JP7520461B2 - Remote control system for test vehicles - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a remote control system for a test vehicle.

Before selling the cars they manufacture, automakers conduct various tests to check the driving performance and ensure safety. Since defects in cars can lead to accidents, extensive testing is necessary to ensure that even small defects are not overlooked.
Therefore, it is necessary to test not only the movement of the individual parts that make up the vehicle, but also to ensure that each part works correctly together in a variety of driving environments, and driving tests are also conducted on actual road surfaces such as test courses.

JP 2007-248070 A

These driving tests are conducted under various realistic weather conditions and road surface conditions, for example, the test vehicle is driven in the rain, in the fog, on bumpy roads, on slippery roads, and at speeds of up to 200 km per hour, which means that there is always a danger to the test driver who gets in the test vehicle and performs the driving test.
Therefore, it is conceivable that the test vehicle can be modified by equipping it with a function that enables remote control, so that the test vehicle can be driven without a driver on board.
However, since cars to be sold must be comfortable as well as have good driving performance and safety, it is sometimes necessary for a test driver to actually ride in the car and verify it using the five senses. For this reason, after modifying a remote-controlled driving test vehicle, modifying the driving test vehicle so that a test driver can ride in it is not easy and the cost is high.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a remote control system for a running test vehicle that can remotely control a running test vehicle and allows a driver to sit in the driver's seat and drive the running test vehicle without modifying the running test vehicle, thereby improving convenience.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a remote control system for a running test vehicle that remotely controls a running test vehicle used in a running test, comprising a plurality of actuators that respectively operate a plurality of operating members for driving the running test vehicle operated by a driver, a running test vehicle side communication unit that receives remote operation command information, and an operating member control unit that operates each of the plurality of actuators based on the remote operation command information received by the running test vehicle side communication unit, wherein the plurality of actuators are provided in locations that do not interfere with manual operation of the operating members by the driver seated in the driver's seat, and the operating member control unit is configured to be selectable between a remote operation mode in which the plurality of actuators are respectively controlled based on the remote operation command information to operate each of the plurality of operating members, and a manual operation mode that enables manual operation of each of the plurality of operating members by the driver.
Alternatively, the present invention is characterized in that it further includes a plurality of detection units which detect the amounts of operation of the plurality of operating members by the plurality of actuators, respectively, and a servo control unit which performs servo control of the plurality of actuators based on the plurality of operation amounts detected by the plurality of detection units, respectively, and the remote operation mode of the operating member control unit is achieved by operating each of the plurality of actuators via the servo control unit, and the manual operation mode of the operating member control unit is achieved by disabling the control operation of the servo control unit and making the plurality of actuators servo-free.
Alternatively, the present invention provides a remote operation device in which the driving test vehicle is provided with an image information generation unit that captures an image of the surroundings of the driving test vehicle and generates image information, a command information generation unit that generates the remote operation command information, a remote control side communication unit that is configured to communicate with the driving test vehicle side communication unit and transmits the remote operation command information to the driving test vehicle side communication unit, and a display unit, wherein the driving test vehicle side communication unit transmits the image information generated by the image information generation unit to the remote control side communication unit, and the display unit displays the image information received by the remote control side communication unit.
Alternatively, the present invention is characterized in that the driving test vehicle is provided with a positioning unit that positions the position of the driving test vehicle and generates positioning information, the remote control device further includes a map database that stores map information, the driving test vehicle side communication unit transmits the positioning information generated by the positioning unit to the remote control side communication unit, and the display unit displays the position of the driving test vehicle on the map information read out from the map database based on the positioning information received by the remote control side communication unit.
Alternatively, the present invention is characterized in that the running test vehicle further comprises a speed detection unit which detects the running speed of the running test vehicle, the running test vehicle side communication unit transmits the running speed of the running test vehicle detected by the speed detection unit to the remote control side communication unit, and the display unit displays the running speed of the running test vehicle received by the remote control side communication unit.
Alternatively, the present invention is characterized in that the multiple operating members include an engine switch for starting and stopping an engine mounted on the driving test vehicle, a handle for steering the driving test vehicle, a shift lever for changing gears in the transmission, an operating button for unlocking the shift lever, a brake pedal for braking the driving test vehicle, an accelerator pedal for controlling the engine speed, a parking brake pedal for braking when parking the driving test vehicle, a turn signal lever for operating direction indicators, and a light switch for turning on and off the headlights and small lights, and the actuators are provided corresponding to the engine switch, the handle, the shift lever, the operating button, the brake pedal, the accelerator pedal, the turn signal lever, and the light switch, respectively.
Alternatively, the present invention is characterized in that the plurality of actuators are detachably provided at locations that do not interfere with manual operation of the operating members by the driver seated in the driver's seat.

According to the present invention, a plurality of actuators which respectively operate a plurality of operating members for driving a test vehicle used in a driving test are provided in locations which do not interfere with manual operation of the plurality of operating members by a driver seated in the driver's seat, and by selecting a remote operation mode of the operating member control unit, the plurality of actuators are controlled based on remote operation command information to operate the plurality of operating members, thereby making it possible to remotely control the test vehicle, and by selecting a manual operation mode of the operating member control unit, it is possible to manually operate the plurality of operating members.
Therefore, there is no need to modify the test vehicle to perform remote control, the test vehicle can be remotely controlled, and the test vehicle can be manually operated by sitting in the driver's seat without returning it to its original state, which is advantageous in terms of improving convenience.
In other words, the user can remotely operate the test vehicle to move it to the test course where the driving test will be conducted, and after conducting the driving test via remote operation, the user can sit in the driver's seat of the test vehicle and conduct the driving test via manual operation. This shortens the user's driving time and reduces labor, and also reduces the number of people required for the driving test, thereby suppressing costs, which is advantageous for improving convenience and increasing the efficiency of driving tests.
In addition, if the remote operation mode of the operating member control unit is achieved by operating each of the multiple actuators via the servo control unit, and the manual operation mode is achieved by disabling the control operation of the servo control unit and making the multiple actuators servo-free, this has the advantage of enabling switching between the remote operation mode and the manual operation mode with a simple configuration.
Furthermore, if the running test vehicle is provided with an image information generating unit that captures the surroundings of the running test vehicle and generates image information, and the remote control device is provided with a display unit, the surrounding conditions of the running test vehicle can be grasped from the image information displayed on the display unit, which is advantageous for accurately remotely controlling the running test vehicle from a location away from the running test vehicle. Therefore, even if the entire test course where the running test is performed cannot be seen even when looking around, it is possible to run the test course by remote control while checking the image information, which is advantageous for improving convenience for users.
Furthermore, if the running test vehicle is provided with a positioning unit that measures the position of the running test vehicle and generates positioning information, and the remote control device is provided with a display unit and a map database, the display unit can display the position of the running test vehicle on map information read from the map database based on the positioning information, making it possible to grasp the current position of the running test vehicle, which is advantageous for accurately remotely controlling the running test vehicle from a location away from the running test vehicle. Therefore, even if the test course where the running test is performed cannot be seen in its entirety even when looking around, it is possible to remotely drive the running test vehicle on the test course while checking the position of the running test vehicle, which is advantageous for improving convenience for users.
In addition, the running test vehicle can be provided with a speed detection unit that detects the running speed of the running test vehicle, and the detected running speed of the running test vehicle can be displayed on the display unit of the remote control device, which is advantageous for accurately remotely controlling the running test vehicle from a location away from the running test vehicle. Therefore, even if the test course where the running test is performed cannot be seen in its entirety, it is possible to run the test course by remote control while checking the running speed of the running test vehicle, which is advantageous for improving convenience for users.
In addition, if the multiple operating members include an engine switch, a steering wheel, a shift lever, an operating button, a brake pedal, an accelerator pedal, a turn signal lever, and a light switch, and actuators are provided corresponding to each of the engine switch, the steering wheel, the shift lever, the operating button, the brake pedal, the accelerator pedal, the turn signal lever, and the light switch, this is advantageous for accurately performing remote control of the road test vehicle.
Furthermore, if the multiple actuators are removably mounted in a location that does not interfere with manual operation of the operating members by a pilot seated in the driver's seat, the multiple actuators can be easily attached and detached, which is advantageous for efficiently performing maintenance work on the multiple actuators.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system of a running test vehicle to which a remote control system for a running test vehicle according to a first embodiment is applied; 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a remote operation device of a remote control system for a road test vehicle according to a first embodiment; 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams of a first actuator that operates the ignition switch of a test vehicle, in which (A) is a side view seen from the vehicle width direction, and (B) is a view seen from the arrows along line BB in (A). 11A and 11B are explanatory diagrams of a second actuator that operates the steering wheel of a test vehicle, in which (A) is a front view of the steering wheel, and (B) is a view taken along line XX of (A). 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams of a third actuator that operates the shift lever of a test vehicle and a fourth actuator that operates an operating button, in which (A) is a side view of the shift lever as seen from the vehicle width direction of the test vehicle, and (B) is a view as seen from the arrow B in (A). 1A is a side view of the fifth actuator that operates the brake pedal of the test vehicle, as viewed from the vehicle width direction; FIG. 1B is a side view of the sixth actuator that operates the accelerator pedal of the test vehicle, as viewed from the vehicle width direction; and FIG. 1C is a side view of the seventh actuator that operates the parking brake pedal of the test vehicle, as viewed from the vehicle width direction. 13A and 13B are explanatory diagrams of an eighth actuator for operating a turn signal lever and a ninth actuator for operating a light switch of a test vehicle, in which (A) is a front view seen from the rear of the vehicle, and (B) is a view seen from the direction of arrow B in (A). FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system of a running test vehicle to which a remote control system for a running test vehicle according to a second embodiment is applied. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a remote operation device of a remote control system for a road test vehicle according to a second embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which image information and map information are displayed on a display screen of a display unit; FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system of a running test vehicle to which a remote control system for a running test vehicle according to a third embodiment is applied. 13A and 13B are explanatory diagrams of a second actuator in a remote control system for a test vehicle according to a fourth embodiment, in which (A) is a front view of the steering wheel from the front, and (B) is a view taken along line B-B in (A).

