A through the road (TTR) hybridization strategy is proposed to facilitate introduction of hybrid electric vehicle technology in a significant portion of current and expected trucking fleets. In some cases, the technologies can be retrofitted onto an existing vehicle (e.g., a trailer, a tractor-trailer configuration, etc.). In some cases, the technologies can be built into new vehicles. In some cases, one vehicle may be built or retrofitted to operate in tandem with another and provide the hybridization benefits contemplated herein. By supplementing motive forces delivered through a primary drivetrain and fuel-fed engine with supplemental torque delivered at one or more electrically-powered drive axles, improvements in overall fuel efficiency and performance may be delivered, typically without significant redesign of existing components and systems that have been proven in the trucking industry.

Side-view mirror deployment in autonomous vehicles can be diagnosed by determining one or more first rates of fuel consumption and deploying one or more side-view mirrors. One or more second rates of fuel consumption can then be determined and one or more deployment states of the side-view mirror can be controlled based on the first rates of fuel consumption and the second rates of fuel consumption.

A method of resuming multi-port injection using an intake stroke of an engine includes performing a first refueling with immediate start of ignition injection at the time when an injection abortion angle does not pass through an intake stroke, when injection is determined to be resumed after coasting by a controller. The method can minimize an engine RPM drop caused by the early generation of torque. The method improves fuel efficiency while being advantageous to calibration of the engine by setting the engine RPM to be low at the time of fuel cut-in.

A control device for a four wheel drive vehicle. Differential limitation is applied to both of right and left rear wheels, with 2WD_d state being maintained, by executing two wheel control for engaging or half-engaging a first clutch and a second clutch. As the two wheel drive control is executed, a moment that suppresses the rotation speed difference between the right and left rear wheels acts on the right and left rear wheels even in the 2WD_d state. When the rotation speed difference occurs between the right and left rear wheels, a braking force is allowed to act on the vehicle wheel on the high rotation side and a driving force is allowed to act on the vehicle wheel on the low rotation side through the execution of the two wheel drive control so that a stable moment acts on the vehicle without a transition to a 4WD state.

A fuel control system obtains a measured amount of fuel consumed by an engine and one or more corresponding operating parameters of the engine and determines a fuel consumption modeled amount based at least in part on a fuel consumption model of the engine and the one or more operating parameters. The fuel consumption model associates different amounts of fuel that, when supplied to the engine, generate corresponding designated outputs of the engine. The system also determines one or more differentials between the measured amount of fuel and the modeled amount and, responsive to the one or more of the differentials exceeding a threshold value, the system identifies one or more components of the powered system that contribute or cause the one or more differentials and/or changes an amount of fuel supplied to the engine according to the fuel consumption model to obtain a desired output of the engine.

A method and apparatus is disclosed for determining the available gears of a geared vehicle based on the ratios of vehicle speed to engine speed, together with a method and apparatus for determining the current gear in which a geared vehicle is being driven based on the current ratio of vehicle speed to engine speed.

A method of optimizing fuel economy and reduced noise and vibration levels in a vehicle includes one or more of the following steps: evaluating an engine speed and a speed of the vehicle, determining if the engine speed and the speed of the vehicle produces a noise level that causes a potential customer complaint, monitoring the noise level in the vehicle, calculating the engine operating condition that causes the noise level, determining if the noise level is above a threshold, adjusting an engine torque or a slip condition of a torque converter for optimal vehicle fuel economy if the noise level is at or below the threshold, and, if the noise level is above the threshold, adjusting the engine torque or the slip condition of the torque converter such that the noise level is at or below the threshold.

A method and apparatus for evaluating an advised driving speed of a vehicle traversing a particular portion of a road network is disclosed. The method comprises accessing first predetermined data indicative of the variation in average fuel consumption for the vehicle with speed of the vehicle, using the first predetermined data to determine data indicative of average fuel consumption for the vehicle for a plurality of speeds within a range based on a speed limit for the portion of the road network being traversed, and evaluating the advised driving speed of the vehicle based at least in part on the determined data indicative of average fuel consumption for the vehicle for the range of speeds. The evaluation of the advised driving speed may further be based on second predetermined data indicative of the variation in a likelihood of the vehicle being in the highest gear with speed of the vehicle.

A method and apparatus for providing an advised driving speed to a driver of a vehicle travelling on a road network is disclosed. The method comprises determining an advised driving speed of a vehicle for a portion of the road network currently being traversed, determining a current speed of the vehicle on the portion of the road network, and determining a speed limit and/or an expected driving speed for the portion of the road network. An indication of the advised driving speed is then provided to the driver of the vehicle when: (i) the current speed of the vehicle is greater than a first threshold value based on the advised driving speed; and (ii) the speed limit and/or the expected driving speed is greater than a second threshold value. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for determining a score indicative of the compliance of a driver of a vehicle to an advised driving speed during a journey on a road network.

A method and apparatus for providing an indication to a driver of a geared vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear is disclosed. The method comprises determining a current gear of the vehicle and determining a current speed of a drive unit of the vehicle. An indication is then provided to the driver of the vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear when: (i) the determined current speed of the drive unit is greater than a predetermined threshold; and (ii) the determined current gear of the vehicle is less than a maximum gear of the vehicle. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for determining a score indicative of the amount of time during a journey on a road network that a geared vehicle is driven in an optimal gear.