A vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, a preceding vehicle information acquiring device for acquiring preceding vehicle information relating to a preceding vehicle, including a parameter relating to a distance between vehicles which becomes greater the wider the distance between a host vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and an electronic control unit for controlling the internal combustion engine, in which, the electronic control unit is configured to initiate an idle reduction mode where the internal combustion engine is made to automatically stop when a preset engine stop condition stands and to continue the idle reduction mode if the preceding vehicle is decelerating or has stopped and to make the internal combustion engine automatically restart if the preceding vehicle is accelerating or is running at an equal speed when the parameter becomes a first predetermined value or more during the idle reduction mode.

A control system and method are described for controlling a vehicle stop-start system having a stop stage in which an engine of a host vehicle is automatically stopped and a start stage in which the host vehicle engine is automatically restarted after the stop stage. The control system includes an interface configured to receive an input signal including traffic condition information, wherein the input signal includes a vehicle-to-x communication signal or a sensor signal from a host vehicle sensor adaptable to monitor a traffic condition. The control system also includes a controller configured to generate a control signal operative to automatically initiate the start stage of the vehicle stop-start system based on a determination that the traffic condition information of the input signal indicates an impending change in a traffic condition.

Disclosed are a vehicle and an engine control method for more conveniently restarting an engine in the state in which a function of automatically turning off the engine is activated during braking for improving fuel efficiency. The engine control method includes turning off an engine through an idle stop and go (ISG) system during braking due to manipulation of a brake pedal, determining whether at least one preset starting condition is satisfied based on information on a forward environment, and turning on the engine irrespective of whether manipulation of the brake pedal is released when any one of the at least one starting condition is satisfied.

Methods and systems are provided for selectively disabling a stop-start function of a vehicle based on a predicted anxiety of a driver of the vehicle upon merging into transverse traffic. In one example, selectively disabling the stop-start function of a vehicle based on a predicted anxiety of the driver of the vehicle includes, when approaching an intersection having a first traffic pattern, disabling a stop-start function responsive to an estimated merging acceleration for the intersection exceeding a threshold acceleration rate of the vehicle.

The control device of a vehicle includes a position estimating part configured to estimate a position of the vehicle, and a power output part configured to control the internal combustion engine and the electric motor to output power for running use. The power output part is configured to determine a startup position of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle exits from a low emission zone requesting the internal combustion engine be stopped so that startup positions of internal combustion engines of a plurality of vehicles are dispersed at surroundings of the low emission zone.

A method of controlling a mild hybrid electric vehicle may include determining whether a Smart Cruise Control (SCC) mode is set according to a signal input through a driver interface; determining whether an Start Stop Control (SSC) entrance condition is satisfied when the SCC mode is set; when the SSC entrance condition is determined by the control unit, to be satisfied to enter an SSC mode, interrupting a supply of fuel to an engine and turning off the engine; monitoring a distance in which the control unit determines whether a distance to a front vehicle is increased or decreased based on a front distance signal transmitted from a detecting unit electrically-connected to the control unit; and increasing or decreasing a vehicle speed by controlling the engine, a Mild Hybrid Starter Generator (MHSG), or an Electronic Stability Control (ESC) based on the monitoring of the distance.

The present disclosure describes a method of forming an intermediate spacer structure between a gate structure and a source/drain (S/D) contact structure and removing a top portion of the intermediate spacer structure to form a recess. The intermediate spacer structure includes a first spacer layer, a second spacer layer, and a sacrificial spacer layer between the first spacer layer and the second spacer layer. The method further includes removing the sacrificial spacer layer to form an air gap between the first spacer layer and the second spacer layer and spinning a dielectric layer on the air gap, the first spacer layer, and the second spacer layer to fill in the recess and seal the air gap. The dielectric layer includes raw materials for a spin-on dielectric material.

The control device of a vehicle includes a position estimating part configured to estimate a position of the vehicle, and a power output part configured to control the internal combustion engine and the electric motor to output power for running use. The power output part is configured to determine a startup position of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle exits from a low emission zone requesting the internal combustion engine be stopped so that startup positions of internal combustion engines of a plurality of vehicles are dispersed at surroundings of the low emission zone.

A battery starting and charging system that monitors battery and other sensor readings; tracks vehicle state, determines a charging voltage based on battery temperature and vehicle state; sets the alternator to charge the battery with the charging voltage; determines current collected parameters based on the battery and other sensor readings; and makes vehicle start predictions based on the current collected parameters. The system can also determine whether the vehicle actually started; add the current collected parameters to a set of start events if it started, and to a set of no-start events if it didn't start. The start prediction can also be based on the sets of start and no-start events for one or multiple vehicles. The collected parameters and start predictions can also be based on collected weather data. The system can use a local interconnect network (LIN) alternator with a LIN network.

Systems and methods for improving operation of a vehicle are presented. In one example, a controller may respond to a presence or absence of a prediction of an increase in vehicle speed during a look ahead window. The controller may inhibit or allow automatic engine stopping in response to the presence or absence of the prediction of the increase in vehicle speed during the look ahead window.