Vehicle operation diagnostic device, vehicle operation diagnostic method, and computer program

1. A vehicle operation diagnostic device, comprising:

a controller that is configured to:

detect an idling stop of a vehicle;

acquire an engine-start fuel consumption that is a fuel consumption required for an engine of the vehicle to start;

acquire, if the idling stop is detected, a tentative fuel consumption that is an amount of fuel consumed if idling were to be continued during a period in which the idling stop is performed;

determine whether a fuel consumption reduction effect is obtained based on the engine-start fuel consumption and the tentative fuel consumption; and

provide guidance based on the determination of whether the fuel consumption reduction effect is obtained.

2. The vehicle operation diagnostic device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:

acquire a stop period during which the idling stop of the vehicle is performed; and

acquire a unit fuel consumption that is a fuel consumption per unit time of the vehicle immediately before the idling stop of the vehicle is performed; and

calculate the tentative fuel consumption by multiplying the stop period and the unit fuel consumption.

3. The vehicle operation diagnostic device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a position storage unit;

wherein the controller is configured to:

acquire a position of the vehicle where the idling stop is performed; and

when it is determined that a fuel consumption reduction effect was not obtained, store the acquired position in the position storage unit.

4. The vehicle operation diagnostic device according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to:

detect an idling of the vehicle;

determine if a position of the detected idling is a position stored in the storage unit; and

if the detected idling position is stored in the storage unit:

acquire a possible idling stop time;

acquire a fuel consumption per unit time during the idling;

calculate an effective idling stop time based on the acquired fuel consumption per unit time and an estimated fuel consumption required for the engine to start;

compare the acquired possible idling stop time with the calculated idle stop time; and

if the possible idling stop time is greater than or equal to the effective idling stop time, provide guidance comprising a recommendation to perform an idling stop.

5. The vehicle operation diagnostic device according to claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to:

acquire an image from a front-mounted camera;

determine from the image the reason for the idling of the vehicle; and

acquire the possible idling stop time based on the determined reason for the idling of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle operation diagnostic device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller detects the idling stop when a speed of the vehicle is zero and the engine of the vehicle has been stopped.

7. A vehicle operation diagnostic method, comprising:

detecting an idling stop of a vehicle;

acquiring an engine-start fuel consumption that is a fuel consumption required for an engine of the vehicle to start;

acquiring, if the idling stop is detected, a tentative fuel consumption that is an amount of fuel consumed if idling were to be continued during a period in which the idling stop is performed;

determining whether a fuel consumption reduction effect is obtained based on the engine-start fuel consumption and the tentative fuel consumption; and

providing guidance based on the determination of whether the fuel consumption reduction effect is obtained.

8. The vehicle operation diagnostic method according to claim 7 , further comprising:

acquiring a stop period during which the idling stop of the vehicle is performed; and

acquiring a unit fuel consumption that is a fuel consumption per unit time of the vehicle immediately before the idling stop of the vehicle is performed; and

calculating the tentative fuel consumption by multiplying the stop period and the unit fuel consumption.

9. The vehicle operation diagnostic method according to claim 7 , further comprising:

acquire a position of the vehicle where the idling stop is performed; and

when it is determined that a fuel consumption reduction effect was not obtained, storing the acquired position in a position storage unit.

10. The vehicle operation diagnostic method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

detecting an idling of the vehicle;

determining if a position of the detected idling is a position stored in the storage unit; and

if the detected idling position is stored in the storage unit:

acquiring a possible idling stop time;

acquiring a fuel consumption per unit time during the idling;

calculating an effective idling stop time based on the acquired fuel consumption per unit time and an estimated fuel consumption required for the engine to start;

comparing the acquired possible idling stop time with the calculated idle stop time; and

if the possible idling stop time is greater than or equal to the effective idling stop time, providing guidance comprising a recommendation to perform an idling stop.

11. The vehicle operation diagnostic method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

acquiring an image from a front-mounted camera;

determining from the image the reason for the idling of the vehicle; and

acquiring the possible idling stop time based on the determined reason for the idling of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle operation diagnostic method according to claim 7 , further comprising detecting the idling stop when a speed of the vehicle is zero and the engine of the vehicle has been stopped.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program for vehicle operation diagnostics, the program comprising:

instructions for detecting an idling stop of a vehicle;

instructions for acquiring an engine-start fuel consumption that is a fuel consumption required for an engine of the vehicle to start;

instructions for acquiring, if the idling stop is detected, a tentative fuel consumption that is an amount of fuel consumed if idling were to be continued during a period in which the idling stop is performed;

instructions for determining whether a fuel consumption reduction effect is obtained based on the engine-start fuel consumption and the tentative fuel consumption; and

instructions for providing guidance based on the determination of whether the fuel consumption reduction effect is obtained.