Abstract: The method of the present disclosure is a method for operating an on-demand vehicle that travels by autonomous driving on a single lane on which a regular service vehicle is operated. According to the method of the present disclosure, first the on-demand vehicle is moved to a meeting place with a user in response to receiving a reservation for the on-demand vehicle from the user. Next, an available waiting time of the on-demand vehicle at the meeting place is calculated based on a regular operation schedule of the regular service vehicle. Then, the on-demand vehicle is moved from the meeting place so as not to affect operation of the regular service vehicle when the available waiting time elapses without the user appearing at the meeting place.

Abstract: The method of the present disclosure is a method for operating a regular service vehicle and an on-demand vehicle that travel by autonomous driving on a single lane having a plurality of overtaking places including a stop. According to the method, it is predicted that the on-demand vehicle is prevented from arriving at a location of a user of the on-demand vehicle at an optimal time by the regular service vehicle. When a passenger is on the regular service vehicle, an arrival time of the on-demand vehicle at the location of the user is delayed from the optimal time to cause the regular service vehicle to travel according to a regular operation schedule. When no passenger is on the regular service vehicle, the regular service vehicle is delayed from the regular operation schedule to cause the on-demand vehicle to arrive at the location of the user at the optimal time.

Abstract: A vehicle dispatch system is configured to execute user type identification processing for identifying a user type indicating whether the user is a visually handicapped person or a healthy person, and when the user is identified to be a visually handicapped person, execute voice guidance processing for performing voice guidance for a visually handicapped person. The autonomous driving vehicle includes an image recognition unit configured to perform image recognition of the user. The voice guidance processing includes guidance information generation processing for generating guidance information including a moving direction for allowing the user to approach the autonomous driving vehicle based on an image recognition result of the image recognition unit, and guidance information transfer processing for transferring the guidance information to the user by voice.

Abstract: The first to third storage apparatuses each comprise an SVOL1, SVOL2 and PVOL. Even when the write command designates any of the PVOL, SVOL1 and SVOL2, at least one of the first to third storage apparatuses writes write target data according to the write command to the PVOL and then writes the write target data in parallel to the SVOL1 and SVOL2. Even if a read command designates any of the PVOL, SVOL1 and SVOL2, at least one of the first to third storage apparatuses reads read target data according to the read command from the PVOL.

Abstract: The first to third storage apparatuses each comprise an SVOL1, SVOL2 and PVOL. Even when the write command designates any of the PVOL, SVOL1 and SVOL2, at least one of the first to third storage apparatuses writes write target data according to the write command to the PVOL and then writes the write target data in parallel to the SVOL1 and SVOL2. Even if a read command designates any of the PVOL, SVOL1 and SVOL2, at least one of the first to third storage apparatuses reads read target data according to the read command from the PVOL.

Abstract: A vehicle dispatch system is configured to execute user type identification processing for identifying a user type indicating whether the user is a visually handicapped person or a healthy person, and when the user is identified to be a visually handicapped person, execute voice guidance processing for performing voice guidance for a visually handicapped person. The autonomous driving vehicle includes an image recognition unit configured to perform image recognition of the user. The voice guidance processing includes guidance information generation processing for generating guidance information including a moving direction for allowing the user to approach the autonomous driving vehicle based on an image recognition result of the image recognition unit, and guidance information transfer processing for transferring the guidance information to the user by voice.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes cylinders that are divided into a first cylinder group and a second cylinder group, a cylinder reduction mechanism that holds intake valves and exhaust valves of the first cylinder group in closed states so as to establish a reduced-cylinder state. When the engine is stopped in the reduced-cylinder state, the electronic control unit provided in the engine starts the engine by ignition, by executing fuel injection and ignition in an expansion-stroke cylinder. When the first cylinder group includes an exhaust-stroke cylinder, the engine is started by ignition through fuel injection and ignition in the expansion-stroke cylinder, after a piston is moved in a reverse direction through fuel injection and ignition in the exhaust-stroke cylinder. When the first cylinder group does not include the exhaust-stroke cylinder, the engine is started by ignition, through fuel injection and ignition in the expansion-stroke cylinder and an intake-stroke cylinder.

