The present disclosure relates to an eco-friendly vehicle in which valet mode can be controlled with detailed control levels, and a method for controlling the same mode. A method for controlling valet mode of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises determining whether an entry condition for the valet mode to be satisfied, determining, if the condition being satisfied, one level among a plurality of levels for the valet mode based on at least one of a vehicle state and a driving environment and performing a vehicle control according to the determined level, wherein the plurality of levels are different from one another in whether or not a restriction to be made to at least part of a powertrain and a function or a degree of the restriction.

A control device starts supply of electric power to a catalyst device when a state of charge of a main battery decreases to a value which is equal to or less than an optimal power-supply state of charge set based on a travel load while a vehicle is traveling in an EV travel mode. The control device corrects input electric power of the catalyst device to a value less than the value at the time of starting of supply of electric power when the travel load decreases after the supply of electric power has been started.

A hybrid vehicle includes a multi-cylinder engine, an exhaust gas control apparatus including a catalyst for removing exhaust gas from the multi-cylinder engine, an electric motor, and a control device configured to execute catalyst temperature increase control for stopping fuel supply to at least one cylinder and making an air-fuel ratio in each of remaining cylinders rich in a case where a temperature increase of a catalyst is requested during a load operation of the multi-cylinder engine, execute control such that an electric motor supplements insufficient drive power due to the execution of the catalyst temperature increase control, and change the air-fuel ratio in at least one of the remaining cylinders to a lean side after a temperature of the exhaust gas control apparatus becomes equal to or higher than a determination threshold value during the execution of the catalyst temperature increase control.

Systems and methods for improving operation of a vehicle are presented. In one example, a controller may respond to a temperature of a catalyst to permit or temporarily inhibit a vehicle from moving. Engine load and engine emissions may be reduced by limiting vehicle motion until a catalyst temperature exceeds a threshold temperature.

A control device is capable of executing: an ignition time calculation process of calculating a target ignition time of an ignition plug; a stop process of stopping combustion control for some cylinders of a plurality of cylinders; and a compensation process of controlling a motor generator during the stop process, such that the motor generator compensates a drive power that is lost due to the stop of the combustion control. The control device prohibits the execution of the stop process when the target ignition time calculated in the ignition time calculation process is on a retard side of a predetermined prescribed time.

A catalyst control system includes a stop and start module that, during a period that the vehicle is ON between (i) a first time when the vehicle is turned ON and (i) a second time when the vehicle is next turned OFF, selectively shuts down and starts a spark ignition engine of the vehicle. A catalyst light off (CLO) control module initiates a first CLO event for a first engine startup during the period and, when a temperature of a catalyst that receives exhaust output by the engine is less than a predetermined temperature, selectively initiates a second CLO event for a second engine startup during the period. A fuel control module richens fueling of the engine during the first and second CLO events of the period. A spark control module retards spark timing of the engine during the first and second CLO events of the period.

When reproduction of a filter is required, and a filter temperature is within a first temperature range, an ECU executes a control process including the steps of executing a successive motoring control, determining an intermittent motoring period, an intermittent stopping period, and an intermittence number when the filter temperature is within a second temperature range, and executing an intermittent motoring control.

Provided is a control apparatus of a vehicle, which includes a transmission mode switching control program for controlling the automatic transmission to switch between an automatic transmission mode and a manual transmission mode, a coast idle stop control program for performing a coast idle stop control in which the engine is stopped automatically and the automatic transmission is changed into a neutral position while the vehicle is traveling, and a coast idle control program for performing a coast idle control in which the engine is made running idle and the automatic transmission is changed into the neutral position while the vehicle is traveling.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling engine operation in a hybrid vehicle, where the vehicle engine comprises one or more cylinders dedicated to recirculating exhaust to the intake manifold. In one example, if an engine load decreases below a level where dedicated exhaust gas recirculation may lead to combustion stability issues, engine load may be increased above the demanded load and the excess power used to charge a system battery, or if the battery state of charge is above a threshold, the engine may be shut down and the vehicle propelled via battery power. In this way, fuel economy and combustion stability issues may be improved, NOx emissions reduced, and costs for implementation of dedicated exhaust gas recirculation decreased.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling hybrid vehicle engine operation, where the vehicle engine comprises one or more cylinders dedicated to recirculating exhaust to an intake manifold. In one example, during an engine cold-start event or other event where temperature of one or more exhaust catalysts are below a temperature needed for catalytic activity, fuel injection to the dedicated exhaust gas recirculation cylinder(s) is maintained shut off, while its intake and exhaust valves are maintained activated, thus enabling the dedicated exhaust gas recirculation cylinder(s) to route air to the intake manifold of the engine, resulting in exhaust gas lean of stoichiometry that may serve to heat the catalyst. In this way, during cold start events and other events where temperature of one or more exhaust catalysts are below a temperature for catalytic activity, combustion stability issues may be avoided, and exhaust catalyst(s) rapidly heated, thereby reducing undesired tailpipe emissions.