A driving force control device 1 for a vehicle V comprises: a D-μ map M1 defining a linear correlation between a driving stiffness D and a maximum road surface μ; a slip ratio calculation circuit 21 for calculating a slip ratio S of one of a pair of front road wheels 10L, 10R; a DS calculation circuit 22 for calculating the driving stiffness D corresponding to a value the slip ratio S calculated by the slip ratio calculation circuit 21; a maximum road surface μ calculation circuit 23 for assigning a value of the driving stiffness D calculated by the DS calculation circuit 22 to the D-μ map M1 to calculate the maximum road surface μ; and a driving force distribution circuit 24 for controlling a driving force, using a value of the maximum road surface μ calculated by the maximum road surface μ calculation circuit 23.

A vehicle system includes an engine driving a vehicle, a front wheel and a rear wheel, a suspension device with an attachment portion to a vehicle body which is located at a higher level than a center axis of the rear wheel, an electromagnetic coupling to distribute a torque of the engine to the front wheel and the rear wheel, a steering wheel to be operated by a driver, a steering angle sensor to detect a steering angle corresponding to operation of the steering wheel, and a controller to control the engine and the electromagnetic coupling. The controller is configured to control the electromagnetic coupling such that the torque distributed to the rear wheel is decreased in accordance with a returning operation of the steering wheel which is detected by the steering angle sensor.

A vehicle includes a powerplant, a front axle having first and second wheels and a differential operably coupled to the powerplant. A power-takeoff unit (PTU) is connected to the differential. A rear axle has third and fourth wheels and a gearbox connected to the PTU without a center differential. The gearbox has a first clutch configured to selectively couple the third wheel to the PTU and a second clutch configured to selectively couple the fourth wheel to the PTU. A controller is programmed to determine, during a turn, which of the third and fourth wheels is an outer rear wheel, determine whether there is a positive or negative torque on the outer rear wheel, and disengage, or keep disengaged, the one of the first and second clutches that is associated with the outer rear wheel in response to a negative torque on the outer rear wheel.

A vehicle includes a powerplant, a front axle having first and second wheels and a differential operably coupled to the powerplant. A power-takeoff unit (PTU) is connected to the differential. A rear axle has third and fourth wheels and a gearbox connected to the PTU without a center differential. The gearbox has a first clutch configured to selectively couple the third wheel to the PTU and a second clutch configured to selectively couple the fourth wheel to the PTU. A controller is programmed to determine, during a turn, which of the third and fourth wheels is an outer rear wheel, determine whether there is a positive or negative torque on the outer rear wheel, and disengage, or keep disengaged, the one of the first and second clutches that is associated with the outer rear wheel in response to a negative torque on the outer rear wheel.

When a vehicle control interface receives information indicating “Forward” from a VP, the vehicle control interface sets a value 0 in a signal indicating a rotation direction of a wheel. When the vehicle control interface receives information indicating “Reverse” from the VP, the vehicle control interface sets a value 1 in the signal indicating the rotation direction of the wheel. When the vehicle control interface receives information indicating “Invalid value” from the VP, the vehicle control interface sets a value 3 in the signal indicating the rotation direction of the wheel. The vehicle control interface provides the signal indicating the rotation direction of the wheel to an ADK.

When a vehicle control interface receives information indicating “Forward” from a VP, the vehicle control interface sets a value 0 in a signal indicating a rotation direction of a wheel. When the vehicle control interface receives information indicating “Reverse” from the VP, the vehicle control interface sets a value 1 in the signal indicating the rotation direction of the wheel. When the vehicle control interface receives information indicating “Invalid value” from the VP, the vehicle control interface sets a value 3 in the signal indicating the rotation direction of the wheel. The vehicle control interface provides the signal indicating the rotation direction of the wheel to an ADK.

A method for distributing electrical power to electric motors in an electric powertrain, in which the electric motors are electrically connected to a shared power supply, includes receiving input signals via a supervisory controller. The input signals include a total torque request of the electric powertrain and electrical limits of the power supply. The method includes determining an open-loop torque command for each respective motor in response to the input signals. In response to the total torque request and the power supply limits, the controller also determines maximum and minimum power limits of motor, with the maximum and minimum power limits including a calibrated power reserve for executing a predetermined torque operation. The method includes transmitting the open-loop torque command and the power limits to a respective motor control processor of each motor to thereby control the torque operation.

A method for distributing electrical power to electric motors in an electric powertrain, in which the electric motors are electrically connected to a shared power supply, includes receiving input signals via a supervisory controller. The input signals include a total torque request of the electric powertrain and electrical limits of the power supply. The method includes determining an open-loop torque command for each respective motor in response to the input signals. In response to the total torque request and the power supply limits, the controller also determines maximum and minimum power limits of motor, with the maximum and minimum power limits including a calibrated power reserve for executing a predetermined torque operation. The method includes transmitting the open-loop torque command and the power limits to a respective motor control processor of each motor to thereby control the torque operation.

A four-wheel drive vehicle includes: a drive-power distribution device for transmitting a drive power of an engine toward main and auxiliary drive wheels, at a drive-power distribution ratio between the auxiliary drive wheels and the main drive wheels; and a control apparatus for executing a drive-power distribution control for adjusting the drive-power distribution ratio, and executing an engine automatic-start control for causing the engine to be started upon satisfaction of an engine-start condition. Upon execution of the engine automatic-start control, the control apparatus changes a target engine rotational speed from a predetermined engine-start rotational speed to a changed engine rotational speed, such that a difference of the changed engine rotational speed from a resonance rotational speed that causes resonance of a drive system to which the engine is connected in a power transmittable manner, is larger than a difference of the predetermined engine-start rotational speed from the resonance rotational speed.

A four-wheel drive vehicle includes: a drive-power distribution device for transmitting a drive power of an engine toward main and auxiliary drive wheels, at a drive-power distribution ratio between the auxiliary drive wheels and the main drive wheels; and a control apparatus for executing a drive-power distribution control for adjusting the drive-power distribution ratio, and executing an engine automatic-start control for causing the engine to be started upon satisfaction of an engine-start condition. Upon execution of the engine automatic-start control, the control apparatus changes a target engine rotational speed from a predetermined engine-start rotational speed to a changed engine rotational speed, such that a difference of the changed engine rotational speed from a resonance rotational speed that causes resonance of a drive system to which the engine is connected in a power transmittable manner, is larger than a difference of the predetermined engine-start rotational speed from the resonance rotational speed.