Device to control force required to depress accelerator pedal

An accelerator pedal effort control device comprising:

• an accelerator opening angle sensor configured to sense an accelerator opening angle that is varied by operating an accelerator pedal of a vehicle;
• a pedal effort varying mechanism configured to vary a pedal effort of the accelerator pedal;
• and
• a control unit configured to:
• set an accelerator opening angle threshold value relating to specific fuel consumption on the basis of an operating condition of the vehicle,
• add a predetermined increment to the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal when the accelerator opening angle becomes larger than the accelerator opening angle threshold value, and
• inhibit cancellation of the increment of the pedal effort until a predetermined period elapses after the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal is increased,
• wherein the predetermined period is defined in terms of running mileage.

An accelerator pedal effort control device comprising:

• an accelerator opening angle sensor configured to sense an accelerator opening angle that is varied by operating an accelerator pedal of a vehicle;
• a pedal effort varying mechanism configured to vary a pedal effort of the accelerator pedal;
• and
• a control unit configured to:
• set an accelerator opening angle threshold value relating to specific fuel consumption on the basis of an operating condition of the vehicle,
• add a predetermined increment to the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal when the accelerator opening angle becomes larger than the accelerator opening angle threshold value, and
• inhibit cancellation of the increment of the pedal effort until a predetermined period elapses after the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal is increased,
• wherein as the increment of the pedal effort becomes larger, the predetermined period is set longer.

An accelerator pedal effort control device comprising:

• an accelerator opening angle sensor configured to sense an accelerator opening angle that is varied by operating an accelerator pedal of a vehicle;
• a pedal effort varying mechanism configured to vary a pedal effort of the accelerator pedal;
• and
• a control unit configured to:
• set an accelerator opening angle threshold value relating to specific fuel consumption on the basis of an operating condition of the vehicle,
• add a predetermined increment to the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal when the accelerator opening angle becomes larger than the accelerator opening angle threshold value, and
• inhibit cancellation of the increment of the pedal effort until a predetermined period elapses after the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal is increased,
• wherein as the accelerator opening angle threshold value becomes smaller, the predetermined period is set longer.

An accelerator pedal effort control device comprising:

• an accelerator opening angle sensor configured to sense an accelerator opening angle that is varied by operating an accelerator pedal of a vehicle;
• a pedal effort varying mechanism configured to vary a pedal effort of the accelerator pedal;
• and
• a control unit configured to:
• set an accelerator opening angle threshold value relating to specific fuel consumption on the basis of an operating condition of the vehicle,
• add a predetermined increment to the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal when the accelerator opening angle becomes larger than the accelerator opening angle threshold value, and
• inhibit cancellation of the increment of the pedal effort until a predetermined period elapses after the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal is increased,
• wherein the predetermined period is started at a time at which the accelerator opening angle is reduced to the accelerator opening angle threshold value after the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal is increased.