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
First, a test vehicle according to the present embodiment will be described.
The running test vehicle of this embodiment is a vehicle for carrying out a running test that runs on an actual road surface, and a case will be described in which it is a passenger car.
The present invention is not limited to passenger cars, but can be applied to various conventionally known vehicles such as trucks, vans, and wagons.

Next, the configuration of the test vehicle will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the road test vehicle 10 is a vehicle used for road tests, and is configured to include a plurality of operating members, a plurality of actuators, and a road test vehicle control device 12. In this embodiment, the road test vehicle 10 is an automatic transmission vehicle.
The multiple operating members are members that the driver operates to drive the test vehicle 10, and in this embodiment, they are an engine switch 14, a handlebar 16 (steering wheel), a shift lever 18 (select lever), an operating button 20, a brake pedal 22, an accelerator pedal 24, a parking brake pedal 26, a turn signal lever 28, and a light switch 30.
In the following drawings, the symbol FR indicates the front of the vehicle, the symbol IN indicates the inside in the vehicle width direction, the symbol OUT indicates the outside in the vehicle width direction, and the symbol UP indicates the top of the vehicle.

The engine switch 14 is used to start and stop the engine mounted on the test vehicle 10, and is provided on the steering column 1002 (column cover), for example, as shown in Figures 3(A) and (B).
The engine switch 14 includes a push button 1402 that is pressed.
The push button 1402 is normally biased to a protruding position, and when pressed, moves from the protruding position to a retracted position, thereby operating to start and stop the engine.

The handle 16 is a member that is rotated to steer the test vehicle 10 .
As shown in Figures 4 (A) and (B), the handle 16 comprises a handle body 1602 having a circular cross section and extending in a circular ring shape, a handle shaft 1604 of the handle body 1602, and spokes 1606 connecting the handle shaft 1604 and the handle body 1602.
In addition, the handle shaft 1604 is covered by the steering column 1002 (see FIG. 3A).

The shift lever 18 is a member that is swung to change the gears of the transmission of the test vehicle 10 .
As shown in Figures 5(A) and (B), the shift lever 18 has a swing shaft 1802 that is swingably mounted on the center console 1004 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and a gripped portion 1804 (shift knob) that is mounted on the tip of the swing shaft 1802 and can be gripped by hand.
The shift positions of the shift lever 18 are, for example, P (parking) range, R (reverse) range, N (neutral) range, and D (drive) range.
The P range is selected when parking, and when the P range is selected, the transmission gears are locked.
The R range is selected when the vehicle is moving backwards.
The N range is selected when the vehicle needs to be towed in the event of a breakdown, and when the N range is selected, engine power is not transmitted to the drive wheels.
The D range is selected when the vehicle is moving forward.
The operation button 20 is provided on the outer side of the gripped portion 1804 in the vehicle width direction, and is pressed to unlock the shift lever 18 when the position is locked.
The operation button 20 is normally biased to a protruding position, and when pressed, is moved from the protruding position to the retracted position, thereby unlocking the position of the shift lever 18 .

The brake pedal 22 is for braking the test vehicle 10 .
As shown in FIG. 6A, the brake pedal 22 includes a pedal arm 2204 that is pivotally mounted via a support shaft 2202 on a bracket (not shown) that is attached to the lower part of the dash panel 1006 that separates the vehicle interior space from the engine room, and a pedal tread portion 2206 that is provided at the lower end of the pedal arm 2204 and against which the sole of the driver's foot comes into contact.

The accelerator pedal 24 is used to control the engine speed of the running test vehicle 10 .
As shown in FIG. 6B , the accelerator pedal 24, like the brake pedal 22, has a pedal arm 2404 that is pivotally mounted via a support shaft 2402 on a bracket (not shown) attached to the lower part of the dash panel 1006, and a pedal tread portion 2406 that is provided at the lower end of the pedal arm 2404 and against which the sole of the driver's foot comes into contact.

The parking brake pedal 26 is for braking the test vehicle 10 when parking it.
As shown in FIG. 6C, the parking brake pedal 26, like the brake pedal 22, has a pedal arm 2604 that is pivotally mounted via a support shaft 2602 on a bracket (not shown) attached to the lower part of the dash panel 1006, and a pedal tread portion 2606 that is provided at the lower end of the pedal arm 2604 and against which the sole of the driver's foot comes into contact.

The turn signal lever 28 is for operating the turn signal of the test vehicle 10 .
As shown in Figures 7(A) and (B), the turn signal lever 28 has a lever body 2802 that extends diagonally upward from a location on the outer side of the steering column 1002 in the vehicle width direction near the handlebar 16 and is arranged so as to be swingable up and down.
When the turn signal lever 28 is swung upward from the neutral position, the left turn signal blinks, when the turn signal lever 28 is swung downward from the neutral position, the right turn signal blinks, and when the turn signal lever 28 is in the neutral position, the left and right turn signal lights are turned off.

The light switch 30 is used to turn on and off the headlights and small lights of the test vehicle 10 .
As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the light switch 30 is provided at the tip of a lever body 2802 so as to be able to swing integrally with the lever body 2802 and to be able to rotate about the central axis of the lever body 2802.
The light switch 30 can be rotated to three positions: a headlight-on position, a sidelight-on position, and a headlight and sidelight-off position.

The actuators are adapted to operate the operating members described above.
As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the following nine actuators are provided.
1) A first actuator 32 that operates the engine switch 14.
2) A second actuator 34 that operates the handle 16 .
3) A third actuator 36 that operates the shift lever 18.
4) A fourth actuator 38 that operates the operation button 20.
5) A fifth actuator 40 that operates the brake pedal 22.
6) A sixth actuator 42 that operates the accelerator pedal 24.
7) A seventh actuator 44 that operates the parking brake pedal 26.
8) An eighth actuator 46 that operates the turn signal lever 28.
9) A ninth actuator 48 that operates the light switch 30.

