A vehicle coasting control system for a vehicle having a prime mover includes an accelerator pedal positional throughout an accelerator pedal position range; a vehicle controller interfacing with the accelerator pedal, the vehicle controller adapted to control operating speeds of the prime mover of the vehicle corresponding to positions, respectively, of the accelerator pedal within the accelerator pedal position range; and the vehicle controller is adapted to operate the prime mover at idle when the accelerator pedal is positioned at a coast zone within the accelerator pedal position range. A vehicle coasting control method is also disclosed.

Systems and methods of selective driver coaching are provided. Driver coaching systems learn the characteristics of a deceleration event. With the goal of increasing recouped energy while operating a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), driver coaching systems predict when the HEV can begin coasting at the start of the deceleration event. In this way, the amount of time during which regenerative braking can be applied may be increased. Coaching cues are provided to the driver so that the HEV can be operated in way that achieves the goal of increasing recouped energy. However, engaging in excessive regenerative breaking can negate its advantages if the amount needed to reaccelerate the HEV to a cruising/steady speed is too great. Selective driver coaching provides coaching cues only if the operating efficiency of the HEV exceeds the operating efficiency of the HEV when controlled by the driver without coaching cues.

A method and a system for controlling a cruise control and a transmission in a vehicle over the course of a road section, wherein prior to the road section, the vehicle has applied coasting and utilizes the cruise control. A reference speed v.sub.ref utilized in the cruise control during the coasting is lowered to a lowest permitted speed v.sub.min defined for the road section if the lowering is deemed applicable. A comparison of a drive force F.sub.dd requested from an engine system in the vehicle with a threshold value F.sub.lim for the drive force is also carried out. The coasting is then suspended if the requested drive force F.sub.dd exceeds the threshold value F.sub.lim for the drive force.

An apparatus and a method for pre-heating an engine of a mild hybrid vehicle are provided, and the apparatus includes: a pre-heating plug pre-heating the engine; a pre-heating controller recognizing the mild hybrid vehicle based on vehicle driving information, determining whether the mild hybrid vehicle enters a coasting driving mode based on the vehicle driving information, and generating a duty control signal according to a coasting driving time when the mild hybrid vehicle is driven in the coasting driving mode; and a driver supplying electrical energy of the low-voltage battery to the pre-heating plug according to the generated duty control signal.

A travelling control apparatus includes a preceding vehicle information acquiring unit acquiring a preceding vehicle travelling speed pattern indicating a travelling speed change of a preceding vehicle; an energy efficiency index calculation unit calculating an energy efficiency index indicating a degree of improvement in an energy efficiency of the vehicle, in the case where the vehicle travels based on an own vehicle travelling speed pattern indicating a travelling speed change of the vehicle when the vehicle travels tracking the preceding vehicle; a compatibility index calculation unit calculating a compatibility index indicating a degree of compatibility between the vehicle and a following vehicle based on a travelling speed of the vehicle and the following vehicle; and a control unit performing a coasting travel determination determining whether to perform a coasting travel of the vehicle based on a degree of the energy efficiency index and the compatibility index.

A cruise control system capable of: determining, by a controller, whether the vehicle is in a cruise mode-on state; determining, by the controller, an operation mode of the vehicle selected by a driver; and when it is determined that the vehicle is in the cruise mode-on state, performing, by the controller, cruise control of the vehicle for the operation mode selected by the driver, and a method therefor. Herein, the operation mode includes an eco mode which performs driving control prioritizing fuel consumption reduction.

A vehicle driving device includes: an engine; a brake booster including a negative pressure chamber, the brake booster amplifying a brake pressure by a negative pressure determined corresponding to a pressure inside the negative pressure chamber; a power transmission clutch disposed between the engine and a driving wheel; and a negative pressure pump configured to drive by using at least one of a torque from the engine and a torque from the driving wheel, the negative pressure pump being configured to vary the negative pressure inside the negative pressure chamber. In the vehicle driving device included in a vehicle that performs freewheeling in a state where the power transmission clutch is released and the engine is stopped, the negative pressure pump includes a control chamber configured to reduce a capacity of the negative pressure pump as a magnitude of the negative pressure inside the negative pressure chamber increases.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for guiding a driver in coasting of an eco-friendly vehicle at an appropriate timing in a situation where deceleration is needed, which can enable economic driving through energy savings and improve the mileage and fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

The invention concerns a method for automatically controlling a motor vehicle (10) for switching from a “normal” mode to a “freewheel” mode, the vehicle (10) comprising an engine (12) capable of providing engine torque to drive wheels (14) via an automatically controlled clutch device (18) that comprises a drive shaft (15) and a driven shaft (16). A transition step (E1) is interposed chronologically between the “normal” mode and the “freewheel mode” during which the engine (12) is automatically controlled in such a way that the driven shaft (16) and the drive shaft (15) turn at the same speed without transmitting torque to the drive wheels (14).

A vehicle control system is provided to maintain an SOC level of the battery during autonomous operation of the vehicle. The control system is applied to a vehicle that can be operated autonomously by controlling an engine, a motor, a steering system, a brake system etc. autonomously by a controller, and the vehicle is allowed to coast by manipulating a clutch. During autonomous operation of the vehicle, a first coasting mode in which the engine is stopped and the clutch is disengaged is selected if the SOC level is higher than a threshold level, and a second coasting mode in which the engine is activated and the clutch is disengaged is selected if the SOC level is lower than the threshold level.