A method detects unintended acceleration of a motor vehicle during a closed-loop speed control mode by determining external forces on the vehicle via a controller, and then calculating a desired acceleration using a measured vehicle speed and the external forces. The method includes determining an actual acceleration of the vehicle, including filtering a speed signal as a first actual acceleration value and/or measuring a second actual acceleration value using an inertial measurement unit (IMU). During the speed control mode, the method includes calculating an acceleration delta value as a difference between the desired acceleration and the actual acceleration, and then using the acceleration delta value to detect the unintended acceleration during the speed control mode. A powertrain system for the motor vehicle, e.g., an electric vehicle, includes the controller and one or more torque generating devices coupled to road wheels of the vehicle.

A driving force control system that allows a vehicle to climb uphill without stopping. A controller is configured to: calculate a slip ratio of a road surface, a driving force with respect to the slip ratio, and a running resistance including a grade resistance of the road surface, before the vehicle reaches a starting point of an upcoming uphill, determine whether the vehicle can climb the uphill all the way to the top based on the driving force and the running resistance, and execute a driver assisting control to instruct a driver to manipulate an accelerator in such a manner as to optimize the slip ratio to establish a predetermined driving force, if the vehicle can climb uphill all the way to the top.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle control apparatus mounted on a lead vehicle sets a smaller value of a first acceleration limit value determined based on specifications regarding running of a first following vehicle and a basic acceleration limit value determined based on specifications regarding running of the lead vehicle as a set acceleration limit value of the lead vehicle, and outputs an acceleration instruction for controlling a braking apparatus or a driving apparatus after limiting it according to the set acceleration limit value.

A method for determining a trajectory of a motor vehicle for a driver assistance function includes: determining an initial trajectory of the motor vehicle on a road; setting an upper threshold for the lateral acceleration of the motor vehicle; detecting data of the road surface in the direction of travel ahead of the motor vehicle with at least one sensor; determining the vertical profile of the road surface of a plurality of paths running parallel to each other in the direction of travel ahead of the motor vehicle by using the data; determining, when the vertical profile of at least one of the paths indicates a pothole, a lateral deviation from the initial trajectory for which a limit value does not exceed the set upper threshold for the lateral acceleration, wherein the road boundary is not exceeded; and outputting an adjusted trajectory by using the determined lateral deviation.

A monitoring system and method determine a consumption metric representative of one or more of an amount of fuel consumed or an amount of energy consumed by a vehicle during travel over a route. The consumption metric is independent of one or more of vehicle load or elevation change over the route. The system and method optionally can determine a route condition metric representative of a condition of a route traveled upon by a vehicle. The route condition metric is based on a comparison between an actual grade of the route at one or more locations along the route and an estimated grade of the route at the one or more locations.

A driving force control system that controls a driving force in line with a driver's intension to propel a vehicle on a slippery road surface without wheel slip. A controller is configured to obtain individual relations of a slip ratio on a road surface to parameters including the driving force, a running resistance of the vehicle, and an accelerating force of the vehicle, and to control the driving force based on the obtained relations of the slip ratio to each of said parameters.

A system for controlling platooning by a following vehicle includes a main body of the following vehicle. The system further includes a pressure sensor located in or on the main body and configured to detect a pressure corresponding to a pressure wake from a leading vehicle. The system further includes an electronic control unit (ECU) located in or on the main body, coupled to the pressure sensor, and configured to determine an optimal distance from the following vehicle to the leading vehicle based on the detected pressure. The optimal distance corresponding to a distance at which drag applied to the following vehicle is reduced based on the pressure wake from the leading vehicle.

Disclosed is a vehicle road load compensation system that includes an accelerator pedal, a throttle, a transmission wherein a vehicle torque is generated proportional to the transmission gear and the motor power, and a control unit disposed within the vehicle and configured to receive real-time sensor data relating to the road load of the vehicle. The control unit includes a real-time throttle map relating the accelerator pedal position to the throttle position, such that a given accelerator pedal position directs a corresponding target throttle position. The control unit also includes a real-time shift map relating a desired transmission gear to a current transmission gear, vehicle speed, and throttle position. In response to the sensor data, the control unit updates the throttle map and shift map such that the vehicle torque is altered based on the road load of the vehicle. The controller may also update a real-time torque converter lockup map.

A hybrid vehicle and a method of calibrating a traveling direction of the hybrid vehicle are disclosed. The method of calibrating a traveling direction of a hybrid vehicle including a transmission not having a reverse gear includes: when an abnormality of a motor speed sensor is detected, calculating a difference between at least one of a first moving distance calculated based on sensor information during a predetermined time or a second moving distance calculated based on output torque and a third moving distance calculated based on a vehicle speed by a controller for controlling output torque; when an absolute value of the calculated difference is greater than a preset error reference, reversing the traveling direction recognized by the controller; and controlling a powertrain in response to a transmission lever state.

A driving range estimator system for a vehicle accounting for a load on the vehicle may include an energy storage device configured to power the vehicle. Sensors may be disposed about the vehicle and may be configured to detect information relevant to a range estimate. A towing control unit may be configured to receive the detected information from the sensors, and configured to determine a) an expected range for the vehicle with the load, and b) an expected range for the vehicle without the load. A display may be configured to simultaneously display a) the expected range for the vehicle with the load and b) the expected range for the vehicle without the load.