As shown in Figures 3 (A) and (B), the first actuator 32 is composed of a direct-acting cylinder 32A (direct-acting electric cylinder) and includes a cylinder body 3202, a motor (not shown) incorporated in the cylinder body 3202, and a piston rod 3204 incorporated in the cylinder body 3202.
The linear cylinder 32A is detachably mounted via a bracket B1 at a location (steering column 1002) that does not interfere with manual operation of the engine switch 14 by a driver seated in the driver's seat.
The cylinder body 3202 is arranged so that the direction in which the piston rod 3204 projects and retracts coincides with the vehicle width direction.
A cover 3206 made of an elastic material such as rubber is attached to the tip of the piston rod 3204, and the tip of the piston rod 3204 is arranged so that it can abut against the surface of the push button 1402 of the engine switch 14 via the cover 3206, thereby protecting the push button 1402.
Therefore, when a drive signal is supplied to the motor by the running test vehicle side control device 12, the piston rod 3204 appears and disappears from the cylinder body 3202, and when the push button 1402 is pressed, the engine is started and stopped.
In addition, the drive signal supplied to the motor by the running test vehicle side control device 12 is turned off, so that the motor becomes servo-free, and the driver seated in the driver's seat can manually operate the engine switch 14.
In other words, since the push button 1402 is always biased to the protruding position, when the motor becomes servo-free, the piston rod is retracted by the push button 1402 biased to the protruding position, making it possible to manually operate the engine switch 14.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the second actuator 34 includes a motor 3402 and a drive roller 3404 .
The motor 3402 and the drive roller 3404 are detachably mounted via a bracket (not shown) in a location (instrument panel) that does not interfere with manual operation of the steering wheel 16 by a driver seated in the driver's seat.
The motor 3402 is attached to the instrument panel and is disposed so that its drive shaft 3406 is substantially perpendicular to the handle shaft 1604 of the handle 16 .
The drive roller 3404 is attached to the end of a drive shaft 3406 .
The drive roller 3404 is disposed diagonally downward at a portion of the circumference of the handle body 1602 in front of the vehicle, and engages with the handle body 1602, allowing the handle body 1602 to rotate as the drive roller 3404 rotates.
The drive roller 3404 has a groove 3408 that engages with the surface of the handle body 1602 facing diagonally downward at the front of the vehicle body, and is designed so that the rotational driving force of the motor 3402 is efficiently transmitted to the handle body 1602 via the groove 3408 of the drive roller 3404.

The motor 3402 rotates the handle 16 forward and backward via a drive shaft 3406 and a drive roller 3404 when a drive signal is supplied from the running test vehicle side control device 12 .
Therefore, when the motor 3402 rotates forward or backward, the steering wheel body 1602 is rotated forward or backward by the drive roller 3404, and the steering angle of the test vehicle 10 is adjusted.
In addition, when the drive signal supplied to the motor 3402 by the running test vehicle side control device 12 is turned off, the motor 3402 becomes servo-free, and the driver seated in the driver's seat can manually operate the steering wheel 16.

As shown in Figures 5 (A) and (B), the third actuator 36 is composed of a direct-acting cylinder 36A (direct-acting electric cylinder) and includes a cylinder body 3602, a motor (not shown) incorporated in the cylinder body 3602, and a piston rod 3604 incorporated in the cylinder body 3602.
The linear cylinder 36A is detachably mounted via a bracket (not shown) at a location (center console 1004) that does not interfere with manual operation of the shift lever 18 by a driver seated in the driver's seat.
The cylinder body 3602 is arranged so that the direction in which the piston rod 3604 protrudes and retracts coincides with the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.
The tip of the piston rod 3604 is connected to the longitudinal middle portion of the pivot shaft 1802 of the shift lever 18 via a spherical bearing (not shown) of a connecting portion 3606 .
Therefore, when a drive signal is supplied to the motor by the test vehicle control device 12, the piston rod 3604 appears and disappears from the cylinder body 3602, and the shift lever 18 is tilted to each shift position, thereby changing the transmission gears.
In addition, when the drive signal supplied to the motor by the test vehicle control device 12 is turned off, the motor becomes servo-free, and the driver seated in the driver's seat can manually operate the shift lever 18.

5(B), the fourth actuator 38 is constituted by a direct-acting cylinder 38A (direct-acting electric cylinder), and includes a cylinder body 3802, a motor (not shown) incorporated in the cylinder body 3802, and a piston rod 3804 incorporated in the cylinder body 3802. Note that the fourth actuator 38 is omitted from illustration in FIG. 5(A).
The linear cylinder 38A is detachably mounted via a bracket B2 at a location (the pivot shaft 1802 of the shift lever 18) that does not interfere with the manual operation of the operation button 20 by the driver seated in the driver's seat.
The cylinder body 3802 is arranged so that the direction in which the piston rod 3804 projects and retracts coincides with the vehicle width direction.
A cover 3806 made of an elastic material such as rubber is attached to the tip of the piston rod 3804, and the tip of the piston rod 3804 is arranged so as to be able to abut against the surface of the operation button 20 via the cover 3806, thereby protecting the operation button 20.
Therefore, when a drive signal is supplied to the motor by the test vehicle control device 12, the piston rod 3804 appears and disappears from the cylinder body 3802, and when the operation button 20 is pressed, the position of the shift lever 18 is locked or unlocked.
In addition, when the drive signal supplied to the motor by the running test vehicle side control device 12 is turned off, the motor becomes servo-free, and the driver seated in the driver's seat can manually operate the operation button 20.
In other words, since the operation button 20 is always biased to the protruding position, when the motor becomes servo-free, the piston rod is retracted by the operation button 20 biased to the protruding position, making it possible to manually operate the operation button 20.

As shown in FIG. 6(A), the fifth actuator 40 is composed of a direct-acting cylinder 40A (direct-acting electric cylinder) and includes a cylinder body 4002, a motor (not shown) incorporated in the cylinder body 4002, and a piston rod 4004 incorporated in the cylinder body 4002.
The linear cylinder 40A is detachably mounted via a bracket B3 at a location (dash panel 1006) that does not interfere with manual operation (depression) of the brake pedal 22 by a driver seated in the driver's seat.
The cylinder body 4002 is arranged so that the direction in which the piston rod 4004 projects and retracts coincides with the front-rear direction of the vehicle.
The tip of the piston rod 4004 is connected to the middle part of the pedal arm 2604 in the longitudinal direction via a spherical bearing (not shown) of a connecting part 4006 .
Therefore, when a drive signal is supplied to the motor by the running test vehicle control device 12, the piston rod 4004 appears and disappears from the cylinder body 4002, and the pedal arm 2604 is swung, thereby braking the running test vehicle 10.
In addition, the drive signal supplied to the motor by the test vehicle control device 12 is turned off, so that the motor becomes servo-free, and the driver seated in the driver's seat can manually operate the brake pedal 22.

As shown in FIG. 6(B), the sixth actuator 42 is composed of a direct-acting cylinder 42A (direct-acting electric cylinder) and includes a cylinder body 4202, a motor (not shown) incorporated in the cylinder body 4202, and a piston rod 4204 incorporated in the cylinder body 4202.
The linear cylinder 42A is detachably mounted via a bracket B4 at a location (dash panel 1006) that does not interfere with manual operation (depression) of the accelerator pedal 24 by a driver seated in the driver's seat.
The cylinder body 4202 is arranged so that the direction in which the piston rod 4204 projects and retracts coincides with the front-rear direction of the vehicle.
The tip of the piston rod 4204 is connected to the middle part of the pedal arm 2604 in the longitudinal direction via a spherical bearing (not shown) of a connecting part 4206 .
Therefore, when a drive signal is supplied to the motor by the running test vehicle control device 12, the piston rod 4204 appears and disappears from the cylinder body 4202, and the pedal arm 2404 is swung, thereby controlling the rotation of the engine of the running test vehicle 10.
In addition, the drive signal supplied to the motor by the road test vehicle control device 12 is turned off, so that the motor becomes servo-free, and the driver seated in the driver's seat can manually operate the accelerator pedal 24.

As shown in FIG. 6(C), the seventh actuator 44 is composed of a direct-acting cylinder 44A (direct-acting electric cylinder) and includes a cylinder body 4402, a motor (not shown) incorporated in the cylinder body 4402, and a piston rod 4404 incorporated in the cylinder body 4402.
The linear cylinder 44A is detachably mounted via a bracket B5 at a location (dash panel 1006) that does not interfere with manual operation (depressing operation) of the parking brake pedal 26 by the driver seated in the driver's seat.
The cylinder body 4402 is arranged so that the direction in which the piston rod 4404 projects and retracts coincides with the front-rear direction of the vehicle.
The tip of the piston rod 4404 is connected to the middle part of the pedal arm 2604 in the longitudinal direction via a spherical bearing (not shown) of a connecting part 4406 .
Therefore, when a drive signal is supplied to the motor by the test vehicle control device 12, the piston rod 4404 appears and disappears from the cylinder body 4402, and the pedal arm 2604 is swung, thereby applying and releasing the brakes when parking the test vehicle 10.
In addition, when the drive signal supplied to the motor by the driving test vehicle side control device 12 is turned off, the motor becomes servo-free, and the driver seated in the driver's seat can manually operate the parking brake pedal 26.

