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a procedure of power supply restriction processing executed by an automatic driving ECU according to a modification of the fourth embodiment.

An embodiment of an automatic operation control device will be described below with reference to the drawings. In order to facilitate understanding of the description, the same constituent elements in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible, and overlapping descriptions are omitted.
<First Embodiment>
First, a first embodiment of an automatic operation control device will be described. First, a schematic configuration of a vehicle in which the automatic driving control device of the first embodiment is installed will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1 , a vehicle 10 is equipped with a power system 20 , a power supply system 30 , and an automatic driving system 40 .
The power system 20 is a part that centrally manages the power of the vehicle 10 . The power system 20 includes an engine 21 , a starter motor 22 , an alternator 23 , a vehicle speed sensor 24 and an engine ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 25 .

Engine 21 is an internal combustion engine that generates power for vehicle 10 to run.
The starter motor 22 starts the engine 21 by causing the engine 21 to carry out a cranking operation based on the supply of electric power from the battery 31 of the power supply system 30 . In this embodiment, the starter motor 22 corresponds to a starter.

Alternator 23 generates power based on power transmitted from engine 21 . Electric power generated by the alternator 23 is charged in the battery 31 . The alternator 23 may have a deceleration regeneration function that reduces the rotation speed of the engine 21 and uses the energy during deceleration to generate electricity. In this embodiment, the alternator 23 corresponds to the power generation section.

The vehicle speed sensor 24 detects the running speed V of the vehicle and outputs a signal corresponding to the detected vehicle speed V. FIG. An output signal of the vehicle speed sensor 24 is taken into the engine ECU 25 .
The engine ECU 25 is a part that executes engine control that controls the engine 21 in a centralized manner. The engine ECU 25 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having a CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like. The CPU executes arithmetic processing related to engine control. Various programs and data related to engine control are stored in the ROM. The RAM temporarily stores the calculation result of the CPU.

Specifically, the engine ECU 25 executes so-called engine start control to start the engine 21 when detecting an engine start operation by the driver. Also, the engine ECU 25 acquires information on the vehicle speed V based on the output signal of the vehicle speed sensor 24 . The engine ECU 25 controls the driving of the engine 21 based on the vehicle speed V, the temperature of the engine cooling water, the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal, the amount of intake air, and the like.

Furthermore, the engine ECU 25 also executes idling stop control, coasting control, and the like. The idling stop control is control for automatically stopping the engine 21 when the vehicle 10 is temporarily stopped. The coasting control is a control that automatically stops the engine 21 when the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal becomes zero while the vehicle is running. Further, when the vehicle 10 is a so-called hybrid vehicle having a motor for driving separately from the engine 21, the engine ECU 25 also executes control to automatically stop the engine 21 when the motor for driving is in operation.

The power supply system 30 is a part that comprehensively manages charge/discharge power of a battery 31 mounted on the vehicle, power supply of various vehicle-mounted devices 32, and the like.
The battery 31 is a secondary battery such as a rechargeable lithium ion battery. Specifically, the battery 31 is charged with electric power generated by the alternator 23 . In addition, the battery 31 supplies power to various vehicle-mounted devices 32 mounted on the vehicle 10 in addition to the starter motor 22 .

The vehicle-mounted device 32 includes an air conditioner device 320, a fan device 321, a defogger 322, a catalyst heater 323, a sensor heater 324, and the like. Air-conditioning device 320 is a device for cooling air for air-conditioning the vehicle interior in a vehicle air-conditioning device. The fan device 321 blows the air outside the passenger compartment to the radiator of the vehicle. The defogger 322 is arranged on the window glass of the vehicle, and defogs the window glass by generating heat based on the supply of electric power. The catalyst heater 323 raises the temperature of the exhaust purification catalyst to the activation temperature by heating the exhaust purification catalyst of the vehicle. The sensor heater 324 heats the air-fuel ratio sensor, the oxygen sensor, and the like to raise the temperature of the sensor to an appropriate temperature.

The power supply system 30 includes a current sensor 33 , a voltage sensor 34 , and a power supply ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 35 .
The current sensor 33 detects the output current Ib of the battery 31 and outputs a signal corresponding to the detected output current Ib of the battery 31 . The voltage sensor 34 detects the output voltage Vb of the battery 31 and outputs a signal corresponding to the detected output voltage Vb of the battery 31 .

The power supply ECU 35 is a part that performs power control that controls charging and discharging of the battery 31 and power supply of the vehicle-mounted device 32 in an integrated manner. The power supply ECU 35 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having a CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like. The CPU executes arithmetic processing related to power control. Various programs and data related to power control are stored in the ROM. The RAM temporarily stores the calculation result of the CPU.

Specifically, the power supply ECU 35 acquires information on the output current Ib and the output voltage Vb of the battery 31 based on the output signals of the sensors 33 and 34 . The power supply ECU 35 calculates the SOC (state of charge) value of the battery 31 based on these pieces of information. For the SOC value, the fully discharged state of the battery 31 is defined as "0 [%]", the fully charged state of the battery 31 is defined as "100 [%]", and the charged state of the battery 31 is defined as "0 [%]". ] to 100 [%]”. Power supply ECU 35 controls charging and discharging of battery 31 based on the SOC value of battery 31 . Also, the power supply ECU 35 controls the power supply of various vehicle-mounted devices 32 .

The automatic driving system 40 is a part that comprehensively executes automatic driving control of the vehicle 10 . The automatic driving system 40 includes a camera 41 , a laser device 42 , a radar device 43 , an operation device 44 , an automatic driving device 45 and an automatic driving ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 46 .

The camera 41 captures an image of a predetermined range set around the vehicle 10, such as a predetermined range in front of the vehicle 10 and a predetermined range behind the vehicle, and outputs captured image data. The laser device 42 is, for example, a laser radar device. The radar device 43 is, for example, a millimeter wave radar device. The laser device 42 and the radar device 43 detect an object existing within a search range set around the vehicle, and output a signal corresponding to the position of the detected object. The operating device 44 is a portion operated by the driver of the vehicle 10 . The operation device 44 includes an operation switch or the like that is operated when starting or stopping the automatic operation.

The automatic driving device 45 is various devices mounted on the vehicle to realize the automatic driving function. The automatic driving equipment 45 includes power system equipment, braking system equipment, and steering system equipment. The power system devices are, for example, the engine 21 and the transmission. The braking system equipment is, for example, the electronically controlled braking system 451 or a braking device. The steering system device is, for example, an electric power steering device 450 .

