A method of generating vehicle control data includes: storing, with a storage device, relationship prescription data; operating, with an execution device, an operable portion of an internal combustion engine; acquiring, with the execution device, a detection value from a sensor that detects the state of the vehicle; calculating, with the execution device, a reward; and updating, with the execution device, the relationship prescription data using update mapping determined in advance, the update mapping using the state of the vehicle based on the detection value, an operation amount used to operate the operable portion, and the reward corresponding to the operation as arguments, and returning the relationship prescription data which have been updated such that an expected profit for the reward calculated when the operable portion is operated in accordance with the relationship prescription data increases.

A misfire determination period is set to a predetermined range of a crank angle. A CPU performs: a calculation process of calculating an average value of a torque of an output shaft of an internal combustion engine in the misfire determination period; a misfire determining process of determining that a misfire has occurred when the calculated average value is less than a prescribed threshold value; and a process of setting the whole misfire determination period to a period in a positive torque range which is a range of a crank angle at which the torque of the output shaft is equal to or greater than zero at the time of normal combustion in which a misfire does not occur.

A method of operating a vehicle having an engine, a throttle valve and a throttle operator. A continuously variable transmission operatively connected to the engine has a driving pulley, a driven pulley, and a belt operatively connecting the driving and driven pulleys. A ground engaging member is operatively connected to the driven pulley. A piston is operatively connected to the driving pulley for applying a piston force thereto and thereby changing an effective diameter of the driving pulley. A control unit controls actuation of the piston and the piston force. The method includes detecting a stall condition indicative of the vehicle being stalled, and, responsive to the detection, setting the piston force to be zero.

A controller includes a processor programmed to determine, for a vehicle, a first control input based on input data and first reference parameters. The processor is further programmed to operate the vehicle according to the first control input. Based on operating data of the vehicle for an operating condition, the processor determines a second control input for the vehicle. Operating the vehicle according to the second control input reduces a cost of operating the vehicle relative to operating the vehicle according to the first control input. The processor is further programmed to determine, based on the second control input, second reference parameters. The controller generates a third control input based on the second reference parameters and the input data. A cost of operating the vehicle according to the third control input is reduced relative to the cost of operating the vehicle based on the first control input.

Systems and methods use cameras to provide autonomous navigation features. In one implementation, a method for navigating a user vehicle may include acquiring, using at least one image capture device, a plurality of images of an area in a vicinity of the user vehicle; determining from the plurality of images a first lane constraint on a first side of the user vehicle and a second lane constraint on a second side of the user vehicle opposite to the first side of the user vehicle; enabling the user vehicle to pass a target vehicle if the target vehicle is determined to be in a lane different from the lane in which the user vehicle is traveling; and causing the user vehicle to abort the pass before completion of the pass, if the target vehicle is determined to be entering the lane in which the user vehicle is traveling.

An apparatus and a method are provided for controlling a mode change of a hybrid electric vehicle that change a mode of the hybrid electric vehicle at an optimal reference point of mode change when a demand power of a driver is stably maintained to be greater than a predetermined level. The method includes calculating a demand power or a demand torque of a driver and determining whether the demand power or the demand torque is maintained to be equal to or greater than a first predetermined value for a first predetermined time. A mode change hysteresis line is raised when the demand power or the demand torque is maintained to be equal to or greater than the first predetermined value for the first predetermined time and then a mode change is executed based on the raised mode change hysteresis line.

A method and an apparatus for controlling a mild hybrid electric vehicle are provided. The method includes detecting data for operating the vehicle and determining a target torque of an engine based on the detected data. Additionally, the method includes determining whether an operating condition of a limiting logic of a combustion torque of the engine is satisfied based on a temperature of coolant of the engine and operating the limiting logic when the operating condition of the limiting logic is satisfied. A first available combustion torque of the engine is determined based on a speed of the engine and the temperature of the coolant when the limiting logic is operated and a target torque of a MHSG is determined based on the target torque of the engine and the first available combustion torque of the engine. The MHSG is then operated to generate the target torque of the MHSG.

A demand is identified based on input from a vehicle operator. Data is received providing a history of vehicle velocities. An estimated reference velocity is generated based at least on the velocity data. A final demand is generated based at least in part on a reference velocity indicated by the velocity control signal and the estimated reference velocity.

A vehicle control apparatus for implementing inter-vehicle distance control of a vehicle carrying the apparatus behind a preceding vehicle. In the apparatus, an offset storage is configured to calculate an offset that is a difference between detected distances to first and second targets, and store the offset associated with the first target forward of the second target. The inter-vehicle distance control may be implemented based on a distance calculated by subtracting the offset from the detected distance to the first target. An offset updater is configured to determine whether or not a relative distance between the first and second targets has increased or decreased, and when the relative distance between the first and second targets has increased or decreased, update the offset stored by the offset storage.

A determination unit in an ECU of a rough terrain vehicle determines a reverse running state in a case that an engine rotational speed of an engine decreases when a traveling drive force is generated in the rough terrain vehicle. Further, if the determination unit determines occurrence of the reverse running state, the ECU refers to a clutch hydraulic pressure map, and sets a target hydraulic pressure so as to decrease gradually over time.