If a vehicle speed is less than a predetermined value when a hybrid control mode is a series mode and a charge mode is selected (S10-S14), it is determined whether an SOC of a high voltage battery is less than a predetermined value or not (S16), and when the SOC of the high voltage battery is less than the predetermined value, ignition timing is corrected to be retarded (S18).

A system and method for controlling backlash in a vehicle powertrain includes the step of controlling a torque request of the powertrain with a first control strategy after an occurrence of a backlash predictor and prior to an occurrence of backlash. The first control strategy is modified when backlash occurs during the first control strategy. The torque request is controlled with the modified first control strategy after another occurrence of a backlash predictor and before another occurrence of backlash.

A system and method for controlling backlash in a vehicle powertrain includes the step of controlling a torque request of the powertrain with a first control strategy after an occurrence of a backlash predictor and before an occurrence of a backlash. Another step may be employed whereby the torque request is controlled with a second control strategy after the first control strategy and before the occurrence of the backlash such that a torque request level is below a highest torque request level obtained during the first control-strategy.

A control apparatus for a vehicle that includes an engine as a drive power source, a rotating machine as an electric power generator, and an electric storage device. The control apparatus executes an automatic drive control for automatically controlling a torque of the drive power source in accordance with a requested drive torque without requiring an acceleration/deceleration operation by a driver of the vehicle. During an engine running of the vehicle, the rotating machine is rotated by the engine to generate an electric power, and a charging amount, by which the electric storage device is to be charged, is controlled by controlling the electric power generated by the rotating machine. The control apparatus is configured, during an automatic driving of the vehicle, to set the charging amount such that the charging amount is smaller when the requested drive torque is small than when the requested drive torque is large.

Methods and systems are provided for improving vehicle torque control accuracy. Data points of an engine torque data set are adjusted en masse by an on-board vehicle controller while also being adjusted individually by an off-board controller. By adjusting engine operation based on a torque data set that is updated by each of the on-board and off-board controllers, engine torque errors can be reliably determined and compensated for.

A drive control system is provided, which is mounted on a vehicle configured to travel by operation of a driver. The drive control system includes an actuator configured to output a driving force for the vehicle to travel, an output sensor configured to detect a driving force requested by the operation of the driver, and a control device configured to control operation of the actuator based on the requested driving force detected by the output sensor. The control device sets a target output value by adding a given delay time to a requested output value set corresponding to the requested driving force, and controls the actuator so as to output the target output value based on a response characteristic of the actuator.

Disclosed is a control method for an internal combustion engine (3) including a power generation motor (4) driven by a power of the internal combustion engine (3) and a damper (30) provided between the internal combustion engine (3) and the power generation motor (4) in a power transmission path, wherein a maximum value of a torque fluctuation generated in an event of a misfire occurring in a cylinder of the internal combustion engine (3) is larger than a value at which a displacement of a main damper (30a) of the damper (30) is allowed to be suppressed to be smaller than a displacement at which abutting occurs on a first stopper (31a) by a counter torque of the power generation motor (4), and the control method includes limiting a torque (Te) of the internal combustion engine (3) within a range in which a displacement of the main damper (30a) is allowed to be controlled to be smaller than a displacement at which abutting occurs on the first stopper (31a) by a counter torque of the power generation motor (4).

A vehicle control apparatus 10 is provided with an object detecting means detecting an object in a travel direction of a vehicle 30, a restraining means restraining a drive force of the vehicle when the object detecting means detects an object, and a jerk acquiring means acquiring a jerk in a travel direction on the basis of a behavior of the vehicle. When the accelerator of the vehicle is actuated while the vehicle is in a state in which the drive force of the vehicle is restrained, and the speed of the vehicle is lower than a predetermined value, the restraining means increases the drive force, and decreases a post-increase drive force on the basis of the jerk acquired by the jerk acquiring means.

A method for improving operation of a vehicle that includes an engine, a transmission, and a torque converter clutch is disclosed. In one example, the method assesses whether or not driver braking is expected and adjusts driveline braking accordingly. The method freewheels the driveline to extend vehicle coasting when driver braking is not expected and the method increases or decreases driveline braking based on a closing distance between the vehicle and an object in the vehicle's path.

Methods and systems are provided for improving surge control. When surge conditions are anticipated, motor torque usage is increased to discharge a battery to a lower state of charge. When surge conditions actually occur, engine torque output is limited to a higher level than the engine output required to meet the reduced torque demand, while the excess wheel torque is offset by charging the battery to a higher state of charge.