A method of reducing cold start emissions in a series mode hybrid electric vehicle, including an internal combustion engine with an exhaust duct having a catalyst and a downstream oxygen sensor, an output of the combustion engine being connected to an electric generator with a power output of at least 10 kW that is connected to an electric motor which is coupled to a drive shaft of two or more wheels. The method includes detecting a cold start condition, injecting fuel into the engine such that combustion at a lambda value, λ, is achieved for which λ>1, running the engine at a speed of 1000 rpm or higher, determining if the efficiency of the catalyst reaches a first level, setting λ to about 1 after the predetermined efficiency level of the catalyst has been reached, and reducing the speed to working conditions when the catalyst efficiency reaches a second level.

A method for accelerating a vehicle from rest. The method includes receiving a mode indication indicating a launch control mode selected; receiving a brake-on indication; controlling the engine according to a launch control strategy; determining an accelerator position; for an accelerator position greater than zero, controlling the engine to: increase open a throttle valve and control the engine to limit engine torque output; receiving a brake-off indication; controlling the engine according to the standard control strategy, controlling the engine according to the standard control strategy with the braking system having been released causing the vehicle to accelerate from rest, a first rate of acceleration from rest of the vehicle being greater than a second rate of acceleration from rest of the vehicle for corresponding changes in accelerator position, the first rate corresponding to accelerating from rest after controlling the engine according to the standard and launch control strategies.

A system and method for an electronic cruise control used to supplement electronic control units or vehicles for enhanced or additional cruise control integration. The electronic cruise control is designed to be updated easily by the end user or system to adjust the speed of a vehicle such as a motorcycle whereby the electronic cruise system sends a control signal to rotate an existing throttle to maintain the motorcycle's speed whereby the throttle grip position will always reference the speed of the motorcycle.

A vehicle control apparatus includes an overlapping-prediction determination portion configured to determine whether or not it is predicted that, during execution of a synchronous control for placing a clutch, which is provided between an engine and an electric motor, into an engaged state, a synchronization-completion time point of the clutch overlaps with an inertia phase period in process of a shift control of a transmission, and a torque limitation portion configured, when the overlapping-prediction determination portion determines that it is predicted that the synchronization-completion time point overlaps with the inertia phase period, to execute a torque limitation by which at least one of a torque capacity of the clutch and an output torque of the engine is made smaller than when the overlapping-prediction determination portion determines that it is not predicted that the synchronization-completion time point overlaps with the inertia phase period.

A method includes receiving, iteratively over time, sets of data including vehicle dynamics data, image data, sound data, third-party data, and wind speed sensor data, each detected at an autonomous vehicle and associated with a time period. The method also includes estimating a first wind speed and a first wind direction for each time period, in response to receiving the sets of data and based on the sets of data, via a processor of the autonomous vehicle. The method also includes iteratively modifying a lateral control and/or a longitudinal control of the autonomous vehicle based on the estimated first wind speed and the estimated first wind direction, via the processor of the autonomous vehicle and during operation of the autonomous vehicle.

Systems and methods are provided for applying an adaptive drive mode to a vehicle, including: the vehicle detecting selection of a drive mode and setting vehicle systems to correspond to the selected drive mode to place the vehicle in the selected drive mode; an adaptive drive mode circuit using vehicle sensor data to determine whether the vehicle is in a low-range mode of operation; and modifying the vehicle system settings that correspond to the selected drive mode if the vehicle is in low-range mode to adapt the vehicle system settings that correspond to the selected drive mode for the low-range mode of operation.

An automated speed control system includes a ranging-sensor, a camera, and a controller. The ranging-sensor detects a lead-speed of a lead-vehicle traveling ahead of a host-vehicle. The camera detects an object in a field-of-view. The controller is in communication with the ranging-sensor and the camera. The controller is operable to control the host-vehicle. The controller determines a change in the lead-speed based on the ranging-sensor. The controller reduces a host-speed of the host-vehicle when the lead-speed is decreasing, no object is detected by the camera, and while a portion of the field-of-view is obscured by the lead-vehicle.

A method for accelerating a vehicle from rest, including controlling an engine according to a first control strategy; receiving a mode indication selecting a launch control mode for accelerating; controlling the engine according to a second control strategy; in response to greater than zero accelerator position, controlling to increase throttle valve opening and engine control operational conditions to limit engine torque output; while in the second control strategy, receiving an indication to end control by the second control strategy; and in response to indication, controlling according to the first control strategy causing the vehicle to accelerate from rest, the first acceleration rate greater than the second rate corresponding to accelerating from rest after sequentially controlling according to the first and second control strategies; the second acceleration rate corresponding to accelerating from rest by controlling according to the first control strategy without previously controlling according to the second control strategy.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a vehicle having different operating modes, and for each such mode a different characteristic of output torque and accelerator pedal position. The rise of output torque in response to a propulsion request is more or less delayed according to the instant operating mode. The invention provides for blending of the response to a propulsion request so that the delay is progressively varied between a source and target operating mode.

A control apparatus for a vehicle includes an electronic control unit that is configured to set a value of a target generated voltage of the generator. The electronic control unit is configured to execute power generation control to control a generated voltage of a generator. The electronic control unit is configured to maintain a value of the generated voltage in the power generation control to be constant during an upshift gear change when the upshift gear change control of a transmission is executed while the lock-up clutch control is executed during deceleration of the vehicle. The electronic control unit is configured to increase the value in the power generation control during the downshift control to the value of the target generated voltage at a first specified rate when a downshift gear change of the transmission is executed while the lock-up clutch control is executed during the deceleration.