As shown in Figures 7 (A) and (B), the eighth actuator 46 is composed of a direct-acting cylinder 46A (direct-acting electric cylinder) and includes a cylinder body 4602, a motor (not shown) incorporated in the cylinder body 4602, and a piston rod 4604 incorporated in the cylinder body 4602.
The direct acting cylinder 46A is detachably mounted via a bracket B6 at a location (steering column 1002) that does not interfere with manual operation (swinging operation) of the turn signal lever 28 by a driver seated in the driver's seat.
The cylinder body 4602 is arranged so that the direction in which the piston rod 4604 projects and retracts coincides with the vertical direction.
The tip of the piston rod 4604 is connected to the longitudinal middle portion of the lever body 2802 of the turn signal lever 28 via a spherical bearing (not shown) of a connecting portion 4606 .
Therefore, when a drive signal is supplied to the motor by the test vehicle control device 12, the piston rod 4604 appears and disappears from the cylinder body 4602, and the turn signal lever 28 is swung, thereby controlling the blinking and extinguishing of the turn signal of the test vehicle 10.
In addition, when the drive signal supplied to the motor by the road test vehicle control device 12 is turned off, the motor becomes servo-free, and the driver seated in the driver's seat can manually operate the turn signal lever 28.

As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the ninth actuator 48 includes a direct-acting cylinder 48A (direct-acting electric cylinder) and a rotating member 49.
The linear-acting cylinder 48A includes a cylinder body 4802, a motor (not shown) incorporated in the cylinder body 4802, and a piston rod 4804 incorporated in the cylinder body 4802.
The direct acting cylinder 48A is detachably mounted via a bracket B7 at a location (on the turn signal lever 28) that does not interfere with the manual operation of the light switch 30 by the driver seated in the driver's seat.
The cylinder body 4802 is arranged so that the direction in which the piston rod 4804 projects and retracts coincides with the front-rear direction of the vehicle.
The rotating member 49 has an annular shape and is attached so as to be rotatable integrally with the light switch 30 by clamping the outer periphery of the light switch 30. A connecting piece 4902 protrudes radially outward from the circumferential direction of the rotating member 49.
The tip of the piston rod 4804 of the linear cylinder 48A is connected to the rotating member 49 via a spherical bearing (not shown) of a connecting piece 4902.
Therefore, when a drive signal is supplied to the motor by the test vehicle control device 12, the piston rod 4804 appears and disappears from the cylinder body 4802, and the light switch 30 is rotated, thereby controlling the turning on and off of the headlights and parking lights of the test vehicle 10.
In addition, the drive signal supplied to the motor by the running test vehicle side control device 12 is turned off, so that the motor becomes servo-free, and the driver seated in the driver's seat can manually operate the light switch 30.

Next, the remote control device 45 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
The remote control device 45 is configured to include first to ninth remote control levers 50A to 50I, first to ninth angle sensors 52A to 52I, a mode change switch 54, a remote control side control unit 56, and a remote control side communication unit 58.
The first to ninth remote control levers 50A to 50I are connected to the engine switch 14, the steering wheel 16, the shift lever 18, the operation button 20, the brake pedal 22, the accelerator pedal 24, the parking brake pedal 2
6, a remote control operation member (joystick) which is swung to remotely control a turn signal lever 28 and a light switch 30.
The first to ninth angle sensors 52A to 52I are provided corresponding to the first to ninth remote control levers 50A to 50I, and output detection signals indicating angles corresponding to the operating positions of the first to ninth remote control levers 50A to 50I.

The mode changeover switch 54 is operated to switch between a remote control mode (described later) and a manual operation mode, and outputs an operation signal indicating the operation corresponding to the operation position.

The remote control side control unit 56 is composed of a CPU, a ROM for storing and remembering control programs, a RAM as an operating area for the control programs, an EEPROM for storing various data in a rewritable manner, the first to ninth angle sensors 52A to 52I, a mode change switch 54, an interface unit for interfacing with peripheral circuits, etc.
The remote control side control section 56 functions as a command information generating section 56A by executing the above control program.
The command information generating section 56A generates remote control command information based on the detection signals supplied from the first to ninth angle sensors 52A to 52I.
The command information generating section 56A generates mode switching command information based on an operation signal supplied from the mode switching switch 54.
The remote control side communication unit 58 is configured to be able to communicate with the driving test vehicle side communication unit 60 described later via a wireless line, and transmits the remote operation command information and mode switching command information generated by the command information generating unit 56A to the driving test vehicle side communication unit 60 via a wireless line.

As shown in FIG. 1, the running test vehicle control device 12 includes a running test vehicle communication unit 60, first to ninth detection units 62A to 62I, a servo control unit 64, and a control unit 66.
The running test vehicle side communication section 60 receives remote operation command information and mode switching command information transmitted from the remote control side communication section 58 via a wireless line.
The first to ninth detection units 62A to 62I detect the amount of operation of the engine switch 14, the handle 16 (steering wheel), the shift lever 18, the operation button 20, the brake pedal 22, the accelerator pedal 24, the parking brake pedal 26, the turn signal lever 28, and the light switch 30 by the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48.

That is, the first detection unit 62A detects the amount of movement of the piston rod 3204 of the first actuator 32 (linear electric cylinder) 30 as the amount of operation.
The second detector 62B detects the amount of rotation (angle) of the drive shaft 3406 of the second actuator 34 (motor) as the amount of operation.
The third detection unit 62C detects the amount of movement of the piston rod 3604 of the third actuator 36 (linear electric cylinder) as the amount of operation.
The fourth detection unit 62D detects the amount of movement of the piston rod 3804 of the fourth actuator 38 (linear electric cylinder) as the amount of operation.
The fifth detection unit 62E detects the amount of movement of the piston rod 4004 of the fifth actuator 40 (linear electric cylinder) as the amount of operation.
The sixth detection unit 62F detects the amount of movement of the piston rod 4204 of the sixth actuator 42 (linear electric cylinder) as the amount of operation.
The seventh detection unit 62G detects the amount of movement of the piston rod 4404 of the seventh actuator 44 (linear type electric cylinder) as the amount of operation.
The eighth detection unit 62H detects the amount of movement of the piston rod 4604 of the eighth actuator 46 (linear electric cylinder) as the amount of operation.
The ninth detection unit 62I detects the amount of movement of the piston rod 4804 of the ninth actuator (linear electric cylinder) 48 as the amount of operation.
The servo control section 64 performs servo control of the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48 based on the amounts of operation detected by the first to ninth detection sections 62A to 62I, respectively, under the control of the operating member control section 66A.

The control unit 66 is composed of a CPU, a ROM for storing and remembering control programs, a RAM as an operating area for the control programs, an EEPROM for storing various data in a rewritable manner, the first to ninth detection units 62A to 62I, the servo control unit 64, an interface unit for interfacing with peripheral circuits, etc.
The control unit 66 executes the control program to function as an operation member control unit 66A.
The operating member control unit 66A monitors the detection results of the first to ninth detection units 62A to 62I based on remote operation command information received via the driving test vehicle side communication unit 60, and controls the servo control unit 64 to drive and control the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48 to move the engine switch 14, the handle 16 (steering wheel), the shift lever 18, the operating button 20, the brake pedal 22, the accelerator pedal 24, the parking brake pedal 26, the turn signal lever 28, and the light switch 30.

In addition, the operating member control unit 66A is configured to be able to select between a remote control mode and a manual operation mode by operating the mode switching switch 54 of the remote operating device 45, and receiving mode switching command information generated by the remote control side control unit 56 via the remote control side communication unit 58 and the running test vehicle side communication unit 60.
When the operation member control section 66A is set to the remote control mode in response to the mode switching command information, it performs remote control in response to the operation of the remote operation device 45 .
That is, the operating member control unit 66A controls the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48 based on the remote operation command information to operate the engine switch 14, the handle 16 (steering wheel), the shift lever 18, the operating button 20, the brake pedal 22, the accelerator pedal 24, the parking brake pedal 26, the turn signal lever 28, and the light switch 30.

