At least some implementations of a transmission gear shifter include a first shift member, a second shift member, an actuator, multiple feedback surfaces and a follower. The actuator drives the second shift member between a first position and second position and thereby rotates the first shift member from one of the multiple positions to another of the multiple positions. The feedback surfaces are associated with the first shift member, and the follower is movable relative to the feedback surfaces between a first position and a second position. When the follower is in the first position, the follower is not engageable with the feedback surfaces, and when the follower is in the second position, the follower is engageable with the feedback surfaces and when the follower is in the second position there is relative sliding motion between the follower and the feedback surfaces when the first shift member is rotated.

A controller includes: an automatic shifting control section that carries out automatic shifting control in which a shifting actuator is driven in response to a predetermined automatic shifting command; and an assist control section that, when a predetermined assist condition is met, carries out assist control in which the shifting actuator is driven to assist motion of a manual shifting power transmission mechanism actuated upon operation of a shifting operation member by a driver.

A controller includes: an automatic shifting control section that carries out automatic shifting control in which a shifting actuator is driven in response to a predetermined automatic shifting command; and an interference prevention control section that controls the automatic shifting control section so as to prohibit simultaneous occurrence of a manual shifting process induced by operation of a shifting operation member and an automatic shifting process induced by the shifting actuator.

Improved rotary switch systems and methods are disclosed. Such systems and methods may be used in vehicles that implement shift-by-wire transmission systems. The switch systems and methods may include programmable end-stops and/or variable tactile feedback.

An input apparatus, in particular a joystick, has an operating device, a magnetorheological braking device, and a control device for actuating the braking device. The operating device has a support and an operating lever that is pivotable about at least one pivot axis. A sensor senses a pivot angle of the operating lever. The braking device is coupled to the pivot axis in order to damp, in a controlled manner by way of the control device, a pivot movement of the operating lever. The control device actuates the braking device depending on a control command and converts the control command into a haptic signal, preferably a defined sequence of deceleration torques, which can be perceived on the operating lever. A user, as a result of an input made, can receive haptic feedback (so-called force feedback).

A gear seeking shifter including a housing containing a shift lever with a rotatable base and outer tube supporting a depressible inner push rod. A CAM shaft component is driven by a gear seeking motor. An upwardly biased gate pawl located in the inner push rod contacts with any of PRND shifter position gates configured along an opposing underside of the housing. At least one detent cartridge contains a pawl supported within the rotatable base of the shift lever in biasing contact with a detent plate profile configured upon an opposing inside surface of the housing. The CAM shaft component, upon being rotated by the motor, includes each of a first profile for retracting the gate pawl and a second profile for inwardly displacing the detent pawl away from the detent plate profile to permit the CAM component to rotate the shift lever to a desired gear position.

A shift control apparatus configured for an electronic shift system, may include shift dial disposed on a main housing to be able to turn in a first direction or a second direction and having a permanent magnet; a main PCB disposed on the main housing opposite the permanent magnet, and recognizing gear stages and outputting signals for the recognized gear stages to a transmission control unit in accordance with a change in position of the permanent magnet when the shift dial is turned; a shift button being movable upwards and downwards with respect to the shift dial; and a sub PCB coupled to the shift dial and outputting a gear stage signal, which is generated when the shift button is operated, to the transmission control unit.

A shifter assembly includes a housing, a shifter member, a movement restrictor, sensors and a positioning device. The housing has a chamber with magnetorheological fluid and an electromagnetic coil to selectively generate a plurality of levels of magnetic field densities through the magnetorheological fluid. The shifter member moves between at least a park position, a reverse position and a drive position. The movement restrictor is disposed within the chamber of the housing for movement between a first section of the chamber and a second section of the chamber. The magnetorheological fluid provides levels of movement resistance to the movement restrictor. The sensors are positioned to detect changes in position of the shifter member. The positioning device is configured to selectively position the shifter member to any of the park position, the reverse position and the drive position in response to electronic signals received by the positioning device.

Gear Select Modules (GSMs) are proposed. The GSMs comprise a GSM controller, an intention detector to detect a gear shift movement intention of a driver, a haptic human machine interface (HMI), in communication with the GSM controller and a gear shifting mechanism. The GSM controller is configured to autonomously instruct the haptic HMI to control the gear shifting mechanism between detection of the gear shift change intention and until the GSM controller receives an actuation signal from a transmission control module (TCM). Automatic powertrain command systems with the proposed GSMs are also proposed and also vehicles with the proposed automatic powertrain command systems.

The present approach to the problem addressed by the invention relates to an operating device (100) for selecting at least one gear setting of a vehicle. The operating device (100) has at least one sensor (105) that has at least one touch-sensitive region and a deformable surface (110), which is configured to form at least one haptic operating element with the sensor (105) in a deformed state (115). The haptic operating element (120) is configured to output a selection signal for selecting the gear setting in response to touching the touch-sensitive region.