A pre-collision control ECU performs a pre-collision control in order to preventing a collision between the own vehicle and the object when a control start condition is satisfied. The ECU acquires a velocity threshold Vsth corresponding to a region in which the own vehicle travels based on information to specify the region. When an allowance condition has been satisfied before a timing at which the control start condition is satisfied, the ECU performs the pre-collision control. When the allowance condition has not been satisfied before the timing, the ECU does not perform the pre-collision control. The allowance condition is a condition that an accelerator operation amount is equal to or greater than an operation amount threshold and a vehicle velocity is equal to or lower than the acquired velocity threshold.

A control system for vehicles that controls drive force and acceleration smoothly without causing a shock, in response to an operation of an accelerator pedal. A hysteresis is set between an input value and an output value of angle of the accelerator pedal. The hysteresis includes a deadband and an asymptotic range. The output value is not changed significantly with respect to a change in the input value if an angle of the accelerator pedal is changed within the deadband, and the output value is changed continuously with respect to a change in the input value based on a predetermined function if an angle of the accelerator pedal is changed within the asymptotic range.

A method for deactivating an automated driving function of a vehicle, in particular a highly automated or autonomous driving function, is provided. The driving function is deactivated when a driver of the vehicle carries out a steering intervention or pedal intervention with a strength exceeding a predeterminable deactivation threshold. The deactivation threshold is predetermined depending on an operation length of the driving function and/or depending on a responsiveness of the driver. In particular, the deactivation threshold is predetermined in such a manner that it is higher directly after an activation of the driving function than some time afterwards and/or it is higher with a low responsiveness of the driver than with a high responsiveness of the driver.

An apparatus for controlling a transmission of a vehicle includes a controller which is configured to: set a target vehicle speed of an own vehicle; determine whether to permit a kick down of the transmission of the own vehicle based on the target vehicle speed and a current vehicle speed; determine a target shift stage of the transmission of the own vehicle according to a predetermined transmission pattern based on the current vehicle speed and an open value of an accelerator pedal of the own vehicle; and control the transmission to maintain a current shift stage or to kick down the current shift stage to the target shift stage according to whether to permit the kick down determined by the kick down determination controller when the target shift stage is lower than the current shift stage of the own vehicle.

An ACC function for performing constant speed cruise according to a target speed when there is no preceding other vehicle in a vehicle's own driving lane and performing following cruise by maintaining a predetermined inter-vehicle distance when there is a preceding other vehicle, an LKA function for maintaining cruise in the vehicle's own driving lane by following control to a target path, a function for performing automated lane change to a neighboring lane when there is no other vehicle in a predetermined range in the neighboring lane, an override function for stopping the automated lane change function by a driver's operation intervention, and a function for performing fallback control of the automated lane change function, with notifying the driver of stopping the automated lane change function and operation takeover.

A system and method for controlling a hybrid power-split transmission of a vehicle involve obtaining measured rotational speeds of an engine and an electric motor of the transmission, wherein the transmission comprises at least two input shafts having a gear set therebetween and an output shaft, wherein one input shaft is coupled to the engine and another input shaft is connected to the electric motor, determining a main torque profile for the electric motor based on a set of operating conditions of the vehicle, calculating a speed difference between the measured rotational speeds of the engine and the electric motor, determining a disturbance torque profile for the electric motor based on the calculated speed difference, and performing closed-loop control of the electric motor based on a combination of the main and disturbance torque profiles to mitigate a disturbance at the output shaft of the transmission.

A method of operating an auto-braking system of a vehicle in coordination with operation of a speed limiting system (SLS) of the vehicle to prevent undesired loss of auto-braking functionality. If: a) a driver input of an engine power control parameter (such as throttle setting) exceeds an activation threshold of the SLS so that the SLS is therefore limiting vehicle speed to a set-speed corresponding to the activation threshold; and b) the driver input of the power control parameter is below a SLS override threshold; and c) the SLS override threshold exceeds an auto-braking override threshold for the power control parameter; then the auto-braking override threshold is increased to at least equal the SLS override threshold. The speed limiter activation threshold may be determined from speed limit information supplied by a vehicle navigation system of by an image evaluating unit from images obtained by a camera of the vehicle.

A hybrid vehicle without having a torque converter that can be launched rapidly and accelerated sharply in a WOT condition. The hybrid vehicle comprises a motor operated by an engine torque to generate electricity, and a clutch for selectively transmitting power between the first motor and drive wheels. The hybrid vehicle is launched by engaging the clutch to deliver the engine torque to the drive wheels. A torque absorbing control is executed to reduce the engine torque delivered to the clutch by operating the motor by the torque of the engine, when the clutch is disengaged and an accelerator pedal is depressed.

In a driving control apparatus for a vehicle having an ACC function for performing constant speed cruise according to a target speed when there is no preceding other vehicle in a vehicle's driving lane and performing following cruise by maintaining a predetermined inter-vehicle distance when there is a preceding other vehicle, an LKA function for maintaining cruise in the vehicle's driving lane by following control to a target path, an override function for stopping the ACC function and the LKA function by a driver's operation intervention, and a function for notifying the driver of stopping the LKA function and the ACC function and operation takeover and performing fallback control of the LKA function and the ACC function at the time of system limit of the LKA function, override threshold values serving as a determination criterion of the operation intervention for stopping the LKA function and the ACC function at the time of system limit of the LKA function are configured to be altered to a value greater than during normal operation when the LKA function is within the system limit.

A method for influencing the energy consumption during the operation of a motor, particularly a motor in a vehicle, to reduce the total amount of energy consumed. A setpoint value that is based on a parameter that correlates with the energy consumed by the motor is defined. The parameter can be distance consumption, for example, mpg or liter/100 km, or some other parameter that correlates with the energy consumed. The actual value of the parameter is calculated during operation of the motor and compared with the setpoint value. Energy consumption is reduced if the actual value exceeds the setpoint. The method allows some flexibility in defining how frequently or when a reduction in the energy consumption is effected, in order to accommodate particular operating or driving conditions or driving behavior. One example of the variation is a consumption credit that possibly allows an overrun of the setpoint value.