A method is provided to control the acceleration of a motor vehicle from a current speed, wherein the motor vehicle includes an accelerator pedal system able to generate on the accelerator pedal an added reaction force when the depression of the accelerator pedal reaches a given depression level. The method includes the steps of: a) measuring the current vehicle speed; b) determining a target speed of the motor vehicle in function at least of the current vehicle speed or determining from the current vehicle speed a maximum acceleration rate; c) determining at least one threshold depression level of the accelerator pedal that corresponds to the stabilization of the vehicle speed at the target speed or that corresponds to maximum acceleration rate; d) generating an added reaction force on the accelerator pedal if the depression of the accelerator pedal reaches or is about to reach the threshold depression level; wherein at least steps a), b), and c) are automatically repeated as vehicle speed increases.

A hybrid vehicle system facilitates operator control over electric power generation and use. The system features a motor/generator that can be mounted to an output of a transmission of the vehicle.

A vehicle assistance control apparatus includes: an obstacle detection unit that detects a prescribed obstacle in the periphery of a vehicle; a vehicle speed detection unit that detects a speed of the vehicle; an accelerator operation detection unit that detects presence of an accelerator operation; a drive power restriction unit that detects, when the prescribed obstacle is detected, a drive power that is to be generated in the vehicle by an accelerator operation performed by a driver, compared to when the prescribed obstacle is not detected; and a cancellation unit that enables cancellation of the restriction of the drive power by the drive power restriction unit, when the speed is equal to or lower than a prescribed value and when a state where the accelerator operation detection unit detects that the accelerator operation is not being performed has continued for a prescribed period of time or longer.

Driving support ECU determines that a driver is in an abnormal state when a state where a steering amount correlation value which changes when a steering wheel SW of a vehicle is operated does not change continues over more than or equal to an abnormality determination threshold time. When the driver is determined to be in the abnormal state, the ECU decelerates the vehicle, makes a hazard lamp blink and invalidates an acceleration request based on a change in an operation amount of an accelerator pedal. The ECU terminates decelerating of the vehicle and permits the acceleration override when a specific driving operation (an operation that the accelerator pedal changes from an operating state to a non-operating state and then again changes to the operating state within a predetermined threshold time) is determined to have occurred after the driver has been determined to be in the abnormal state.

Transition is made from a motor single-drive mode to a motor dual-drive mode while there is a margin in torque output from a motor MG2 with respect to rated torque. With this, the torque of the motor MG1 is changed slowly in the motor dual-drive mode, whereby it is possible to suppress the generation of vibration (shock) due to torsion of a damper and to compensate for a shortage of the torque of the motor MG1 due to slow change processing with an increase in torque from the motor MG2. As a result, it is possible to achieve both of reduction of a shock due to the torque of the motor MG1 and output of required torque to a drive shaft.

A vehicle control system includes an acceleration generating device (engine, T/M) that generates an acceleration applied to a vehicle, and a vehicle control device that controls the acceleration generating device, based on an accelerator pedal stroke representing an operation of an accelerator pedal by a driver, and a vehicle speed of the vehicle. In the vehicle control system or method, the vehicle control device controls the acceleration generating device, based on a required acceleration that is determined based on a relationship between the accelerator pedal stroke and the required acceleration, including, as a condition, an acceleration corresponding to a given accelerator pedal stroke, which is specified by a relationship between the vehicle speed and the acceleration when the accelerator pedal stroke is held at the given value.

A control method of a hybrid vehicle may include performing a series of commands by a control portion including determining whether an accelerator pedal change amount detected by an accelerator pedal sensor is greater than a predetermined value, starting up an engine through a Hybrid Shaft Generator (HSG) during conversion into an HEV mode from an EV mode, controlling the engine to output constant torque, and synchronizing engine torque with motor torque to engage a clutch.

A method for improving operating a vehicle that includes an accelerator pedal is disclosed. In one example, the method assesses a vehicle for accelerator pedal degradation and applies control actions to the vehicle is accelerator pedal degradation is determined. The control actions may include adjusting a throttle position and adjusting vehicle brakes.

A clutch control device is provided for a four-wheel drive vehicle for transmitting drive force to the rear wheels. The clutch control device includes a dog clutch and a friction clutch, and a controller that controls the engagement and disengagement of the dog clutch and the friction clutch. In this clutch control device, the four-wheel drive hybrid vehicle includes a disconnected, two-wheel drive mode and a connected, four-wheel drive mode. When a driver's foot is lifted off an accelerator in a low-speed region when the connected, four-wheel drive mode is selected, the 4WD control unit maintains the connected, four-wheel drive mode while the brakes are not depressed, and shifts the mode to the disconnected, two-wheel drive mode when the brakes are depressed.

A vehicle comprises a fuel cell that is configured to receive supply of a fuel gas and generate electric power and a motor that is configured to be driven with the electric power generated by the fuel cell. The vehicle selectively sets a drive mode of the vehicle in an accelerator-off state between an ordinary mode and a deceleration enhanced mode that decelerates the vehicle with higher deceleration force than deceleration force in the ordinary mode. The vehicle performs regenerative control of the motor in the ordinary mode or performs deceleration control of generating the deceleration force in the deceleration enhanced mode, in order to decelerate the vehicle in the set drive mode. When an accelerator stroke based on a driver's depression of an accelerator becomes higher than a cancellation threshold in the drive mode set to the deceleration enhanced mode, the vehicle changes the drive mode from the deceleration enhanced mode to the ordinary mode.