A hybrid electric vehicle and method of its control include a parallel hybrid powertrain including an engine, a transmission, a battery system, a first electric motor coupled to the engine by a first clutch between the engine and the first electric motor, a second electric motor coupled to the transmission and to the first electric motor by a second clutch between the first and second electric motors, and a controller configured to control the parallel hybrid powertrain for optimal operation across a plurality of different propulsion and charging modes, including calculating cost values for each of the engine and the first and second electric motors and selecting optimal propulsion and charging modes based on the calculated cost values.

A drive torque control device of a vehicle that includes a drive source for generating a drive source torque, a brake mechanism for generating a braking toque, and a drive wheel for driving the vehicle. The drive torque control device includes a target drive wheel torque calculator configured to calculate a target drive wheel torque, a drive source torque control unit configured to estimate a drive source torque limit value, calculate a target drive source torque based on the target drive wheel torque and the drive source torque limit value, and control the generation of the drive source torque by the drive source based on the target drive source torque, and a braking torque control unit configured to calculate a target braking torque based on the target drive wheel torque and the target drive source torque, and control the generation of the braking torque by the brake mechanism based on the target braking torque.

A transmission includes an input shaft coupled to a prime mover, a countershaft, main shaft, and an output shaft, with gears between the countershaft and the main shaft. A shift actuator selectively couples the input shaft to the main shaft by rotatably coupling gears between the countershaft and the main shaft. The shift actuator is mounted on an exterior wall of a housing including the countershaft and the main shaft. An integrated actuator housing includes a single external power access for the shift actuator. A controller interprets a shaft displacement angle, determines if the transmission is in an imminent zero or zero torque region, and performs a transmission operation in response to the transmission in the imminent zero or zero torque region.

A method for operating an internal combustion engine of a drivetrain of a vehicle during launching. The vehicle has an exhaust-gas aftertreatment system for purifying exhaust gas of the engine. After a starting operation of the engine, the drivetrain is operated in a first operating state. In this first operating state, the engine is operated at idle, the exhaust-gas aftertreatment system is heated by the internal combustion engine, and a launch prohibition is active. The launch prohibition that is active in the first operating state prevents launching using the internal combustion engine. After a predefined state of the exhaust-gas aftertreatment system has been attained, the drivetrain is operated in a second operating state. The launch prohibition is inactive in the second operating state, such that launching using the engine is possible in the second operating state.

A hybrid electric vehicle includes an engine and an electric machine, both capable of providing propulsion power. A clutch is configured to selectively couple the engine to the electric machine. At times, the vehicle may be subject to excessive loads, such as a large amount of weight in the vehicle or the vehicle towing another object. At least one controller is programmed to engage the clutch and start the engine in response to a load of the vehicle exceeding a predetermined threshold and a release of the brake pedal while the vehicle is stopped and in drive. This increases available engine torque prior to vehicle launch in anticipation of an upcoming acceleration demand.

A traction motor of a hybrid electric vehicle drives a primary pump to provide pressurized hydraulic fluid to engage a power flow path of a multi-ratio transmission. To reduce fuel consumption, the motor is maintained at zero speed until a shift lever is moved into a drive position. After a power flow path is established, the motor speed is again reduced to zero until a driver demands torque by pressing an accelerator pedal. While the traction motor is stationary, an auxiliary pump maintains the fluid pressure to keep the transmission power flow path engaged.

The disclosed technology enables an in-vehicle control computer located in an autonomous vehicle to control torque applied by an engine in the autonomous vehicle. An example method of autonomous driving operation includes sending, by a computer located on the vehicle, instructions to one or more devices located on the vehicle that cause the vehicle to perform autonomous driving related operations in accordance with the instructions, where the sending the instructions includes sending a set of torque related values over time to control an engine located in the vehicle, where the set of torque related values are not converted to control parameters indicative of positions associated with an accelerator pedal located in the vehicle; receiving an indication that indicates that the accelerator pedal is depressed from an undepressed position; and causing, in response to the receiving the indication, the vehicle to not perform additional autonomous driving related operations.

Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle hill control. An example of a method may include during a vehicle stopped condition, operating with a clutch of a transmission engaged to mechanically lock the transmission, the transmission having a plurality of power inputs including receiving input from an electric machine and a prime mover; releasing at least one of the clutch or a service brake, and while releasing, concurrently adjusting an output magnitude of the electric machine responsive to speed control to control to a zero vehicle speed. In some examples, the method may further include learning a torque output of the electric machine required to maintain the zero vehicle speed upon fully releasing the clutch or service brake. In an example, the method may include estimating a road grade based on the learned torque output.

Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle. In one example, a method for the vehicle includes adjusting an output torque of an electric machine to produce a desired vehicle speed and direction of propulsion while operating an auxiliary load powered via the transmission. The output torque may be adjusted while disengaging clutches of a transmission or a service brake to mechanically unlock an output shaft of the transmission. The first electric machine may be operated in a speed control to learn an amount to torque to hold the vehicle speed at zero and the amount of learned torque may be superimposed with an amount of requested torque upon vehicle launch.

A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a first motor, a planetary gear mechanism, a second motor, a battery, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to: set a shift stage based on a depression amount of an accelerator and a vehicle speed or a driver's operation; set a base driving force based on the degree of the depression amount of the accelerator, the vehicle speed, and a target rotation speed; set a correction driving force such that the correction driving force increases with an increase in elapsed time after upshifting or an increase in the vehicle speed after upshifting when the shift stage upshifts; and control the engine, the first motor, and the second motor such that a driving force obtained by correcting the base driving force using the correction driving force is output to the drive shaft.