GEAR STAGE CHOOSING APPARATUS, GEAR STAGE CHOOSING METHOD, AND SIMULATION APPARATUS

A simulation apparatus that generates a gradient pattern of a running road for a vehicle and a vehicle speed pattern for simulation. The apparatus includes a gradient pattern generation unit configured to generate a gradient pattern of a running road by sequentially deriving a gradient for each section, and a vehicle speed pattern generation unit configured to generate a vehicle speed pattern by, in a model including a lead vehicle that runs in accordance with a first vehicle speed pattern, a rearmost vehicle that runs in accordance with a first preceding vehicle following algorithm, and one or more intermediate vehicles that increase or reduce by one for each first period at an equal probability between the lead vehicle and the rearmost vehicle and that runs in accordance with the first preceding vehicle following algorithm, deriving a vehicle speed of the rearmost vehicle.