A SS control device is configured to: be allowed to stop an internal combustion engine when a required voltage is smaller than or equal to a first voltage value under a state where a stopping condition is satisfied, and be prohibited from stopping the internal combustion engine when the required voltage is larger than the first voltage value under a state where the stopping condition is satisfied; and be allowed to restart the internal combustion engine when the required voltage is smaller than or equal to a second voltage value smaller than the first voltage value under a state where the restart condition is satisfied, and be prohibited from restarting the internal combustion engine when the required voltage is larger than the second voltage value under a state where the restart condition is satisfied.

Systems and methods for operating a vehicle that includes an engine that may be automatically stopped and started are described. In one example, the inhibiting or preventing automatic engine stopping may be performed when a human driver releases a brake pedal, which causes the engine to automatically start, and the inhibiting may continue until vehicle speed exceeds a speed where the engine was automatically stopped.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, sensors mounted on a vehicle can allow opportunities for coasting to be predicted based on environmental conditions, route planning information, and/or vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-infrastructure signaling. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, these sensors can also predict a need for power and/or an end of a coast opportunity. These predictions can allow the vehicle to automatically enter a coasting state, and can predictively re-engage the engine and/or powertrain in order to make power available with no delay when desired by the operator.

A vehicle includes a controller programmed to activate a fuel savings feature upon satisfaction of transition conditions and inhibit the transition according to satisfaction of inhibit conditions. The controller is further programmed to accumulate data indicative of the inhibit conditions and a time associated with the conditions being satisfied over a drive cycle.

A disclosed method of automatically stopping and restarting a vehicle engine determines if one or more stop/start enablement condition has been met. If the stop/start enablement condition or conditions have been met, the method initiates an engine shutdown. If a restart request is made before the engine reaches a predetermined threshold speed, then a first restart sequence is initiated. If a restart request is made when the engine speed is less than the predetermined threshold speed but still greater than 0, then a second restart sequence is initiated.

A control device obtains a specification of a vehicle-mounted device which is mounted on a vehicle, and implements a control according to the specification. The vehicle-mounted device includes a transmission unit that transmits a specific signal that enables the specification of the vehicle-mounted device to be obtained. The control device includes a receiving unit which is configured to be able to receive the specific signal, and a learning unit that learns that the specification of the vehicle-mounted device is a first specification if the receiving unit does not receive the specific signal, and learns that the specification of the vehicle-mounted device is a second specification, which is different from the first specification, when the receiving unit receives the specific signal.

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting a steering torque threshold for automatically stopping and starting a vehicle engine. In one example, a method may include, while the engine is running, determining a first steering torque threshold for inhibiting stop-start of the engine based on a steering wheel angle, and, while the engine is auto-stopped, determining a second steering torque threshold for inhibiting the stop-start based on the steering wheel angle and whether a static stop-start event is present or a rolling stop-start event is present. In this way, a non-linear hysteresis is provided for automatically stopping and starting the engine.

A vehicle control device includes control means for executing coasting control, in which a friction engaging element is disengaged and a rotation speed of a rotary shaft of a drive source is set at zero, when a shift range corresponds to a travel range and a coasting condition is established, and the control means executes the coasting control when the shift range is modified to a neutral range.

A vehicle start/stop method includes inhibiting auto-stopping an engine responsive to an engine auto-stop command, activating a transmission gear shifter, and a rotational speed of a steering wheel being less than a threshold; auto-stopping the engine responsive to the engine auto-stop command, activating the gear shifter, and the rotational speed being greater than the threshold; auto-starting the engine responsive to activating the gear shifter and the rotational speed being less than the threshold while the engine is auto-stopped; and inhibiting auto-starting the engine responsive to activating the gear shifter and the rotational speed being greater than the threshold while the engine is auto-stopped.

A disclosed method of automatically stopping and restarting a vehicle engine determines if one or more stop/start enablement condition has been met. If the stop/start enablement condition or conditions have been met, the method initiates an engine shutdown. If a restart request is made before the engine reaches a predetermined threshold speed, then a first restart sequence is initiated. If a restart request is made when the engine speed is less than the predetermined threshold speed but still greater than 0, then a second restart sequence is initiated.