In addition, when the operation member control unit 66A is set to the manual operation mode in response to the mode switching command information, it controls the servo control unit 64 to turn off the drive signals to the motors of the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48, i.e., by disabling the servo control of the servo control 64, the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48 become servo-free, thereby enabling manual operation of the engine switch 14, the handle 16 (steering wheel), the shift lever 18, the operation button 20, the brake pedal 22, the accelerator pedal 24, the parking brake pedal 26, the turn signal lever 28, and the light switch 30.
Alternatively, the mode changeover switch 54 may be provided on the road test vehicle control device 12, and the operation member control section 66A that receives the operation of the mode changeover switch 54 may select between the remote control mode and the manual operation mode.

Next, a case where the running test vehicle 10 is remotely controlled using the remote control system of this embodiment will be described.
The remote operation of the running test vehicle 10 by a remote operator (an engineer performing the running test) is performed while the operator monitors the running test vehicle 10 within his or her field of vision.
It is also assumed that the running test vehicle control device 12 has been set in advance to a remote operation mode by the mode changeover switch 54 .
When the operator operates the first to ninth remote control levers 50A to 50I of the remote control device 45, the command information generating unit 56A generates remote control command information based on the detection signals detected by the first to ninth angle sensors 52A to 52I.
The remote operation command information is transmitted from the remote control side communication unit 58 to the running test vehicle side communication unit 60 via a wireless line.
In the driving test vehicle 10, remote operation command information received via the driving test vehicle side communication unit 60 is supplied to the operating member control unit 66A, and the operating member control unit 66A monitors the detection results of the first to ninth detection units 62A to 62I based on the remote operation command information, and controls the servo control unit 64 to drive and control the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48 to operate the engine switch 14, the handle 16 (steering wheel), the shift lever 18, the operating button 20, the brake pedal 22, the accelerator pedal 24, the parking brake pedal 26, the turn signal lever 28, and the light switch 30.
That is, the engine switch 14 is operated by the first actuator 32 to stop and start the engine 1404 .
Furthermore, the steering angle of the running test vehicle 10 is adjusted by operating the steering wheel 16 with the second actuator 34, and the running test vehicle 10 is steered.
In addition, the third actuator 36 operates the shift lever 18, and the fourth actuator 38 operates the operation button 20, thereby shifting the transmission of the test vehicle 10.
Furthermore, the brake pedal 22 is operated by the fifth actuator 40, whereby the running test vehicle 10 is braked.
Furthermore, the sixth actuator 42 operates the accelerator pedal 24 to control the engine speed of the running test vehicle 10 .
Furthermore, the seventh actuator 44 operates the parking brake pedal 26, thereby braking the test vehicle 10 when parking.
Furthermore, the turn signal lever 28 is operated by the eighth actuator 46, whereby the turn signal of the test vehicle 10 is controlled.
In addition, the ninth actuator 48 operates the light switch 30 to control the turning on and off of the headlights and small lights of the test vehicle 10.

Next, we will explain the case where a user (hereinafter referred to as the driver or test driver) who is in the test vehicle 10 using the remote control system of this embodiment manually operates the engine switch 14, the steering wheel 16, the shift lever 18, the operation buttons 20, the brake pedal 22, the accelerator pedal 24, the parking brake pedal 26, the turn signal lever 28, and the light switch 30.
It is assumed that the running test vehicle control device 12 has been set in advance to the manual operation mode by the mode changeover switch 54 .
When the driver sitting in the driver's seat manually presses the engine switch 14, the engine 1404 is stopped and started.
The test vehicle 10 is steered by the driver manually operating the steering wheel 16 .
In addition, the driver manually operates the shift lever 18 and the operation button 20 to change gears in the transmission of the test vehicle 10 .
In addition, the brake pedal 22 is manually operated by the driver to brake the running test vehicle 10 .
Furthermore, the driver manually operates an accelerator pedal 24 to control the engine speed of the running test vehicle 10 .
Furthermore, the driver manually operates a parking brake pedal 26 to brake the test vehicle 10 when parking.
Furthermore, the turn signal of the test vehicle 10 is operated by the driver manually operating the turn signal lever 28 .
In addition, the driver manually operates the light switch 30 to control the turning on and off of the headlights and small lights of the test vehicle 10.
At this time, since the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48 are servo-free, manual operation of the engine switch 14, the handle 16 (steering wheel), the shift lever 18, the operation button 20, the brake pedal 22, the accelerator pedal 24, the parking brake pedal 26, the turn signal lever 28, and the light switch 30 is not impeded.
In this manner, the driver can run the running test vehicle 10 by manual operation in the same manner as for a normal vehicle, and perform a running test.

A specific example of using such a road test vehicle 10 for a road test by remote control and manual operation will be described below.
The driving test includes a first driving test in which the vehicle is driven on a test course to verify driving performance and safety, and a second driving test in which the vehicle is driven on a test course to verify comfort.
In the following example, the first driving test is performed by remotely driving the test vehicle 10 in order to collect and verify vehicle data related to driving, and the second driving test is performed by manually driving the test vehicle 10 by a test driver in order to verify the data using the driver's five senses.

When the test course where the running test is performed is away from the vehicle manufacturing plant, a driver (an engineer performing the running test) operates the first to ninth remote control levers 50A to 50I of the remote control device 45 to remotely control the running test vehicle 10 parked in a storage area of the manufacturing plant and place it in a predetermined position on a vehicle transport truck.
When the truck carrying the road test vehicle 10 arrives at the test course, a driver remotely controls the road test vehicle 10 to travel to the start position of the test course and stop the vehicle.
First, when the first driving test is carried out, the operator remotely controls the vehicle to drive it on the test course and collects data necessary for the first driving test.
Next, when the second driving test is performed, the operator operates the mode change switch 54 of the remote control device 45 to switch from the remote control mode to the manual control mode. Then, the test driver sits in the driver's seat of the driving test vehicle 10 and operates a plurality of operating members (engine switch 14, steering wheel 16 (steering wheel), shift lever 18, operating button 20, brake pedal 22, accelerator pedal 24, parking brake pedal 26, turn signal lever 28, light switch 30) to drive the vehicle around the test course.

When the first and second driving tests are completed, the operator operates the mode change switch 54 of the remote control device 45 to switch from the manual operation mode to the remote operation mode, and then operates the first to ninth remote control levers 50A to 50I of the remote control device 45 to remotely control the driving test vehicle 10, and place it in a predetermined position on a vehicle transport truck.
When the truck carrying the road test vehicle 10 returns to the manufacturing plant, the driver remotely controls the road test vehicle 10 to move it to a storage location in the manufacturing plant and park it there, completing the series of operations.
In addition, if the test course where the running tests are performed is close to the vehicle manufacturing plant, the driver may remotely control the running test vehicle 10 to travel between the storage location and the test course.

