A method of automatically adjusting the ride height of a vehicle each time the vehicle is in a particular location is provided, where the automatic ride height adjustment is based on location and ride height information previously gathered from a user.

Provided is a vehicle drive assisting apparatus capable of allowing a driver to recognize a road surface condition which can be used for reference in steering following wheels or a road surface condition which can be used for reference in turning. Such vehicle-drive assisting apparatus includes a wheel position storing section storing a position of a wheel when a vehicle effects traveling, a road surface information acquiring section acquiring road surface information indicating a road surface condition of a road surface on which the vehicle has traveled, and a display image generating section generating a display image of the road surface information stored and relating to the wheel position on a displaying unit provided in the vehicle.

A method and apparatus for a suspension comprising a spring having a threaded member at a first end for providing axial movement to the spring as the spring is rotated and the threaded member moves relative to a second component. In one embodiment, the system includes a damper for metering fluid through a piston and a rotatable spring member coaxially disposed around the damper and rotatable relative to the damper.

A method and apparatus for a suspension comprising a spring having a threaded member at a first end for providing axial movement to the spring as the spring is rotated and the threaded member moves relative to a second component. In one embodiment, the system includes a damper for metering fluid through a piston and a rotatable spring member coaxially disposed around the damper and rotatable relative to the damper.

A method of controlling an air suspension system may include a first process of determining, by a controller, whether a current situation is a parking situation that requires reduced air pressure in an air spring, a second process of maximizing, by the controller, damping force of a shock absorber when the current situation is the parking situation that requires the reduced air pressure in the air spring, and a third process of reducing air pressure in the air spring, by the controller, by bypassing compressed air stored in the air spring to a reservoir tank.

A damping control system for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground engaging members and a vehicle frame includes at least one adjustable shock absorber having an adjustable damping characteristic. The system also includes a controller coupled to each adjustable shock absorber to adjust the damping characteristic of each adjustable shock absorber, and a user interface coupled to the controller and accessible to a driver of the vehicle. The user interface includes at least one user input to permit manual adjustment of the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber during operation of the vehicle. Vehicle sensors may also be coupled to the controller to adjust the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber based on sensor output signals.

A damping control system for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground engaging members and a vehicle frame includes at least one adjustable shock absorber having an adjustable damping characteristic. The system also includes a controller coupled to each adjustable shock absorber to adjust the damping characteristic of each adjustable shock absorber, and a user interface coupled to the controller and accessible to a driver of the vehicle. The user interface includes at least one user input to permit manual adjustment of the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber during operation of the vehicle. Vehicle sensors are also be coupled to the controller to adjust the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber based vehicle conditions determined by sensor output signals.

Methods related to the control of vehicle systems while a vehicle is traveling along a road surface are disclosed. In some implementations, data related to the road surface ahead of the vehicle is separated into first and second frequency ranges. Commands for a vehicle system may then be determined for the different frequency ranges and the vehicle system may be controlled based at least in part on the separate commands for the separate frequency ranges. This may include determining a combined system command based at least in part on the separate commands for the separate frequency ranges in some implementations.

A damping control system for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground engaging members and a vehicle frame includes at least one adjustable shock absorber having an adjustable damping characteristic. The system also includes a controller coupled to each adjustable shock absorber to adjust the damping characteristic of each adjustable shock absorber, and a user interface coupled to the controller and accessible to a driver of the vehicle. The user interface includes at least one user input to permit manual adjustment of the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber during operation of the vehicle. Vehicle sensors are also be coupled to the controller to adjust the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber based vehicle conditions determined by sensor output signals.

A controller controls a suspension apparatus including a variable damper that adjusts a force between a vehicle body and a wheel of a vehicle. The controller includes a first instruction calculation portion and a control instruction output portion. The first instruction calculation portion outputs a first instruction value of a damping force, which corresponds to a first target amount, using a learning result acquired from machine learning in advance by inputting a plurality of different pieces of information. The control instruction output portion limits the first instruction value and outputs it as a control instruction in a case where the first instruction value works in a direction leading to a greater vehicle state amount than a predetermined amount due to control of the variable damper based on the first instruction value.