A drive unit for a hybrid motor vehicle has an input shaft connectable to an internal combustion engine, a first output shaft connectable to a first wheel, a second output shaft connectable to a second wheel, and a distribution unit. The distribution unit is configured to generate different torques at the first and the second output shafts, the distribution unit acting between the input shaft and the output shafts. The distribution unit has a transmission device and first and second generators that are configured to be controlled independently of one another for torque distribution. The first generator is operatively connected to the first output shaft and the second generator is operatively connected to the second output shaft.

A method for estimation of a vehicle tire force includes: receiving, by a controller of a vehicle, a measured vehicle acceleration of the vehicle; receiving, by the controller, a measured wheel speed and a measured yaw rate of the vehicle; forming, by the controller, inertia matrices based on an inertia of rotating components of the vehicle; calculating torques at corners of the vehicle using the inertia matrices; estimating tire forces of the vehicle based on the measured vehicle acceleration, the measured wheel speed, and the inertia matrices; and controlling, by the controller, the vehicle, based on the plurality of estimated longitudinal and lateral tire forces.

Systems and methods are provided herein for operating a vehicle in a K-turn mode. The K-turn mode is engaged in response to determining that an amount that at least one of the front wheels of the vehicle is turned exceeds a turn threshold. While operating in the K-turn mode, forward torque is provided to the front wheels of the vehicle. Further, backward torque is provided to the rear wheels of the vehicle. Yet further, the rear wheels of the vehicle remain substantially in static contact with a ground while the front wheels slip in relation to the ground.

A vehicle control apparatus has a steering wheel 6, an engine 4 for outputting a driving force of a vehicle 1, a brake apparatus 16 capable of applying different braking forces to left and right wheels, and a PCM 14 including a processor and the like. When executing vehicle yaw control, which controls the brake apparatus 16 to apply to the vehicle 1 a yaw moment in the direction opposite to the yaw rate generated in the vehicle 1, after executing vehicle attitude control for reducing an output torque of the engine 4 based on a turning operation of the steering wheel 6, when the control amount of the vehicle attitude control is large, the PCM 14 increases the control amount of the vehicle yaw control compared to when the control amount of the vehicle attitude control is not large.

A drive-force control apparatus for a vehicle including a first drive apparatus for driving a first pair of wheels and a second drive apparatus for driving a second pair of wheels. Each of the first pair of wheels is one of front and rear wheels of the vehicle, and each of the second pair of wheels is the other of the front and rear wheels. During running of the vehicle on a wave-like road, the control apparatus reduces a drive-force share ratio of one of the first and second drive apparatuses, and to increases a drive-force share ratio of the other of the first and second drive apparatuses, wherein the one of the first and second drive apparatuses includes a weakest part that is to be damaged the most easily among parts composing the first and second drive apparatuses, by resonance caused by the running on the wave-like road.

A control system for a vehicle having a first wheel (101) arranged to be driven by a first drive source and a second wheel (101) arranged to be driven by a second drive source, wherein the first wheel and the second wheel are transversely located on the vehicle, the control system comprising a controller (102) and a monitoring device, wherein the monitoring device is arranged to monitor the power differential between the power being applied to the first wheel by the first drive source and the power being applied to the second wheel by the second drive source, wherein upon a determination that the power differential between the power being applied to the first wheel and the second wheel is greater than a predetermined value, the controller is arranged to reduce the power differential.

A vehicle drive device includes a control device, and the control device controls an electric motor, a first pressing mechanism and a second pressing mechanism such that a relational expression of T<T.sub.1+T.sub.2 is satisfied, where T represents a torque that is input to an input rotation member, T.sub.1 represents a maximum of a torque that is able to be transmitted by a first multi-disc clutch and T.sub.2 represents a maximum of a torque that is able to be transmitted by a second multi-disc clutch.

A vehicle control apparatus includes a steering device, a steering controller, a steering input member, a front-rear driving force distribution unit, and a behavior controller. The steering device steers front wheels of a vehicle. The steering controller controls and causes the steering device to perform steering automatically. The steering input member receives a steering operation inputted by a driver. The front-rear driving force distribution unit changes a front-rear driving force distribution ratio. The behavior controller predicts, if a steering operation is performed via the steering input member during the automatic steering, a behavior of the vehicle to be exhibited after steering corresponding to the steering operation, and causes, if an oversteer behavior is predicted to occur, the front-rear driving force distribution unit to change the driving force distribution ratio to a front-wheel biased distribution ratio as compared with a case where the oversteer behavior is not predicted to occur.

Systems and methods for a steering a vehicle. In one example, a system includes a first wheel, a second wheel, and a skid/differential steering system including an electronic processor. The electronic processor is configured to receive, from an electronic power steering system, a steering failure signal and a target steering angle, determine, based on the target steering angle, a target yaw rate, and drive the first wheel of the vehicle forward and decelerate the second wheel of the vehicle based on the target yaw rate, turning the vehicle.

A transmission for an electric vehicle may include a first planetary gear set; a first motor configured to input power to a first rotation element of the first planetary gear set; a differential configured to receive power output from a second rotation element of the first planetary gear set; a second motor configured to selectively provide power to a third rotation element of the first planetary gear set; a second planetary gear set including a first rotation element which is directly connected to the differential, and a second rotation element which is configured to selectively receive power from the second motor; and a third planetary gear set including a third rotation element which is directly connected to a third rotation element of the second planetary gear set, a second rotation element which is fixed, and a first rotation element which is directly connected to a selected output shaft of the differential.