Vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12091077-B2
Application number	US-202318223510-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2023
Priority date	Jul 22, 2022
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle an instrument panel, a first actuator moving the instrument panel in a front-rear direction, a steering part provided in the instrument panel movable in the front-rear direction, a second actuator moving the steering part relatively with respect to the instrument panel, a microprocessor controlling the first actuator and the second actuator, and a memory previously storing a target instrument panel position and a target steering position in association with a driver. The microprocessor is configured to perform the controlling including determining whether the driver has started a driving operation, and when it is determined that the driver has started the driving operation, controlling the first actuator and the second actuator so that the instrument panel and the steering part are respectively located in the target instrument panel position and the target steering position stored in the memory.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
an instrument panel disposed on a front side of a vehicle seat in a manner movable in a front-rear direction;
a first actuator configured to move the instrument panel in the front-rear direction;
a steering part provided in the instrument panel in a manner movable relatively in the front-rear direction with respect to the instrument panel;
a second actuator configured to move the steering part relatively with respect to the instrument panel;
a microprocessor configured to perform controlling the first actuator and the second actuator; and
a memory configured to previously store a target instrument panel position and a target steering position in association with a driver, wherein
the microprocessor is configured to perform
the controlling including determining whether the driver has started a driving operation, and when it is determined that the driver has started the driving operation, controlling the first actuator and the second actuator so that the instrument panel and the steering part are respectively located in the target instrument panel position and the target steering position stored in the memory,
the vehicle is a self-driving vehicle having a self-driving system,
the vehicle further comprises
a driving level switching portion configured to switch a driving level in a self-driving to a first driving automation level involving a driver responsibility to monitor surroundings during traveling or a second driving automation level not involving the driver responsibility to monitor the surroundings during traveling, and
the microprocessor is configured to perform
the controlling including controlling the first actuator and the second actuator so that when the driving level is switched to the second driving automation level by the driving level switching portion, the instrument panel is located in the target instrument panel position and the steering part is located in a housed position where the steering part is housed in the instrument panel.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising
a power switch to be turned on when the driver starts the driving operation, wherein
the microprocessor is configured to perform
the controlling including determining that the driver has started the driving operation when the power switch is turned on.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising
a vehicle stop detector configured to detect a stop state of the vehicle, wherein
the microprocessor is configured to perform
the controlling including controlling the first actuator and the second actuator so that when it is detected that the power switch is turned off or it is detected by the vehicle stop detector that the stop state continues for a predetermined time or more, the instrument panel is located in a retracted position where the instrument panel moves forward to a maximum and the steering part is located in the housed position.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the steering part is housed in a depressed portion provided in the instrument panel in the housed position.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the microprocessor is configured to perform
the controlling including controlling the first actuator and the second actuator so that when the driving level is switched to the first driving automation level by the driving level switching portion, the instrument panel is located in the target instrument panel position and the steering part is located in the target steering position.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the second driving automation level includes a conditional second driving automation level at which there is a possibility that the driving operation is requested from the self-driving system during traveling in the self-driving and a non-conditional second driving automation level at which there is not the possibility,
the driving level switching portion is configured to further switch the driving level in the self-driving to the conditional second driving automation level or the non-conditional second driving automation level, and
the microprocessor is configured to perform
the controlling including controlling the first actuator so that when the driving level is switched to the non-conditional second driving automation level, the instrument panel is positioned forward compared to when the driving level is switched to the conditional second driving automation level.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising
an airbag unit provided in the steering part to inflate and deploy reward rearward when a predetermined impact on the vehicle is detected, wherein
the target instrument panel position and the target steering position are respectively a first target instrument panel position and a first target steering position,
the memory is configured to further previously store a second target instrument panel position and a second target steering position associated with the driver, as the target instrument panel position and the target steering position when the airbag unit is activated, and
the microprocessor is configured to perform
the controlling including controlling the first actuator and the second actuator so that when the predetermined impact is detected, the instrument panel is located in the second target instrument panel position and the steering part is located in the second target steering position.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the instrument panel includes a display part having an operation portion operable by the driver, and
the microprocessor is configured to perform
the controlling including controlling the display part so as to change a display content in accordance with a position of the instrument panel and a position of the steering part.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the vehicle seat is provided so as to be immovable in the front-rear direction.

10. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising
a first operation portion configured to instruct an acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle in accordance with an operation by the driver; and
a second operation portion configured to instruct a braking of the vehicle in accordance with an operation by the driver, wherein
the first operation portion and the second operation portion are provided in a vicinity of the steering part.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising
a support part configured to support the instrument panel in a manner movable in the front-rear direction, wherein
the support part includes
a frame member provided in the instrument panel and extended in a left-right direction, and
rail members extended in the front-rear direction on a left side wall and a right side wall of the vehicle so that ends in the left-right direction of the frame member engage therewith.

12. A vehicle comprising:
an instrument panel disposed on a front side of a vehicle seat in a manner movable in a front-rear direction;
a first actuator configured to move the instrument panel in the front-rear direction;
a steering part provided in the instrument panel in a manner movable relatively in the front-rear direction with respect to the instrument panel;
a second actuator configured to move the steering part relatively with respect to the instrument panel;
a microprocessor configured to perform controlling the first actuator and the second actuator;
a memory configured to previously store a target instrument panel position and a target steering position in association with a driver; and
a vehicle stop detector configured to detect a stop state of the vehicle,

wherein
the

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kobayashi Kei
• Hirota Takashi
• Sato Tomoya

Classifications

• B60K37/00 Primary

  Dashboards (as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14) · CPC title

• B62D1/185

  adjustable by axial displacement, e.g. telescopically (B62D1/183, B62D1/187, B62D1/19 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60R21/09

  Control elements or operating handles movable from an operative to an out-of-the way position, e.g. {pedals,} switch knobs, window cranks {(specially adapted for brake pedals, e.g. by venting of master cylinder or destruction of force transmitting rod, B60T7/065)} · CPC title

• B62D1/18

  yieldable or adjustable, e.g. tiltable (padded linings associated with the steering column B60R21/05) · CPC title

• B62D1/197

  incorporating devices for preventing ingress of the steering column into the passengers space in case of accident · CPC title