A method for detecting and mitigating excessive clutch disc wear for a manual transmission includes determining if a clutch pedal position is depressed greater than or equal to a first predetermined pedal position threshold and if the vehicle speed is less than or equal to a predetermined vehicle speed threshold. The method further includes determining if the clutch pedal position is depressed greater than or equal to a second predetermined pedal position threshold when the clutch pedal position is depressed less than the first predetermined pedal position threshold. The method still further includes calculating a clutch disc heat flux value and a clutch disc surface temperature. The method further includes displaying an alert/warning and a remedial action message to a vehicle operator when the clutch disc surface temperature is greater than or equal to a predetermined surface temperature threshold.

A braking control apparatus comprises at least one torque source. At least one magnetorheological (MR) fluid clutch apparatus having an input coupled to the at least one torque source to receive torque from the torque source, the MR fluid clutch apparatus controllable to transmit a variable amount of torque via an output thereof. A modulation interface couples the output of the at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus to a braking power transmission of a brake system. At least one sensor provides information indicative of a braking state of the load. A processing unit receives the information indicative of the braking state of the load and for outputting a signal to control the at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus in exerting a desired force on the braking power transmission to assist in braking the load. A method for assisting a manually-actuated braking of a vehicle is also provided.

A method for detecting and mitigating excessive clutch disc wear for a manual transmission includes determining if a clutch pedal position is depressed greater than or equal to a first predetermined pedal position threshold and if the vehicle speed is less than or equal to a predetermined vehicle speed threshold. The method further includes determining if the clutch pedal position is depressed greater than or equal to a second predetermined pedal position threshold when the clutch pedal position is depressed less than the first predetermined pedal position threshold. The method still further includes calculating a clutch disc heat flux value and a clutch disc surface temperature. The method further includes displaying an alert/warning and a remedial action message to a vehicle operator when the clutch disc surface temperature is greater than or equal to a predetermined surface temperature threshold.

The present disclosure provides a method for measuring clutch durability of an all wheel drive vehicle. The method includes: a damage degree securing step of accumulating and acquiring a damage degree of a clutch based on a clutch slip amount and clutch transfer torque when the clutch slips by a difference in rotary speed between a front wheel and a rear wheel; and a durability predicting step of predicting current durability of the clutch based on the difference between the accumulated and acquired damage degree and a reference damage degree of the corresponding clutch, an input shaft RPM of rotating the clutch, and a reference durability RPM of the clutch.