A steering control system for a vehicle that considers the limitations of at least one of the vehicle and the environment is contemplated. The steering control system can receive a vehicle characteristic, an environmental condition, a desired amount of turning, and a desired velocity of the vehicle. Based on some, or all of these parameters, the steering control system can determine at least one of a wheel torque, a wheel angle, a wheel camber, and a wheel suspension for a desired vehicle path to enhance vehicle performance.

A vehicle driving control method with optimal efficiency includes a first step of state variable modeling of a longitudinal dynamics equation of a vehicle based on a velocity-related state variable and a wheel drive input variable, a second step of calculating wheel power using the state variable and the input variable, a third step of calculating battery power using the wheel power calculation, a fourth step of approximating the battery power, and a fifth step of outputting a wheel drive control target by calculating a minimum solution by using the approximated battery power as an objective function and applying at least one constraint to the objective function.

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting driver demand wheel torque of a vehicle. The driver demand wheel torque may be adjusted as a function of a minimum wheel torque. The minimum wheel torque may be determined according to a plurality of torques that may be evaluated in three different phases.

A method includes identifying an actual path and a desired path for a vehicle, where the actual path represents an expected path for the vehicle based on current operation of the vehicle and the desired path represents an estimated path that a driver of the vehicle wants to follow. The method also includes identifying one or more errors between the actual path and the desired path. The method further includes determining how to apply torque vectoring to cause the vehicle to more closely follow the desired path based on the one or more errors. In addition, the method includes applying the torque vectoring to create lateral movement of the vehicle during travel.

A vehicle having a powertrain control system includes an internal combustion engine configured to generate torque, and a transmission to transfer the torque to at least one driveline component of the vehicle. At least one electronic sensor is configured to output a signal indicative of at least one operating parameter of the vehicle. The powertrain control system further includes a vehicle scenario detection module and an electronic control module. The vehicle scenario detection module determines a current vehicle scenario of the vehicle based on the at least one operating parameter. The electronic control module determines a current vehicle scenario based on the at least one operating parameter, to actively determine an active skid-torque value in real-time based on the current vehicle scenario. The control module further generates a torque limiting control signal that adjusts operation of a powertrain system of the vehicle based on the active skid-torque value.

A method for determining a friction coefficient potential of a road surface. A total torque for operating a vehicle is unequally distributed among at least two wheel torques at wheels of the vehicle. The friction coefficient potential is ascertained using a detected slip between the road surface and at least one of the wheels and the wheel torque present at the wheel.

A power transmission system includes first differential mechanism connected to an engine, and second differential mechanism. The first differential mechanism includes a first rotating element connected to the engine, and second and third rotating elements. The second differential mechanism includes a fourth rotating element connected to second rotating element, fifth rotating element connected to a first electric rotary machine, and sixth rotating element that is an output element of the second differential mechanism. The power transmission system further includes at least one of a first clutch and brake, and a second clutch. The first clutch is configured to releasably couple two of the first, second and third rotating elements to each other. The brake is configured to releasably couple the third rotating element to a stationary element. The second clutch is configured to releasably couple the third rotating element to one of the fifth and sixth rotating elements.

A traction control system for a motor vehicle includes a controller configured to initiate a traction control intervention at one or more vehicle wheels. The controller is configured to inhibit the traction control intervention in dependence on a reduced wheel load condition in said one or more wheels. The reduced wheel load condition is identified based on at least one of a signal indicative of vehicle pitch and a signal indicative of vehicle heave.

A vehicle assistance control apparatus includes: an obstacle detection unit that detects a prescribed obstacle in the periphery of a vehicle; a vehicle speed detection unit that detects a speed of the vehicle; an accelerator operation detection unit that detects presence of an accelerator operation; a drive power restriction unit that detects, when the prescribed obstacle is detected, a drive power that is to be generated in the vehicle by an accelerator operation performed by a driver, compared to when the prescribed obstacle is not detected; and a cancellation unit that enables cancellation of the restriction of the drive power by the drive power restriction unit, when the speed is equal to or lower than a prescribed value and when a state where the accelerator operation detection unit detects that the accelerator operation is not being performed has continued for a prescribed period of time or longer.

A method of rocking a vehicle free, the vehicle having a drive-train (1) with a torque adjusting element (3) which transmits drive torque to a vehicle wheel (5). The adjusting element (3) is controlled as a function of an accelerator pedal position. In a rocking-free situation in which the vehicle wheel (5) is to be moved from a depression (6) by alternating deflection and release of the accelerator pedal (8), the driver produces a cyclically fluctuating drive torque at vehicle wheel (5). The accelerator pedal position is continually monitored and upon recognizing a beginning or imminently beginning reduction of the accelerator pedal deflection or a parameter derived therefrom, an imminent full release of the deflection of the accelerator pedal (8) is concluded and the adjusting element (3) is actuated in anticipation so that the vehicle wheel (5) is immediately freed from a drive torque that has been active until then.