According to one aspect, an autonomous vehicle includes hardware systems which receive relatively low voltage from a low voltage power distribution unit (LVPDU). An LVPDU includes a power source such as a DC-DC converter and a plurality of backup batteries. The plurality of backup batteries is configured to provide backup power to subsets of components arranged to effectively all be powered by the power source onboard the LVPDU. The backup batteries may be tested, substantially while LVPDU is being used to provide power. The backup batteries may be charged substantially in parallel.

A method for monitoring a motor vehicle including an automated driving function, including differing modes of operation for bringing the motor vehicle to a standstill, at least one energy store, in particular a battery, supplying at least one consumer which is able to bring the vehicle to a standstill, a respective load profile being assigned to the respective mode of operation, which usually occurs in this mode of operation upon activation of the consumer, at least one characteristic variable of the energy store being predicted as a function of at least one of the load profiles, and the mode of operation associated with the load profile and/or the automated driving function being unblocked, blocked, left or influenced as a function of the predicted characteristic variable of the energy store.

A controller for a hybrid electric vehicle executes an engine starting process including a first starting process and a second starting process. The first starting process drives a motor generator. The second starting process is executed when a shifting condition is satisfied in the first starting process. The second starting process includes suspending the supply of power to the motor generator and then driving the motor generator. When an engine rotation speed becomes greater than or equal to an engine rotation speed threshold value and an elapsed time is within a second time threshold value during the second starting process, the controller determines that an engine is successfully started. The second time threshold value is greater than a first time threshold value that is compared with the elapsed time during the first starting process.

A vehicle controller includes: an engine controller configured to perform an IS control upon satisfaction of a predetermined stop condition and an engine restart control upon satisfaction of a predetermined restart condition; an HDC controller configured to perform, when the vehicle is traveling on a downhill road and a deceleration request according to an HDC control occurs, a target vehicle speed-based deceleration irrespective of brake operations by the driver; and an information acquisition part configured to acquire progress status information related to the engine restart control and including information on initiation and completion thereof. When an engine restart request according to the IS control and the deceleration request according to the HDC control occur in a temporally overlapping manner, while the engine controller performs the engine restart control in a prioritized manner, the HDC controller allows performing the target vehicle speed-based deceleration on the basis of the progress status information.

An information processing device to be mounted on a vehicle includes a processor. The processor is configured to determine, in response to a request for the vehicle, one mode out of a plurality of modes defining behavior of the vehicle that is related to usage and operation of the vehicle, make transition of a status of the vehicle among a plurality of statuses that is based on a state and a sub-mode, and control the vehicle based on the status of the vehicle that has been achieved by the transition. The state and the sub-mode are permitted in the determined mode.

A control system for a hybrid vehicle configured to start an engine promptly during propulsion in an electric vehicle mode. Electric power generation resulting from cranking the engine by a first motor is greater in the first electric vehicle mode compared to a second electric vehicle mode. A controller that is configured to determines whether an acceptable input power to an electric storage unit is smaller than a threshold value. If the acceptable input power to the electric storage unit is smaller than the threshold value, selection of the first electric vehicle mode is inhibited.

A method and system for managing an automotive alternator are described for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine. The alternator is controlled by an electrical control unit (ECU) designed to facilitate electrical and mechanical coupling of the alternator to a battery. The ECU receives signals from a battery charge sensor to: determine a battery charge level between: BC1 (corresponding to a fully charge condition); BC2 (corresponding to a working charge level); and BC3 (corresponding to a low charge); and acting on the alternator such that: at level BC1, the alternator is disconnected electrically and mechanically; at leve BC3, the alternator is connected electrically and mechanically; and level BC2, the alternator is coupled mechanically when the vehicle movement speed is greater than a predetermined value (V.sub.Lim) and when the engine is disengaged to change gear, and the alternator is electrically connected when the vehicle is being driven in cut-off mode.

According to one embodiment, a vehicle includes an electrified propulsion system having an electric machine powered by a traction battery over an electrical distribution system (EDS). A controller is programmed to, reduce a speed limit of the vehicle from a maximum speed limit to an EDS speed limit in response to a measured average current of the EDS being within a threshold percentage of an average current limit of the EDS, and, in response to a measured speed of the vehicle exceeding the EDS speed limit, command a torque to the electric machine that is less than a driver-demanded torque such that the vehicle is propelled at a speed below the EDS speed limit.

In an electric device control method and an electric device of the present invention, during a period in which a rotational speed of an internal combustion engine shifting from a non-combustion mode to a combustion mode is decreased to a rotational speed within a predetermined rotational-speed range by a first electric motor connected to the internal combustion engine, a torque generated by the internal combustion engine is set lower than a required torque within the predetermined rotational-speed range for the internal combustion engine in the combustion mode.

A method for determining a heating load of a hybrid electric vehicle includes determining an SOC of a high-voltage battery through a controller, determining whether or not there is a heating request, based on a travel pattern input, through the controller when the SOC of the high-voltage battery is normal, calculating a required heating load according to the travel pattern input when there is the heating request, calculating an environmental condition according to an environment of the vehicle when there is the heating request, calculating a final heating load value through a combination of the calculated required heating load and the environmental condition of the vehicle, and adjusting a basic request engine torque according to the travel pattern input, taking into consideration the calculated final heating load value, and controlling driving of an engine based on the adjusted basic request engine torque.