Abstract: An engine starting system includes an electronic control unit configured to: automatically stop an engine in response to an engine stop request, and restart the engine in response to an engine restart request; calculate, in the course of automatically stopping the engine, a throttle opening degree based on at least one of a vehicle speed or an input rotational speed of a transmission, such that the throttle opening degree when the at least one of the vehicle speed or the input rotational speed is high is larger than the throttle opening degree when the at least one of the vehicle speed or the input rotational speed is low; carry out scavenging of each cylinder by opening a throttle valve to the calculated throttle opening degree in the course of automatically stopping the engine; and restart the engine through ignition-based engine starting in response to the engine restart request.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes cylinders that are divided into a first cylinder group and a second cylinder group, a cylinder reduction mechanism that holds intake valves and exhaust valves of the first cylinder group in closed states so as to establish a reduced-cylinder state. When the engine is stopped in the reduced-cylinder state, the electronic control unit provided in the engine starts the engine by ignition, by executing fuel injection and ignition in an expansion-stroke cylinder. When the first cylinder group includes an exhaust-stroke cylinder, the engine is started by ignition through fuel injection and ignition in the expansion-stroke cylinder, after a piston is moved in a reverse direction through fuel injection and ignition in the exhaust-stroke cylinder. When the first cylinder group does not include the exhaust-stroke cylinder, the engine is started by ignition, through fuel injection and ignition in the expansion-stroke cylinder and an intake-stroke cylinder.

Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a controller configured to perform: ignition starting of an engine when a detected crank angle is within a first area in which the ignition starting of the engine may be performed with probability not smaller than a first predetermined value; and the ignition starting of the engine while increasing an engine speed by engaging a clutch to transmit torque of a drive wheel to a crankshaft when the crank angle is within a second area in which the ignition starting of the engine may be performed with probability not smaller than a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value and smaller than the first predetermined value, the instruction is output based on a signal indicating that a braking unit is turned on, and a gear of a transmission is not in neutral.

Abstract: An engine start control apparatus for a vehicle in which an engine can be automatically stopped temporarily is characterized in that when the position of a piston is within a range that is likely to cause ignition during automatic stop of the engine (Yes in step S3), it is predicted that the electric power consumed in a starting device in restarting the engine is small, a second path with a large resistance is selected as an energization path from a battery to a starter motor (step S4), and starter start for cranking the engine by the starting device and ignition start based on fuel injection and ignition are executed (step S5) to restart the engine.

Abstract: A vehicle control device includes an engine, a battery, a starting device, a battery sensor, a crank angle sensor, a shift position sensor, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to determine whether or not at least either one of a piston position and a shift position satisfies a predetermined threshold switching condition based on the piston position and the shift position. The electronic control unit is configured to set the restart threshold to a first threshold in a case where it is determined that the threshold switching condition is not satisfied while the engine is automatically stopped. The electronic control unit is configured to set the restart threshold to a second threshold lower than the first threshold in a case where it is determined that the threshold switching condition is satisfied while the engine is automatically stopped.

Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a controller configured to perform: ignition starting of an engine when a detected crank angle is within a first area in which the ignition starting of the engine may be performed with probability not smaller than a first predetermined value; and the ignition starting of the engine while increasing an engine speed by engaging a clutch to transmit torque of a drive wheel to a crankshaft when the crank angle is within a second area in which the ignition starting of the engine may be performed with probability not smaller than a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value and smaller than the first predetermined value, the instruction is output based on a signal indicating that a braking unit is turned on, and a gear of a transmission is not in neutral.

Abstract: An engine starting system includes an electronic control unit configured to: automatically stop an engine in response to an engine stop request, and restart the engine in response to an engine restart request; calculate, in the course of automatically stopping the engine, a throttle opening degree based on at least one of a vehicle speed or an input rotational speed of a transmission, such that the throttle opening degree when the at least one of the vehicle speed or the input rotational speed is high is larger than the throttle opening degree when the at least one of the vehicle speed or the input rotational speed is low; carry out scavenging of each cylinder by opening a throttle valve to the calculated throttle opening degree in the course of automatically stopping the engine; and restart the engine through ignition-based engine starting in response to the engine restart request.

