A speed control system operable to control a motor vehicle to operate in accordance with a set-speed value, the control means being operable to allow a user to adjust the set-speed value by user actuation of a vehicle brake control or a vehicle accelerator control.

A method of and system for detecting absolute acceleration along various axes relative to a desired movement vector while moving relative to a gravity source includes steps of determining a vertical acceleration, perpendicular to the desired movement vector and substantially anti-parallel to a gravitational acceleration due to the gravity source; determining a longitudinal acceleration, parallel to the desired movement vector and to output at vertical acceleration signal and a longitudinal acceleration signal; determining an inclination of the desired movement vector relative to the gravitational acceleration; and processing the vertical acceleration signal, the longitudinal acceleration signal, and the inclination signal to produce an absolute vertical acceleration signal and an absolute longitudinal acceleration signal.

A vehicle speed control system for a vehicle having a plurality of wheels, the vehicle speed control system comprising: means for receiving a user input of a target speed at which the vehicle is intended to travel; and means for commanding application of torque to one or more wheels of the vehicle, wherein the system is configured such that when it is required to accelerate the vehicle to achieve the target speed and the system detects a wheel slip event, the system is operable temporarily to suspend an increase in net torque applied to one or more wheels.

A vehicle speed control system for a vehicle having a plurality of wheels, the vehicle speed control system comprising: means for receiving a user input of a target speed at which the vehicle is intended to travel; and means for commanding application of torque to one or more wheels of the vehicle, wherein the system is configured such that when it is required to accelerate the vehicle to achieve the target speed and the system detects a wheel slip event, the system is operable temporarily to suspend further acceleration of the vehicle.

A speed control system operable to control a motor vehicle to operate in accordance with a set-speed value, the control means being operable to allow a user to adjust the set-speed value by user actuation of a vehicle brake control or a vehicle accelerator control.

A method for controlling the speed of vehicle is provided. The method comprises providing a memory device configured to store a plurality of predefined set-speeds therein. The method further comprises selecting a desired set-speed from the plurality of predefined set-speeds stored in the memory device. The method may further comprise determining whether the selected set-speed is appropriate based on one or more conditions. The method may still further comprise causing the vehicle to operate in accordance with the selected set-speed when it is determined that the set-speed is appropriate. A system comprising a memory device configured to store a plurality of predefined set-speeds, and electronic control unit configured to select a desired one of the predefined set-speeds stored in the memory is also provided.

A method for operating a speed control system of a vehicle is provided. The method comprises detecting an occurrence of a slip event, of a step encounter event, or of both events at a leading wheel of the vehicle. The method also comprises predicting that the occurrence of the detected event(s) will occur at a following wheel of the vehicle. The method yet further comprises automatically controlling vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, or both vehicle speed and acceleration in response to the detection, the prediction, or both the detection and prediction. A speed control system comprising an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to perform the above-described methodology is also provided.

A hitch assist system is provided herein. An imaging device captures images of a scene rearward of a vehicle. A controller processes captured images and is configured to control a vehicle suspension system to adjust a height of the vehicle and control the deployment of a power tongue jack of a trailer.

A method for selecting a gear ratio for a driveline of vehicle is provided. The method comprises gathering information relating to one or more parameters associated with the vehicle and anticipating, based on the gathered information, an occurrence of an event relating to the vehicle for which a change in driveline gear ratio is needed. The method further comprises identifying a suitable driveline gear ratio for the anticipated event, generating a command signal representative of a request to change the gear ratio of the driveline to the identified gear ratio, and communicating the command signal to a driveline subsystem of the vehicle. A system comprising an electronic control unit configured to perform the method is also provided.

Systems and methods for providing predictive vehicle dynamics are described herein. Accordingly, embodiments of a method may include predicting a route of a vehicle, determining a route feature along the route, and determining a user-desired speed for traversing the route. Some embodiments may include determining an adjustment to a vehicle performance characteristic to be made in anticipation of the route feature at the user-desired speed and implementing the adjustment on a vehicle system of the vehicle.