A slip angle estimation device for a vehicle comprises an imaging device for capturing an image of at least one of the front and the rear of the vehicle and a control unit. The imaging device is a CCD camera including a lens and an imaging sensor. The control unit is configured to determine a plurality of tracking points for a plurality of captured objects, determine an optical flow for the plurality of tracking points based on two images captured at predetermined elapsed time intervals, determine a vanishing point based on intersections of the plurality of optical flows, and calculate a slip angle of the vehicle based on a ratio of a horizontal distance between an image center and the vanishing point to a distance between a lens center of the CCD camera and an imaging sensor.

A vehicle control system includes: a vehicle state detecting device configured to obtain vehicle state information that includes a steering angle of a front wheel; a pitch moment computation unit configured to compute an applied pitch moment to be applied to a vehicle based on the vehicle state information; a deceleration force computation unit configured to compute an applied deceleration force to be generated in the vehicle based on the applied pitch moment; and a deceleration force distribution unit configured to compute a brake device deceleration force to be generated by a brake device and a power plant deceleration force to be generated by a power plant based on the applied deceleration force and state information of the brake device and the power plant.

A vehicle control system includes: a vehicle state detecting device configured to obtain vehicle state information that includes a steering angle of a front wheel; a pitch moment computation unit configured to compute an applied pitch moment to be applied to a vehicle based on the vehicle state information; a deceleration force computation unit configured to compute an applied deceleration force to be generated in the vehicle based on the applied pitch moment; and a deceleration force distribution unit configured to compute a brake device deceleration force to be generated by a brake device and a power plant deceleration force to be generated by a power plant based on the applied deceleration force and state information of the brake device and the power plant.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling yaw of a vehicle while maintaining vehicle speed. In one example, equal and opposite vectoring torques are applied to first and second wheels along with a propulsion torque so that a vehicle yaw moment may be induced without accelerating or decelerating the vehicle.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling yaw of a vehicle while maintaining vehicle speed. In one example, equal and opposite vectoring torques are applied to first and second wheels along with a propulsion torque so that a vehicle yaw moment may be induced without accelerating or decelerating the vehicle.

A vehicle braking control method is provided. When a driver intends to drive a vehicle after the delivery of the vehicle or a factory mechanic intends to test the vehicle before the delivery of the vehicle after the engine is turned on even when a warning light is turned on due to the insufficiency of the brake fluid, a warning signal indicating that a level sensor is malfunctioning is generated using an instrument cluster, or driving torque of the engine is limited while a warning phrase indicating the insufficiency of the brake fluid is displayed using the cluster. Therefore, the vehicle may travel at a minimum speed. Thus, the driver is enabled to drive the vehicle to a safe place. Accordingly, a secondary accident is prevented and a subsequent maintenance operation is easily performed.

A vehicle braking control method is provided. When a driver intends to drive a vehicle after the delivery of the vehicle or a factory mechanic intends to test the vehicle before the delivery of the vehicle after the engine is turned on even when a warning light is turned on due to the insufficiency of the brake fluid, a warning signal indicating that a level sensor is malfunctioning is generated using an instrument cluster, or driving torque of the engine is limited while a warning phrase indicating the insufficiency of the brake fluid is displayed using the cluster. Therefore, the vehicle may travel at a minimum speed. Thus, the driver is enabled to drive the vehicle to a safe place. Accordingly, a secondary accident is prevented and a subsequent maintenance operation is easily performed.

A vehicle includes a powerplant, such as an engine, configured to power front and rear wheels, and a controller. The controller is programmed to, brake a first of the front wheels and a first of the rear wheels while powering a second of the front wheels and a second of the rear wheels to warm those tires, and subsequently brake the second front wheel and the second rear wheel while powering the first front wheel and the first rear wheel to warm those tires.

A vehicle includes a powerplant, such as an engine, configured to power front and rear wheels, and a controller. The controller is programmed to, brake a first of the front wheels and a first of the rear wheels while powering a second of the front wheels and a second of the rear wheels to warm those tires, and subsequently brake the second front wheel and the second rear wheel while powering the first front wheel and the first rear wheel to warm those tires.

A turning behavior control device for a vehicle includes a yaw rate detector, a front wheel suspension, a rear wheel suspension, a brake device, a hydraulic pressure supplier, and a travel controller. The left and right front wheels of the vehicle are steered wheels and drive wheels. The travel controller includes a deviation value calculator configured to calculate a deviation between a standard yaw rate for determining a degree of understeer during turning of the vehicle and a yaw rate detected by the yaw rate detector, and a braking force controller configured to output, to the hydraulic pressure supplier, a first signal for applying braking forces to left and right front wheels in addition to a turning inner rear wheel when it is determined that the deviation calculated by the deviation value calculator exceeds a predetermined deviation reference value.