A braking/driving force control method includes detecting an accelerator stroke amount being the stroke amount of an accelerator pedal, calculating a driving force to be generated by a vehicle driving force source when the accelerator stroke amount is larger than a predetermined first stroke amount, calculating a deceleration driving force to be generated by the vehicle driving force source when the accelerator stroke amount is smaller than a second stroke amount set to a value smaller than or equal to the first stroke amount, controlling the vehicle driving force source to generate the calculated driving force and deceleration driving force, and generating a braking force on wheels according to a depressing operation of a brake pedal by a driver and controlling a brake stroke amount being the stroke amount of the brake pedal according to the calculated deceleration driving force.

A continuously-variable transmission (CVT) has: a gearbox having a first planetary gear train, a second planetary gear train, a first rotating spool defined by one of two sun gears, two ring gears, and two carriers of the first and second planetary gear train, a second rotating spool defined by another one of the two sun gears, the two ring gears, and the two carriers, an input defined by a remaining one of the first sun gear, the first carrier, and the first ring gear, and an output defined by a remaining one of the second sun gear, the second carrier, and the second ring gear; a first brake operatively connected to the first rotating spool; a second brake operatively connected to the second rotating spool; and a transmission motor drivingly engaged to the first rotating spool or to the second rotating spool.

Methods and systems are provided for driveline control and diagnostics. In one example, a vehicle system may include a controller with instructions stored in a first memory unit and when executed by a first processing unit cause the controller to write mechanical vehicle component operating data to a shared memory unit. The controller further includes instructions stored in a second memory unit that when executed by a second processing unit cause the controller to read the mechanical vehicle component operating data to determine data validity.

When it is judged that a downward slope segment exists in a scheduled traveling route, the control device of a hybrid vehicle sets a target remaining capacity SOC* in a pre-use segment in a downward slope segment and the downward slope segment to a low-side remaining capacity Sd which is Sd smaller than a standard remaining capacity Sn. Furthermore, when it is presumed that a rise amount of a remaining capacity by an extended regeneration control is large in the pre-use segment and the downward slope segment, the target remaining capacity SOC* is set to a low-side remaining capacity Sd which is a sum of Sd and S1 smaller than the standard remaining capacity Sn.

An assistance system for assisting the driver of a motor vehicle when positioning the motor vehicle at a predefined target position is provided. The target position is preferably a charging position for wireless, in particular inductive, charging of the motor vehicle. In order to position the motor vehicle, the longitudinal movement of the vehicle can be controlled manually by one or more operator control elements (e.g., accelerator pedal, brake pedal) which can be actuated by the driver. The assistance system assists the manual longitudinal control during positioning. The assistance system serves to influence the manual longitudinal control. By influencing the manual longitudinal control, the assistance system counteracts, as a function of the respective position information, the longitudinal movement of the vehicle at least for certain relative positions, in order to bring the vehicle to a stop essentially at the target position.

A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a power determination module and a powertrain control module that includes a state selection module. The power determination module can estimate power required to travel at a desired speed on a roadway segment located in an anticipated path of a vehicle based upon an estimated slope of the roadway segment. The powertrain control module can control operational states of a hybrid powertrain. The powertrain control module includes a state selection module that can determine whether a current operational state is capable of producing the estimated power based upon a state of charge of a vehicle battery. The state selection module can also switch to another operational state that is capable of producing the estimated power if the current operational state is incapable of producing the estimated power.

An exemplary method includes applying both friction braking and powertrain braking when decelerating a vehicle to a stop, the applying in response to a driver lifting off an accelerator pedal. An exemplary assembly includes a powertrain brake, a friction brake, and a braking controller configured to command the powertrain brake to apply powertrain braking and the friction brake to apply friction braking to stop a vehicle in response to a driver lifting off an accelerator pedal.

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.

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.

A system and method for operating a vehicle having different operating modes affecting emissions include activating, by a vehicle controller, at least one of the different operating modes affecting emissions selected in response to an estimated population density of a designated area associated with a current location or an anticipated future location of the vehicle.