Aspects of the present invention relate to a method of using a transmission with multiple clutches in order to provide improved methods of traction control on a hill ascent. Embodiments provide for the use of power-shift, automatic or dual clutch gearboxes.

A method for downshifting a multi-speed transmission of a marine propulsion device to a first gear from a second gear. The method includes providing a shift schedule that indicates a shift recommendation for when to downshift from the second gear to the first gear. The method further includes configuring the transmission to downshift when the shift schedule indicates the shift recommendation, determining a requested speed of the marine propulsion device, measuring an actual speed of the marine propulsion device, calculating an error between the requested speed and the actual speed, comparing the error to an error threshold, and determining when the error exceeds the error threshold longer than a duration threshold. The method further includes controlling the transmission to downshift, despite the shift schedule indicating a non-shift recommendation, when the duration threshold is exceeded so as to reduce the error between the requested speed and the actual speed.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a control system, apparatus, and method includes dynamic optimization of at least one of a vehicle reference speed and/or transmission gear state of a vehicle by determining current and future engine power requirements from the current and forward-looking route conditions to improve performance, drivability, and/or fuel economy of the vehicle over what is achievable through conventional gear state selection via static calibration tables and conventional shifting strategies. The selection of the vehicle reference speed and gear state can be performed independently of one another in one embodiment, and complementary of one another in another embodiment.

Vehicles, systems, and methods for shifting a manual transmission into neutral during autonomous braking are provided. An exemplary system for shifting a vehicle into neutral during autonomous braking includes a manual transmission for transferring power from an engine to a differential using gears manually selected by a gear selector. Also, the system includes an actuator mounted to the vehicle and to the gear selector. Further, the system includes a controller coupled to the actuator and configured to direct the actuator to force the gear selector into neutral during an autonomous braking event.

A system and method of controlling the operation of a transmission using fuel consumption data. The system and method includes controlling the operation of a vehicle transmission which is operatively connected to an engine having operating characteristics and operatively connected to a transmission control module having access to a memory. Fuel consumption data for an engine is converted to engine efficiency loss data representative of the engine operating. A set of equations is determined to provide a pattern representative of the operating characteristics the engine. A transmission controller using the pattern determines a prospective operating condition of the transmission to provide fuel efficient operation of the engine.

Vehicles, systems, and methods for shifting a manual transmission into neutral during autonomous braking are provided. An exemplary system for shifting a vehicle into neutral during autonomous braking includes a manual transmission for transferring power from an engine to a differential using gears manually selected by a gear selector. Also, the system includes an actuator mounted to the vehicle and to the gear selector. Further, the system includes a controller coupled to the actuator and configured to direct the actuator to force the gear selector into neutral during an autonomous braking event.

A system for a vehicle includes a powertrain system including an engine, a transmission, a drive shaft, and a final drive; and a controller communicably coupled to the powertrain system. The controller is structured to: receive a shift schedule for the transmission of a vehicle, the shift schedule indicating when shift events occur based on operation of the vehicle; receive vehicle operation data during operation of the vehicle, the vehicle operation data including a current combustion recipe for the engine; determine a predicted impact of a scheduled shift event on a fuel consumption rate of the vehicle based on the current combustion recipe for the engine; determine an adjustment to the scheduled shift event based on the predicted impact; and provide a command to implement the adjustment to the scheduled shift event to the transmission of the vehicle.

Methods and systems for operating a driveline that includes a dual clutch transmission are described. In one example, clutches of the dual clutch transmission may be cooled via activating and adjusting a flow rate of an electric pump. Further, driveline operating modes may be entered or exited in response to clutch operating conditions so that driveline robustness may be enhanced.

A controller for a vehicle including a continuously variable transmission mechanism, a mechanical stepped transmission mechanism, and a drive wheel is provided. The controller includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to execute gear change control of the mechanical stepped transmission mechanism so as to establish any simulated gear stage of a plurality of simulated gear stages and to change a gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission mechanism stepwise. When determining that the mechanical stepped transmission mechanism has failed, the electronic control unit is configured to fix the mechanical stepped transmission mechanism at a limp-home mode mechanical gear stage, prohibit a stepped gear change of the continuously variable transmission mechanism, and change the gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission mechanism in a stepless manner on the basis of a vehicle state.

Aspects of the present invention relate to a method of using a transmission with multiple clutches in order to provide improved methods of traction control on a hill ascent. Embodiments provide for the use of power-shift, automatic or dual clutch gearboxes.