A drive apparatus of a hybrid vehicle including an internal combustion engine, a first motor-generator, a second motor-generator, a planetary gear mechanism, a speed change mechanism and an electronic control unit. The speed change mechanism includes a first engagement mechanism and a second engagement mechanism. A microprocessor of the electronic control unit is configured to perform controlling the speed change mechanism so as to disengage the first engagement mechanism and engage the second engagement mechanism before a driving force increase instruction is output during traveling in an EV reverse mode and so as to engage the first engagement mechanism and disengage the second engagement mechanism when it is determined that the driving force increase instruction is output during traveling in the EV reverse mode.

A braking force controller causes a first actuator unit to generate a target jerk when the target jerk is equal to or larger than a first jerk, causes the first actuator unit to generate the first jerk and a second actuator unit to generate a jerk obtained by subtracting the first jerk from the target jerk as an additional jerk when the target jerk is smaller than the first jerk and equal to or larger than the sum of the first jerk and a second jerk, and causes the first actuator unit to generate the first jerk and the second actuator unit to generate the second jerk as the additional jerk when the target jerk is smaller than the sum of the first jerk and the second jerk.

A control system that controls a driveline of a motor vehicle to operate in a selected one of a plurality of configurations is configured to receive a brake signal responsive to the application of a braking system. The control system causes the driveline to operate in a second configuration and not a first configuration in dependence at least in part on the brake signal. In the first configuration a first group of one or more wheels and in addition a second group of one or more wheels are arranged to be driven by the driveline, and in the second configuration the first group of one or more wheels and not the second group are arranged to be driven by the driveline.

Methods and systems are provided for entering into a parked state in a hybrid electric vehicle that includes a dual clutch transmission. In one example, a driveline operating method comprises in response to a first condition, engaging a first gear and engaging a second gear of a dual clutch transmission in response to a request to enter a vehicle park state where an output of a transmission is held from rotating, and in response to a second condition, engaging a third gear and engaging a fourth gear of a dual clutch transmission in response to a request to enter a vehicle park state. In this way, a park state may be entered into without the use of a park pawl, which may reduce costs associated with the vehicle and which may prevent issues associated with degradation of the park pawl.

Vehicles may be composed of a relatively few number of modules that are assembled together during a final assembly process. An example vehicle may include a body module, a first drive module coupled to a first end of the body module, and a second drive module coupled to a second end of the body module. One or both of the drive modules may include a pair of wheels, a battery, an electric drive motor, and/or a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. One or both of the drive modules may also include a crash structure to absorb impacts. If a component of a drive module fails or is damaged, the drive module can be quickly and easily replaced with a new drive module, minimizing vehicle down time.

When parking is expected at a predetermined point, state of charge reduction control is performed in a current trip to control an engine and a motor, such that the state of charge of a power storage device is lower than the state of charge of the power storage device when parking is not expected at the predetermined point. State of charge recovery control is performed in a next trip to control the engine and the motor, such that the state of charge is recovered during operation of the engine. When parking is expected at the predetermined point but an instruction for motor drive is estimated to be given in a predetermined time period or in a predetermined distance since a start of a next trip that is started at the predetermined point, execution of the state of charge reduction control is limited in the current trip.

A vehicle control apparatus includes an engine, a refrigerant compressor, a lock up clutch, a throttle valve, and first, second, and third deceleration controllers. The second deceleration controller controls the lock up clutch to a slip state and controls the throttle valve openwise on the condition that the refrigerant compressor is in the stopped state on decelerated travel of a vehicle in a second speed region in which a vehicle speed is lower than a first vehicle speed and higher than a second vehicle speed lower than the first vehicle speed. The second deceleration controller controls the lock up clutch to a disengaged state and controls the throttle valve closewise on the condition that the refrigerant compressor is in the operative state on the decelerated travel of the vehicle in the second speed region.

An electronic control unit configured to permit a vehicle to travel in an automated driving mode. The electronic control unit is configured to detect unauthorized access from an outside to an in-vehicle Local Area Network during the automated driving mode. The electronic control unit is configured to perform control to fix a gear position of an automatic transmission when the electronic control unit determines that unauthorized access from the outside occurs during the automated driving mode.

A method for performing rotational speed synchronisation of a first transmission component having a first initial rotational speed with a second transmission component having a second initial rotational speed, so that they rotate with the same final rotational speed during a gear switch from an initial driving gear to a final driving gear in a stepped gear transmission for a hybrid electric or electric drive train having an electric traction motor. The method including calculating a total frictional work resulting from performing the total rotational speed synchronisation by means of a mechanical synchroniser of the stepped gear transmission only, and if the calculated total frictional work exceeds a maximal frictional work of the mechanical synchroniser, performing the rotational speed synchronisation by means of both the electric traction motor and the mechanical synchroniser.

A trailer for use with a towing vehicle having a first connector. The trailer includes a connector assembly, a plurality of wheels, and a trailer assist assembly. The connector assembly includes a second connector and at least one sensor. The second connector is configured to be coupled to the first connector to thereby couple the trailer to the towing vehicle. The at least one sensor is configured to detect forces applied to at least a portion of the connector assembly. The trailer assist assembly includes a control system and at least one electric motor. The control system is configured to control operation of the at least one electric motor, receive sensor signals from the at least one sensor, and use the sensor signals to determine when to operate the at least one electric motor. The at least one electric motor is operable to drive the plurality of wheels.