A brake controlling apparatus includes a gradient sensor, an operation unit, a brake controlling unit, and a storage unit. The gradient sensor is configured to detect a road gradient. The operation unit is configured to switch a constant speed downhill traveling function to become effective. The brake controlling unit is configured to control first and second regenerating units configured to generate regenerative electric power from braking torques of front and rear wheels, respectively. The storage unit is configured to hold an efficiency map. In a case where the constant speed downhill traveling function is caused to become effective, the brake controlling unit is configured to calculate braking torque distribution between the front and rear wheels based on the road gradient and the efficiency map to cause total regeneration efficiency to satisfy a first condition, and control the first and second regenerating units on a basis of the braking torque distribution.

A brake pad state estimation device estimates a brake pad state including at least one of a wear volume and a temperature of a brake pad of a vehicle. The brake pad state estimation device acquires sensor detection information including a vehicle speed and a brake pressure, and calculates the brake pad state based on the sensor detection information during braking of the vehicle. The brake pad state estimation device variably sets a sampling period for acquiring the sensor detection information from a sensor according to a driving environment for the vehicle. The sampling period in a case where the wear volume or the temperature of the brake pad is expected to be lower is set to be longer than the sampling period in a case where the wear volume or the temperature of the brake pad is expected to be higher.

An agricultural vehicle-trailer-combination includes a traction vehicle including an engine and at least one ground engagement mechanism. A trailer is coupled to the traction vehicle. A service brake connected to the at least one ground engagement mechanism. The combination includes a sensor and a control unit disposed in communication with the sensor, wherein a slip or a slip gradient on the ground engagement mechanism is sensed between the ground engagement mechanism and the ground surface. A trailer brake disposed on the trailer is adjustably controlled by the control unit. The trailer brake is adjustably controlled when the service brake of the traction vehicle is actuated, and the trailer is braked by the trailer brake as a function of the slip or the slip gradient when the slip reaches or exceeds a predeterminable slip braking value or the slip gradient reaches a predeterminable slip gradient braking interval.

A system and method for classifying an actuation of an electric parking brake of a vehicle is presented. In one example, the system includes a sensor configured to sense a vehicle parameter, an output device, a memory including an electric parking brake usage profile, and an electronic controller configured to receive the electric parking brake usage profile, receive the vehicle parameter, detect an actuation of the electric parking brake, and in response to detecting an actuation of the electric parking brake: determine a reason for the actuation of the electric parking brake, determine an attribute of the vehicle based on the vehicle parameter, classify the actuation of the electric parking brake based on a numerical value of the attribute and/or the reason for the actuation of the electric parking brake, update the electric parking brake usage profile based on the classification, and output the updated parking brake usage profile.

Technologies and techniques for reducing a collision risk between a first motor vehicle and a second motor vehicle. At least a first vehicle-to-environment message is transmitted by the first motor vehicle and received by the second motor vehicle. Using a second computing unit of the second motor vehicle, it is determined, depending on the vehicle-to-environment message, whether a risk situation exists in which the first motor vehicle is obscured by a preceding third motor vehicle. The second computing unit executes a criticality analysis to determine that the risk situation exists and, depending on the result of the criticality analysis, a risk-reducing measure is initiated.

A brake device applies a braking force to a vehicle by pressing a friction material against a rotor rotating integrally with a wheel. A temperature estimation method applied to the brake device includes: calculating an amount of absorbed energy absorbed by the rotor based on an amount of kinetic energy that the vehicle loses and an amount of potential energy that the vehicle loses during braking of the vehicle; and estimating a temperature of the rotor based on the amount of absorbed energy.

A brake controller of a machine can be configured to determine brake power associated with braking operations, such as operations to slow the machine or maintain a speed of the machine. The brake controller can allocate the brake power among systems such as a battery system, a resistive grid, auxiliary systems, a mechanical brake system, and/or other systems, based on a defined priority order of the systems. For example, the brake controller can prioritize using a regenerative brake system to charge a battery system during a braking operation up to a currently-available capacity of the battery system, and allocating any remaining brake power to a lower-priority system. The mechanical brake system can be the lowest-priority system, such that use of the mechanical brake system can be avoided unless an amount of brake power exceeds capacities of higher-priority systems to consume the brake power.

A method of controlling the brake system of a vehicle. The method includes receiving one or more electrical signals each indicative of a value of a respective vehicle-related parameter. The method further includes detecting that the vehicle is traveling across a slope based on the value(s) of one or more of the vehicle-related parameters. The method still further includes automatically modifying the amount of brake torque being applied to at least certain of the wheels of the vehicle in response to the detection of the vehicle traveling across a slope by increasing the amount of brake torque being applied to one or more wheels on one side of the vehicle, and decreasing the amount of brake torque being applied to one or more wheels on the other side of the vehicle.

A vehicle motion control device according to the present invention obtains a translation force for causing the position of a vehicle to trace a target travel path, on the basis of a lateral displacement amount which is an amount of displacement of the vehicle in a lateral direction with respect to a target movement point, obtain a rotational force for correcting an orientation of the vehicle with respect to the target travel path, on the basis of an orientation displacement amount which is an amount of displacement of the vehicle in a yaw direction with respect to the target movement point, weight the translation force and the rotational force on the basis of specifications relating to traveling of the vehicle, and output a control command for achieving a target lateral force obtained by adding up the weighted translation force and the weighted rotational force.

Apparatus for prognosing a vehicle brake-system health issue, and processes performed thereby. The apparatus in various embodiments includes a first sensor and a second sensor. In various embodiments, the first sensor is configured to measure a brake system input, such as brake pedal force or displacement, and the second sensor configured to produce output indicative of vehicle deceleration. The apparatus further includes a processing hardware unit, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage device. The storage device includes a prognostic module configured to cause the processing hardware unit to determine, based on the data received from the first sensor and the second sensor, whether there is an existing or potential brake-system health issue. In some implementations, the first sensor or the second sensor is configured to measure brake-line pressure.