Apparatus for controlling acceleration of vehicle

1. An apparatus for controlling acceleration of a vehicle, comprising:

a target acceleration calculator that calculates a target acceleration for the vehicle;

a provisional acceleration setting section that sets a provisional target acceleration such that a change rate of the provisional target acceleration is limited to a target limitation value, the provisional target acceleration being used during a step during which the acceleration of the vehicle is changed to the calculated target acceleration;

a drive power calculator that calculates a drive power to obtain the provisional target acceleration set by the provisional acceleration setting section; and

an estimating section that estimates an acceleration demanded by a driver in the vehicle,

wherein the provisional acceleration setting section is configured to set an initial value of the provisional target acceleration depending on either one selected from a vehicle acceleration and the estimated demanded acceleration, the selected acceleration having a difference from the target acceleration, the difference of the selected acceleration being smaller than a difference of the other from the target acceleration, the vehicle acceleration being obtained at a timing when controlling the acceleration is started.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a detector that detects that the vehicle starts to travel from a stopped state thereof;

the provisional acceleration setting unit is configured to set the initial value of the provisional target acceleration to zero in cases where the detector detects the vehicle starts to travel.

3. An apparatus for controlling acceleration of a vehicle, comprising:

target acceleration calculating means for calculating a target acceleration for the vehicle;

provisional acceleration setting means for setting a provisional target acceleration such that a change rate of the provisional target acceleration is limited to a target limitation value, the provisional target acceleration being used during a step during which the acceleration of the vehicle is changed to the calculated target acceleration;

drive power calculating means for calculating a drive power to obtain the provisional target acceleration set by the provisional acceleration setting means; and

estimating means for estimating an acceleration demanded by a driver in the vehicle,

wherein the provisional acceleration setting means includes means is configured to set an initial value of the provisional target acceleration depending on either one selected from a vehicle acceleration and the estimated demanded acceleration, the selected acceleration having a difference from the target acceleration, the difference of the selected acceleration being smaller than a difference of the other from the target acceleration, the vehicle acceleration being obtained at a timing when controlling the acceleration is started.

4. A program stored in a memory and configured to be readable by a computer, the computer operating based on the program for an apparatus for controlling acceleration of a vehicle, the program allowing the computer to functionally perform steps of:

setting a provisional target acceleration such that a change rate of the provisional target acceleration is limited to a target limitation value, the provisional target acceleration being used during a step during which the acceleration of the vehicle is changed to a target acceleration for the vehicle;

calculating a drive power to obtain the provisional target acceleration; and

estimating an acceleration demanded by a driver in the vehicle,

wherein the setting step sets an initial value of the provisional target acceleration depending on either one selected from a vehicle acceleration and the estimated demanded acceleration, the selected acceleration having a difference from the target acceleration, the difference of the selected acceleration being smaller than a difference of the other from the target acceleration, the vehicle acceleration being obtained at a timing when controlling the acceleration is started.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , comprising a detector that detects that the vehicle starts to travel from a stopped state thereof;

the provisional acceleration setting means is configured to set the initial value of the provisional target acceleration to zero in cases where the detector detects the vehicle starts to travel.