Abstract: When the operating speed of an accelerator pedal is higher than a given operating speed, a target acceleration as a target output value is multiplied by a gain so that an absolute value of the target acceleration is increased; therefore, a large acceleration requested by the driver can be achieved. The gain by which the target acceleration is multiplied is set to 1 when the target acceleration is about zero, so as to resume a condition where the absolute value of the target acceleration is not increased. Thus, when the control of increasing the absolute value of the target acceleration with the gain is stopped, an elevation change is less likely or unlikely to occur in the actual acceleration. Consequently, a desired acceleration is generated without causing the driver to feel uncomfortable during driving of the vehicle.

Abstract: In vehicle running control that, at the time of controlling driving force, determines whether an operating speed that is a speed at which a driver operates an accelerator operator (10) is higher than or equal to a threshold and that changes details of control over the driving force on the basis of a result of the determination, the threshold is set on the basis of operation information, other than the operating speed of the accelerator operator (10), within information related to operation of the accelerator operator (10). In the vehicle running control, at the time of controlling the driving force, details of control over the driving force are changed on the basis of the operating speed that is the speed at which the driver operates the accelerator operator (10) and a stroke amount that is an operation amount of the accelerator operator (10) when the driver has operated the accelerator operator (10).

Abstract: An engine and an automatic transmission are controlled by any one of automatic gear shift control that controls the engine based on a target engine torque based on a target driving force based on an accelerator open degree and a vehicle speed of a vehicle and controls a gear shift of the automatic transmission based on a gear shift instruction determined based on the target driving force, and manual gear shift control that controls a gear shift of the automatic transmission based on a gear shift instruction in response to an operation of a gear shift operation device performed by a driver as well as controls the engine based on the target engine torque which is determined based on the accelerator open degree and the vehicle speed so that a change of acceleration by the gear shift becomes larger than that at the time of automatic gear shift control.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes: an accessory that adjusts torque that is output from an internal combustion engine, by giving load to the internal combustion engine; an ignition timing control portion that is provided so as to adjust ignition timing of the internal combustion engine, and that adjusts the torque output from the internal combustion engine by performing a retardation control of the ignition timing; an accessory load adjustment portion that adjusts an accessory load that is the load given from the accessory to the internal combustion engine; and a catalyst that purifies exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine. The ignition timing control portion reduces the retardation of the ignition timing with increase in temperature of the catalyst. The accessory load adjustment portion increases the accessory load with increase in the temperature of the catalyst.

Abstract: An engine and an automatic transmission are controlled by any one of automatic gear shift control that controls the engine based on a target engine torque based on a target driving force based on an accelerator open degree and a vehicle speed of a vehicle and controls a gear shift of the automatic transmission based on a gear shift instruction determined based on the target driving force, and manual gear shift control that controls a gear shift of the automatic transmission based on a gear shift instruction in response to an operation of a gear shift operation device performed by a driver as well as controls the engine based on the target engine torque which is determined based on the accelerator open degree and the vehicle speed so that a change of acceleration by the gear shift becomes larger than that at the time of automatic gear shift control.

Abstract: When the operating speed of an accelerator pedal is higher than a given operating speed, a target acceleration as a target output value is multiplied by a gain so that an absolute value of the target acceleration is increased; therefore, a large acceleration requested by the driver can be achieved. The gain by which the target acceleration is multiplied is set to 1 when the target acceleration is about zero, so as to resume a condition where the absolute value of the target acceleration is not increased. Thus, when the control of increasing the absolute value of the target acceleration with the gain is stopped, an elevation change is less likely or unlikely to occur in the actual acceleration. Consequently, a desired acceleration is generated without causing the driver to feel uncomfortable during driving of the vehicle.