A system for monitoring usage of rail car brake equipment and determining whether the actual lifespan of the brake equipment is shorter than an expected lifespan had the brake equipment been used under normal or constant parameters. The system includes a sensor for collecting and outputting data indicating how the brake equipment has been actually used. A controller is programmed to receive the data regarding how the brake system component has been used and to calculate whether the brake system component has an estimated lifespan that is shorter than the expected lifespan. The sensor may comprise an ambient temperature sensor, a flow sensor that determines the air used by the braking system that includes the brake system component, and/or a pressure sensor that can determines how frequently and in what manner the brake system has been used.

This travel control device includes: a road determining unit which determines whether a road including a downward slope along which a vehicle is traveling includes a first curved road and a second curved road; and a travel control unit which, if the road determining unit has determined that the road contains the first curved road and the second curved road, causes the vehicle, when being caused to travel in such a way as to maintain a target speed, to decelerate at a curved road entry side of the first curved road and to coast from a curved road exit side of the first curved road, such that the vehicle can pass through the first curved road.

A system, method, and apparatus includes management of coasting during operation of a vehicle. Speed of a vehicle is monitored during a coasting event and is compared against a threshold to determine whether to remain coasting or re-engage an engine to a driveline. If instantaneous speed exceeds the threshold, predicted speed can be used to determine whether to permit short duration excursions, or to re-engage the engine to the driveline. These techniques can be used whether the vehicle is slowing down below a threshold or speeding up above a threshold.

This brake control device includes: an operation amount sensor which detects the brake operating member operation amount; front-wheel and rear-wheel actuators which generate braking force in front/rear wheels; front-wheel and rear-wheel sensors which detect the outputs of the front-wheel and rear-wheel actuators; and a controller which controls the front-wheel and rear-wheel actuators based on the operation amount and the outputs of the front and rear wheels. On the basis of the operation amount and/or the output of the rear wheels, the controller determines whether or not a long-term low-load state in which the friction member is continuously pressed against the rotary members of the rear wheels within a predetermined range over a long period of time is established. If so, the distribution ratio of the rear-wheel braking force to the total applied braking force is decreased compared to when a long-term low-load state is not determined to be established.

The disclosed invention makes use of slip related values to calculate friction related values and tire stiffness related values and feeds back an estimated tire stiffness relates value or a calculated friction related as a basis for further calculations. In particular, the disclosure relates to methods, apparatuses and computer program products to achieve the mentioned objective.

A method for estimating an inherent movement of a vehicle. The method includes a step of classifying, a step of detecting, and a step of ascertaining. In the step of classifying, at least one portion of a camera image representing a classified object is classified into an object category which represents stationary objects. In the step of detecting, at least one detection point of the portion in the camera image classified into the object category is detected in the camera image by utilizing a detection algorithm. In the step of ascertaining, an estimated inherent movement of the vehicle is ascertained by utilizing the detection point.

A system, method, and apparatus includes management of coasting during operation of a vehicle. Speed of a vehicle is monitored during a coasting event and is compared against a threshold to determine whether to remain coasting or re-engage an engine to a driveline. If instantaneous speed exceeds the threshold, predicted speed can be used to determine whether to permit short duration excursions, or to re-engage the engine to the driveline. These techniques can be used whether the vehicle is slowing down below a threshold or speeding up above a threshold.

Systems and methods for determining a probability of an occurrence of a seismic event are provided. According to certain aspects, a system may receive one or more changes in acceleration associated with a plurality of vehicles. The system may receive one or more captured images of a vehicle occupant associated with a given vehicle of the plurality of vehicles. The system may determine a probability of an occurrence of a seismic event according to the one or more changes in acceleration exceeding a threshold and a likelihood that the one or more captured images are associated with an occurrence of a seismic event. Based on the probability exceeding a threshold, the system may provide an output signal that includes at least the determined probability and location information associated with the plurality of vehicles.

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for automatically calibrating electronic trailer brake gain. An example apparatus includes a trailer brake gain calibrator programmed to modulate a trailer brake gain value based upon a derivative of a trailer hitch force and apply a pressure to a brake of a trailer based on the gain value.

A method for controlling a hydraulic brake system for a motor vehicle to carry out a braking operation by means of at least one wheel brake includes, in a first step, a pressure buildup in the wheel brake, wherein hydraulic fluid is passed to a wheel brake via a normally open inlet valve. In a second step, a pressure reduction takes place in the wheel brake, wherein hydraulic fluid is discharged from the wheel brake via an energized normally closed outlet valve. The pressure reduction at the wheel brake is accomplished by means of control of the outlet valve in a predefined manner.