The electric power steering device 450 executes assist control for assisting the driver's steering by applying an assist torque corresponding to the steering torque applied to the steering wheel of the vehicle 10 to the steering wheel. Also, the electric power steering device 450 executes automatic steering control in response to a request from the automatic driving ECU 46 . The automatic steering control is control that automatically changes the steering angle of the vehicle 10 by applying a torque to the steering wheel, without depending on the steering of the steering wheel by the driver.

The electronically controlled brake system 451 optimally distributes the braking force applied to each wheel according to the rotational speed and turning state of each of the front and rear wheels of the vehicle 10 when the driver depresses the brake pedal. Execute brake control, etc. In addition, the electronically controlled brake system 451 executes automatic brake control in response to a request from the automatic driving ECU 46 . Automatic brake control is control that automatically applies a braking force to each wheel of the vehicle, regardless of the driver's depression of the brake pedal.

The automatic driving ECU 46 is a part that executes automatic driving control for controlling the automatic driving of the vehicle 10 in an integrated manner. In this embodiment, the automatic driving ECU 46 corresponds to the automatic driving control device. The automatic driving ECU 46 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having a CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like. CPU performs the arithmetic processing regarding automatic operation control. The ROM stores various programs and data related to automatic driving control. The RAM temporarily stores the calculation result of the CPU.

The engine ECU 25, the power supply ECU 35, and the automatic driving ECU 46 are connected via an in-vehicle network 50 so as to be able to communicate with each other. Therefore, the engine ECU 25, the power supply ECU 35, and the automatic driving ECU 46 can mutually exchange information and instruct operations.

For example, the automatic driving ECU 46 can detect various state quantities of the engine 21 and various state quantities of the battery 31 by communicating with the engine ECU 25 and the power supply ECU 35 . Further, the automatic driving ECU 46 can automatically control the rotational speed of the engine 21 by instructing the engine ECU 25 to operate the engine 21 in the automatic driving control.

The automatic driving ECU 46 has an automatic driving control section 460 and a power consumption computing section 461 .
Automatic operation control part 460 is a portion which performs automatic operation control. Specifically, based on the output signal of the operation device 44, the automatic driving control unit 460 starts automatic driving control when detecting that the driver has performed an automatic driving start operation. The automatic driving control unit 460 of the present embodiment includes, as automatic driving control, the power system of the vehicle 10 including the engine 21 and the transmission, the braking system of the vehicle 10 including the electronically controlled brake system 451 and the braking device, and the electric power steering. It automatically controls the steering system of the vehicle, including device 450 and the like.

For example, the automatic driving control unit 460 detects a lane boundary in front of the vehicle, a vehicle in front, an obstacle that hinders the running of the vehicle 10, and the like, based on the image data of the camera 41 . In addition, the automatic driving control unit 460 detects forward vehicles, obstacles, etc., based on output signals from the laser device 42 and the radar device 43 . The automatic driving control unit 460 sets the target travel line of the vehicle 10 based on the detected information such as the lane boundary line in front of the vehicle, the forward vehicle, and the obstacle, and also sets the target steering angle according to the target travel line. to calculate Automatic driving control unit 460 outputs the calculated target steering angle to electric power steering device 450 to cause electric power steering device 450 to perform automatic steering control based on the target steering angle. As a result, the steering angle of the vehicle 10 changes according to the target operating angle, so the vehicle 10 automatically travels along the target travel line.

Further, the automatic driving control unit 460 determines whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle 10 will come into contact with the vehicle ahead or the obstacle based on the position of the vehicle ahead or the obstacle. causes the electronically controlled brake system 451 to perform automatic brake control. This makes it possible to avoid contact with the vehicle 10 during automatic driving control.

Power consumption calculator 461 calculates total power consumption PCs, which is the sum of power consumptions of a plurality of electrical loads of vehicle 10 excluding starter motor 22 . The electric loads are various devices that are mounted on the vehicle and driven based on power supply from the battery 31 . Therefore, the electrical load includes the vehicle-mounted device 32, the automatic driving device 45, and the like. The power consumption calculation unit 461 acquires information on, for example, the output current Ib and the output voltage Vb of the battery 31 from the power supply ECU 35 via the in-vehicle network 50, and calculates Calculate the total power consumption PCs.

By the way, when the engine ECU 25 temporarily stops the engine 21 by idle stop control, coasting control, or the like, it is necessary to supply a large current from the battery 31 to the starter motor 22 when restarting the engine 21 thereafter. Therefore, a phenomenon in which the voltage of the battery 31 temporarily drops may occur. If such a temporary drop in the voltage of the battery 31 occurs during execution of automatic operation, the power supplied to the automatic operation equipment 45 may drop. If the operation of the automatic driving device 45 is hindered due to this, there is a possibility that an appropriate automatic driving function cannot be maintained.

Therefore, the automatic driving ECU 46 of the present embodiment sets the total power consumption PCs, which is the sum of the power consumptions of a plurality of electric loads excluding the starter motor 22, to a predetermined value PCth when starting the engine 21 during execution of automatic driving. is exceeded, the starting of the engine 21 is prohibited. Predetermined value PCth is determined by preliminary experiments, etc., so that it can be determined whether or not total power consumption PCs has decreased to a level at which the possibility of hindering the operation of automatic driving device 45 is low even when starter motor 22 is driven. and stored in the ROM of the automatic driving ECU 46 .

Specifically, the automatic driving ECU 46 repeatedly executes the process shown in FIG. 2 at a predetermined calculation cycle.
As shown in FIG. 2, the automatic driving control unit 460 first determines whether automatic driving control is being executed as the process of step S10. When the automatic driving control unit 460 makes a negative determination in the process of step S10, that is, when the automatic driving control is not being executed, the series of processes is once terminated.

When the automatic operation control unit 460 makes an affirmative determination in the process of step S10, that is, when the automatic operation control is being executed, the process of step S11 determines whether there is a request to start the engine 21. do. A request to start the engine 21 is made by the engine ECU 25, for example. The engine ECU 25 requests the automatic operation ECU 46 to start the engine 21 when the engine 21 is restarted after being temporarily stopped in idle stop control, coasting control, or the like. When the automatic driving ECU 46 is requested to start the engine 21 , the automatic driving ECU 46 permits the engine ECU 25 to start the engine 21 , so that the engine ECU 25 can start the engine 21 . On the other hand, if the automatic driving ECU 46 prohibits starting of the engine 21, the engine 21 is maintained in a stopped state.

