Patent ID: 8463521
Filing Date: 2013-06-11
Classification: B60W

Abstract:
1. A driver coaching system for a vehicle, comprising: an adaptive cruise control (ACC) system for automatically controlling a vehicle speed of the vehicle, said ACC system including: a distance measuring device for measuring a distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle, a speed measuring device for measuring a speed of the vehicle, an input device for inputting at least one of a target vehicle speed or a target distance, an ACC controller that controls the vehicle speed of the vehicle based on the distance measured by the distance measuring device, the speed measured by the speed measuring device and the at least one of the target vehicle speed or the target distance inputted into the input device; a coaching controller communicating with the ACC system, the coaching controller configured to determine a recommended driver input to optimize fuel economy based on the distance measured by the distance measuring device of the ACC system and the speed measured by the speed measuring device, wherein the recommended driver input is a braking notification that includes a recommended degree of braking between a minimum braking amount and a maximum braking amount or an acceleration notification that includes a recommended degree of acceleration between a minimum acceleration amount and a maximum acceleration amount; and an output device for communicating the recommended driver input to a driver of the vehicle.