A method to detect whether combustion is taking place in an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle during operation of the hybrid vehicle, whereby a decoupler is provided between the internal combustion engine and an electric machine that serves to power the hybrid vehicle, comprising opening the decoupler between the internal combustion engine and the electric machine, receiving a speed signal when the decoupler is open, said signal indicating a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine when the decoupler is open, and determining, on the basis of the speed signal when the decoupler is open, whether combustion is taking place in the internal combustion engine. The present invention also relates to a control device to carry out the method according to the invention.

A method is provided for ascertaining a torque curve of a hybrid powertrain including a first sub-powertrain an internal combustion engine, and a second sub-powertrain, which is separated from the first sub-powertrain by a torsional elasticity and has an electric machine with a rotor (10). A rotational characteristic value of the first sub-powertrain is detected via a sensor arranged on the torsional elasticity. A rotational characteristic value of the rotor is detected via a device engaged with the rotor. An irregularity in operation of the internal combustion engine is determined based on at least one of the rotational characteristic value of the first sub-powertrain or the rotational characteristic value of the rotor. The electric machine is controlled based on the irregularity m operation.

A method for operating a hybrid vehicle that includes a prime mover (1) with an internal combustion engine (2), an electric machine (3), a transmission (4) connected between the prime mover (1) and a driven end (5), and multiple shift elements, including a separating clutch (7) connected between the internal combustion engine (2) and the electric machine (3), and a starting component (8), is provided. After release of a brake pedal (12) or together with the release of the brake pedal (12) for a driving start or an crawling start, an engagement speed threshold (22) for the starting component (8) is established below an idling speed of the prime mover (1) and a previously disengaged starting component (8) is engaged. A control unit (9, 10, 11) for carrying out such a method is also provided.

A method of controlling an engine and a transmission of a hybrid vehicle includes steps of: determining whether the vehicle starts, determining an engine RPM and a gear stage of a transmission if the vehicle has started, determining whether the engine RPM has reached an engine speed control point, determining an engine target RPM and an engine target RPM slope of the vehicle when it is determined that the engine RPM has reached the engine speed control point, controlling the engine RPM of the vehicle to follow the engine target RPM and the engine target RPM slope, determining whether the engine RPM has slipped compared to the target engine RPM, and performing PID control to follow the engine target RPM if the engine RPM slips compared to the engine target RPM.

A traveling control apparatus to be applied to a vehicle includes at least one processor that is configured to function as a driving assistance controller. In a case where a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle changes from a pre-switching preceding vehicle to a post-switching preceding vehicle, the driving assistance controller is configured to set a control target point in such a way that an object to be tracked is switched stepwise from the pre-switching preceding vehicle to the post-switching preceding vehicle. The driving assistance controller is configured to cause steering control to be performed in such a way that the vehicle tracks the set control target point.

A control device included in each vehicle composing a vehicle group predicts a vehicle state of a subject vehicle before a traveling regulation point based on speed information of the subject vehicle, light color information of a traffic signal, and distance information between the subject vehicle and an entrance of the traveling regulation point. Based on the vehicle state, it is determined whether a vehicle of which the vehicle state corresponds to an unenterable state is included in the vehicle group. The unenterable state indicates a state where the subject vehicle cannot enter the traveling regulation point before the traffic signal is changed to the yellow light when its speed is maintained at a current speed. When it is determined that the vehicle in the unenterable state is included in the vehicle group, the subject vehicle is controlled such that it does not enter the traveling regulation point.

A control system for a hybrid vehicle which includes an internal combustion engine and an electric motor and whose drive mode is switchable between an electric vehicle mode and a hybrid vehicle mode includes: an on-board learning unit mounted on the hybrid vehicle and configured to perform a learning action; a position determination unit configured to determine whether the hybrid vehicle is located in a low emission area where operation of the internal combustion engine is supposed to be restricted; and a learning control unit configured to at least partially stop the learning action of the on-board learning unit when determination is made that the hybrid vehicle is located in the low emission area.

An automatic parking control device is configured to: execute a rotation prediction process to calculate a predicted idle speed change portion by advancing an actual idle speed change portion by a brake response delay time; execute a driving force prediction process to calculate a predicted driving force change portion according to the predicted idle speed change portion; execute a braking force control process to calculate a change portion of a target vehicle braking force that cancels the predicted driving force change portion and instruct it to a brake device; and, when the brake response delay time is longer than an engine response delay time, execute a rotational speed control delay process to delay a target idle speed change by a rotational speed control delay time being longer than or equal to a difference obtained by subtracting the engine response delay time from the brake response delay time.

A method of estimating a load on a vehicle (10), the method comprising: obtaining a first load estimate using a first load estimation technique; obtaining a second load estimate using a second load estimation technique; analysing characteristics of the first load estimate and the second load estimate; and, based on the analysis selecting either the first load estimate or the second load estimate as an output load estimate.

A controller as a control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle determines whether or not to perform switching from a first traveling mode in which a hybrid vehicle is caused to travel using torque of a motor without using torque of an engine to a second traveling mode in which the hybrid vehicle is caused to travel using at least the torque of the engine. The controller, when determining that switching is to be performed from the first traveling mode to the second traveling mode, performs control to reduce output torque of the motor by a predetermined amount. After this control, the controller shifts a first clutch from a released state to an engaged state so that the torque of the motor is transmitted to the engine via the first clutch, and cranks the engine using the motor to start the engine.