In a method for controlling a vehicle with a drive system comprising an output shaft of a combustion engine and a planetary gear with a first and a second electrical machine, connected via their rotors to the components of the planetary gear, the combustion engine is started while the vehicle is driven by ensuring that the rotor of the second electrical machine is connected with the output shaft of the combustion engine, and controlling such electrical machine's rotational speed towards the combustion engine's idling speed, whereupon fuel injection into the combustion engine is carried out to start the latter.

A driving mode control method and apparatus of a hybrid electric vehicle are provided. The driving mode control method includes decreasing a torque of an engine when a first driving mode in which both the engine and a first motor are driven is switched to a second driving mode driven by the first motor and applying a torque of a second motor. A clutch is then opened when a difference between the engine torque and the second motor torque is less than a first threshold torque.

In a method for controlling a vehicle with a drive system comprising an output shaft in a combustion engine, a planetary gear and a first and second electrical machine connected to the planetary gear, the turning off of the combustion engine is achieved when the vehicle is driven with the combustion engine running, and a transition to operation of the vehicle with the electrical machines is achieved by ensuring that the second electrical machine's rotor is connected with the combustion engine's output shaft, that injection of fuel into the combustion engine is interrupted and that the second electrical machines rotational speed is controlled towards and until a standstill, whereupon the combustion engine's output shaft is disconnected from the second electrical machine and the planetary gear.

In a method for controlling a vehicle with a drive system comprising a power unit configuration adapted to provide power for the vehicle's operation, and further comprising a planetary gear and a first and second electrical machine, connected to components in the planetary gear via their rotors, a locking means is moved from a release position, in which the planetary gear's components are free to rotate independently of each other, to a locked position, in which two of the planetary gear's components are locked together, so that the three components in the planetary gear rotate with the same speed. The power unit configuration is controlled in order to achieve a synchronous, or substantially synchronous, rotational speed between the input and output shaft of the planetary gear, and the locking means are then moved to the locked position.

A method for operating a motor vehicle (1) having at least one driven axle (3) with a locking differential (10a), where when the motor vehicle (1) is driving and the locking differential (10a) concerned is engaged on at least one driven axle (3), it is checked whether the motor vehicle is driving round a curve. If it is found that the motor vehicle is driving round a curve, the engaged locking differential (10a) is actuated to disengage it and it is checked whether the locking differential (10a) concerned has in fact been disengaged. If it is found that the locking differential (10a) concerned has not been disengaged, the wheel of the driven axle (3) concerned on the outside of the curve is braked.

A vehicle includes a differential gear that transmits rotation of a propeller shaft to an axle. A differential lock switches the differential gear between a locked state and an unlocked state. A clutch is provided in a power transmission path between a prime mover and wheels of the vehicle. A controller controls an engaging force of the clutch during a moving start of the vehicle in accordance with which of the locked state and the unlocked state is selected by the differential gear.

In a 2H mode of two-wheel drive and a 4H mode of four-wheel drive, a driver does not put much importance on traveling performance on a rough road. Therefore, implementation of both of idling-stop control and neutral control is permitted. Compared with the 4H mode, in a 4HLc mode for limiting differential motions of a center differential gear and a rear differential gear, it can be regarded that the driver puts importance on the traveling performance on the rough road. Therefore, the implementation of the idling-stop control is prohibited and the implementation of the neutral control is permitted. In a 4LLc mode for switching a sub-reduction gear to a low gear side compared with the 4HLc mode, since it can be regarded that the driver puts more importance on the traveling performance on the rough road, both of the implementation of the idling stop control and the implementation of the neutral control are prohibited.

A control device for a vehicle. The vehicle includes a drive power source, a first drive wheel, a second drive wheel, and a drive power distribution device. One of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel is provided on the left side with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the other drive wheel is provided on the right side with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle. The drive power distribution device distributes power from the drive power source to the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel. The control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to perform drive power distribution control. The drive power distribution control is control for distributing drive power to the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel by the drive power distribution device. The electronic control unit is configured to make a first variation of a control command value be smaller than a second variation of the control command value. The first variation is a variation per unit time of the control command value in the process of stopping the drive power distribution control when abnormality in the drive power distribution control occurs and a friction coefficient of a traveling road surface is great. The second variation is a variation per unit time of the control command value in the process of stopping the drive power distribution control when abnormality in the drive power distribution control occurs and the friction coefficient is small.

Disclosed is a method for control of a vehicle with a drive system comprising an output shaft in a combustion engine and a planetary gear with a first and a second electrical machine connected via their rotors to the components in the planetary gear, a supply of electrical power to electrical auxiliary units and/or loads present in the vehicle is carried out, by way of the combustion engine being kept running with its output shaft connected with the second electrical machine's rotor, and the electrical auxiliary units and/or loads being supplied with electrical power via the first electrical machine and/or the second electrical machine.

A control device for a vehicle. The vehicle includes a drive power source, a first drive wheel, a second drive wheel, and a drive power distribution device. One of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel is provided on the left side with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the other drive wheel is provided on the right side with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle. The drive power distribution device distributes power from the drive power source to the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel. The control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to perform drive power distribution control. The drive power distribution control is control for distributing drive power to the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel by the drive power distribution device. The electronic control unit is configured to make a first variation of a control command value be smaller than a second variation of the control command value. The first variation is a variation per unit time of the control command value in the process of stopping the drive power distribution control when abnormality in the drive power distribution control occurs and a friction coefficient of a traveling road surface is great. The second variation is a variation per unit time of the control command value in the process of stopping the drive power distribution control when abnormality in the drive power distribution control occurs and the friction coefficient is small.