When the automatic driving control unit 460 makes a negative determination in step S11, that is, when there is no request to start the engine 21, the series of processes is once terminated.
When the automatic operation control unit 460 makes an affirmative determination in step S11, that is, when there is a request to start the engine 21, the power consumption calculation unit 461 performs the current total power consumption PCs, which is the sum of the power consumptions of . Subsequently, the automatic operation control unit 460 determines whether or not the total power consumption PCs exceeds a predetermined value PCth as the process of step S13. Note that the automatic operation control unit 460 may correct the predetermined value PCth or the total power consumption PCs based on the power generated by the alternator 23 during deceleration regeneration of the alternator 23 or when deceleration regeneration is expected. Specifically, the automatic operation control unit 460 may increase the predetermined value PCth by the power generated by the alternator 23 due to deceleration regeneration. Alternatively, the automatic operation control unit 460 may reduce the total power consumption PCs by the power generated by the alternator 23 due to deceleration regeneration.

Also, a voltage value may be used as an index instead of the total power consumption PCs. That is, when the total power consumption increases, the battery terminal voltage drops by the internal resistance of the battery 31 . When the battery terminal voltage becomes lower than a predetermined value, it is determined that the total power consumption is large and that there is a possibility that the operation of the automatic operation equipment will be hindered when restarting.

Alternatively, the total power consumption PCs may be estimated from the operating state of each electrical load. For example, the relationship between the operating state and power consumption of each electrical load is stored in advance, and the current total power consumption PCs is estimated by detecting or estimating the control command value or the actual control state of each electrical load. can be done. In this case, the power consumption of all electrical loads may be estimated, or the power consumption may be limited to electrical loads with relatively high power consumption. Examples of electrical loads that consume relatively large amounts of power include the air conditioner device 320 and the electric power steering device 450 .

If a negative determination is made in the process of step S13, that is, if the total power consumption PCs is equal to or less than the predetermined value PCth, the automatic driving control unit 460 permits starting of the engine 21 as the process of step S16. In other words, the automatic operation control unit 460 permits starting of the engine 21 when there is a low possibility that the operation of the automatic operation device 45 will be hindered by a temporary drop in the battery voltage accompanying the driving of the starter motor 22. do.

If the determination in step S13 is affirmative, that is, if the total power consumption PCs exceeds the predetermined value PCth, the automatic driving control unit 460 executes steps S14 and S15. In other words, the automatic operation control unit 460 performs the processes of steps S14 and S15 in a situation where there is a high possibility that the operation of the automatic operation device 45 will be hindered due to a temporary drop in the battery voltage accompanying the drive of the starter motor 22. Execute. In such a situation, for example, the vehicle 10 is traveling on a winding road, and the load on the electric power steering device 450 is heavy, and its power consumption is high.

Specifically, the automatic driving control unit 460 reduces the vehicle speed V by applying a braking force to the vehicle 10 by the electronically controlled brake system 451 as the process of step S14, and the vehicle speed V is reduced as the process of step S15. It is determined whether or not the speed exceeds a predetermined speed Vth. If the vehicle speed V exceeds the predetermined speed Vth, the automatic driving control unit 460 once terminates the series of processes. In this case, the automatic driving ECU 46 periodically executes the process shown in FIG. 2, so that the process of step S14 is repeatedly executed and the vehicle speed V gradually decreases. Accordingly, when the vehicle speed V becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined speed Vth, the automatic driving control unit 460 makes a negative determination in the process of step S15, and permits starting of the engine 21 as the process of step S16. That is, the engine 21 is started when the vehicle speed V becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined speed Vth.

According to the automatic driving ECU 46 of the present embodiment described above, it is possible to obtain the actions and effects shown in (1) to (3) below.
(1) When the total power consumption PCs of the electrical loads exceeds the predetermined value PCth, that is, the temporary drop in the battery voltage accompanying the driving of the starter motor 22 may hinder the operation of the automatic operation device 45. is high, the starting of the engine 21 is prohibited. As a result, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the operation of the automatically operating device 45 is hindered due to the drive of the starter motor 22 , so that the operation of the automatically operating device 45 can be easily ensured. Therefore, it is possible to more accurately maintain the automatic driving function.

(2) When the total power consumption PCs exceeds the predetermined value PCth, the automatic driving control unit 460 reduces the vehicle speed V and permits the starting of the engine 21 . As a result, even if the operation of the automatic driving device 45 is hindered by the driving of the starter motor 22, it is relatively difficult for the vehicle to run, and the driver is less likely to feel uneasy.

(3) The automatic operation control unit 460 corrects the total power consumption PCs or the predetermined value PCth based on the power generated by the alternator 23 . As a result, it is determined whether or not there is a possibility that the operation of the automatic driving device 45 will be hindered by a temporary drop in the battery voltage due to the driving of the starter motor 22, while also considering the charging power of the battery 31. be able to. Therefore, it is possible to more accurately avoid a situation in which the operation of the automatic driving device 45 is hindered due to the driving of the starter motor 22 .

<Second embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment of the automatic driving ECU 46 will be described. The following description will focus on differences from the automatic driving ECU 46 of the first embodiment.
As indicated by broken lines in FIG. 1 , the automatic driving ECU 46 of this embodiment further includes a solar radiation sensor 47 , an outside air temperature sensor 48 and a rain sensor 49 . The solar radiation sensor 47 detects the amount of solar radiation in the vehicle 10 and outputs a signal corresponding to the detected amount of solar radiation. The outside air temperature sensor 48 detects the outside air temperature, which is the temperature of the air inside the vehicle, and outputs a signal corresponding to the detected outside air temperature. The rain sensor 49 detects the amount of raindrops adhering to the vehicle 10 and outputs a signal corresponding to the detected amount of raindrops.

Also, the automatic driving ECU 46 is communicably connected to the car navigation device 60 via the in-vehicle network 50 . The automatic driving ECU 46 acquires information such as the gradient and curvature of the road on which the vehicle 10 will travel in the future from the car navigation device 60, and executes automatic driving control using the acquired information related to the road. Information about the travel route is used, for example, to set a target travel line for the vehicle 10 .

The automatic driving ECU 46 of this embodiment executes the process shown in FIG. 3 instead of the process shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, when the automatic operation control unit 460 makes an affirmative determination in the process of step S13, that is, when the total power consumption PCs exceeds the predetermined value PCth, the power consumption calculation unit 461 As the process of step S20, a future predicted value PCsf of the total power consumption of the electric load is calculated.

