In a hybrid vehicle including a front motor for driving front wheels, a rear motor for driving rear wheels, a generator for generating power by being driven by an internal combustion engine, and a step-up converter for stepping up the voltage from a battery and supplying power to the front motor, while stepping-down the generated power of the generator and supplying the power to the rear motor, a hybrid control unit decreases the power supplied from the generator to the rear motor, and increases the power supplied from the battery to the rear motor when input power of the step-up converter is limited based on a temperature condition of the step-up converter.

Systems and methods are provided for identifying an imminent low state of charge of a battery in an autonomous vehicle, and automatically powering down the vehicle before a zero state of charge event occurs. In particular, the autonomous vehicle automatically powers down while there is enough energy in the batteries to restart the vehicle and drive the vehicle a short distance to a charging station.

Systems and methods are provided for identifying an imminent low state of charge of a battery in an autonomous vehicle, and automatically powering down the vehicle before a zero state of charge event occurs. In particular, the autonomous vehicle automatically powers down while there is enough energy in the batteries to restart the vehicle and drive the vehicle a short distance to a charging station.

Presented are vehicle powertrains and control logic for provisioning intelligent fast-torque output, methods for making/using such systems, and electric-drive vehicles with dynamically allocated fast-torque production. A method of controlling torque output of a vehicle powertrain includes a vehicle controller receiving sensor data and determining therefrom maximum and minimum motor torque capacities of a traction motor. The controller calculates the traction motor's maximum and minimum effective motor capacities based on a previous motor torque command and the maximum and minimum torque capacities, respectively. The controller then determines if a negative of the crankshaft torque reserve is: (1) greater than the minimum effective motor capacity; and (2) less than the maximum effective motor capacity. If (1) or (2) is true, an engine spark torque command is set equal to an air torque spark value, and the controller commands an engine assembly to modulate its torque output based on the spark torque command.

Presented are vehicle powertrains and control logic for provisioning intelligent fast-torque output, methods for making/using such systems, and electric-drive vehicles with dynamically allocated fast-torque production. A method of controlling torque output of a vehicle powertrain includes a vehicle controller receiving sensor data and determining therefrom maximum and minimum motor torque capacities of a traction motor. The controller calculates the traction motor's maximum and minimum effective motor capacities based on a previous motor torque command and the maximum and minimum torque capacities, respectively. The controller then determines if a negative of the crankshaft torque reserve is: (1) greater than the minimum effective motor capacity; and (2) less than the maximum effective motor capacity. If (1) or (2) is true, an engine spark torque command is set equal to an air torque spark value, and the controller commands an engine assembly to modulate its torque output based on the spark torque command.

In a host controller included in a vehicle control apparatus, a generator-torque-command generating unit monitors an abnormal operation of the engine on the basis of an engine power generation command and a detection signal of a rotating speed detector, switches, when the abnormal operation of the engine is detected, a generator torque command to the lowest value of a torque command value for abnormal time set in advance as the generator torque command, thereafter, gradually increases the generator torque command, and, after recording, as a torque limit value, the magnitude of the generator torque command (a torque command value for abnormal time 3) at the time when the abnormal operation of the engine is detected again, switches the generator torque command to a torque command value for abnormal time (a torque command value for abnormal time 2) having a value smaller than the torque limit value.

In a host controller included in a vehicle control apparatus, a generator-torque-command generating unit monitors an abnormal operation of the engine on the basis of an engine power generation command and a detection signal of a rotating speed detector, switches, when the abnormal operation of the engine is detected, a generator torque command to the lowest value of a torque command value for abnormal time set in advance as the generator torque command, thereafter, gradually increases the generator torque command, and, after recording, as a torque limit value, the magnitude of the generator torque command (a torque command value for abnormal time 3) at the time when the abnormal operation of the engine is detected again, switches the generator torque command to a torque command value for abnormal time (a torque command value for abnormal time 2) having a value smaller than the torque limit value.

An autonomous driving control system is configured to perform autonomous driving of a vehicle. The autonomous driving control system includes: an electric power supply circuit including a plurality of electric power supplies, electric power supply lines respectively belonging to a plurality of systems and a relay device; a fault detector configured to detect a fault state of the relay device; an electric power supply controller configured to control the electric power supply circuit; and an autonomous driving control unit provided to control the autonomous driving of the vehicle. The autonomous driving control unit is configured to perform, upon detection by the fault detector of occurrence of a fault corresponding to a specific fault pattern in the relay device, a restricted autonomous driving control in which part of a control function of the autonomous driving is restricted compared to when no fault corresponding to the specific fault pattern is detected.

An autonomous driving control system is configured to perform autonomous driving of a vehicle. The autonomous driving control system includes: an electric power supply circuit including a plurality of electric power supplies, electric power supply lines respectively belonging to a plurality of systems and a relay device; a fault detector configured to detect a fault state of the relay device; an electric power supply controller configured to control the electric power supply circuit; and an autonomous driving control unit provided to control the autonomous driving of the vehicle. The autonomous driving control unit is configured to perform, upon detection by the fault detector of occurrence of a fault corresponding to a specific fault pattern in the relay device, a restricted autonomous driving control in which part of a control function of the autonomous driving is restricted compared to when no fault corresponding to the specific fault pattern is detected.

A method for operating an autonomous vehicle. The method includes the transmission of status data to a processing unit, which is independent of the autonomous vehicle, using a wireless communications link. The method furthermore includes monitoring of the function of the autonomous vehicle by the independent processing unit while taking the status data into account, and when a malfunction of the autonomous vehicle is detected, the independent processing unit determines target data for guiding the autonomous vehicle to a stopping position. The target data are transmitted to the autonomous vehicle, and the autonomous vehicle is guided to the stopping position with the aid of the target data. A position of the autonomous vehicle is determined using signals from the wireless communications link and is taken into account when determining the target data.