An electric drive direction confirmation system and method for a vehicle are provided. The system and method include receiving a gear selector input signal corresponding to a gear selection from an electronic gear selector on the vehicle, determining whether the gear selector input signal corresponds to a directional movement gear selection, and, when determined that the gear selector input signal corresponds to the directional movement gear selection, sending a drive command to temporarily urge the vehicle in a direction corresponding to the gear selection.

A method is provided to start a combustion engine in a hybrid powertrain, comprising a gearbox with input shaft and output shaft; which combustion engine is connected to the input shaft; a first planetary gear connected to the input shaft; a second planetary gear connected to the first planetary gear; first and second electrical machines, respectively connected to the first and second planetary gears; at least one gear pair, connected with the first planetary gear and the output shaft; and at least one gear pair, connected with the second planetary gear and the output shaft. The method comprises connecting the rotatable components of the second planetary gear with each other by connecting, via a second coupling device, a second sun wheel arranged in the second planetary gear and a second planetary wheel carrier with each other, and activating the first and second electrical machines to start the combustion engine.

A drive control apparatus includes a motor control unit and a gear shift control unit, and controls a power transmission system including first and second motors and a gear shift mechanism. When the gear shift mechanism is changed from a first gear stage to a second gear stage during deceleration of the vehicle, the motor control unit controls the first motor to be at a target rotation speed determined based on a gear ratio of a second power transmission gear and a rotation speed of an output shaft, and controls a second motor such that required brake torque is generated by the second motor. The gear shift control unit controls the gear shift mechanism so as to be in a neutral state in which power is not transmitted between an input shaft and the output shaft, until a rotation speed of the first motor becomes the target rotation speed.

A system and a method of controlling a hybrid electric vehicle shift are disclosed. The system includes an engine and a drive motor operating as power sources and a transmission receiving driving torque from one of the engine and the drive motor. A data detector detects a state data for operating the transmission. A vehicle controller calculates a creep torque and an engine setting torque using the state data, determines whether a shift control condition is satisfied based on a position value of an accelerator pedal, calculates an available motor torque using a motor speed at an actual shift start point and a target motor speed when the shift control condition is satisfied, and calculates a first shift input torque using the creep torque, the engine setting torque, the available motor torque, and a first torque apply ratio. The transmission is operated based on the first shift input torque.

An Electric Tag Axle has a differential connected to two axle shafts. A two speed gearbox is connected to the differential by way of a ring and pinion gear. A longitudinally arranged electric motor/generator is connected to the two speed gearbox. A single wheel disconnect mechanism within the axle allows for neutral operation by allowing the differential to freewheel. A vehicle energy management system is connected to the Electric Tag Axle and to a traction battery pack, and is configured to operate the Electric Tag Axle in a low range motoring mode, a high range motoring mode, a regenerative braking mode, and in the neutral mode. This allows the Electric Tag Axle are able to efficiently make use of a limited amount of stored electrical energy during vehicle takeoff, while efficiently supplementing propulsion power during motoring at cruise speeds, and while efficiently recapturing kinetic energy during regenerative braking.

Vehicles, systems, and methods for shifting a manual transmission into neutral during autonomous braking are provided. An exemplary system for shifting a vehicle into neutral during autonomous braking includes a manual transmission for transferring power from an engine to a differential using gears manually selected by a gear selector. Also, the system includes an actuator mounted to the vehicle and to the gear selector. Further, the system includes a controller coupled to the actuator and configured to direct the actuator to force the gear selector into neutral during an autonomous braking event.

A vehicle comprises a hybrid powertrain includes an electric machine coupled between an automatic gearbox and an engine. The vehicle includes paddle shifters configured to output a driver requested gear change. The hybrid powertrain is configured to selectively operate in an economy mode that optimizes fuel economy. While operating in the economy mode, a controller may selectively inhibit the driver requested gear change when the change may negatively impact fuel economy. In the economy mode, the driver requested gear change may be inhibited during a demand for braking. If the driver requested gear change is a downshift request, the downshift is inhibited and simulated using electric machine torque.

A method for controlling operating modes of a hybrid powertrain mechanism including a first epicyclic train having first and second sun gears and a planetary gear couplable to these sun gears; a second epicyclic train having third and fourth sun gears and a planetary gear couplable to these sun gears; a first electric machine having one end coupled to the second sun gear; a second electric machine having one end coupled to the fourth sun gear; a first clutch having one end coupled to another end of the first electric machine; a first brake having one end coupled to another end of the first clutch and another end coupled to the third sun gear; and an engine coupled to the first sun gear. Various driving modes are provided by changing the states of the first clutch and the first brake and the operating modes of the first and second electric machines.

The present invention generally relates to automatic transmission controllers and related methods. In one case, the present invention provides a method of calibrating a controller to match an automatic transmission to an electric motor or internal combustion engine. The controller is not integrated into the transmission. The method comprises adjusting parameters of the controller and includes the steps of: a) Defining the Control Architecture; b) using the Defined Control Architecture to Identify Control Loop Input/Output; c) using the Identified Control Input/Output to Define the Control Algorithm Controller; d) using the Control Algorithm Controller definition to either Define the Shift Schedule or Define the Solenoid Handler, either of which can be used in Optimizing Calibration Via Testing.

A method of shifting ranges within a transmission is provided. The method of an embodiment includes determining an intention to change from a first mode to a second mode in the transmission, determining the first mode of the transmission, which includes a first range clutch in an engaged condition and a first synchronizer in a first engaged condition, determining the second mode of the transmission, which includes a second range clutch in an engaged condition and a second synchronizer in a first engaged condition, engaging the second synchronizer in the first engaged condition, disengaging the first range clutch, engaging the second range clutch, and disengaging the first synchronizer from the first engaged condition.