The disclosure relates to a method for controlling an electronically controllable pneumatic braking system for a towing vehicle. The towing vehicle has front axle brake actuators and rear axle brake actuators; a primary system with a primary control unit for controlling the front and rear axle brake actuators; a secondary system with a secondary control unit for controlling the front and rear axle brake actuators in the event that a fault is detected in the primary system and the braking system is controlled by the secondary system; a trailer control valve for providing a trailer brake pressure at a trailer brake pressure port; and a PLC connector for receiving PLC signals from a trailer. The method includes: providing PLC signals received at the PLC connection both in the primary system and in the secondary system; and processing PLC signals in both the primary system and the secondary system.

A method for estimating achievable total braking force for an automated deceleration of a vehicle or vehicle combination includes performing, for each respective one of a plurality of brake units, at least partially applying, in an estimation braking operation by the respective brake unit, an estimation braking force configured to cause deceleration and determining, from measured values, a current deceleration caused by the estimation braking force. The method further includes, for each respective brake unit, determining, a respective braking characteristic value of the respective brake unit, the braking characteristic value representing a ratio between a partial braking force of the respective brake unit and a manipulated variable which is set for the partial braking force of the respective brake unit, and determining a respective achievable partial braking force. The method further includes estimating, as a sum of the respective achievable partial braking forces, the achievable total braking force.

A retrofit pneumatic circuit complements an existing factory braking system to preserve the original function of the driver's foot pedal while also adding the ability for a computer to actuate the brakes separately and independently. In the event where both the primary and secondary drivers are actuating the brakes at any time, the braking force applied is the maximum of the two. In the preferred approach, a shuttle valve is connected between a primary proportional valve and a copy of that proportional valve. Directional control valves are also included to isolate both the input and the output portions of the secondary circuit in order to enforce positive shutdown of computer control. One directional valve blocks a supply pressure to prevent bleeding of the system in any situation where pressure is requested when computer control is supposed to be disabled. A second directional valve vents any built-up pressure to the atmosphere, so that any residual pressure does not actuate the brakes after computer control is disabled.

A method for minimizing disturbance due to wind forces of a trailer being towed by a vehicle. The method also includes receiving, at a data processing hardware data from a sensor system for the tow vehicle. The method also includes determining, at the data processing hardware, a passing object profile. The method also includes predicting, at the data processing hardware, a wind force profile based upon the sensor data the passing object profile. The method also includes determining, at the data processing hardware, at least one preventative action for the vehicle to minimize the effect of disturbance on the trailer.

A method and a device for operating a tractor including a trailer. The method includes detecting the surroundings behind the tractor through the clearance underneath the trailer using a surroundings sensor system, which, for this purpose, is mounted close to the roadway surface from the tractor, in particular underneath a connection between the tractor and the trailer, the surroundings sensor system including at least one video sensor. The method further includes determining objects in these surroundings, which are not encompassed by the trailer, by recognizing individual, in particular moving, integral parts of the trailer as such and excluding these in a targeted manner, determining a driving strategy for the tractor depending on the objects in the surroundings, and operating the tractor depending on the driving strategy.

An electropneumatic trailer control module (1) includes a trailer control connection (6) configured to deliver a trailer control pressure (pTC), an electropneumatic trailer control valve arrangement (20) configured to receive a supply pressure (pS) and to provide the trailer control pressure (pTC) and an electronic trailer control connection (24) for providing trailer braking control signals (STB) such that the trailer control pressure (pTC) can be modulated. The electropneumatic trailer control module (1) is characterized by a protection connection (10) for receiving a pneumatic protection pressure (pPR), and a tractor protection unit (22) configured to switch between a supply state (60) and a protection state (56). The invention further relates to an electropneumatic braking system (100), a vehicle (200) and a method (300) for controlling a trailer supply function of an electropneumatic braking system (100).

Disclosed is a vehicle control method which comprises the steps of: determining whether or not a squat of a rear end of a vehicle body is equal to or greater than a given level; determining whether or not turning manipulation of a steering device has been made; and, when the turning manipulation of the steering device is determined to have been made, controlling each part of an engine (4) to reduce an output torque of the engine (4), wherein, in response to the determination that the turning manipulation of the steering device has been made, a reduction amount of the output torque of the engine is increased when the squat of the rear end of the vehicle body is equal to or greater than the given level, as compared to when the squat is less than the given level.

A method for adjusting brake pressures at pneumatically actuated wheel brakes of a vehicle includes receiving an external braking demand. The method further includes, in response to the received external braking demand, performing, during each of a plurality of computation cycles: (i) ascertaining control signals for pressure control valves of the pneumatically actuated wheel brakes of the vehicle, (ii) continuously ascertaining a differential slip value, wherein the differential slip value is a difference between a slip of two axles of the vehicle and is determined by measuring signals supplied by speed sensors of wheels of the vehicle, (iii) evaluating the differential slip value with respect to a predefined or adjustable setpoint differential slip value, (iv) based on the evaluation of the differential slip value, adapting the ascertained control signals, and (v) releasing the adapted control signals to the pressure control valves.

A computer implemented method for controlling at least one driven and/or braked wheel of a heavy-duty vehicle. The method includes obtaining a motion request indicative of a desired longitudinal acceleration and/or longitudinal force associated with the vehicle, and configuring a wheel slip limit value indicative of a maximum allowable wheel slip by the at least one driven and/or braked wheel at a nominal value, and increasing the wheel slip limit value from the nominal value to a boost wheel slip value in response to detecting a boost signal, as well as controlling the at least one driven and/or braked wheel in dependence of the motion request and subject to the wheel slip limit value.

A vehicle braking system including a control unit (340) which is operable to communicate with at least one sensor (320, 350), the sensor (320, 350) being operable to provide signals corresponding to a characteristic of a vehicle to the control unit (340), and the control unit (340) being in communication with a brake demand source (300) to receive brake demand data, and the control unit (340) also being in communication with a plurality of wheel end units, each wheel end unit including a brake torque control unit (310) which is operable to control an associated brake actuator to apply a braking torque dependent upon a signal received from the control unit (340).