In this manner, according to this embodiment, the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48, which respectively operate a plurality of operating members for driving the running test vehicle 10 used in the running test, are provided at locations that do not interfere with the manual operation of the plurality of operating members by the driver seated in the driver's seat, and by selecting the remote operation mode of the operating member control unit 66A, the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48 are controlled based on remote operation command information to operate the engine switch 14, the steering wheel 16 (steering wheel), the shift lever 18, the operating button 20, the brake pedal 22, the accelerator pedal 24, the parking brake pedal 26, the brake pedal 28, the accelerator pedal 29, the brake pedal 30, the brake pedal 31, the brake pedal 32, the brake pedal 33, the brake pedal 34, the brake pedal 35, the brake pedal 36, the brake pedal 37, the brake pedal 38, the brake pedal 39, the brake pedal 40, the brake pedal 42, the brake pedal 44, the brake pedal 46, the brake pedal 48 ... The test vehicle 10 can be remotely controlled by operating the key pedal 26, the blinker lever 28, and the light switch 30, and by selecting the manual operation mode of the operation member control unit 66A, the first to ninth actuators 32-48 are set to servo-free, so that the engine switch 14 (ignition key 2004), the steering wheel 16, the shift lever 18, the operation button 20, the brake pedal 22, the accelerator pedal 24, the parking brake pedal 26, the blinker lever 28, and the light switch 30 can be manually operated by the driver seated in the driver's seat.
Therefore, there is no need to modify the running test vehicle 10 in order to perform remote control, the running test vehicle 10 can be remotely controlled, and the running test vehicle 10 can be manually operated while sitting in the driver's seat without returning it to its original state, which is advantageous in terms of improving convenience.
In other words, the user can remotely operate the driving test vehicle 10 to move it to the test course where the driving test will be conducted, and after conducting a first driving test to verify driving performance and safety, the user can sit in the driver's seat of the driving test vehicle 10 and manually operate it to conduct a second driving test to verify comfort. This shortens the user's driving time and reduces labor, and also reduces the number of people required for the driving test, thereby suppressing costs, which is advantageous for improving convenience and increasing the efficiency of the driving test.
In addition, the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48 may be provided in a non-detachable manner in a location that does not interfere with manual operation of the operating members by the driver seated in the driver's seat; however, providing them detachably as in this embodiment allows the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48 to be easily removed, which is advantageous in terms of efficiently carrying out maintenance work on the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the servo control unit 64 performs servo control of the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48 based on the amounts of operation detected by the first to ninth detection units 62A to 62I, respectively, and the remote operation mode of the operating member control unit 66A is achieved by operating the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48 via the servo control unit 64, while the manual operation mode is achieved by disabling the control operation of the servo control unit 64 and setting the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48 servo-free.
This is therefore advantageous in that a simple configuration can be used to switch between the remote control mode and the manual control mode.
The first to ninth actuators 32 to 48 may be configured to be engageable and detachable with respect to the respective operating members, or to be capable of being brought into contact with and separated from the respective operating members, so that a remote operation mode and a manual operation mode can be switched.
However, in this case, multiple actuators and complex mechanisms are required, which is disadvantageous in that costs increase.
In contrast, in the present embodiment, it is sufficient to switch between servo control and servo free for the first to ninth actuators 32 to 48, which is advantageous in terms of reducing such costs.

In addition, in this embodiment, the operating members include an engine switch 14, a handlebar 16 (steering wheel), a shift lever 18, an operating button 20, a brake pedal 22, an accelerator pedal 24, a parking brake pedal 26, a turn signal lever 28, and a light switch 30, which is advantageous for accurately remotely controlling the road test vehicle 10.

In addition, in this embodiment, the first actuator 32 is configured to include a direct-acting cylinder 32A having a piston rod 3204 that can abut against the engine switch 14 and a cylinder body 3202 that moves the piston rod 3204 in a direction that causes the swing shaft 1802 to swing. This simplifies the configuration of the first actuator 32, which is advantageous in accurately operating the engine switch 14.

In addition, in this embodiment, the second actuator 34 is configured to include a drive roller 3404 that engages with a portion of the circumference of the handle 16 to enable rotation of the handle 16, and a motor 3402 that drives and rotates the drive roller 3404. This simplifies the configuration of the second actuator 34, which is advantageous in accurately operating the handle 16.

In addition, in this embodiment, the third actuator 36 is configured to include a direct acting cylinder 36A having a piston rod 3604 connected to the pivot shaft 1802 of the shift lever 18 and a cylinder body 3602 that moves the piston rod 3604 in a direction that pivots the pivot shaft 1802. This simplifies the configuration of the third actuator 36, which is advantageous for accurately operating the shift lever 18.

In addition, in this embodiment, the fourth actuator 38 is configured to include a direct acting cylinder 38A having a piston rod 3804 that can contact the operation button 20 of the shift lever 18 and a cylinder body 3802 that moves the piston rod 3804 in a direction that presses the operation button 20. This simplifies the configuration of the fourth actuator 38, which is advantageous in accurately operating the operation button 20.

In addition, in this embodiment, the fifth actuator 40 is configured to include a direct acting cylinder 40A having a piston rod 4004 connected to the pedal arm 2204 of the brake pedal 22 and a cylinder body 4002 that moves the piston rod 4004 in a direction that causes the pedal arm 2604 to swing. This simplifies the configuration of the fifth actuator 40, which is advantageous for accurately operating the brake pedal 22.

In addition, in this embodiment, the sixth actuator 42 is configured to include a direct acting cylinder 42A having a piston rod 4204 connected to the pedal arm 2404 of the accelerator pedal 24 and a cylinder body 4202 that moves the piston rod 4204 in a direction that causes the pedal arm 2404 to swing. This simplifies the configuration of the sixth actuator 42, which is advantageous for accurately operating the accelerator pedal 24.

In addition, in this embodiment, the seventh actuator 44 is configured to include a direct acting cylinder 44A having a piston rod 4404 connected to the pedal arm 2604 of the parking brake pedal 26 and a cylinder body 4402 that moves the piston rod 4404 in a direction that causes the pedal arm 2604 to swing. This simplifies the configuration of the seventh actuator 44, which is advantageous for accurately operating the parking brake pedal 26.

In addition, in this embodiment, the eighth actuator 46 is configured to include a direct acting cylinder 46A having a piston rod 4604 connected to the turn signal lever 28 and a cylinder body 4602 that moves the piston rod 4604 in a direction that causes the turn signal lever 28 to swing. This simplifies the configuration of the eighth actuator 46, which is advantageous in accurately operating the turn signal lever 28.

In addition, in this embodiment, the ninth actuator 48 is configured to include a direct acting cylinder 48A having a piston rod 4804 connected to the light switch 30 and a cylinder body 4802 that moves the piston rod 4804 in a direction that rotates the light switch 30. This simplifies the configuration of the ninth actuator 48, which is advantageous for accurately operating the light switch 30.

In the first embodiment, the second actuator 34 is described as including a drive roller 3404 that engages with a portion of the circumference of the handle 16 to enable rotation of the handle 16, and a motor 3402 that drives and rotates the drive roller 3404. However, various conventionally known configurations can be used as an actuator that drives and rotates the handle 16, as exemplified below.
1) The drive shaft of a motor is connected to the steering shaft 1604, and the steering shaft 1604 (steering wheel 16) is rotated by the rotational driving force of the motor to perform steering.
2) A plurality of drive rollers 3404 and motors 3402 shown in FIG. 4 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction of the handle body 1602, and each drive roller 3404 is driven to rotate by each motor 3402 to rotate the handle 16 for steering.
3) A ring extending in a circular shape around the rotation axis of the handle shaft 1604 is provided so as to be rotatable integrally with the handle shaft 1604, a drive roller that engages with a portion of the circumference of the ring to enable rotation of the ring, and a motor that rotates the drive roller are provided, and the handle 16 is rotated via the ring by the rotational driving force of the motor to perform steering.
4) A driven sprocket is provided on the handle shaft 1604, a drive sprocket is provided on the drive shaft of the motor, and a chain is looped between the driven sprocket and the drive sprocket. The rotational driving force of the motor rotates the handle shaft 1604 (handle 16) via the drive sprocket, chain, and driven sprocket, thereby performing steering.
5) A driven pinion is provided on the handle shaft 1604, a drive pinion is provided on the drive shaft of the motor, and a rack is provided that meshes with the driven pinion and drive pinion. The rotational driving force of the motor rotates the handle shaft 1604 (handle 16) via the drive pinion, rack, and driven pinion, thereby performing steering.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the following embodiments, the same parts and members as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.
In the first embodiment, a case was described in which the operator (engineer) performing the remote operation performs remote operation while monitoring the running test vehicle 10 within his field of vision. In the second embodiment, however, it is possible to perform remote operation outside the field of vision of the operator performing the remote operation, where the running test vehicle 10 cannot be seen.
Specifically, for example, even if the test course is long and the driver cannot see the entire course, the vehicle can still be driven on the test course and a driving test can be performed.
Therefore, in the second embodiment, image information of the surroundings of the running test vehicle 10 and positioning information of the running test vehicle 10 are acquired, and based on the image information and positioning information, the image information is displayed on the remote control device 45A side, and the current position of the running test vehicle 10 is displayed on a map.

As shown in FIG. 8, the running test vehicle 10 is provided with four cameras, a front camera 74A, a rear camera 74B, a left camera 74C, and a right camera 74D, which constitute an image information generating unit, and a positioning unit 76.
The front camera 74A captures an image of the area in front of the test vehicle 10 and generates image information.
The rear camera 74B captures images of the rear of the running test vehicle 10 and generates image information.
The left camera 74C captures images of the left side of the running test vehicle 10 and generates image information.
The right camera 74D captures an image of the right side of the running test vehicle 10 and generates image information.
These four pieces of image information are transmitted from the running test vehicle side communication unit 60 to the remote control side communication unit 58 of the remote operation device 45A via a wireless line.
The image information may be a moving image or a still image generated at regular time intervals.