For example, the power consumption calculating unit 461 predicts the power consumption of each electric load and calculates the predicted value PCsf of the total power consumption based on the sum of the predicted individual power consumption of the electric loads. Specifically, the power consumption calculator 461 can predict the power consumption of the electric power steering device 450 based on the information about the curvature and gradient of the future travel road of the vehicle 10 acquired from the car navigation device 60. . Also, the power consumption calculator 461 can predict the power consumption of the air conditioner device 320 based on the amount of solar radiation detected by the solar radiation sensor 47 and the outside temperature detected by the outside temperature sensor 48 . Further, the power consumption calculator 461 can predict the power consumption of the wipers of the vehicle 10 based on the amount of raindrops detected by the rain sensor 49 . Calculation of the power consumption of each of these electric loads is performed using a calculation map, a calculation formula, or the like obtained in advance through experiments or the like. After calculating the predicted values of the power consumption of the individual electric loads in this manner, the power consumption calculation unit 461 obtains the sum of the calculated values as the predicted value PCsf of the total power consumption. As a result, the power consumption calculator 461 can obtain the predicted value PCsf of the total power consumption after the current time t10, as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 4B.

Note that the power consumption calculation unit 461 may reduce the predicted value PCsf of the total power consumption by the power generated by the alternator 23 due to deceleration regeneration.
As shown in FIG. 3 , following the process of step S20, the automatic operation control unit 460 determines whether or not there will be a power consumption decrease period after the current time as the process of step S21. The low power consumption period is a period when the predicted value PCsf of the total power consumption becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value PCth. Specifically, the automatic operation control unit 460 determines whether or not there is a power consumption decrease timing during a period from the present until the predetermined time Ta elapses.

As the predetermined time Ta, for example, the time that the driver can wait without starting the engine 21 is experimentally obtained by sensory evaluation, and the obtained time is used. As the predetermined time Ta, a time obtained experimentally from requirements such as the ability of the SOC value of the battery 31 to maintain the electrical energy necessary for starting the engine 21 is used.

Alternatively, as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 4A, the automatic operation control unit 460 calculates the predicted SOC value of the battery 31 based on the transition of the battery 31 from the present to a predetermined time ago, and The predetermined time Ta may be set based on the calculated value. Specifically, the automatic operation control unit 460 first calculates the amount of change in the SOC value of the battery 31 per unit time based on the transition of the battery 31 from the current time t10 to a predetermined time ago. Then, the automatic operation control unit 460 uses the calculated amount of change in the SOC value of the battery 31 per unit time to extrapolate the transition from the current value of the battery 31 as indicated by the dashed-dotted line. The elapsed time from t10 to time t11 is calculated as the predetermined time Ta. The predicted value of the SOC value may be calculated by accumulating the predicted value of the future total power consumption. Time t11 is the time when the predicted value of the SOC value of battery 31 reaches predetermined value Sth. The predetermined value Sth is set to the lower limit of the SOC value of the battery 31 necessary for starting the engine 21, or a value larger than the lower limit.

Note that the automatic driving control unit 460 may determine, as the process of step S<b>21 , whether or not there is a power consumption decrease time in a section until the vehicle 10 travels a predetermined distance from the current location. That is, in the processing of step S21, the automatic driving control unit 460 can employ a method of using the travel distance of the vehicle 10 as a determination criterion instead of using time as the determination criterion.

As shown in FIG. 3, the automatic operation control unit 460 executes the processes of steps S14 to S16 when a negative determination is made in the process of step S21, that is, when the power consumption decrease period does not exist after the present time. That is, the automatic driving control unit 460 reduces the vehicle speed V and then permits the engine 21 to start.

When the automatic operation control unit 460 makes an affirmative determination in the process of step S21, that is, when the power consumption decrease period exists after the present time, the series of processes is once terminated. In this case, the total power consumption PCs becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value PCth when the power consumption decrease time comes after that. In this case, when the automatic driving ECU 46 subsequently executes the process shown in FIG. 3, the automatic driving ECU 46 makes an affirmative determination in the process of step S13 and permits starting of the engine 21 as the process of step S16.

Next, an operation example of the automatic driving ECU 46 of this embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 4A, the automatic driving ECU 46 predicts the SOC value of the battery 31 at the current time t10 as indicated by the dashed-dotted line. The time required for the predicted value to reach the predetermined value Sth is calculated as the predetermined time Ta. In this case, the automatic driving ECU 46, as shown in FIG. 4(B), determines whether or not there is a period from the current time t10 to the time t11 when the predetermined time Ta has passed. .

As shown in FIG. 4B, the automatic driving ECU 46 prohibits starting the engine 21 at the current time t10 when the power consumption decrease time ta exists in the period from the current time t10 to the time t11. do. After that, the automatic driving ECU 46 permits starting of the engine 21 when the power consumption decrease time ta arrives and the total power consumption PCs becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value PCth. As a result, the engine 21 can be started when there is a low possibility that the operation of the automatic driving device 45 will be hindered by a temporary drop in the battery voltage due to the drive of the starter motor 22 .

It should be noted that, as shown in FIG. 4(B), when the power consumption decrease timing ta exists in the period from the current time t10 to time t11, as shown in FIG. No control is performed to reduce V. Therefore, the convenience of automatic driving can be maintained.
On the other hand, when the automatic driving ECU 46 calculates the predicted value of the SOC value of the battery 31 as shown in FIG. 5A, as shown in FIG. Assume that there is no period during which the predicted value PCsf of the total power consumption becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value PCth. That is, it is assumed that the power consumption decrease time ta does not exist after the present time. In this case, the automatic driving ECU 46 reduces the vehicle speed V from the current time t10, as shown in FIG. 5(C). After that, when the vehicle speed V decreases to a predetermined speed Vth at time tb, the automatic driving ECU 46 starts the engine 21 . As a result, even if the operation of the automatic driving device 45 is hindered by the driving of the starter motor 22, it is relatively difficult for the vehicle to run, and the driver is less likely to feel uneasy.

According to the automatic driving ECU 46 of this embodiment described above, it is possible to further obtain the actions and effects shown in (4) and (5) below.
(4) The automatic driving ECU 46, if there is a low power consumption decrease time ta at which the operation of the automatic driving device 45 is unlikely to be hindered even if the starter motor 22 is driven, the current engine 21 is prohibited from starting. As a result, when the predicted value PCsf of the total power consumption becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value PCth when the power consumption decrease time ta arrives after that, the start of the engine 21 is permitted, and the starter motor 22 is driven. As a result, the starter motor 22 can be driven in a situation in which the operation of the automatic operation equipment is unlikely to be hindered, so that the operation of the automatic operation equipment 45 can be easily ensured. Therefore, it is possible to more accurately maintain the automatic driving function.

