Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.

Tomonori Kawakami

Atsushi Yokoyama

Taisetsu Tanimichi

Yuto Imanishi

Takeo Shibata

Takaharu Abe

Provided is a vehicle control device with which improved fuel economy and lowered exhaust gas emissions can be effectively achieved without adversely affecting the driver when traveling while following a leading vehicle. The present invention has: a following-determination means that, during travel while following a leading vehicle, determines, on the basis of the speed of the host vehicle, the speed of the leading vehicle, and the distance from the leading vehicle, whether the host vehicle will be able to follow the leading vehicle by coasting; and an idle stop determination means that, when the following-determination means has determined that the host vehicle will be able to follow the leading vehicle by coasting, and the driving/travel state of the host vehicle satisfies other traveling idle stop criteria, determines that a traveling idle stop should be performed; and is provided with a determination criteria updating means for updating the determination criteria for the idle stop determination means in regard to criteria such as the leading vehicle characteristics, road surface conditions, and weather. In the event that it has been determined, from the determination conditions that have been updated in regard to the leading vehicle characteristics, etc., that following by coasting is possible, a control to shut off the on-board engine is performed.

Vehicle control device and vehicle control method

A vehicle travel control apparatus is provided that is capable of improving fuel economy by exerting control so as to attain a specified speed without starting the engine during acceleration, and by increasing the regenerative energy recovery amount during deceleration, during the travel control. A vehicle travel control apparatus () to control the vehicle speed is mounted in a hybrid vehicle containing an engine () and a motor () as power sources, and includes: a target vehicle computing unit () that calculates a target vehicle speed; an acceleration command value calculation unit () that calculates an acceleration command value () based on a target vehicle speed; an acceleration limit processing unit () that calculates a post-limit acceleration command value () that limits the acceleration command value () by utilizing a specified upper-limit value and a specified lower-limit value; a torque command value computing unit () that calculates a torque command value from the post-limit acceleration command value (); and a speed-change command value computing unit () that determines whether a down-shift is required or not based on the acceleration command value () and an upper-limit torque or a lower-limit torque of the motor, and calculates a speed-change command value ().

Growing community of inventors

Ibaraki, Japan

Tomonori Kawakami