Aspects of the present invention relate to a method and to a control system for controlling an active suspension of a road vehicle comprising a vehicle body and a plurality of wheels, the control system comprising one or more controllers, the control system configured to: receive information indicative of a requirement for positive or negative vehicle acceleration in a first axis; and control the active suspension to commence modifying an angle of the vehicle body relative to the plurality of wheels about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis in dependence on the receiving an indication, before commencement of the vehicle acceleration.

A vehicle, variable spring system and method of operating a corner actuator coupled to wheel of the vehicle. The vehicle includes the corner actuator and the variable spring system. The variable spring system includes a control chamber coupled to the corner actuator, a first spring, a second spring, and a valve. An applied resistance for the corner actuator is selected by selecting an amount of fluid coupling between the control chamber and each of the first spring and the second spring. A force is absorbed at the wheel using the applied resistance.

A method of automatically applying damping force interventions for dynamic weight balancing in a suspension system of a vehicle may include receiving ride height information associated with respective individual wheels of the vehicle and vehicle attitude information from vehicle sensors, determining, based on the ride height information and the vehicle attitude information, whether a trigger event has occurred, and generating a first damping intervention signal to change a damping force applied by a first selected adjustable damper responsive to determining that the trigger event has occurred. The first selected damper may be one of a plurality of adjustable dampers associated with respective ones of the individual wheels of the vehicle. The first selected adjustable damper may be associated with only one of a pair of rear wheels of the vehicle.

A vehicle, variable spring system and method of operating a corner actuator coupled to wheel of the vehicle. The vehicle includes the corner actuator and the variable spring system. The variable spring system includes a control chamber coupled to the corner actuator, a first spring, a second spring, and a valve. An applied resistance for the corner actuator is selected by selecting an amount of fluid coupling between the control chamber and each of the first spring and the second spring. A force is absorbed at the wheel using the applied resistance.

An independent suspension system includes a steering unit configured to be controlled to adjust the steering angle of a wheel, a shock absorber engaged with the wheel in order to absorb external impacts applied to the wheel and including first and second shock absorbers, each of the first shock absorber and the second shock absorber arranged in a forward-rearward direction on opposite side surfaces of the wheel, respectively, and a link unit disposed between the shock absorber and the steering unit in order to vary the distance between the wheel and the steering unit. The link unit includes a first upper arm disposed between the first shock absorber and the steering unit, a second upper arm disposed between the second shock absorber and the steering unit, and a ground clearance adjustment unit engaged with the first and second upper arms and configured to vary the distance therebetween while varying the distance between the wheel and the steering unit at the same time.

A tilt control system for a sidecar and a motorcycle. The tilt control system can include a main frame, a tilting frame, and an actuator. The actuator can be coupled to the main frame and to the tilting frame, and can be configured to control tilting of the tilting frame relative to the main frame. The tilt control system can include a sensor, and a controller in communication with the actuator and the sensor. The controller can be configured to determine an operating parameter based on sensor data received from the sensor, compare the operating parameter to a threshold criteria, and cause the actuator to control the orientation of the tilting frame relative to main frame, based on the comparison of the operating parameter to the threshold criteria.

A method of controlling relative roll torque in vehicles having a front active sway bar and a rear active sway bar is provided. The front active sway bar varies roll torque of a front axle and the rear active sway bar varies roll torque of a rear axle. The method includes monitoring dynamic driving conditions during operation of the vehicle and biasing tire lateral load transfer distribution (TLLTD) relative to the front axle based on the monitored dynamic driving conditions. Positive bias of the TLLTD increases the portion of a total roll torque carried by the front active sway bar. Biasing TLLTD occurs during one or more dynamic bias events triggered as monitored dynamic driving conditions exceed one or more calibrated thresholds.

An independent suspension system includes: a steering unit configured to adjust the steering angle of a wheel; a shock absorber engaged with the wheel in order to absorb impacts applied to the wheel and including a first shock absorber and a second shock absorber, each of which being arranged in a forward-rearward direction on opposite side surfaces of the wheel; and a link unit disposed between the shock absorber and the steering unit in order to vary the distance between the wheel and the steering unit. The link unit includes a first upper arm disposed between the first shock absorber and the steering unit, a second upper arm disposed between the second shock absorber and the steering unit, and a ground clearance adjustment unit engaged with the first and second upper arms in order to vary the distance between the first and second upper arms.

An embodiment composite material spring for a suspension device of a vehicle includes a leaf spring configured to be installed in a body of the vehicle and a wheel of the vehicle, a first fluid container installed at a left side of a center of the leaf spring and including a first magnetorheological fluid, and a second fluid container installed at a right side of the center of the leaf spring and including a second magnetorheological fluid.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for adjusting the front to rear ratio of roll damping and/or roll stiffness in a vehicle based on vehicle yaw rate and/or the rate of change of steering wheel angle. Also disclosed are methods and apparatus for dynamically adjusting one or more suspension system control parameters based on one or more of steering wheel angle, rate of change of steering wheel angle and yaw rate.