The positioning unit 76 determines the position of the test vehicle 10 based on the positioning signal received from the positioning satellite, and generates positioning information.
Such positioning satellites are used in Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs), such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), and one of the positioning satellites used in these positioning systems may be used, or two or more positioning satellites may be used in combination.
The positioning information generated by the positioning unit 76 is transmitted from the running test vehicle side communication unit 60 to the remote control side communication unit 58 of the remote operation device 45A via a wireless line.

As shown in FIG. 9, the remote control device 45A is provided with an operation input unit 78, a map database 80, and a display unit .
The operation input unit 78 accepts operations by an operator performing remote control, and is composed of, for example, a touch panel provided on the display surface of the display unit 82 or key switches provided independently of the display unit 82.
The operation input unit 78 instructs a notification unit 56B (described later) to switch the information to be displayed on the display unit 82 in response to an operation.

The map database 80 stores map information including the locations where the test vehicle 10 will be traveling, and the map information is associated with positioning information (location information) on the earth.
The map information includes information necessary for a vehicle to travel on the test course, as well as information on the vehicle's start and finish positions, parking spaces, and information on the terrain, such as gradients and road surface conditions.

The display unit 82 displays image information of the surroundings of the test vehicle 10 based on the control of the notification unit 56B described later, and also displays the position of the test vehicle 10 on map information read from the map database 80 based on the positioning information received by the remote control communication unit 58.

The remote control side control unit 56 of the remote operation device 45A executes a control program to function as a command information generating unit 56A as well as a notification unit 56B.
The notification unit 56B displays image information transmitted from the driving test vehicle communication unit 60 via a wireless line on the display unit 82, and also reads map information from the map database 80 based on the positioning information transmitted from the driving test vehicle communication unit 60 via a wireless line, and superimposes an icon indicating the current position of the driving test vehicle 10 onto the map information based on the positioning information and displays it on the display unit 82.
Furthermore, the notification unit 56B causes the display unit 82 to display image information and map information in response to an operation of the operation input unit 78 .

In the display example shown in FIG. 10, the display screen 8202 of the display unit 82 is divided into two parts, left and right, with forward image information Dg being displayed on the left side of the display screen 8202 and map information Dm being displayed on the right side. In the figure, reference numeral 84A indicates the road of the test course, and reference numeral 84B is an arrow icon indicating the traveling direction and position of the running test vehicle 10.
The display of the image information Dg may be such that, among the image information Dg of the front, rear, left, and right of the running test vehicle 10, only the front image information Dg is always displayed, and the image information Dg selected from the rear, left, and right image information Dg is switched and displayed in response to the operation of the operation input unit 78. Alternatively, all of the front, rear, left, and right image information Dg, or two or more image information Dg selected from the front, rear, left, and right image information may be displayed.
The display form of the image information Dg and the map information Dm is not limited to this example.
For example, various display formats known in the art can be employed, such as a display format in which image information Dg is displayed on most of the display screen 8202, and map information Dm is displayed in a small display area in one corner of the display screen 8202.

The remote control device 45A may be configured as follows.
That is, a driver's seat similar to that of the test vehicle 10 is provided in an office constructed on the test course, and a large display unit 82 is provided in front of the driver's seat.
Instead of the first to ninth remote control levers 50A to 50I of the remote control device 45A, remote control members simulating the engine switch 14, the handle 16 (steering wheel), the shift lever 18, the operation button 20, the brake pedal 22, the accelerator pedal 24, the parking brake pedal 26, the turn signal lever 28, and the light switch 30 are provided near the driver's seat.
Instead of the first to ninth angle sensors 52A to 52I, first to ninth operation amount detection sensors are provided for detecting the operation amounts of the respective remote control members.
The command information generating unit 56 generates remote operation command information based on the operation amounts detected by the first to ninth operation amount detection sensors.
In this way, the running test vehicle 10 can be remotely operated in the same manner as when driving and operating an actual running test vehicle 10, which is advantageous in improving operability when remotely operating the running test vehicle 10.

A specific example of using such a road test vehicle 10 for a road test by remote control will be described below.
For example, when conducting the first driving test (see the first embodiment) in which the driving test vehicle 10 is remotely operated to drive on a test course, the driver (engineer) is inside a building such as an office and cannot see the test course at all, or can only see a portion of it.

The operator inside the building operates the remote control device 45A while visually checking the image information Dg captured by the forward camera 74A as shown in FIG. 10 and the map information Dm in which the current position of the running test vehicle 10 is displayed with an arrow icon 84B, and drives the running test vehicle 10 on the test course to collect data necessary for the first running test.
Therefore, the running test vehicle 10 can be remotely operated outside the driver's field of vision based on the image information Dg displayed on the display unit 82 and the map information Dm showing the current position of the running test vehicle 10 with an arrow icon 84B, making it possible to run on a test course that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

In this way, according to the present embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved.
In this embodiment, the running test vehicle 10 is provided with an image information generating unit (front camera 74A, rear camera 74B, left camera 74C, right camera 74D) that captures the surroundings of the running test vehicle 10 and generates image information, and the remote control device 45 is provided with a display unit 82. Therefore, the situation around the running test vehicle 10 can be grasped from the image information displayed on the display unit 82, which is advantageous in accurately remotely controlling the running test vehicle 10 from a location away from the running test vehicle 10.
Therefore, even if the entire test course where the driving test is to be conducted cannot be seen, it is possible to drive the test course by remote control while checking the image information, which is advantageous in improving convenience for users.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the running test vehicle 10 is provided with a positioning unit 76 that measures the position of the running test vehicle 10 and generates positioning information, and the remote operation device 45A is provided with a display unit 82 and a map database 80. Therefore, the display unit 82 can display the position of the running test vehicle 10 on map information read from the map database 80 based on the positioning information, making it possible to grasp the current position of the running test vehicle 10, which is advantageous in accurately remotely operating the running test vehicle 10 from a location away from the running test vehicle 10.
Therefore, even if the entire test course where the driving test is to be performed cannot be seen, the driving test vehicle 10 can be driven by remote control while checking the position of the driving test vehicle 10, which is advantageous in improving convenience for users.

In addition, even if the positioning unit 76 and the map database 80 are omitted and only the image information Dg is displayed on the display unit 82, the driver can remotely operate the running test vehicle 10 while visually checking the image information Dg displayed on the display unit 82.
However, in the present embodiment, by providing a positioning unit 76 and a map database 80, and displaying image information Dg and map information Dm showing the current position of the running test vehicle 10 on the display unit 82, the position of the running test vehicle 10 can be grasped on the map information Dm even if there is a location that the driver does not remember, which is advantageous in terms of easily and reliably performing remote operation of the running test vehicle 10.

In the second embodiment, four cameras, a front camera 74A, a rear camera 74B, a left camera 74C, and a right camera 74D, are provided, but the number and arrangement of the cameras is optional. Also, instead of providing multiple cameras, it is optional to use a spherical camera or a semi-spherical camera with a wide imaging range.

Third Embodiment
Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
In the second embodiment, a case was described in which remote operation is performed outside the field of view of the operator performing the remote operation, where the running test vehicle 10 cannot be seen. In the third embodiment, however, the running speed of the running test vehicle 10 is further detected, and the detected running speed of the running test vehicle 10 is displayed.

As shown in FIG. 11, the running test vehicle 10 is further provided with a speed detection unit 86 .
The speed detection unit 86 detects the traveling speed of the test vehicle 10 using a vehicle speed sensor (not shown) provided in the transmission.
The running test vehicle side communication unit 60 transmits the running speed of the running test vehicle 10 detected by the speed detection unit 86 to the remote control side communication unit 58 .

To explain the remote control device of the fourth embodiment with reference to FIG. 9, the remote control communication unit 58 receives the traveling speed of the traveling test vehicle transmitted from the traveling test vehicle communication unit 60 of the traveling test vehicle 10.

The display unit 82 displays the traveling speed of the traveling test vehicle 10 received by the remote control side communication unit 58 based on the control of the notification unit 56B.
The notification unit 56B displays the running speed of the running test vehicle 10 received by the remote control side communication unit 58 on the display unit 82. The running speed can be displayed in various ways, for example, by displaying characters such as "150 km/h" in a corner (such as the upper left or lower left) of the image information Dg or map information Dm displayed on the display screen 8202.