(5) The automatic driving ECU 46 reduces the vehicle speed if there is no power consumption decrease time ta at which the operation of the automatic driving device 45 is unlikely to be hindered even if the starter motor 22 is driven. , the start of the engine 21 is permitted. As a result, the engine 21 can be started more quickly, so the running performance of the vehicle 10 can be ensured.

(Modification)
Next, a modification of the automatic driving ECU 46 of the second embodiment will be described.
Electric power steering device 450 is a typical example of an electric load that consumes a large amount of power. The power consumption of this electric power steering device 450 has a correlation with the curvature of the road on which the vehicle travels. Specifically, the power consumption of electric power steering device 450 increases as the curvature of the road on which the vehicle travels increases. Utilizing this, in this modified example, the curvature of the road on which the vehicle will travel in the future is used instead of the future predicted value PCsf of the total power consumption.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, when the automatic driving control unit 460 makes an affirmative determination in the process of step S13, the power consumption calculation unit 461 performs the process of step S22 on the road on which the vehicle will travel in the future. information on the curvature R of is obtained from the car navigation device 60 .

Following the process of step S22, the automatic driving control unit 460 determines whether or not the curvature decreasing point exists in a period until the predetermined time Ta elapses from the present as the process of step S23. A curvature decreasing point is a point where the curvature R of the road on which the vehicle will travel in the future becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value Rth. That is, the automatic operation control unit 460 determines whether or not the power consumption decrease time exists after the present based on whether or not the curvature decrease point exists in the period from the present to the elapse of the predetermined time Ta. .

When the automatic driving control unit 460 makes an affirmative determination in the process of step S23, that is, when the curvature decreasing point exists during the period until the predetermined time Ta elapses, the series of processes is temporarily terminated. On the other hand, when the automatic driving control unit 460 makes a negative determination in the processing of step S23, that is, when there is no curvature decrease point during the period until the predetermined time Ta elapses, the processing of steps S14 to S16 is executed. do.

Even with such a configuration, it is possible to obtain actions and effects similar to those of the second embodiment.
<Third Embodiment>
Next, a third embodiment of the automatic driving ECU 46 will be described. The following description will focus on differences from the automatic driving ECU 46 of the first embodiment.

The automatic driving ECU 46 of this embodiment executes the process shown in FIG. 7 instead of the process shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, when the determination in step S13 is affirmative, that is, when the total power consumption PCs exceeds the predetermined value PCth, the automatic operation control unit 460 performs the following steps as the process in step S30: Execute power supply restriction processing. Power supply restriction processing is processing for restricting power supply to one or more electric loads.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the automatic operation control unit 460 instructs the power supply ECU 35 to limit the power supply of all of the preselected one or more electric loads as the process of step S300. command. As the electric load whose power supply can be limited, for example, an electric load that does not interfere with the automatic operation control even if the power supply is temporarily limited during the starting period of the engine 21 is selected. Such electrical loads include an air conditioner device 320, a fan device 321, a defogger 322, a catalyst heater 323, a sensor heater 324, and the like. Note that "restriction of power supply" includes reducing the amount of power supply to a level lower than usual and cutting off the power supply.

As shown in FIG. 7, the automatic operation control unit 460 determines whether or not the total power consumption PCs exceeds a predetermined value PCth as the process of step S31 following the process of step S30. If the automatic operation control unit 460 makes a negative determination in the process of step S31, that is, if the total power consumption PCs becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value PCth by stopping the power supply to one or more electrical loads, step After permitting the starting of the engine 21 as the process of S32, the restriction on the power supply to the electric load is lifted as the process of step S33.

On the other hand, when the automatic operation control unit 460 makes an affirmative determination in the process of step S31, that is, when the total power consumption PCs still exceeds the predetermined value PCth even after stopping the power supply to one or more electric loads, decreases the vehicle speed V as the process of step S14. After that, when the vehicle speed V becomes equal to or less than the predetermined speed Vth, the automatic driving control unit 460 makes a negative determination in the process of step S15, permits the start of the engine 21 as the process of step S32, and the electric load as the process of step S33. remove restrictions on the power supply of

Next, an operation example of the automatic driving ECU 46 of this embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 9A, the automatic operation ECU 46 stops power supply to one or more electric loads when the total power consumption PCs exceeds a predetermined value PCth at the current time t20. . As a result, total power consumption PCs decreases after time t20. After that, when the total power consumption PCs becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value PCth at time t21, the automatic operation ECU 46 permits starting of the engine 21 at time t21. Therefore, the engine 21 can be started when there is a low possibility that the operation of the automatic driving device 45 will be hindered by a temporary drop in the battery voltage due to the driving of the starter motor 22 .

In this case, the automatic driving ECU 46 does not perform control to reduce the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 10, as shown in FIG. 9B. Therefore, the convenience of automatic driving can be maintained.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10A, after limiting the power supply to one or more electric loads at time t20, when the power supply limitation to the electric loads is completed at time t22, total consumption There are situations in which the power PCs does not drop below the predetermined value PCth. In such a situation, the automatic driving ECU 46 reduces the vehicle speed V after time t22 when the restriction of power supply to the electric load is completed. After that, when the vehicle speed V decreases to a predetermined speed Vth at time t23, the automatic driving ECU 46 starts the engine 21. As a result, even if the operation of the automatic driving device 45 is hindered by the driving of the starter motor 22, it is relatively difficult for the vehicle to run, and the driver is less likely to feel uneasy.

According to the automatic driving ECU 46 of the present embodiment described above, it is possible to further obtain the actions and effects shown in (6) to (8) below.
(6) When the total power consumption PCs exceeds a predetermined value PCth, the automatic operation control unit 460 restricts power supply to one or more electric loads and then permits starting of the engine 21 . As a result, it is possible to intentionally create a situation in which the operation of the automatic operation device 45 is unlikely to be hindered when the starter motor 22 is started, so that the operation of the automatic operation device 45 can be ensured more accurately. can be done.

(7) The automatic operation control unit 460 selects an electric load that does not interfere with automatic operation control even if the power supply is temporarily restricted during the startup period of the engine 21 as the electric load whose power supply is restricted. The electrical loads include an air conditioner device 320, a fan device 321, a defogger 322, a catalyst heater 323, a sensor heater 324, and the like. As a result, the engine 21 can be started with little influence on automatic operation.

