A method for determining a slope of a roadway on which a vehicle is located includes imputing image data, supplied by an image sensor, pertaining to surroundings of the vehicle, identifying a defined reference object in the surroundings of the vehicle using the image data, determining an angle relationship between the reference object and the surroundings, estimating a slope of the roadway with reference to the determined angle relationship, and generating a signal indicative of the slope of the roadway. A device for determining a slope of a roadway on which a vehicle is located is configured to execute such a method.

A braking control system for an automotive vehicle having driven rear wheels which are coupled through a coupling arrangement to the front wheels of the vehicle so as to switch the vehicle between two-wheel drive mode and four-wheel drive mode, comprises an input for receiving a signal indicative of the nature of the terrain on which the vehicle is parked, wherein the nature of the terrain includes the incline of the terrain and one or more additional indicators of the nature of the terrain, and a processor configured to determine, depending on the signal, a braking force to be applied to the front wheels to brake the vehicle securely. The braking system comprises an output for providing a signal to the coupling arrangement to apply the determined braking force to the front wheels. The processor is also configured to receive a further signal indicative of whether the park brake of the vehicle is applied to the rear vehicle wheels, and is configured to disable the output in the event that the park brake is not applied.

Systems and methods are disclosed for adaptive regeneration systems for electric vehicles. In one embodiment, an example method may include determining, by an adaptive regeneration system, that an electric vehicle is decelerating, determining an output voltage of a power source at the electric vehicle, determining that a voltage potential of a battery system at the electric vehicle is greater than the output voltage, and causing the voltage potential of the battery system to be modified to a value equal to or less than the output voltage.

Disclosed is a method performed by a control arrangement for controlling a speed of a first vehicle comprising a plurality of brake systems configured to provide brake power for braking the vehicle. The method comprises, when a downhill road section is to be travelled, and when a second vehicle is travelling in front of the first vehicle predicting a plurality of minimum distances corresponding to different brake powers to be applied by at least one of the plurality of brake systems when approaching and/or travelling the downhill road section, each minimum distance constituting a resulting minimum distance to the second vehicle. The method further comprises applying, by at least one of the plurality of brake systems, a brake power corresponding to the brake power to be applied to obtain the minimum distance of the plurality of minimum distances such that at least a predetermined minimum distance to the second vehicle is maintained when approaching and/or travelling the downhill road section.

A method for controlling a machine during a transition from a service brake state to a parking brake includes receiving, by a control module, a request for activating a parking brake assembly. The method also includes transmitting, by the control module, control signals for activating a set of first brakes associated with a service brake assembly, a set of second brakes associated with the service brake assembly, and a clutch assembly. The method further includes controlling, by the control module, the set of first brakes for deactivating the set of first brakes. The method includes controlling, by the control module, the parking brake assembly for activating the parking brake assembly. The method also includes controlling, by the control module, the set of second brakes for deactivating the set of second brakes. The method further includes controlling, by the control module, the clutch assembly for deactivating the clutch assembly.

A method for braking a hybrid electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle and a computer program element. The method includes actuating braking with a brake energy, starting to regenerate the brake energy and charging a battery system with the regenerated brake energy, receiving a state of charge of the battery system, redirecting the regenerated brake energy into an integrated starter generator in case of a full or limited charging of the battery system, and activating the integrated starter generator to rotate an internal combustion engine.

A brake control system for a motor vehicle having a plurality of wheels, brakes for applying a braking effort to one or more of the wheels, and a movement sensor for detecting movement of the vehicle. The system comprises a brake actuator for actuating the brakes to supply a braking effort and a brake controller for controlling the brake actuator. The brake controller is configured to determine an acceleration of the vehicle based on movement detected by the movement sensor and to ensure that the brake actuator supplies a braking effort if the determined acceleration exceeds a set acceleration limit.

A speed control system for a vehicle includes an electronic controller configured to automatically cause a vehicle to operate in accordance with a target speed value. The electronic controller is further configured to receive information relating to movement of at least a portion of a vehicle body or at least a portion of a body of an occupant relative to a vehicle, and to automatically adjust the value of the target speed value in dependence on the received information.

A method for operating a speed control system of a vehicle is provided. The method comprises receiving one or more electrical signals representative of vehicle-related information. The method further comprises determining, based on the signals representative of vehicle-related information, whether one or more predetermined conditions are met. The method still further comprises automatically determining a baseline set-speed for the speed control system when it is determined that at least certain of the one or more predetermined conditions are met. The method yet still further comprises adjusting the baseline set-speed to determine an instantaneous set-speed of the speed control system based on a signal indicative of a desired comfort level. A speed control system comprising an electronic control unit configured to perform the above-described methodology is also provided.

A control device and a method for controlling traveling speed of a vehicle for the purpose of maintaining a vehicle speed equal to or lower than a pre-set downhill speed (v.sub.dh-set). The method comprises simulating a vehicle speed profile for an upcoming road section if braking at a pre-identified power level (P1, P2, P3) would currently be requested, thereby obtaining a predicted maximum vehicle speed (v.sub.P1,max, v.sub.P2,max, v.sub.P3,max) and a predicted time until a vehicle speed equal to or within a pre-selected interval (I.sub.dh) of the pre-set downhill speed is reached. The method further comprises, if the predicted maximum vehicle speed is equal to or below the pre-set downhill speed (v.sub.dh-set) and the predicted time is below a preselected threshold time limit, requesting braking at the pre-identified power level or at an adjusted power level.