Vehicle control device

A vehicle control device mounted on a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a motor and a power storage device that transmits power to and from the motor and configured to control the engine and the motor such as to drive the hybrid vehicle while changing over between motor drive without operation of the engine and hybrid drive with operation of the engine and to start the engine and shift the drive of the hybrid vehicle to the hybrid drive when a parameter involved in driving output becomes equal to or larger than a start reference value of the engine during the motor drive, wherein

• in the motor drive in a self-driving mode where the hybrid vehicle is driven independently of a driver's accelerating operation or decelerating operation,
• the vehicle control device maintains the motor drive and restricts the parameter in a range smaller than the start reference value when a vehicle condition is not met, where the vehicle condition is a condition that any other vehicle is present in a predetermined distance at least either ahead of its own vehicle or behind the own vehicle,
• while the vehicle control device shifts to the hybrid drive and does not restrict the parameter in the range smaller than the start reference value when the vehicle condition is met.

A vehicle control device mounted on a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a motor and a power storage device that transmits power to and from the motor and configured to control the engine and the motor such as to drive the hybrid vehicle while changing over between motor drive without operation of the engine and hybrid drive with operation of the engine, wherein

• in a process of starting the engine in a self-driving mode where driving output is controlled independently of a driver's accelerating operation or decelerating operation,
• the vehicle control device shifts to the hybrid drive and performs a first start control to start the engine while giving preference to a response over reduction of starting shock when a vehicle condition is met, where the vehicle condition is a condition that any other vehicle is present in a predetermined distance at least either ahead of the hybrid vehicle or behind the hybrid vehicle, and
• the vehicle control device maintains the motor drive and performs a second start control to start the engine while giving preference to the reduction of starting shock over the response when the vehicle condition is not met.