Patent ID: 7022045

Claim:
An accelerator pedal device for use in a vehicle, comprising: a pedal depression amount detecting means for detecting an amount of depression of an accelerator pedal operated by a driver; a throttle controlling means for controlling the throttle opening based on a signal of said depression amount detected by said pedal depression amount detecting means; and a pedal reaction force providing means for providing said accelerator pedal with a reaction force in accordance with said depression amount of said accelerator pedal; wherein, said reaction force of said pedal reaction force providing means is controlled based on said signal of said depression amount detected by said pedal depression amount detecting means; and further comprising a reaction force/transmission controlling means for controlling said pedal reaction force providing means and an automatic transmission of the vehicle, wherein when said accelerator pedal is depressed by a predetermined threshold amount within a measured full range of motion from an undepressed position to a fully depressed position, as measured by said pedal depression amount detecting means, the reaction force/transmission controlling means provide a reaction force signal to said pedal reaction force providing means so that said reaction force has a peak value, and at the same time, the reaction force/transmission controlling means transmits transmission information to the automatic transmission for controlling gear change of the automatic transmission.