A required brake force calculator calculates a required brake force for each vehicle based on a load on the vehicle or carriage detected by a variable load detector and a brake command acquired by a command acquirer. A target brake force calculator, based on the required brake force, calculates a common target brake force for a vehicle driven by a main electric motor and calculates a common target brake force for a vehicle not driven by a main electric motor. A control pattern generator, based on the target brake force and a vehicle speed detected by a speed detector, generates a common control pattern for electric power converters. An electric brake force calculator calculates an electric brake force generated by operation of main electric motors. A supplementer sends a brake force command value based on the electric brake force and the target brake force to mechanical brakes.

Various embodiments of a towing vehicle controller and methods for brake control of a towed vehicle are provided. A towing vehicle controller includes an input for receiving a load signal indicative of a load of a towed and towing vehicle combination; an input for receiving a stability signal indicative of at least one of a yaw rate, a steering angle, and a lateral acceleration of the towing vehicle; and an input for receiving a deceleration signal indicative of an automated deceleration request. Control logic is capable of determining a comparison value prior to receiving the deceleration signal and after receiving the load signal and the stability signal, wherein the determination of the comparison value is based on the load signal and the stability signal. After the deceleration signal is received, the control logic determines a brake control transmission signal based on the deceleration signal and the comparison value.

A system for multiple brakes intelligently controlled by a single brake input on a personal mobility vehicle. By determining a front and rear brake differential based on the position and weight of the rider as well as the environmental and vehicle conditions, the system may reduce the risk of the vehicle skidding or tipping due to over-braking. In some embodiments, a rider may use a single brake lever to indicate a desire to brake and the system may make determinations about how to apply a combination of mechanical and electrical brakes to front and back wheels. By applying different braking systems based on a combination of controls and sensors, the system may improve user experience and user safety, especially for inexperienced riders.

A system for multiple brakes intelligently controlled by a single brake input on a personal mobility vehicle. By determining a front and rear brake differential based on the position and weight of the rider as well as the environmental and vehicle conditions, the system may reduce the risk of the vehicle skidding or tipping due to over-braking. In some embodiments, a rider may use a single brake lever to indicate a desire to brake and the system may make determinations about how to apply a combination of mechanical and electrical brakes to front and back wheels. By applying different braking systems based on a combination of controls and sensors, the system may improve user experience and user safety, especially for inexperienced riders.

In a method for operating a vehicle, a current total mass of the vehicle is determined depending on a tractive force applied to accelerate the vehicle and, depending on the determined current total mass of the vehicle, the vehicle is decelerated. The build-up and/or reduction of a brake force for decelerating the vehicle depends on its total weight.

A control apparatus is configured to control a brake of a unit hauled by a vehicle. The vehicle includes a plurality of brakes for braking the wheels of the vehicle, a trailer brake for braking the hauled unit, and a parking brake for keeping the vehicle braked while it is stationary. The control apparatus includes a line for sending a fluid to the trailer brake through a control valve in order to brake the hauled unit in certain working conditions, a further line for sending a further fluid to the trailer brake in order to activate the trailer brake in other working conditions, and a valve device for controlling flow of the further fluid in the further line, the valve device being responsive to a signal indicative of the status of the parking brake.

A target acceleration/deceleration setting unit (28) of a vehicle acceleration/deceleration controller (16) sets a target acceleration or deceleration at a location at which a curve starts to be a predetermined maximum deceleration, sets a target acceleration or deceleration at a location at which the curve ends to be a predetermined maximum acceleration, sets a target acceleration or deceleration at a predetermined intermediate location between the location at which the curve starts and the location at which the curve ends to be zero, and sets a target deceleration D (Ld) at a location to which the travelling distance from the location at which the curve starts is Ld and a target acceleration A (La) at a location to which the travelling distance from the predetermined intermediate location is La to satisfy respective predetermined relations.

A target acceleration/deceleration setting unit (28) of a vehicle acceleration/deceleration controller (16) sets a target acceleration or deceleration at a location at which a curve starts to be a predetermined maximum deceleration, sets a target acceleration or deceleration at a location at which the curve ends to be a predetermined maximum acceleration, sets a target acceleration or deceleration at a predetermined intermediate location between the location at which the curve starts and the location at which the curve ends to be zero, and sets a target deceleration D (Ld) at a location to which the travelling distance from the location at which the curve starts is Ld and a target acceleration A (La) at a location to which the travelling distance from the predetermined intermediate location is La to satisfy respective predetermined relations.

An apparatus for controlling a brake of a tractor towing a trailer includes a trailer sensor for sensing whether or not the trailer is mounted at the tractor, an auxiliary brake driver for driving an auxiliary brake of the tractor, a main brake driver for driving main brakes of the tractor and the trailer, and a controller for setting a ratio of braking force of the auxiliary brake to a reference value with respect to a required braking force from a smart cruise control (SCC) system and allocating the remaining required braking force to the main brakes of the tractor and the trailer in the case in which the trailer sensor senses that the trailer is mounted at the tractor.

A method for determining an actual mass of a vehicle, includes: determining a reference relationship of a deceleration of the vehicle having a known mass with respect to a brake demand; executing braking with a predetermined brake demand; detecting an actual deceleration of the vehicle when using the predetermined brake demand; determining an actual relationship of the actual deceleration of the vehicle with respect to the predetermined brake demand; and determining the actual mass of the vehicle by correlating the actual relationship and the reference relationship.