(8) The automatic operation control unit 460 releases the restriction on the power supply to the electric load after permitting the starting of the engine 21 . As a result, the operation of the electric load can be restored after the engine 21 is started, so that the user's discomfort can be eliminated.
(First modification)
Next, the automatic driving ECU 46 of the first modified example of the third embodiment will be described.

The automatic operation control unit 460 of this embodiment executes the process shown in FIG. 11 as the power supply restriction process in step S30 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 11 , the automatic operation control unit 460, first, as the process of step S301, among the plurality of electrical loads for which power supply can be restricted, the power supply to the electrical load of high priority. Restrict. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 12, a plurality of electric loads EL(1), EL(2), EL(3), . are given priority in advance. In FIG. 12, the smaller the priority value, the higher the priority. Note that “m” shown in FIG. 12 is an integer of 1 or more. When executing the process of step S301, the automatic operation control unit 460 first stops power supply to the electrical load EL(1) having the highest priority.

As shown in FIG. 11, the automatic operation control unit 460 determines whether or not the total power consumption PCs exceeds a predetermined value PCth as the process of step S302 following the process of step S301. If an affirmative determination is made in the process of step S302, that is, if the total power consumption PCs exceeds the predetermined value PCth, the automatic operation control unit 460 performs the process of step S303 for all electric loads EL(1) ˜Determine whether power supply to EL(m) is restricted.

If a negative determination is made in the process of step S303, that is, if there is an electrical load whose power supply is not restricted, the automatic operation control unit 460 returns to the process of step S301. In this case, the automatic operation control unit 460 further limits the power supply to the electrical loads with high priority. For example, when the power supply of the electric load EL(1) has already been limited and the power supply of the electric load EL(2) has not yet been limited, the automatic operation control unit 460 controls the electric load EL(2). ) power supply. In this manner, the automatic operation control unit 460 sequentially limits the power supply to the electric loads EL(1) to EL(m).

When the power supply to the electrical loads EL(1) to EL(m) is sequentially restricted and the total power consumption PCs becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value PCth, the automatic operation control unit 460 makes a negative determination in the process of step S302, Return to the process shown in FIG.
On the other hand, if the total power consumption PCs exceeds the predetermined value PCth even after the power supply to all the electric loads EL(1) to EL(m) is stopped, the automatic operation control unit 460 performs the process of step S303. , and returns to the process shown in FIG.

With such a configuration, it is possible to limit the power supply to only those with high priority among the plurality of electric loads, so that the operation of some of the electric loads can be maintained. Therefore, the running performance of the vehicle 10 can be ensured more accurately.
(Second modification)
Next, the automatic driving ECU 46 of the second modified example of the third embodiment will be described.

The automatic operation control unit 460 of this embodiment executes the process shown in FIG. 13 as the power supply restriction process of step S30 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 13, the automatic operation control unit 460 first calculates a difference value ΔPC (=PCs−PCth) between the total power consumption PCs and the predetermined value PCth as the process of step S304.

Subsequently, the automatic operation control unit 460 determines, among the plurality of electric loads, the target for which the power supply is restricted based on the difference value ΔPC as the process of step S305. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 14, the automatic operation control unit 460 provides information on a plurality of electrical loads EL(1) to EL(m) for which power supply can be restricted, and It has information on preset priorities and information on their power consumption PC(1) to PC(m). As the power consumptions PC(1) to PC(m), values obtained in advance through experiments or the like may be used, or values sequentially obtained through a sensor or the like may be used. The automatic operation control unit 460 sequentially adds the power consumption of the electrical loads with the highest priority, and identifies the electrical load whose added value exceeds the difference value ΔPC as a power supply restriction target. For example, the automatic operation control unit 460 determines that the addition value “PC(1)+PC(2)” of the power consumption PC(1) and PC(2) of the electric loads EL(1) and EL(2) is the difference value. If ΔPC is exceeded, the electric loads EL(1) and EL(2) are specified as power supply restriction targets.

As shown in FIG. 13 , following the process of step S305, the automatic operation control unit 460 restricts the power supply of one or more electrical loads identified as power supply restriction targets as the process of step S306. After that, the process returns to the process shown in FIG.
With such a configuration, it is possible to limit the power supply to only those with high priority among the plurality of electric loads, so that the operation of some of the electric loads can be maintained. In addition, since the total power consumption PCs can be immediately changed to the predetermined value PCth or less, it is possible to immediately create a situation in which the operation of the automatic operation device 45 is unlikely to be hindered when the starter motor 22 is started. can be done. Therefore, the engine 21 can be started while ensuring the running performance of the vehicle 10 more accurately.

<Fourth Embodiment>
Next, a fourth embodiment of the automatic driving ECU 46 will be described. The following description will focus on differences from the automatic driving ECU 46 of the second embodiment.
The automatic driving ECU 46 of this embodiment executes the process shown in FIG. 15 instead of the process shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 15, when the automatic operation control unit 460 makes a negative determination in the process of step S21, that is, when the power consumption decrease time does not exist after the current time, the automatic operation control unit 460 performs automatic operation as the process of step S40. Restrict the functionality of at least some of the devices 45 .

Specifically, the automatic driving control unit 460 restricts at least one of the power function, braking function, and steering function of the automatic driving device 45 . A power function indicates a function related to the power system of the vehicle 10 such as the engine 21 and the transmission. A braking function indicates a function related to the braking system of the vehicle 10 such as the braking device and the electronically controlled braking system 451 . A steering function indicates a function related to the steering system of the vehicle 10 such as the electric power steering device 450 .

More specifically, the automatic operation control unit 460 executes one of patterns P1 to P7 shown in FIG. “No restriction” shown in FIG. 16 means that the automatic operation device 45 corresponding to the function is executed without restriction. "Limited" shown in FIG. 16 means that a part of the automatically operating device 45 corresponding to the corresponding function is restricted, or that the automatically operating device 45 corresponding to the corresponding function is stopped. For example, in pattern P5, the power function is "restricted". One example of this is a state in which automatic control of the engine 21 and transmission is possible after setting an upper limit to the running speed of the vehicle 10. Alternatively, it is possible to prohibit the automatic control of the engine 21 and the transmission, that is, switch to manual operation by the driver.

In pattern P7 shown in FIG. 16, all of the power function, braking function, and steering function are "limited". In this pattern P7, all the functions of the automatically operating device 45 may be restricted by restricting all of the power function, the braking function, and the steering function of the automatically operating device 45. Further, in pattern P7, for example, the power function may be restricted while the braking function and the steering function of the automatic driving device 45 are prohibited. As an example, the braking function and the steering function are switched to manual operation by the driver, and the engine 21 and the transmission are automatically controlled after setting an upper speed limit for the running speed of the vehicle 10 .

