A method for automatic adjustment of the performance of a vehicle including the steps of detecting at least one significant physical quantity for checking the performance of the vehicle; defining at least one pair of reference indicators correlated with that physical quantity; saving at least one value of a said reference indicator in a predetermined nominal reference condition; detecting at least one value of a said reference indicator in a real operating condition of the vehicle; comparing said nominal reference indicator and real reference indicator and, if their values are different from each other, and implementing a correction of the driving power of the vehicle to compensate for the difference ascertained.

A vehicle drive includes a gear set, a first motor/generator coupled to the gear set, a second motor/generator at least selectively rotationally engaged with the gear set, and an engine at least selectively coupled to the gear set and at least selectively coupled to the second motor/generator. The second motor/generator is electrically coupled to the first motor/generator by an electrical power transmission system. The first motor/generator and the second motor/generator are electrically coupled without an energy storage device configured to at least one of (a) provide electrical energy to the first motor/generator or the second motor/generator to power the first motor/generator or the second motor/generator and (b) be charged by electrical energy from the first motor/generator or the second motor/generator.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling an aspirator shut-off valve in an engine of a hybrid vehicle. One example method includes opening the aspirator shut-off valve following a shut-down command to the engine when engine speed is between a first engine speed and a second engine speed, the first engine speed being lower than an idle speed and the second engine speed occurring before an imminent engine stop. The example method further includes not opening the aspirator shut-off valve between the first engine speed and the second engine speed if an oxygen content of an emission control device is at or near a threshold.

Disclosed is a method for calculating a control setpoint of a hybrid powertrain of a motor vehicle, the hybrid powertrain including an electric motor and an internal combustion engine (ICE) that is equipped with a gearbox and that is supplied with fuel. The method includes: acquiring a value relative to a power requested at the vehicle's drive wheels; and determining the contribution of the electric motor and the ICE in order to satisfy the request for power at the drive wheels. The determination step involves calculating a triplet of three values, one value relating to the electromechanical power that the electric motor must provide, one value relating to the thermomechanical power that the ICE must provide and one value relating to the ratio that needs to be engaged in the gearbox, this triplet minimising the fuel consumption of the ICE and the current consumption of the electric motor.

An operating system for an automated vehicle includes a failure-detector and a controller. The failure-detector detects a component-failure on a host-vehicle. Examples of the component-failure include a flat-tire and engine trouble that reduces engine-power. The controller operates the host-vehicle based on a dynamic-model. The dynamic-model is varied based on the component-failure detected by the failure-detector.

A brake controller operates PTC when an obstacle sensor detects an obstacle ahead, a vehicle speed sensor detects a vehicle speed equal to or lower than a predetermined vehicle speed, and an operation of an accelerator pedal equal to or greater than a predetermined depression amount is detected. When detection of the obstacle ahead is lost while the PTC is operating and the PTC is to be cancelled, the brake controller operates a power limiting control if a depression operation of the accelerator pedal is detected. The power limiting control limits an engine power to cause acceleration to be lower than a requested acceleration corresponding to a depression amount of the accelerator pedal.

A hybrid vehicle and method for operating such a hybrid vehicle. The hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, an electric machine, an electric storage device, and a control system. The method includes determining a power currently available of the electric storage device by the control system when a current state of charge of the electric storage device is less than a charge threshold value; activating the internal combustion engine when the determined power currently available from the electric storage device exceeds a first power threshold; and determining the power currently available from the electric storage device by the control system when the determined power currently available from the electric storage device is less than the first power threshold.

A controller for a hybrid vehicle capable of making a first control rule and a second control rule cooperate with each other is provided. In the first control rule, a gear ratio is controlled such that output from an internal combustion engine via a transmission satisfies requested drive power. In the second control rule, the gear ratio is controlled such that a sum of drive power by a motor and drive power by the internal combustion engine becomes the requested drive power. A device (30) for controlling a hybrid vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine (11) and a motor (13) as power sources capable of generating drive power for a wheel (18) and is provided with a transmission (12), a gear ratio of which is controlled according to the first control rule, between the internal combustion engine (11) and the wheel (18), calculates a target gear ratio according to the second control rule and determines a parameter (vAp) used in the first control rule on the basis of the target gear ratio such that a sum of drive power (Fm) by the motor (13) and drive power (Fe) by the internal combustion engine (11) becomes requested drive power (Fd).

An imaging device includes pixels arranged to form columns and each including a photoelectric conversion unit that generates charges by photoelectric conversion, column circuits provided to the columns, respectively, and each receiving a signal from a part of the pixels, a first common control line connected to each of the column circuits, and a control unit that controls the column circuits. Each of the column circuits includes an amplifier circuit whose gain is switchable and a first transistor that controls a current flowing in the amplifier circuit, and the control unit controls the column circuit so that the first transistor supplies a current of a first current value when the amplifier circuit is at a first gain and the first transistor supplies a current of a second current value different from the first current value when the amplifier circuit is at a second gain different from the first gain.

An electronic control unit to control an engine control module of an engine is disclosed. The electronic control unit may receive, from a load monitoring device, power command information associated with a load of an engine. The electronic control unit may determine, based on the power command information, a total power command of the engine. The electronic control unit may determine, based on the total power command, a target engine speed for the engine. The electronic control unit may cause an engine control module to control the engine to operate in association with the target engine speed.