Methods and system are described for changing a driveline gear range from a higher gear range to a lower gear range. The driveline may include two electric machines and four clutches in a four wheel drive configuration. The methods and systems permit a driveline to change from a higher gear range to a lower gear range without stopping a vehicle.

A method to control a road vehicle for the execution of a multiple downshift in a drivetrain provided with a servo-assisted transmission; the control method comprises the steps of: detecting a condition of slowing down of the road vehicle and, simultaneously, detecting a driver's request for a multiple downshift; carrying out, in succession, a plurality of downshifts while the road vehicle is slowing down and in an autonomous manner regardless of further interventions of the driver; determining a duration of a shift time interval; and carrying out each downshift following a first downshift when said shift time interval has exactly elapsed since the previous downshift.

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.

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 vehicle transmission control apparatus including a manual shift instructing portion outputting a manual shift instruction for upshifting or downshifting a transmission, and an electric control unit including a microprocessor and a memory to control a shift operation. The microprocessor controls the shift operation in accordance with a first shift chart stored in the memory based on vehicle information before the manual shift instruction is output, controls the shift operation in accordance with the manual shift instruction when the manual shift instruction is output, and controls the shift operation in accordance with a second shift chart stored in the memory based on the vehicle information when a predetermined mode switch condition is established after the manual shift instruction is output.

Systems and methods for managing shift changes of a multi-speed automatic transmission of a vehicle are provided. The multi-speed automatic transmission being capable of establishing a plurality of forward speed ratios. The vehicle may include a transmission shift selector having at least one operator selectable shift request input to request a shift change of the multi-speed automatic transmission. A control circuit operatively coupled to the multi-speed automatic transmission is provided which shifts the multi-speed automatic transmission from a first forward speed ratio to a second forward speed ratio in response to shift criteria. The shift criteria may be based on a plurality of operational characteristics related to the vehicle.

A control apparatus includes a switching control unit that switches a traveling mode of a vehicle from an automated driving mode to a manual driving mode if an automated drive canceling request to cancel the automated driving mode to switch to the manual driving mode is submitted while the vehicle is traveling in the automated driving mode. The switching control unit performs transmission gear setting control in which a transmission gear of an automatic transmission is set to a highest transmission gear among transmission gears within a range of a predetermined allowable driving force in the switching from the automated driving mode to the manual driving mode.

A vehicle control device includes a user-depressible portion that in some examples takes the form of a third foot pedal. The user-depressible portion may be depressed to varying degrees and then released to varying degrees. The degree and type of pedal movement is analyzed to determine one of a predetermined plurality of vehicle control functions that the drives wishes to perform.

Systems and methods for managing shift changes of a multi-speed automatic transmission of a vehicle are provided. The multi-speed automatic transmission being capable of establishing a plurality of forward speed ratios. The vehicle may include a transmission shift selector having at least one operator selectable shift request input to request a shift change of the multi-speed automatic transmission. A control circuit operatively coupled to the multi-speed automatic transmission is provided which shifts the multi-speed automatic transmission from a first forward speed ratio to a second forward speed ratio in response to shift criteria. The shift criteria may be based on a plurality of operational characteristics related to the vehicle.

Systems and methods for managing shift changes of a multi-speed automatic transmission of a vehicle are provided. The multi-speed automatic transmission being capable of establishing a plurality of forward speed ratios. The vehicle may include a transmission shift selector having at least one operator selectable shift request input to request a shift change of the multi-speed automatic transmission. A control circuit operatively coupled to the multi-speed automatic transmission is provided which shifts the multi-speed automatic transmission from a first forward speed ratio to a second forward speed ratio in response to shift criteria. The shift criteria may be based on a plurality of operational characteristics related to the vehicle.