BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control system, a vehicle controller, and a vehicle learning device.

2. Description of Related Art

For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2016-6327 discloses a controller that controls a throttle valve, which is an operated unit of an internal combustion engine mounted on a vehicle, based on a value processing an operation amount of an accelerator pedal with a filter.

The above-described filter is required to set the operation amount of the throttle valve of the internal combustion engine mounted on the vehicle to an appropriate operation amount in accordance with the operation amount of the accelerator pedal. Thus, adaptation of the filter requires a great number of man-hours by skilled workers. In this manner, adaptation of operation amounts of electronic devices on a vehicle in accordance with the state of the vehicle requires a great number of man-hours by skilled workers.

SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Aspects of the present disclosure will now be described.

Aspect 1. A vehicle control system that includes a memory device, a first execution device, and a second execution device is provided. The memory device stores relationship defining data that defines a relationship between a state of a vehicle and an action variable related to an operation of an electronic device in the vehicle. The first execution device is mounted on the vehicle. The second execution device is an out-of-vehicle device. The first execution device and the second execution device are configured to cooperate to execute processes including: a state obtaining process that obtains a detection value of a sensor that detects the state of the vehicle; an operation process that operates the electronic device; a reward calculating process that provides, based on the detection value obtained by the state obtaining process, a greater reward when a characteristic of the vehicle meets a standard than when the characteristic of the vehicle does not meet the standard; an update process that updates the relationship defining data by inputting, to a predetermined update map, the state of the vehicle based on the detection value obtained by the state obtaining process, a value of the action variable used to operate the electronic device, and the reward corresponding to the operation of the electronic device; a vehicle information obtaining process that obtains information related to the vehicle; and a classification process that classifies vehicles that include the vehicle into groups based on the information related to the vehicle. The first execution device is configured to execute at least the state obtaining process and the operation process. The second execution device is configured to execute at least the update process, the vehicle information obtaining process, and the classification process. The operation process includes a process that operates the electronic device in accordance with the relationship defining data updated by the update process and the state of the vehicle. The update map is configured to output the updated relationship defining data so as to increase an expected return of the reward of a case in which the electronic device is operated in accordance with the relationship defining data. In order to update the relationship defining data for each of the classified groups, the second execution device is configured to execute the update process by inputting, into the update map, the states of the vehicles belonging to a same group, the values of the action variables used to operate the electronic devices of the vehicles belonging to the same group, and the rewards corresponding to the operation of the electronic devices.

This configuration calculates a reward that accompanies operation of the electronic device, so as to acquire the type of the reward obtained through that operation. Then, the relationship defining data is updated based on the reward, using the update map according to reinforcement learning. The relationship between the state of the vehicle and the action variable thus can be set to a value suitable for traveling of the vehicle. This reduces the man-hours required for skilled workers when the relationship between the state of the vehicle and the action variable is set to a value suitable for traveling of the vehicle.

The above-described configuration updates a single set of relationship defining data based on the states, the values of the action variables, and the rewards of multiple vehicles. This increases the frequency of update as compared to a case in which a single set of relationship defining data is updated based on the state, the value of the action variable, and the reward of a single vehicle.

The combination of the state of a vehicle and a suitable value of an action variable may vary depending on the travel environment of the vehicle, the degree of wear, and the preference of the user in regard to driving. Accordingly, the above-described configuration updates the relationship defining data for each of the groups of vehicles obtained through the classification process. Thus, as compared to a case in which a single set of relationship defining data is updated based on the states, the values of the action variables, and the rewards of all the vehicles each equipped with the first execution device in the system, the relationship defining data can be updated to more suitable data for each group.

Aspect 2. In the vehicle control system according to Aspect 1, the vehicle information obtaining process includes a process that obtains, as the information related to the vehicle, a degree-of-wear variable that indicates a degree of wear of the vehicle.

The responsiveness of the vehicle to a driving operation by the user varies depending on the degree of wear of the vehicle. Thus, the value of the action variable suitable for the state of the vehicle may differ depending on the degree of wear of the vehicle. Accordingly, the above-described configuration classifies the vehicle according to the degree of wear of the vehicle, so that the relationship defining data is updated to be suitable in accordance with the degree of wear of the vehicle.

Aspect 3. In the vehicle control system according to Aspect 1 or 2, the vehicle information obtaining process includes a process that obtains, as the information related to the vehicle, information related to an average of an amount of change per unit time of an accelerator operation amount.

The information related to the average of the amount of change per unit time of the accelerator operation amount may include information related to the preference of the user in regard to driving and information related to the degree of wear of the vehicle. Accordingly, the above-described configuration classifies the vehicle based on the information related to the average of the amount of change per unit time of the accelerator operation amount. Thus, the relationship defining data is updated to be suitable in accordance with the preference of the user in regard to driving and the degree of wear of the vehicle.

Aspect 4. In the vehicle control system according to anyone of Aspects 1 to 3, the vehicle information obtaining process includes a process that obtains, as the information related to the vehicle, positional information of the vehicle.

This configuration classifies the vehicle based on the positional information of the vehicle. The vehicle is thus classified while factoring in differences in the environment in which the vehicle is in and differences in the preference of the user in regard to driving.

Aspect 5. A vehicle controller is provided that includes the first execution device in the vehicle control system according to any one of Aspects 1 to 4.

Aspect 6. A vehicle learning device is provided that includes the second execution device in the vehicle control system according to any one of Aspects 1 to 4.

Aspect 7. A vehicle control method is provided that performs the various processes described in each of the above Aspects.

Aspect 8. A non-transitory computer readable memory medium is provided that stores a program that causes various devices to perform the various processes described in each of the above Aspects.

Other features and aspects will be apparent from the following detailed description, the drawings, and the claims.