As shown in FIG. 15, the automatic driving control unit 460 permits starting of the engine 21 as the process of step S41 following the process of step S40. Restrictions on the functions of the automatic driving equipment 45 are released.
According to the automatic driving ECU 46 of the present embodiment described above, instead of the action and effect shown in (2) of the first embodiment, it is possible to obtain the action and effect shown in (9) below, and further The action and effect shown in (10) below can be obtained.

(9) When the total power consumption PCs exceeds the predetermined value PCth, the automatic operation control unit 460 restricts at least part of the functions of the automatic operation device 45 and then permits starting of the engine 21 . As a result, even if the operation of the automatic driving device 45 is hindered by the driving of the starter motor 22, the driver can operate at least a part of the automatic driving device 45, thereby maintaining the running state of the vehicle. be able to.

(10) The automatic driving control unit 460 releases the restriction on the automatic driving device 45 after permitting the start of the engine 21 . As a result, the operation of the automatic operation device 45 can be restored after the engine 21 is started, so that the automatic operation can be maintained more accurately.
(Modification)
Next, a modification of the automatic driving ECU 46 of the fourth embodiment will be described.

The automatic driving ECU 46 of this modified example executes the process shown in FIG. 17 instead of the process shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 17, when the determination in step S31 is affirmative, that is, even when the power supply to one or more electrical loads is stopped, the automatic operation control unit 460 still maintains the total power consumption PCs at the predetermined value PCth. , the processing of steps S43 to S46 is executed. The processing of steps S43-S45 is the same as the processing of steps S40-S42 shown in FIG. Following the process of step S45, the automatic operation control unit 460 cancels the restriction on the power supply to the electric load as the process of step S46. The processing of step S46 is the same as the processing of step S33 shown in FIG.

According to such a configuration, it is possible to obtain the actions and effects shown in (9) and (10) above in the automatic driving ECU 46 of the third embodiment.
<Other embodiments>
In addition, each embodiment can also be implemented in the following forms.

- The alternator 23 may have a function capable of starting the engine 21 by cranking the engine 21 . When the alternator 23 has such an engine starting function, the alternator 23 also corresponds to the starter. Therefore, it is needless to say that the voltage drop of the battery 31 due to the driving of the alternator 23 must be taken into consideration in implementing each embodiment.

- As indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 1 , the vehicle may be equipped with a sub-battery 36 in addition to the battery 31 . The sub-battery 36 supplementarily supplies power to various electronic devices mounted on the vehicle 10 when the charge amount of the battery 31 decreases.
The means and/or functions provided by the automatic driving ECU 46 can be provided by software stored in a physical storage device and a computer that executes it, software only, hardware only, or a combination thereof. For example, when the automatic driving ECU 46 is provided by an electronic circuit that is hardware, it can be provided by a digital circuit including many logic circuits or an analog circuit.

- The present disclosure is not limited to the above specific examples. Appropriate design changes made by those skilled in the art to the above specific examples are also included in the scope of the present disclosure as long as they have the features of the present disclosure. Each element included in each specific example described above, and its arrangement, conditions, shape, etc., are not limited to those illustrated and can be changed as appropriate. As long as there is no technical contradiction, the combination of the elements included in the specific examples described above can be changed as appropriate.

46: Automatic driving ECU (automatic driving control device)
320: Air conditioner device 321: Fan device 322: Defogger 323: Catalyst heater 324: Sensor heater 460: Automatic operation control unit
461: Power consumption calculator

Claims (10)

