A vehicle control apparatus includes: a state determining portion configured to determine whether an engine is in a first operational state corresponding to a normal operation state or a second operational state corresponding to an engine stop state in which the engine is stopped and/or a catalyst warming-up state in which the engine is operated to warm up a catalyst; and a shift control portion configured, in process of a shifting action of a transmission mechanism, to control at least an engaging pressure of an engaging coupling device as one of a plurality of coupling devices of the transmission mechanism, which is to be placed in an engaged state upon completion of the shifting action, such that the engaging pressure of the engaging coupling device is controlled to be lower when the engine is in the second operational state, than when the engine is in the first operational state.

A vehicle includes an engine and an electric machine coupled to a gearbox through a torque converter. The vehicle includes a controller programmed to command an engine torque and an electric machine torque to achieve a predetermined positive torque at the input of the torque converter when a driver demand torque at the torque converter input decreases to fall within a range between the predetermined positive torque and a predetermined negative torque.

A control apparatus (80) for a vehicular drive system (12; 105) having a step-variable transmission portion (20; 110) which is shifted to a selected one of speed positions having respective speed ratio values, with engaging and releasing actions of coupling devices (B, C), and a drive power source portion (39; 103) operatively connected to an input shaft (30) of the step-variable transmission portion, the control apparatus being configured to implement a speed synchronizing control upon a shift-down action of the step-variable transmission portion in a coasting run of a vehicle (10; 100), wherein an input shaft speed of the step-variable transmission portion is raised with an input shaft torque transmitted from the drive power source portion to the input shaft, from a pre-shift-down synchronizing speed to a post-shift-down synchronizing speed. The control apparatus includes a torque control portion (86) configured to change the input shaft torque transmitted from the drive power source portion (39; 103) to the input shaft (30) during the speed synchronizing control, on the basis of a temperature of a lubricant in the step-variable transmission portion such that the input shaft torque is larger when the lubricant temperature is comparatively low than when the temperature is comparatively high.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling clutch capacity in a hybrid electric vehicle. In one example, a method includes adjusting values of a transfer function of a clutch of a dual clutch transmission in response to an operating condition of an engine and/or operating condition of an integrated starter/generator coupled to the engine while a vehicle is propelled via an electric machine coupled to the dual clutch transmission, and maintaining a driver demand wheel torque at vehicle wheels via adjusting torque of the electric machine in response to the operating condition of the engine and/or operating condition of the integrated starter generator. In this way the method may apply pressure to one of the clutches where engine speed is independently controlled to maintain positive or negative slip, thus enabling adaptation of positive and negative clutch transfer functions, which may improve driveline operation and shift quality.

A control apparatus for a vehicle includes a control portion configured to control an input torque to an automatic transmission such that a value representing a rotating state of an input rotary member of the automatic transmission coincides with a target value; a racing determining portion configured to determine whether a rotating speed of an engine is predicted to exceed a predetermined rotating speed when control is provided such that the value representing the rotating state of the input rotary member of the automatic transmission coincides with the target value during a power-on shift-down action of the automatic transmission; and an output limiting portion configured to limit the output torque of the engine to a predetermined torque or less if the rotating speed of the engine is predicted to exceed the predetermined rotating speed during the power-on shift-down action of the automatic transmission.

A motor vehicle includes at least two drive motors, an automatic gearbox, and an electronic control unit, which, during a gear ratio adjustment between an engagement and a loading of a shift element, causes the shift element to be loaded with a predefined torque gradient at a first point in time at which at least one tooth-to-tooth position exists, up to a second point in time, cause the predefined torque to be limited to a maximum permissible torque during a predefined waiting period from the second point in time up to a third point in time, and cause the shift element to be further loaded with the previously predefined torque gradient after the waiting period or when the engaged state is detected.

A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle, having an engine, an electric motor, and an automatic transmission which is placed in a selected speed position with engagement of selected at least one of coupling devices, includes: an input torque control portion controlling the electric motor for controlling an input torque transmitted to the automatic transmission during a shifting action of the automatic transmission, based on output torque of the engine and torque transmitted through the coupling devices, such that a value representing a rotating state of an automatic transmission input rotary member coincides with a target value. The input torque control portion controls the input torque to be not smaller than a predetermined lower limit, when a running state of the hybrid vehicle is switched from a power-on state to a power-off state during a shift-down action of the automatic transmission in the power-on state.

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting clutch pressures and electric machine torques as a function of a stability metric threshold(s) in order to balance performance and charging of an onboard energy storage device. In one example, a method includes during an upshift of a transmission from a first gear to a second gear, adjusting a clutch pressure of the transmission to adjust slippage of a clutch in response to a vehicle stability control parameter exceeding a threshold. In this way, torque delivered to a transmission output shaft may be reduced, which may increase vehicle stability.

A method of controlling gear shift for a hybrid vehicle with a dual clutch transmission (DCT) may include making a request for reduction in transmission input torque at a time point of entrance into down shift to a first stage from a second stage, determining whether the vehicle is accelerated via manipulation of an accelerator pedal during the down shift, and controlling to begin to gradually reduce an transmission input torque reduction request amount in a torque phase period in which clutch torque is exchanged after a first-stage gear is engaged upon determining that the vehicle is accelerated during the gear shift.

Systems and methods for operating a driveline of a hybrid vehicle are disclosed. In one example, an engine may enter or stay in one of two cylinder deactivation modes or enter or stay in a combustion mode in response to a request to downshift a transmission while a vehicle in which the engine resides is coasting.