Methods and systems are provided for selectively inhibiting a stop-start controller of a vehicle based on a predicted anxiety of a driver of the vehicle on a road segment that includes one or more road attributes associated with increased levels of anxiety. In one example, selectively inhibiting a stop-start controller of a vehicle based on a predicted anxiety of a driver of the vehicle includes determining a driver classification for a driver operating the vehicle; predicting an anxiety level of the driver at an upcoming traffic condition, based on the driver classification; and selectively inhibiting an upcoming engine idle-stop event based on the predicted anxiety level of the driver.

A hybrid-electric vehicle includes a power system, a controller, a driver seat, a passenger seat, a back seat, and sensors. The controller is in communication with the sensors and the power system. The seats are coupled, directly or indirectly, to the power system. The sensors are configured to detect occupancy of the driver, passenger, and back seats. The controller is programmed to receive occupancy data from the sensors, determine an occupancy status based on the occupancy data, set an operating parameter for the power system based on the occupancy status, and control the power system in accordance with the parameter.

The vehicle power supply system includes the DC/DC converter that is disposed on an electric path between the first load related to vehicle control and the battery and converts a voltage of direct current power supplied from the battery to the first load, and the detection device that detects the voltage of the battery. In a case where the engine is restarted by using the starter from the automatically stopped state of the engine, the detection device controls the DC/DC converter to start in a case where the voltage of the battery becomes equal to or less than a threshold value during a period from stoppage of the alternator to start of the starter.

The present disclosure provides a hybrid electric vehicle, a drive control method and a drive control device of a hybrid electric vehicle. The drive control method includes: obtaining a current gear position and a current operating mode of the hybrid electric vehicle, a current electric charge level of a power battery and a slope of a road where the hybrid electric vehicle is; determining whether the hybrid electric vehicle is within a taxiing start-stop interval according to the current gear position of the hybrid electric vehicle, the current electric charge level of the power battery, and the slope of the road; if the hybrid electric vehicle is within the taxiing start-stop interval, further obtaining a current speed of the hybrid electric vehicle; and causing the hybrid electric vehicle to enter a small load stop mode or a small load stall mode according to the current speed.

A powertrain system is described, and includes an internal combustion engine and an electric machine configured to generate propulsion torque responsive to a driver torque request. A method for operating the powertrain system includes determining, in response to a request to execute an engine autostart operation, whether a driveline torque sag may occur. The method further includes forgoing executing the engine autostart operation when it is determined that a driveline torque sag will occur during the execution of the engine autostart operation.

An electromagnetic switch device for a starter includes a pinion-pushing solenoid for pushing out a pinion toward a ring gear of an engine by a plunger thereof, and a motor-energizing solenoid for energizing the motor. The electromagnetic switch device is configured to detect a magnetic flux change in a magnetic circuit of the motor-energizing solenoid due to displacement or deformation of a core of the motor-energizing solenoid caused when the plunger of the pinion-pushing solenoid abuts against a stopper, to determine a timing to start current supply to the motor-energizing solenoid.

A vehicle engine activation control system includes a starter connected to a battery; an idle stop control unit configured to automatically stop an engine and automatically reactivate the engine by the starter; an input unit configured to generate an operation request in response to input from a driver; an electric parking brake device including an electric motor connected to the battery, wherein the electric motor starts driving in response to the operation request; and a mediating unit configured to prohibit the reactivation of the engine by the idle stop control unit, when the electric motor is in a driving state in response to a predetermined operation request.

The invention relates to a method for operating a power generating device (2) comprising an internal combustion engine, in particular a gas motor or a gas turbine, and an energy accumulator. Said internal combustion engine and the energy accumulator are electrically coupled together. Said internal combustion engine (16) can be operated in accordance with a first estimated value and in accordance with a second estimated value.

An engine starter of a vehicle switching between EV traveling and HV traveling, includes: an engine starting unit to start an engine based on a starting operation by a driver during the EV traveling; and a starting operation switching unit to switch the starting operation to a first starting operation while the vehicle is traveling in an outside area of a preset emission gas regulation area and to switch the starting operation to a second starting operation while the vehicle is traveling in an inside area of the emission gas regulation area. Further, while the vehicle is performing the EV traveling in the inside area of the emission gas regulation area, the engine starting unit is not start the engine when the first starting operation is performed by the driver and to start the engine when the second starting operation is performed by the driver.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling hybrid vehicle engine operation, where the vehicle engine comprises one or more cylinders dedicated to recirculating exhaust to an intake manifold. In one example, during an engine cold-start event or other event where temperature of one or more exhaust catalysts are below a temperature needed for catalytic activity, fuel injection to the dedicated exhaust gas recirculation cylinder(s) is maintained shut off, while its intake and exhaust valves are maintained activated, thus enabling the dedicated exhaust gas recirculation cylinder(s) to route air to the intake manifold of the engine, resulting in exhaust gas lean of stoichiometry that may serve to heat the catalyst. In this way, during cold start events and other events where temperature of one or more exhaust catalysts are below a temperature for catalytic activity, combustion stability issues may be avoided, and exhaust catalyst(s) rapidly heated, thereby reducing undesired tailpipe emissions.