A vehicle includes a filter disposed in an exhaust passage through which exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine passes, the filter being configured to collect PM that is particulate matter contained in the exhaust gas; a PM removal control device configured to start execution of PM removal control that heats the filter to remove the PM accumulated on the filter while the internal combustion engine is stopped; and a determination device configured to determine whether a user of the vehicle is away from the vehicle. The PM removal control device is configured to start the execution of the PM removal control only when the determination device determines that the user of the vehicle is away from the vehicle.

A side-by-side off-road utility vehicle comprising a vehicle operational status switch for controlling the operational status of the vehicle, a side-by-side seating structure, a plurality of safety restraint devices operable to retain one or more vehicle passenger in the side-by-side seating structure, and a prime mover RPM controller. The prime mover RPM controller operable to output commands to the one or more prime mover of the vehicle to limit a rotational speed of the prime mover(s) when the vehicle is in an On operational status and a selected one or more of the one or more safety restraints is in a disengaged status.

A vehicle control device having a prime mover, a first rotating member which is rotated by power of the prime mover, and a second rotating member which is connected to the first rotating member and which rotate a drive wheel, includes a deriving unit which derive a prime mover request output that is an output requested by the prime mover in accordance with a request output to the drive wheel, and a control unit which increase or decrease a rotation speed of the prime mover between a lower limit rotation speed and an upper limit rotation speed in accordance with a change in a rotation speed of the drive wheel. The control unit increases or decreases the rotation speed of the prime mover without changing a power output by the prime mover or an output of the first rotating member in accordance with the prime mover request output.

Methods and systems are provided for reducing driver dissatisfaction from NVH associated with cylinder deactivation. Audio and video feed is captured from inside a vehicle and analyzed to infer if a vehicle operator is distracted. If yes, then a VDE transition is scheduled to occur during the time when the driver is distracted and unlikely to notice the NVH.

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting a throttle based on an intake oxygen sensor output. In one example, a method may include adjusting a position of a throttle based on a dilution threshold and a total aircharge dilution level, the total dilution aircharge level based on an output of an intake oxygen sensor. Additionally, spark timing may be adjusted based on the total aircharge dilution level.

A control device for controlling an engine based on an operating state of a vehicle is provided. The control device includes a processor configured to execute a basic target torque determining module for determining a basic target torque based on an operating state of the vehicle, a torque reduction amount determining module for determining a torque reduction amount based on a part of the operating state of the vehicle, a final target torque determining module for determining a final target torque based on the basic target torque and the torque reduction amount, an engine controlling module for controlling the engine to output the final target torque, and a torque change smoothing module for smoothing a chronological change of the final target torque corresponding to the torque reduction amount at a smaller smoothing degree than that of the chronological change of the final target torque corresponding to the basic target torque.

In a control system for an internal combustion engine, a control unit controls a throttle valve provided in an intake pipe and/or an on-off valve provided in an exhaust gas recirculation pipe when an ignition switch is turned on, in such a manner that an opening degree of the throttle valve and/or an opening degree of the on-off valve is made to be larger than that of a condition before the ignition switch is turned on. In the above Ig-on control, in which the throttle valve and/or the on-off valve is largely opened, a piston is reciprocated in order that gas in a combustion chamber is discharged to an outside of the combustion chamber.

Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for employing a mode expansion module to increase a number of operating modes in which a vehicle can operate. The mode expansion module can operate as a computing device, which can be connected to an existing vehicle for sending and receiving both sensor signals and engine control signals. The mode expansion module can be controlled by a user using an existing vehicle control switch that is connected to the vehicle, and can leverage connections to an existing display panel in the vehicle in order to indicate to the user the operating mode that has been selected. Furthermore, when a particular mode of the mode expansion module is selected, the mode expansion module can modify control commands being transmitted from an existing engine control module, and/or modify sensor signals being provided to the existing engine control module.

A control system and method relating to operation of an internal combustion engine, particularly an engine for powering an unmanned aerial vehicle. The engine has a combustion chamber and a throttle for regulating fluid flow to the combustion chamber, the throttle being operable under the control of an electronic control unit. With the control system and method there are first and second modes optionally available for operation of the engine. In the first mode the engine is operable at a throttle setting set by a request from a first remote controller (e.g. a ground-based controller) via a second on-board controller. In the second mode the engine is operable at a prescribed minimum throttle setting asserted by the electronic control unit which limits the authority of the on-board controller. The engine is caused to operate in the second mode if a particular throttle setting determined from a request of the remote controller is less than the prescribed minimum throttle setting.

Methods and systems are provided for reducing port injection fuel errors by selectively reactivating a direct fuel injector. Responsive to an increase in driver demand received while delivering fuel to a cylinder via port injection only, wherein the increase in driver demand is received late in the port injection window, the port injection error is addressed by reactivating a direct injector on the same engine cycle and delivering at least a portion of the fuel mass corresponding to the error via the direct injector. Additionally, a portion of the fuel mass may be delivered by the port injector on the same engine cycle by extending the end of injection timing, if possible.