a power consumption calculator (461) that calculates the power consumption of the vehicle;
An automatic driving control unit (460) that executes automatic driving control for automatically driving the vehicle;
An engine control unit (25) that executes control to temporarily stop the engine while the vehicle is running and restarts the stopped engine while the vehicle is running,
The engine control unit
When the engine is restarted while the automatic operation control is being executed, the automatic operation control unit is requested to start the engine,
The engine is restarted based on the automatic operation control unit permitting restart of the engine based on the engine start request,
The power consumption calculation unit
When there is an engine start request from the engine control unit to the automatic operation control unit while the automatic operation control is being executed, the restart of the engine by the starter mounted on the vehicle is said calculating the current total power consumption, which is the current total power consumption of all the electrical loads supplied with power from the battery mounted on the vehicle, prior to being permitted to the engine control unit;
The automatic operation control unit is
When there is a request to start the engine from the engine control unit while the automatic operation control is being executed, it is determined whether the current total power consumption exceeds a predetermined value,
When it is determined that the current total power consumption is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the situation is such that the possibility of interfering with the automatic operation control due to a temporary drop in the battery voltage accompanying the driving of the starter is low. determining and permitting restart of the engine by the engine control unit;
If it is determined that the current total power consumption exceeds the predetermined value, whether or not the running speed of the vehicle has fallen below a predetermined speed after the running speed of the vehicle has been reduced. to determine
when it is determined that the running speed of the vehicle exceeds the predetermined speed, prohibiting the restart of the engine by the engine control unit;
When it is determined that the traveling speed of the vehicle has become equal to or lower than the predetermined speed, even if the automatic operation control is hindered due to a temporary decrease in the battery voltage accompanying the driving of the starter, the vehicle restarting of the engine by the engine control unit is permitted. The battery has
The generated power, which is the power generated by the power generation unit mounted on the vehicle, is charged,
The automatic operation control unit is
The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the current total power consumption or the predetermined value is corrected based on the power generated by the power generation unit. a power consumption calculator (461) that calculates the power consumption of the vehicle;
An automatic driving control unit (460) that executes automatic driving control for automatically driving the vehicle;
An engine control unit (25) that executes control to temporarily stop the engine while the vehicle is running and restarts the stopped engine while the vehicle is running,
The engine control unit
When the engine is restarted while the automatic operation control is being executed, the automatic operation control unit is requested to start the engine,
The engine is restarted based on the automatic operation control unit permitting restart of the engine based on the engine start request,
The power consumption calculation unit
When there is an engine start request from the engine control unit to the automatic operation control unit while the automatic operation control is being executed, the restart of the engine by the starter mounted on the vehicle is said calculating the current total power consumption, which is the current total power consumption of all the electrical loads supplied with power from the battery mounted on the vehicle, prior to being permitted to the engine control unit;
The automatic operation control unit is
When there is a request to start the engine from the engine control unit while the automatic operation control is being executed, it is determined whether the current total power consumption exceeds a predetermined value,
When it is determined that the current total power consumption is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the situation is such that the possibility of interfering with the automatic operation control due to a temporary drop in the battery voltage accompanying the driving of the starter is low. determining and permitting restart of the engine by the engine control unit;
When it is determined that the current total power consumption exceeds the predetermined value, a future predicted value of the total power consumption of the electric load is calculated, and the future predicted value of the total power consumption is the predetermined value. Determining whether or not the following power consumption decrease period exists in the period from the present to the elapse of a predetermined period of time,
If it is determined that the power consumption decrease time exists during the period from the present to the elapse of the predetermined time, prohibiting the restart of the engine by the engine control unit,
When it is determined that the power consumption decrease timing does not exist in the period from the present time until the predetermined time elapses, the running speed of the vehicle is reduced, and then the running speed of the vehicle is reduced to a predetermined value. Judging whether or not it has become below the speed,
prohibiting starting of the engine during a period in which the running speed of the vehicle exceeds the predetermined speed;
When it is determined that the traveling speed of the vehicle has become equal to or lower than the predetermined speed, even if the automatic operation control is hindered due to a temporary decrease in the battery voltage accompanying the driving of the starter, the vehicle restarting of the engine by the engine control unit is permitted. The automatic operation control unit is
Based on whether or not a curvature decrease point where the curvature of the road on which the vehicle will travel in the future is equal to or less than a predetermined value exists during the period from the present until the predetermined time elapses, the power consumption decrease time is changed from the current time to the predetermined time. 4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein it is determined whether or not the vehicle exists during a period of time. a power consumption calculator (461) that calculates the power consumption of the vehicle;
An automatic driving control unit (460) that executes automatic driving control for automatically driving the vehicle;
An engine control unit (25) that executes control to temporarily stop the engine while the vehicle is running and restarts the stopped engine while the vehicle is running,
The engine control unit
When the engine is restarted while the automatic operation control is being executed, the automatic operation control unit is requested to start the engine,
The engine is restarted based on the automatic operation control unit permitting restart of the engine based on the engine start request,
The power consumption calculation unit
When there is an engine start request from the engine control unit to the automatic operation control unit while the automatic operation control is being executed, the restart of the engine by the starter mounted on the vehicle is said calculating the current total power consumption, which is the current total power consumption of all the electrical loads supplied with power from the battery mounted on the vehicle, prior to being permitted to the engine control unit;
The automatic operation control unit is
When there is a request to start the engine from the engine control unit while the automatic operation control is being executed, a first current total power consumption which is the current total power consumption calculated by the power consumption calculation unit at that time Determining whether power consumption exceeds a predetermined value,
When it is determined that the first current total power consumption is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the automatic operation control is unlikely to be hindered due to a temporary drop in the battery voltage accompanying the driving of the starter. determining that there is, permitting restart of the engine by the engine control unit,
When it is determined that the first current total power consumption exceeds the predetermined value, after limiting the power supply to one or more of the electric loads, the determining whether or not a second current total power consumption, which is the current total power consumption, exceeds the predetermined value;
When it is determined that the second current total power consumption is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the automatic operation control is unlikely to be hindered due to a temporary drop in the battery voltage accompanying the driving of the starter. determining that there is, permitting restart of the engine by the engine control unit,
If it is determined that the second current total power consumption exceeds the predetermined value, whether the running speed of the vehicle has fallen below a predetermined speed after the running speed of the vehicle has been decreased determine whether or not
when it is determined that the running speed of the vehicle exceeds the predetermined speed, prohibiting the restart of the engine by the engine control unit;
When it is determined that the traveling speed of the vehicle has become equal to or lower than the predetermined speed, even if the automatic operation control is hindered due to a temporary decrease in the battery voltage accompanying the driving of the starter, the vehicle restarting of the engine by the engine control unit is permitted. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the electric load whose power supply is restricted is an electric load that does not hinder the automatic operation control even if the power supply is temporarily restricted during the starting period of the engine. The electrical loads that do not interfere with the automatic operation of the vehicle include an air conditioner device (320) of the vehicle, a fan device (321) that blows air to the radiator of the vehicle, and a defogger (322) that is arranged on the window glass of the vehicle. , a heater (323) for heating an exhaust purification catalyst of the vehicle, a heater (324) for heating an air-fuel ratio sensor of the vehicle, and a heater (324) for heating an oxygen sensor of the vehicle. A vehicle according to claim 6. a power consumption calculator (461) that calculates the power consumption of the vehicle;
An automatic driving control unit (460) that executes automatic driving control for automatically driving the vehicle;
An engine control unit (25) that executes control to temporarily stop the engine while the vehicle is running and restarts the stopped engine while the vehicle is running,
The engine control unit
When the engine is restarted while the automatic operation control is being executed, the automatic operation control unit is requested to start the engine,
The engine is restarted based on the automatic operation control unit permitting restart of the engine based on the engine start request,
The power consumption calculation unit
When there is an engine start request from the engine control unit to the automatic operation control unit while the automatic operation control is being executed, the restart of the engine by the starter mounted on the vehicle is said calculating the current total power consumption, which is the current total power consumption of all the electrical loads supplied with power from the battery mounted on the vehicle, prior to being permitted to the engine control unit;
The automatic operation control unit is
When there is a request to start the engine from the engine control unit while the automatic operation control is being executed, a first current total power consumption which is the current total power consumption calculated by the power consumption calculation unit at that time Determining whether power consumption exceeds a predetermined value,
When it is determined that the first current total power consumption is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the automatic operation control is unlikely to be hindered due to a temporary drop in the battery voltage accompanying the driving of the starter. determining that there is, permitting restart of the engine by the engine control unit,
When it is determined that the first current total power consumption exceeds the predetermined value, after limiting the power supply to one or more of the electric loads, the determining whether or not a second current total power consumption, which is the current total power consumption, exceeds the predetermined value;
When it is determined that the second current total power consumption is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the automatic operation control is unlikely to be hindered due to a temporary drop in the battery voltage accompanying the driving of the starter. determining that there is, permitting restart of the engine by the engine control unit,
When it is determined that the second current total power consumption exceeds the predetermined value, the engine is restarted after restricting the function of at least a part of the automatic operation equipment controlled by the automatic operation control. To give permission
vehicle . The automatic operation control unit is
The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the restriction on the function of the automatic driving device is released after permitting restart of the engine. The automatic operation control unit is
10. The vehicle according to any one of claims 5 to 9 , wherein the restriction on power supply to the electric load is lifted after permitting restart of the engine.

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