A method of vehicle operation includes, using one or more processors, receiving one or more inputs, from one or more sensors of a first vehicle and/or one or more sources communicatively coupled with the one or more processors, while the vehicle is traveling on a vehicle route. In implementations the one or more inputs are used to determine a distance between the first vehicle and a second vehicle and this distance is used as an input to a power management system to increase an energy efficiency of the first vehicle while traveling on the vehicle route. In implementations the one or more inputs and data regarding regenerative braking of the first vehicle are used to calculate one or more speeds and a power management system applies the one or more calculated speeds to the first vehicle. In implementations a reliability estimate is calculated for the one or more calculated speeds.

A method of vehicle operation includes, using one or more processors, receiving one or more inputs, from one or more sensors of a first vehicle and/or one or more sources communicatively coupled with the one or more processors, while the vehicle is traveling on a vehicle route. In implementations the one or more inputs are used to determine a distance between the first vehicle and a second vehicle and this distance is used as an input to a power management system to increase an energy efficiency of the first vehicle while traveling on the vehicle route. In implementations the one or more inputs and data regarding regenerative braking of the first vehicle are used to calculate one or more speeds and a power management system applies the one or more calculated speeds to the first vehicle. In implementations a reliability estimate is calculated for the one or more calculated speeds.

An adjusting apparatus for an electrically operated utility vehicle, which has a front axle; at least two rear axles; at least one electric motor for driving the rear axles; and a battery to supply the electric motor with electrical power; including: an adjusting device to adjust a level of at least one of the rear axles from the roadway; in which the adjusting device is configured to identify a recovery mode in which the electric motor functions as a generator and is driven by the two rear axles in order to charge the battery; and in which the adjusting device is configured, when a recovery mode has been identified, to adjust the level and a load of the at least one adjustable rear axle so that the recovery is optimized. Also described is a related method and an electrically operated utility vehicle.

A brake device for a motor vehicle with two axles in which at least one axle has an electric traction motor for driving and braking at least one wheel arranged on an axle, and in which energy can be recovered by means of the traction motor during braking, each wheel having a wheel brake. The brake device includes a pressure supply having an electric motor-driven pump in the form of a piston-cylinder unit or a rotary pump, which can both build up pressure and reduce pressure, and which is part of a pressure supply device. An open-loop and closed-loop control device controls the traction motor and components of the pressure supply device such that a braking deceleration can be set by closed-loop control individually for each brake circuit, each axle or wheel brakes of an axle, with different braking torques at the respective axles or wheel brakes of an axle.

A brake force control apparatus allocates all of required brake force to a target front wheel friction brake force when the required brake force is equal to or smaller than a maximum regeneration brake force. The apparatus decreases the target regeneration brake force by a first predetermined amount at a first time point at which a front wheel acceleration varies from a value larger than a first acceleration threshold to a value equal to or smaller than the first acceleration threshold. The apparatus increases the target regeneration brake force in such a manner that the target regeneration brake force coincides with the required brake force, if the front wheel acceleration becomes larger than a second acceleration threshold in a period from the first time point to a second time point at which a predetermined time elapses from the first time point.

A method of vehicle operation includes, using one or more processors, receiving one or more inputs from one of one or more sensors of a first vehicle and one or more external sources communicatively coupled with the one or more processors. The one or more processors determine a plurality of optional routes existing between a first location of the first vehicle and a future destination of the first vehicle. Using the one or more inputs, the one or more processors predict a vehicle route by predicting which of the optional routes the first vehicle will take to get from the first location to the future destination.

A method for operating a vehicle brake system, wherein the brake system has at least one friction brake and at least one regenerative brake. A defined switching pattern is specified for switching between a self-cleaning operating mode for cleaning the friction brake and a normal operating mode of the brake system. The method includes determining information describing the state of the at least one friction brake, determining the state of the at least one friction brake from the information, determining whether the state satisfies a specific switching criterion, and, if the self-cleaning operating mode is to be activated according to the switching pattern and the state of the friction brake does not satisfy the switching criterion, suppressing activation of the self-cleaning operating mode and maintaining the normal operating mode.

An apparatus comprising an interface, a memory and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle. The memory may be configured to store the sensor data samples over a number of points in time. The processor may be configured to analyze the sensor data samples stored in the memory to detect a pattern. The processor may be configured to manage an application of brakes of the vehicle in response to the pattern.

An apparatus comprising an interface, a memory and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle. The memory may be configured to store the sensor data samples over a number of points in time. The processor may be configured to analyze the sensor data samples stored in the memory to detect a pattern. The processor may be configured to manage an application of brakes of the vehicle in response to the pattern.

A brake system includes: a friction brake mechanism; a regenerative brake mechanism; and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to obtain a target regenerative braking force. The electronic control unit is configured to perform replacement control between the friction brake mechanism and the regenerative brake mechanism when a predetermined replacement condition is satisfied. The replacement control is control in which a shortfall of the required total braking force, which is caused by a decrease in the regenerative braking force, is covered by increasing the front wheel friction braking force and the rear wheel friction braking force while satisfying a set relationship between the front wheel friction braking force and the rear wheel friction braking force or between an increase gradient of the front wheel friction braking force and an increase gradient of the rear wheel friction braking force.