A speed control system for automatically controlling the speed of a vehicle. The system operates according to a method that includes: causing automatically a vehicle to travel at a predetermined speed value at least in part by controlling an amount of torque applied to one or more wheels of a vehicle; determining a recommended transmission gear ratio for a transmission of the powertrain at a given moment in time; providing an indication of the recommended transmission gear ratio to a user; and receiving a clutch actuation signal indicative of an actuation state of a clutch that is configured to connect the transmission to a torque drive source. The system is configured automatically to control a speed of the torque drive source to achieve a speed determined in dependence at least in part on at least one predetermined parameter when a predetermined one or more conditions are met.

An exemplary powertrain assembly includes, an electric machine, an engine, and a controller. The electric machine selectively drives at least one wheel driveshaft when in an automatic drive mode. The engine, through the manual transmission, selectively drives at least one wheel driveshaft when in a manual drive mode. The controller is configured to initiate an alert that suggests a transition from the automatic drive mode to the manual drive mode. An exemplary vehicle control method includes initiating an alert to suggest a transition from an automatic drive mode to a manual drive mode. When in the automatic drive mode, the method drives at least one wheel driveshaft within a plurality of wheel driveshafts using torque from an electric machine that is not moved through a manual transmission. When in the manual drive mode, the method drives at least one wheel driveshaft within the plurality of wheel driveshafts with torque from an engine that is moved through a manual transmission.

In a vehicle including a shift-by-wire (SBW) transmission which may be parked in the neutral gear position of the transmission, method for controlling parking thereof includes determining whether the vehicle is in a situation in which neutral parking is required according to sensor information, when the vehicle is stopped, outputting first information configured to get a confirmation on whether a driver intends to perform the neutral parking from the driver, when the controller concludes that the vehicle is in the situation in which the neutral parking is required and when a park (P) gear position is input or an ignition of the vehicle is turned off, and controlling the SBW transmission to shift to a neutral (N) gear position, when there is an agreement input as a response to the first information.

A shifting device in which a selected shift position can be confirmed easily, and which can be fitted easily in vehicles. The shifting device comprises: a restriction member that restricts a movement of a shift lever into a predetermined shift slot in a first shifting mode, and that cancels the restriction of the movement of the shift lever in a second shifting mode; and an indicator that indicates a first pattern when the first shifting mode is selected, and that indicates a second pattern when the second shifting mode is selected.

A method and apparatus for evaluating the driving of a vehicle performing a journey on a road network is disclosed. The method comprises determining a fuel usage rate and an engine speed of a vehicle, and determining when the vehicle is coasting based upon at least one of the fuel usage rate and the engine speed of the vehicle. An acceleration of the vehicle, when the vehicle is determined to be coasting, is compared with a predetermined reference acceleration, and an application of braking during the coasting is determined based on the result of the comparison. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for determining a score indicative of the relative amount of time for which the vehicle is coasting without braking during a journey.

A control system for a vehicle having an engine with an electronic stop-start (ESS) system and a manual transmission and a diagnostic method for a clutch pedal position sensor configured to output a voltage indicative of a level of depression of a clutch pedal that is configured to control engagement and disengagement of a clutch assembly of the manual transmission and a clutch interlock switch configured to output an on/off state indicative of a position of the clutch pedal relative to a fully-depressed position each utilize a controller configured to correlate the output voltage of the clutch pedal position sensor and the on/off state of the clutch interlock switch to detect a malfunction of the clutch pedal position sensor or the clutch interlock switch, and disable the ESS system when the malfunction of the clutch pedal position sensor or the clutch interlock switch is detected.

A method for operating a motor vehicle, for which it is monitored whether a communication failure is present between a transmission control instrument of an automatic transmission of the motor vehicle, a selector lever control instrument of the automatic transmission, and/or a parking brake control instrument of an electronic parking brake of the motor vehicle, and/or whether, on account of a malfunction of the automatic transmission itself and/or on account of a malfunction of a selector lever itself for selection of drive stages of the automatic transmission, a parking position of the automatic transmission cannot be engaged.

A control system for a vehicle having an engine with an electronic stop-start (ESS) system and a manual transmission and a diagnostic method for a clutch pedal position sensor configured to output a voltage indicative of a level of depression of a clutch pedal that is configured to control engagement and disengagement of a clutch assembly of the manual transmission and a clutch interlock switch configured to output an on/off state indicative of a position of the clutch pedal relative to a fully-depressed position each utilize a controller configured to correlate the output voltage of the clutch pedal position sensor and the on/off state of the clutch interlock switch to detect a malfunction of the clutch pedal position sensor or the clutch interlock switch, and disable the ESS system when the malfunction of the clutch pedal position sensor or the clutch interlock switch is detected.

A method and apparatus for providing an indication to a driver of a geared vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear is disclosed. The method comprises determining a current gear of the vehicle and determining a current speed of a drive unit of the vehicle. An indication is then provided to the driver of the vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear when: (i) the determined current speed of the drive unit is greater than a predetermined threshold; and (ii) the determined current gear of the vehicle is less than a maximum gear of the vehicle. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for determining a score indicative of the amount of time during a journey on a road network that a geared vehicle is driven in an optimal gear.

A manual mode training system for a vehicle having a manual transmission or a manual mode transmission controlled by a paddle shifter. The system includes a sensor to obtain force and position information from a foot pedal of the vehicle, and a processor to receive the information. Based on the information, the processor may predict an intended vehicle response, determine an appropriate gear to achieve the intended vehicle response, and notify a driver, through a haptic feedback mechanism, how to shift the transmission of the vehicle to reach the appropriate gear. A corresponding method is also disclosed and claimed herein.