A method for controlling a motor vehicle, comprising: retrieving road gradient data relating to an expected travelling route of the motor vehicle; based on at least the retrieved road gradient data and on a motor vehicle mass, simulating a required value of a braking power related variable, which required value is needed to prevent a vehicle speed from increasing above a preset desired vehicle speed in an upcoming downhill slope; determining an available value of the braking power related variable of at least one auxiliary brake of the motor vehicle; and based on the determined available value and the simulated required value of the braking power related variable, controlling the vehicle speed and/or at least one brake actuator of the motor vehicle such that the vehicle speed does not increase above the preset desired vehicle speed in the upcoming downhill slope.

The disclosure inhibits an increase in the temperature of a motor without hindering everyday driving. The disclosure includes a motor temperature acquisition section, which acquires the temperature of the motor, a B&C control permission section, and a B&C control request section. The B&C control permission section and the B&C control request section are a control switching determination section, which determines whether to allow switching to an overheat limiting burn-and-coast control procedure that varies electric supply to the motor to be increased and decreased across the amount of electric supply required for constant speed traveling based on the temperature of the motor acquired by the motor temperature acquisition section.

A control system is installed on a vehicle having an electric motor as a drive power source. The control system includes an electronic control unit configured to switch the vehicle between an automatic driving mode using automatic drive control, and a manual driving mode in which the vehicle is operated by a driver. The electronic control unit is configured to limit the load factor of the electric motor, in the case where the temperature of the electric motor is higher than a first threshold temperature when the vehicle travels in the automatic driving mode, and the case where the temperature of the electric motor is higher than a second threshold temperature when the vehicle travels in the manual driving mode. The second threshold temperature is set to a value higher than the first threshold temperature.

A weight ratio of each driving wheel of the vehicle at the time of automatic driving is calculated, a front and rear distribution ratio of a driving force of the vehicle is calculated from the weight ratio, a rear wheel plan driving force is calculated from the front and rear distribution ratio and an action plan required driving force, and a temperature of a rear wheel motor is estimated. Then, when the estimated attainment temperature of the rear wheel motor is higher than the upper limit value of the temperature, the front and rear distribution ratio is changed within a range in which excessive slip does not occur at the front wheels, the rear wheel plan driving force is recalculated, and the automatic driving of the vehicle is implemented taking the rear wheel plan driving force as a target driving force.

A method for operating a drive train of a motor vehicle, which utilizes at least one permanent-magnet electric machine (EM) as a motor vehicle drive source, is provided. A transmission (G) with different gear ratios is arranged in a power path between the electric machine (EM) and driving wheels (DW) of the motor vehicle. A power converter (LE) is associated with the electric machine (EM) and can operate the electric machine (EM) in a field weakening condition. The method includes prematurely carrying out, delaying, or preventing a changeover of the gear step of the transmission (G) specified by a driving strategy depending on a temperature value of the electric machine (EM) in order to reduce, not increase, or increase with delay a rotational speed of the electric machine (EM). An electronic control unit (ECU) for carrying out the method and a motor vehicle with the control unit (ECU) are also provided.

A hybrid vehicle control apparatus including a torque converter temperature detector detecting a torque converter temperature, a rotor temperature detector detecting a rotor temperature, a stator temperature detector detecting a stator temperature, and an electronic control unit including a microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to perform controlling an engine, a transmission, a lockup clutch, a motor-generator and a stator cooling device based on the torque converter temperature detected by the torque converter temperature detector, the rotor temperature detected by the rotor temperature detector and the stator temperature detected by the stator temperature detector so that the torque converter temperature is equal to or lower than a first predetermined temperature, the rotor temperature is equal to or lower than a second predetermined temperature and the stator temperature is equal to or lower than a third predetermined temperature.

Disclosed is a method for controlling a speed of a vehicle in a downhill road section followed by an uphill road section. The vehicle comprising an electrical machine system for applying braking to the vehicle to maintain a first vehicle speed in the downhill road section and to apply a propelling power in the uphill road section. The method comprising determining whether a temperature of the electrical machine system will exceed a temperature limit in the uphill road section, if maintaining the first vehicle speed in the downhill road section, and if so, reducing the first vehicle speed to a second vehicle speed in the downhill road section such that, in comparison to when the first vehicle speed would have been maintained, the temperature of the electrical machine system is decreased when the vehicle reaches the uphill road section and a travelling time in the downhill road section is increased.

A method, for a trailer brake control device of a vehicle trailer with an electric drive, includes receiving at least one acceleration request signal with a requested positive acceleration or a requested negative acceleration and further receiving a status signal with at least one status variable of the electric drive of the vehicle trailer. The method also includes generating, with a controller of the trailer brake control device, at least one brake actuation signal for at least one friction brake of the vehicle trailer and a torque request signal for the electric drive, each based on the at least one acceleration request signal and the status signal. Furthermore, the method includes outputting the brake actuation signal and the torque request signal via at least one output and/or at least one interface of the trailer brake control device.

A method for operating a drive device for a motor vehicle, the drive device having a first drive unit designed as an internal combustion engine and a second drive unit designed as an electrical machine, which together at least temporarily provide a drive torque of the drive device on an drive shaft, the drive torque being set to a requested default torque. It In a first operating mode, before changing a speed of the drive shaft for the first drive unit, a torque characteristic is selected from multiple torque characteristics. In the first operating mode, while the speed is being changed, the first drive unit is operated according to the selected torque characteristic for providing at least one part of the specified torque, and a differential torque between the specified torque and the torque provided by the first drive unit boil is provided by the second drive unit.

Methods and systems are provided for a hybrid electric vehicle. In one example, a method may include delaying an electric-only operation of the hybrid vehicle in response to a powertrain temperature being less than a threshold powertrain temperature and an electric-only range being less than a distance between a current location and a recharging location. The electric-only operation may be initiated in response to one or more of the powertrain temperature exceeding the threshold powertrain temperature and the electric-only range being equal to the distance.