VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20130253756A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: MATSUNO, Kouji
• Granted Patent: US 9,145,142 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/021 Means for detecting failure or malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0292 Fail-safe or redundant systems, e.g. limp-home or backup systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0295 Inhibiting action of specific actuators or systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/30 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0225 Failure correction strategy
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/029 Adapting to failures or work around with other constraints, e.g. circumvention by avoiding use of failed parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/035 Bringing the control units into a predefined state, e.g. giving priority to particular actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/038 Limiting the input power, torque or speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling

Abstract

There is provided a vehicle control system configured to select one of driving modes which are associated with abnormalities of control units and are previously defined in a mapping table, and to output an execution command via CAN bus to a corresponding control unit that achieves the selected driving mode. In the above process, the driving modes stored in a driving mode change instruction unit each provide a driving state which enables a vehicle to perform safety driving reliably, while maintaining a minimum necessary driving performance even when an abnormality occurs in the relevant control units.

Claims

1. A vehicle control system comprising:

a plurality of control units mounted in a vehicle;

an abnormality detection unit configured to detect a control unit having an abnormality out of the control units;

a driving mode storage unit configured to pre-store, as a driving mode, a driving state for allowing safe driving of the vehicle for each of the control units even when an abnormality occurs; and

a driving mode execution unit configured to select and execute a driving mode stored in the driving mode storage unit in the case where the abnormality detection unit detects a control unit having an abnormality.

2. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, further comprising

an informing unit configured to inform of the control unit having an abnormality which is detected by the abnormality detection unit, and the driving mode selected and executed by the driving mode execution unit.

3. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, further comprising

a selection unit configured to allow a driver to freely select the driving mode stored in the driving mode storage unit.

4. The vehicle control system according to claim 1,

wherein each of the control units is one of an engine control unit configured to control an engine, a transmission control unit configured to control an automatic transmission, a brake control unit configured to control a brake, a steering control unit configured to control power steering, a suspension control unit configured to control a stiffness of a suspension, and a passenger protection control unit configured to control a seat belt and an air bag.

5. The vehicle control system according to claim 1,

wherein the driving mode stored in the driving mode storage unit is one of

a throttle opening limiting mode in which an increase in throttle opening in relation to an increase in accelerator opening is restrained,

an inter-vehicle distance increase mode in which a inter-vehicle distance setting is corrected to an increased distance in vehicle following control for following a preceding vehicle by maintaining a distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle at the inter-vehicle distance setting,

a vehicle speed limit mode in which a vehicle speed setting is corrected to a decreased speed in constant speed drive control for controlling automatic driving at the vehicle speed setting, and

a sideslip prevention control OFF disabled mode in which an OFF selection in ON/OFF selectable sideslip prevention control is automatically disabled.