A vehicle drift control method includes obtaining a required whole vehicle torque and state parameters of a vehicle in response to a drift operation instruction of a user. The state parameters include a first vehicle speed, a first yaw rate, and a first mass center sideslip angle. The method also includes determining a front axle torque ratio based on the state parameters; determining a required front axle torque and a required rear axle torque based on the front axle torque ratio and the required whole vehicle torque; and controlling torques of a front axle motor and a rear axle motor based on the required front axle torque and the required rear axle torque respectively.

A computer-implemented method for detecting risk of upcoming tip-over for a vehicle is disclosed. The method includes acquiring (by processing circuitry of a computer system) normal force(s) of the vehicle, comprising a rear wheel normal force, and detecting (by the processing circuitry) risk of upcoming tip-over responsive to the normal force(s) fulfilling a normal force condition. The method may also include acquiring a pitch angle of the vehicle, and detecting the risk of upcoming tip-over may be further responsive to the pitch angle fulfilling a pitch angle condition. The method may also comprise causing a tip-over mitigation action to be performed responsive to detection of the risk of upcoming tip-over.

A control apparatus for a vehicle that includes (i) right and left front wheels, (ii) a front-wheel drive apparatus which is configured to drive the front wheels, (iii) right and left rear wheels and (iv) a rear-wheel drive apparatus which is provided independently of the front-wheel drive apparatus and which is configured to drive the rear wheels. The control apparatus includes (a) a pitch-angular-speed calculator configured to calculate an angular speed of a vehicle body that is a body of the vehicle, in a pitch direction of the vehicle body; and (b) a drive controller configured to change a driving force of the front wheels and a driving force of the rear wheels, based on the angular speed of the vehicle body in the pitch direction, for suppressing a posture change of the vehicle body in the pitch direction while keeping a total driving force of the vehicle unchanged.