Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for an audio assistant in an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle. In one aspect the informational audio assistant receives a first set of data from a vehicle sensor and identifies an object or condition using the data from the vehicle sensor. Audio is generated representative of a perceived danger of an object or condition. A second set of data from the vehicle sensor subsystem is received and the informational audio assistant determines whether an increased danger exists based on a comparison of the first set of data to the second set of data. The informational audio assistant will apply a sound profile to the generated audio based on the increased danger.

Example ice and snow detection systems and methods are described. In one implementation, a method activates an ice and snow detection system in response to receiving weather data indicating a likelihood of ice or snow on a roadway near a vehicle. The method receives data from multiple vehicle sensors and analyzes the received data to identify ice or snow on the roadway. If ice or snow is identified on the roadway, the method adjusts vehicle operations and reports the ice or snow condition to a shared database.

A control device of a vehicle enables an engine to be operated at an operating point with a good fuel consumption efficiency, to perform power generation, without causing a sense of incongruity about noise or vibrations to a driver. With the control device, the engine is operated so that generated power of a generator increases in response to electric power required of the vehicle. Thus, the engine can be operated at an operating point with a satisfactory fuel consumption efficiency. When in an acceleration state, the engine is operated so that the increase amount of generated power is set to be larger than when in a deceleration state. When in the deceleration state, the engine is operated so that an increase in generated power is suppressed and an increase in noise is curbed.

In order to address turbo lag at altitude, a vehicle boosts output torque of an internal combustion engine with electric motor torque generated from a battery. The residual charge of the battery is increased at altitude to provide a sufficient reserve for the corresponding increase in turbo lag. The invention is typically applied to a parallel hybrid vehicle.

A vehicle computer is communicatively coupled to a portable computing device and is programmed to determine, in a lead vehicle, that one or more conditions for a diagnostic test, such as an onboard diagnostic (OBD) test, are met and to send a vehicle-to-vehicle message to one or more following vehicles at a specified time. The sent message provides data to indicate to each following vehicle to perform the test at a specified time. The vehicle computer is further programmed to perform the test in the lead vehicle at the specified time.

A system of one or more computers having a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor such that the computer is programmed to identify a current state of a vehicle and determine a maximum acceleration capability of the vehicle. The system also determines a desired acceleration profile to follow based at least in part the maximum acceleration capability and controls an acceleration of the vehicle based at least in part the desired acceleration profile.

A method and an apparatus for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle are provided. The apparatus includes a navigation device that provides information regarding a gradient, a speed limit, and a traffic speed of a road. An accelerator pedal position detector detects a position of an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal position detector detects a position of a brake pedal. A vehicle speed detector detects a vehicle speed, a state of charge (SOC) detector detects an SOC of a battery, and a gear stage detector detects a gear stage that is currently engaged. A controller operates the hybrid vehicle based on signals of the navigation device, the accelerator pedal position detector, the brake pedal position detector, the vehicle speed detector, the SOC detector, and the gear stage detector.

A system of one or more computers having a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor such that the computer is programmed to identify a current state of a vehicle and determine a maximum acceleration capability of the vehicle. The system also determines a desired acceleration profile to follow based at least in part the maximum acceleration capability and controls an acceleration of the vehicle based at least in part the desired acceleration profile.

A computing system coupled to at least one vehicle includes a processing circuit comprising one or more processors coupled to one or more memory devices storing instructions therein that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processing circuit to: obtain, from a third-party remote computing system, first information; receive, from a vehicle, vehicle information comprising a calibration identifier, generate, based on the first information and the vehicle information, custom calibration information; and transmit, over a network, the custom calibration information to the vehicle that replaces at least a portion of the vehicle information stored in at least one vehicle controller of the vehicle.

A vehicle (10) has a camera recognition system to detect and interpret a road sign (14) indicative of a gradient. A gradient related shift map of an automatic vehicle transmission is pre-selected upon recognition of the road sign, and implemented upon detection that the gradient has commenced. The invention provides for rapid and consistent implementation of a suitable shift map on a gradient.