In a method for controlling a vehicle with a drive system comprising a power unit configuration adapted to provide power for the vehicle's operation, and further comprising a planetary gear and a first and second electrical machine, connected to components in the planetary gear via their rotors, a locking means is moved from a release position, in which the planetary gear's components are free to rotate independently of each other, to a locked position, in which two of the planetary gear's components are locked together, so that the three components in the planetary gear rotate with the same speed. The power unit configuration is controlled in order to achieve a synchronous, or substantially synchronous, rotational speed between the input and output shaft of the planetary gear, and the locking means are then moved to the locked position.

In a method for controlling a vehicle with a drive system comprising a power unit configuration adapted to provide output for the vehicle's operation, and further comprising a planetary gear and a first and second electrical machine, connected to components in the planetary gear via their rotors, a locking means is moved from a locked position, in which two of the planetary gear's components are locked together, so that the three components of the planetary gear rotate with the same speed, to a release position, when the vehicle is driven with the locking means in a locked position, by carrying out the following method steps. The power unit configuration is controlled in order to achieve torque balance between the components that are locked together by the locking means, and such locking means are moved into a release position, when said torque balance prevails.

In a method for controlling a vehicle with a drive system comprising an output shaft in a combustion engine, a planetary gear and a first and second electrical machine connected to the planetary gear, the turning off of the combustion engine is achieved when the vehicle is driven with the combustion engine running, and a transition to operation of the vehicle with the electrical machines is achieved by ensuring that the second electrical machine's rotor is connected with the combustion engine's output shaft, that injection of fuel into the combustion engine is interrupted and that the second electrical machines rotational speed is controlled towards and until a standstill, whereupon the combustion engine's output shaft is disconnected from the second electrical machine and the planetary gear.

Disclosed is a method for control of a vehicle with a drive system comprising an output shaft in a combustion engine and a planetary gear with a first and a second electrical machine connected via their rotors to the components in the planetary gear, a supply of electrical power to electrical auxiliary units and/or loads present in the vehicle is carried out, by way of the combustion engine being kept running with its output shaft connected with the second electrical machine's rotor, and the electrical auxiliary units and/or loads being supplied with electrical power via the first electrical machine and/or the second electrical machine.

In a method for controlling a vehicle with a drive system comprising an output shaft of a combustion engine and a planetary gear with a first and a second electrical machine, connected via their rotors to the components of the planetary gear, the combustion engine is started while the vehicle is driven by ensuring that the rotor of the second electrical machine is connected with the output shaft of the combustion engine, and controlling such electrical machine's rotational speed towards the combustion engine's idling speed, whereupon fuel injection into the combustion engine is carried out to start the latter.

Disclosed is a method for control of a vehicle with a drive system comprising a planetary gear and a first and second electrical machine, connected with their rotors to the components of the planetary gear, a braking of the vehicle towards stop occurs by way of a distribution of the desired braking torque between the first and the second electrical machines, and wherein such electrical machines are controlled to transmit a total torque to an output shaft of the planetary gear, which corresponds to the desired braking torque at least to one predetermined low speed limit, before the vehicle stops.

Systems and processes described herein can use drive line actuators (DLAs) which can be implemented for one or more individual wheels of an electric vehicle (EV) permitting connection and disconnection of at least a portion of the axle and wheel from the electric motor suppling torque. A disconnected wheel and axle can experience less friction, and have less rotational mass then a wheel and axle that is connected to an electric motor, therefore the disconnecting wheels in which torque is not desired can result in increased efficiency and range in an EV.

Disclosed are devices, systems and methods related to direct and indirect methods for detecting wind speed and direction during driving. An example method may include estimating, by a processor of a vehicle controller, a speed and a direction of wind movement near the vehicle based on a first sensor output from a wind sensor, or a second sensor output from a non-wind sensor, or a combination of the first sensor output and the second sensor output, wherein a primary purpose of the wind sensor is wind detection, and a primary purpose of the non-wind sensor is different from wind detection, and generating a control output indicative of a vehicle disturbance force resulting from the wind based on the estimated speed and direction of the wind movement.

A system for conducting a test of an active roll control (ARC) system in a vehicle while the vehicle is moving includes a module and a control module. The module is configured to receive a maneuver and an expected torque associated with the ARC system for the maneuver according to a defined velocity and a defined steering angle. The control module is configured to receive, while the vehicle is controlled to execute the maneuver, an actual torque of the ARC system, an actual velocity of the vehicle, and an actual steering angle of the vehicle. The module is configured to determine whether any one of the actual torque, the actual velocity, and the actual steering angle falls below the expected torque, the defined velocity, and the defined steering angle, respectively, and in response, generate a signal indicating a failure of the test. Other examples systems and methods are also disclosed.

A disconnector control device and method for an electric vehicle are provided. The disconnector control device includes a disconnector that switches wheel driving manners and a processor that recognizes a driving condition of the vehicle. The processor also acquires at least one factor related to operation of the disconnector and operates the disconnector based on the acquired at least one factor.