In this manner, the present embodiment provides the same effects as the second embodiment.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, the running test vehicle 10 is provided with a speed detection unit 84 that detects the running speed of the running test vehicle 10, and the detected running speed of the running test vehicle 10 can be displayed on the display unit 82 of the remote control device 45A, which is advantageous for accurately remotely controlling the running test vehicle 10 from a location away from the running test vehicle 10.
Therefore, even if the entire test course where the driving test is to be conducted cannot be seen, it is possible to remotely control the vehicle to drive on the test course while checking its speed, which is advantageous in improving user convenience.

(Fourth embodiment)
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
The fourth embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment, and differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the second actuator 90 that operates the handle 16.

As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the second actuator 90 includes two direct-acting cylinders 90A and 90B (direct-acting electric cylinders).
Each of the direct acting cylinders 90A, 90B includes a cylinder body 9002, a motor (not shown) incorporated in the cylinder body 9002, and a piston rod 9004 incorporated in the cylinder body 9002.
As shown in FIG. 12A, when the steering wheel 16 is in the neutral position (the steering angle is 0 degrees), the connecting portion 92 is attached to the upper portion of the steering wheel main body 1602.
A handle-side support shaft 1610 extending parallel to the central axis of the handle shaft 1604 protrudes from the connecting portion 92 toward the rear of the test vehicle 10 .
In addition, when the handlebars 16 are viewed from the rear of the test vehicle 10, vehicle body side support shafts 1010A, 1010B extending parallel to the central axis of the handlebar shaft 1604 are respectively protruded toward the rear of the test vehicle 10 at two locations on the instrument panel that sandwich the handlebars 16 in the vehicle width direction, and these two vehicle body side support shafts 1010A, 1010B are provided via brackets (not shown) at positions that are point-symmetrical with respect to the central axis of the handlebar shaft 1604.

Of the two linear cylinders 90A, 90B, one linear cylinder 90A has a base end of its cylinder body 9002 supported for swinging motion via one of the vehicle body side support shafts 1010A, and a tip end of a piston rod 9004 supported for swinging motion on the handle side support shaft 1610.
Of the two linear cylinders 90A, 90B, the other linear cylinder 90B has a base end of its cylinder body 9002 supported for swinging motion via the other vehicle body side support shaft 1010B, and a tip end of a piston rod 9004 supported for swinging motion on the handle side support shaft 1610.
Therefore, each of the linear cylinders 90A, 90B is detachably provided at a location (instrument panel) that does not interfere with the manual operation of the steering wheel 16 by the driver seated in the driver's seat.

To explain the control system of the fourth embodiment using Figure 1, the second detection unit 62B detects the movement amounts of the piston rods 9004 of the two linear cylinders 90A, 90B that constitute the second actuator 90 as operation amounts.
The servo control section 64 performs servo control of the second actuators 90 (linear cylinders 90A, 90B) based on the amounts of operation detected by the second detection sections 62B under the control of the operating member control section 66A.
Specifically, as one piston rod 9004 protrudes and the other piston rod 9004 contracts, each linear cylinder 90A, 90B swings about the vehicle body side support shaft 1010A, 1010B, respectively, as a fulcrum, and a rotational force acts on the handle 16 from each piston rod 9004 via the handle side support shaft 1610 and the connecting portion 92, thereby rotating the handle 16.
In the remote operation mode, the control device 12 on the running test vehicle supplies a drive signal to the motors of each linear cylinder 90A, 90B, causing the piston rod 9004 to extend and retract relative to the cylinder body 9002, and the steering angle of the running test vehicle 10 is adjusted by rotating the handle 16 forward and backward.
In the manual operation mode, the drive signal supplied to the motor of each linear cylinder 90A, 90B is turned off by the driving test vehicle side control device 12, so that each linear cylinder 90A, 90B becomes servo-free, and the driver seated in the driver's seat can manually operate the steering wheel 16.
The fourth embodiment as described above also provides the same effects as the first embodiment.

10: Running test vehicle; 12: Running test vehicle side control device; 14: Engine switch; 1402: Push button; 16: Steering wheel (steering)
Description of the Reference Signs 1602 Handle body 18 Shift lever 1802 Oscillating shaft 1804 Grasped portion 20 Operation button 22 Brake pedal 24 Accelerator pedal 26 Parking brake pedal 28 Blinker lever 2802 Lever body 30 Light switch 32 First actuator 34 Second actuator 36 Third actuator 38 Fourth actuator 40 Fifth actuator 42 Sixth actuator 44 Seventh actuator 46 Eighth actuator 48 Ninth actuator 45, 45A, 45B Remote control device 50A to 50I First to ninth operation levers 52A to 52I First to ninth angle sensors 54 Mode changeover switch 56 Control unit 56A Command information generation unit 56B Notification unit 58 Remote control side communication unit 60 Traveling test vehicle side communication unit 74A Front camera 74B Rear camera 74C Left camera 74D Right camera 76 Positioning unit 78 Operation input unit 80 Map database 82 Display unit 8202 Display screen Dg Image information Dm Map information 84A Road 84B Arrow icon 86 Speed detection unit 90 Second actuator

Claims (6)

A remote control system for a running test vehicle that remotely controls a running test vehicle used in a running test, comprising:
A plurality of actuators each for operating a plurality of operating members for driving the running test vehicle, the operating members being operated by a driver;
A running test vehicle side communication unit that receives remote operation command information;
an operation member control unit that operates each of the actuators based on the remote operation command information received by the running test vehicle side communication unit,
the actuators are provided at locations that do not interfere with manual operation of the operating members by the driver seated in the driver's seat,
the operation member control unit is configured to be selectable between a remote operation mode in which the operation member control unit controls each of the actuators based on the remote operation command information to operate each of the operation members, and a manual operation mode in which the operation member is manually operated by the driver ,
a plurality of detection units each detecting an amount of operation of the plurality of operation members by the plurality of actuators;
a servo control unit that performs servo control of each of the actuators based on the operation amounts detected by each of the detection units,
the remote operation mode of the operation member control unit is achieved by operating each of the plurality of actuators via the servo control unit,
The manual operation mode of the operation member control unit is achieved by disabling the control operation of the servo control unit and making the actuators servo-free.
A remote control system for a test vehicle. an image information generating unit that captures an image of the periphery of the running test vehicle and generates image information in the running test vehicle;
A remote operation device is provided that includes a command information generating unit that generates the remote operation command information, a remote control side communication unit that is configured to be able to communicate with the running test vehicle side communication unit and transmits the remote operation command information to the running test vehicle side communication unit, and a display unit,
the running test vehicle side communication unit transmits the image information generated by the image information generation unit to the remote control side communication unit;
The display unit displays the image information received by the remote control communication unit.
2. The remote control system for a test vehicle according to claim 1 . a positioning unit for measuring a position of the running test vehicle and generating positioning information,
The remote control device further includes a map database that stores map information.
The running test vehicle side communication unit transmits the positioning information generated by the positioning unit to the remote control side communication unit,
the display unit displays the position of the test vehicle on the map information read from the map database based on the positioning information received by the remote control communication unit.
3. The remote control system for a test vehicle according to claim 2 . The running test vehicle further includes a speed detection unit that detects a running speed of the running test vehicle,
the running test vehicle side communication unit transmits the running speed of the running test vehicle detected by the speed detection unit to the remote control side communication unit;
The display unit displays the traveling speed of the traveling test vehicle received by the remote control side communication unit.
4. The remote control system for a test vehicle according to claim 3 . The plurality of operating members include an engine switch for starting and stopping an engine mounted on the running test vehicle, a steering wheel for steering the running test vehicle, a shift lever for changing gears in a transmission, an operating button for unlocking the shift lever, a brake pedal for braking the running test vehicle, an accelerator pedal for controlling the engine speed, a parking brake pedal for braking when parking the running test vehicle, a turn signal lever for operating a direction indicator, and a light switch for turning on and off headlights and small lights,
The actuators are provided corresponding to the engine switch, the steering wheel, the shift lever, the operation buttons, the brake pedal, the accelerator pedal, the turn signal lever, and the light switch, respectively.
5. The remote control system for a test vehicle according to claim 1 , The plurality of actuators are detachably provided at locations that do not interfere with manual operation of the operating members by the driver seated in the driver's seat.
6. A remote control system for a test vehicle according to claim 1 ,

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