The present disclosure includes a wheelchair configured to reposition an occupant between a lowered and a raised position. The wheelchair can include a frame, a seat moveable relative to the frame, a drive wheel, one or more pairs of arm assemblies, and one or more sensors. The arm assembly includes a wheel configured to move from a first spatial location when the wheelchair is operating on flat, level ground to a second spatial location that is different than the first spatial location. Arm limiters can selectively engage the arm assembly based on at least one of a seat position, position of the arm assembly, and surface conditions of ground surface. The arm limiters can limit the range of motion of the arm assembly and sometimes other operational aspects of the chair.

The invention relates to a scooter (10) including: a frame (12); a front wheel (20) and a rear wheel (22) attached to the frame; a motor (24) configured for driving into rotation at least one of the front and rear wheels; and a unit (26) for controlling the motor. The invention is characterized by the fact that the unit for controlling the motor includes: acceleration detection means for detecting an acceleration phase of the scooter; deceleration detection means for detecting a deceleration phase of the scooter; the control unit being configured for actuating the motor when a deceleration phase having a period at least equal to a first predetermined threshold has been detected by the deceleration detection means after detection of an acceleration phase by the acceleration detection means.

The invention relates to a scooter (10) including: a frame (12); a front wheel (20) and a rear wheel (22) attached to the frame; a motor (24) configured for driving into rotation at least one of the front and rear wheels; and a unit (26) for controlling the motor. The invention is characterized by the fact that the unit for controlling the motor includes: acceleration detection means for detecting an acceleration phase of the scooter; deceleration detection means for detecting a deceleration phase of the scooter; the control unit being configured for actuating the motor when a deceleration phase having a period at least equal to a first predetermined threshold has been detected by the deceleration detection means after detection of an acceleration phase by the acceleration detection means.

A driver of a vehicle applies an actuation force to an accelerator device such as an accelerator pedal or a twist-grip throttle of the vehicle to deflect the accelerator device to an actual deflection angle (φ.sub.act), which is detected. A restoring force acts on the accelerator device opposite the actuation force. An electronic controller determines a nominal deflection angle (φ.sub.nom) to which the accelerator device shall be deflected, based on inputs such as an actual speed of the subject vehicle, a relative speed of the subject vehicle relative to a leading vehicle driving ahead of the subject vehicle, an actual distance of the subject vehicle to the leading vehicle, and a nominal distance at which the subject vehicle shall follow the leading vehicle. The restoring force on the accelerator device is modulated as a function of the difference between the actual deflection angle (φ.sub.act) and the nominal deflection angle (φ.sub.nom).

A driver of a vehicle applies an actuation force to an accelerator device such as an accelerator pedal or a twist-grip throttle of the vehicle to deflect the accelerator device to an actual deflection angle (φ.sub.act), which is detected. A restoring force acts on the accelerator device opposite the actuation force. An electronic controller determines a nominal deflection angle (φ.sub.nom) to which the accelerator device shall be deflected, based on inputs such as an actual speed of the subject vehicle, a relative speed of the subject vehicle relative to a leading vehicle driving ahead of the subject vehicle, an actual distance of the subject vehicle to the leading vehicle, and a nominal distance at which the subject vehicle shall follow the leading vehicle. The restoring force on the accelerator device is modulated as a function of the difference between the actual deflection angle (φ.sub.act) and the nominal deflection angle (φ.sub.nom).

A method is provided to control the acceleration of a motor vehicle from a current speed, wherein the motor vehicle includes an accelerator pedal system able to generate on the accelerator pedal an added reaction force when the depression of the accelerator pedal reaches a given depression level. The method includes the steps of: a) measuring the current vehicle speed; b) determining a target speed of the motor vehicle in function at least of the current vehicle speed or determining from the current vehicle speed a maximum acceleration rate; c) determining at least one threshold depression level of the accelerator pedal that corresponds to the stabilization of the vehicle speed at the target speed or that corresponds to maximum acceleration rate; d) generating an added reaction force on the accelerator pedal if the depression of the accelerator pedal reaches or is about to reach the threshold depression level; wherein at least steps a), b), and c) are automatically repeated as vehicle speed increases.

A rear wheel driving device includes first and second electric motors, a wet multi-plate type hydraulic brake provided on motive power transmission paths between the first and second electric motors and rear wheels Wr and causing the drive source side and the wheel side to become disconnected state or connected state by being released or fastened, and a control device that controls switching between the disconnected state and the connected state of the hydraulic brake and controls a vehicle speed. The rear wheel driving device further includes a viscosity acquisition unit that acquires a viscosity correlation amount of oil provided to cool plates of the wet multi-plate type hydraulic brake, and the control device fastens the hydraulic brake or maintains fastening thereof and controls the vehicle speed to lower than a first speed in a case where the viscosity correlation amount is a first prescribed value or higher.

A rear wheel driving device includes first and second electric motors, a wet multi-plate type hydraulic brake provided on motive power transmission paths between the first and second electric motors and rear wheels Wr and causing the drive source side and the wheel side to become disconnected state or connected state by being released or fastened, and a control device that controls switching between the disconnected state and the connected state of the hydraulic brake and controls a vehicle speed. The rear wheel driving device further includes a viscosity acquisition unit that acquires a viscosity correlation amount of oil provided to cool plates of the wet multi-plate type hydraulic brake, and the control device fastens the hydraulic brake or maintains fastening thereof and controls the vehicle speed to lower than a first speed in a case where the viscosity correlation amount is a first prescribed value or higher.

A method for operating a speed control system of a vehicle having a plurality of wheels is provided. The method comprises receiving one or more electrical signals representative of vehicle-related information. The method further comprises determining, based on the one or more electrical signals representative of vehicle-related information, that one or more of the wheels of the vehicle have overcome an obstacle or are about to overcome an obstacle and that therefore a reduction in an applied drive torque to one or more of the wheels of the vehicle by a powertrain subsystem (applied drive torque) will be required to maintain the speed of the vehicle at a target set-speed of the speed control system. The method still further comprises automatically commanding the application of a retarding torque to one or more of the wheels of the vehicle to counteract the effect of an overrun condition in the powertrain subsystem from increasing the speed of the vehicle. A system for controlling the speed of a vehicle comprising an electronic control unit configured to perform the above-described methodology is also provided.

A method for operating a speed control system of a vehicle having a plurality of wheels is provided. The method comprises receiving one or more electrical signals representative of vehicle-related information. The method further comprises determining, based on the one or more electrical signals representative of vehicle-related information, that one or more of the wheels of the vehicle have overcome an obstacle or are about to overcome an obstacle and that therefore a reduction in an applied drive torque to one or more of the wheels of the vehicle by a powertrain subsystem (applied drive torque) will be required to maintain the speed of the vehicle at a target set-speed of the speed control system. The method still further comprises automatically commanding the application of a retarding torque to one or more of the wheels of the vehicle to counteract the effect of an overrun condition in the powertrain subsystem from increasing the speed of the vehicle. A system for controlling the speed of a vehicle comprising an electronic control unit configured to perform the above-described methodology is also provided.