A parking brake controller comprises at least one input for receiving a signal indicative of at least one vehicle factor, a control input for receiving a request to unpark the vehicle, an output for transmitting a control signal to a parking brake valve and control logic. The control logic determines the at least one vehicle factor indicates the vehicle can be unparked, determines an unpark request has been received, and transmits a control signal to the parking brake valve only in response to the unpark request being received while the at least one vehicle factor is being met.

A vehicle control system comprising an electronic processor, the processor comprising an input port for receiving data from a loading apparatus concerning at least one of the weight, dimensions, volume, or location of a load placed or to be placed by the loading equipment into or onto an associated vehicle in which the vehicle control system is fitted, and is programmed to use the data received from the loading apparatus to make control adjustments such that the associated vehicle maintains stability.

A collision avoidance support device for a vehicle that includes an obstacle detection device for detecting an obstacle in front of the vehicle and an electronic control unit configured to perform automatic brake control that automatically applies braking force to a vehicle when it is determined that the obstacle detection device have detected an obstacle and the vehicle may collide with the obstacle, and the electronic control unit is configured to prohibit the automatic brake control when the vehicle is towing a trailer and a friction coefficient of a road surface is determined to be lower than a standard value.

An electronically controlled pneumatic operating brake system, having a backup control pressure for a pneumatic fall back level, wherein the backup control pressure is generated from a compressed air supply which is independent from two compressed air supplies for a front axle circuit and a rear axle circuit. This assures additional pneumatic redundancy and facilitates omitting a pneumatic channel in a foot brake module.

A system for probing properties of a trailer towed by a towing vehicle in a heavy-duty vehicle combination. The system comprises at least one torque generating component for inducing movements of the trailer relative to a yaw axis of the trailer; a control unit configured to, during driving of the vehicle combination, activate the torque generating component and apply a pre-determined control action to the torque generating component so as to excite oscillations of the trailer; and at least one detection unit configured to detect the resulting oscillations of the trailer, wherein the control unit is configured to, based on the detected resulting oscillations, determine one or more properties of the trailer. The invention also relates to a probing method.

A towed vehicle braking system is described that in some embodiments includes a brake pedal connector configured to connect to a brake pedal of a towed vehicle brake in a passenger compartment of a towed vehicle, a power supply circuit in an engine compartment of the towed vehicle coupled to a towed vehicle battery to receive power, and a brake drive system in the engine compartment connected through a wall to the passenger compartment to the brake pedal connector to actuate the brake of the towed vehicle through the brake pedal connector by applying a positive pressure to the brake pedal connector to move the brake pedal. An inertial sensor in the engine compartment detects deceleration of the towed vehicle, and a processor in the engine compartment coupled to the inertial sensor and to the brake drive system causes the brake drive system to actuate the brake in response to the detection of deceleration.

A method performed by a control unit comprised in a vehicle for controlling a distribution of service brake activation between a first vehicle unit and a second vehicle unit of the vehicle is provided. The control unit determines a first periodic brake adjustment and a second periodic brake adjustment to be applied to an electric propulsion system and a service brake system of the vehicle. The control unit determines the first and second periodic brake adjustment, respectively, to adjust a retardation of the vehicle by less than a retardation threshold. The control unit applies the first periodic brake adjustment to the electric propulsion system of the vehicle and applies the second periodic brake adjustment to the service brake system of the vehicle. Applying the first periodic brake adjustment comprises periodically adjusting a charging power of the electric propulsion system of the vehicle. Applying the second periodic brake adjustment comprises periodically adjusting a brake pressure applied to the service brake system of the vehicle. Periodically adjusting the brake pressure applied to the service brake system triggers the service brake system to periodically activate one or more second service brakes of the second vehicle unit of the vehicle.

A vehicle includes: a brake pedal to produce vehicle brake pressure; a trailer brake valve to output a variable trailer brake pressure to a trailer brake of a trailer, the trailer brake valve configured to output the variable trailer brake pressure as a function of the vehicle brake pressure; and an electronic control unit operably coupled to the trailer brake valve and configured to: output a first valve signal to the trailer brake valve to output the trailer brake pressure according to a first vehicle brake pressure curve; and output a second valve signal to the trailer brake valve to output the trailer brake pressure according to a second vehicle brake pressure curve responsively to determining a curve adjustment condition exists. The first vehicle brake pressure curve and/or the second vehicle brake pressure curve is not a single straight line curve.

A method is provided for determining a maximum speed limit for a reversing vehicle combination that includes a towing vehicle and at least one towed trailer. The method includes determining a maneuver that is to be performed by the vehicle combination, simulating the complete maneuver in advance by using a control algorithm and a state space model, thereby obtaining the steering behavior of the vehicle combination during the maneuver, and calculating the maximum speed limit for the vehicle combination during the maneuver by using at least one predefined limiting condition. A maximum speed limit for a reverse assistance function can be estimated in advance, which allows for a faster and more efficient reversing of the vehicle combination, and at the same time allows for an improved comfort for the driver.

A method is provided for determining a maximum speed limit for a reversing vehicle combination that includes a towing vehicle and at least one towed trailer. The method includes determining a maneuver that is to be performed by the vehicle combination, simulating the complete maneuver in advance by using a control algorithm and a state space model, thereby obtaining the steering behavior of the vehicle combination during the maneuver, and calculating the maximum speed limit for the vehicle combination during the maneuver by using at least one predefined limiting condition. A maximum speed limit for a reverse assistance function can be estimated in advance, which allows for a faster and more efficient reversing of the vehicle combination, and at the same time allows for an improved comfort for the driver.