A vehicle control apparatus is applied to a vehicle including an engine as traveling drive source and a clutch device in a power transmission path connected to an output shaft of the engine. The vehicle control apparatus causes the vehicle to be in a coasting state by reducing power transmitted in the path by clutch device operation upon satisfaction of a predetermined implementation condition, and cancels coasting state by clutch device operation upon satisfaction of a predetermined coasting cancellation condition including at least an accelerator condition during coasting. The vehicle control apparatus includes a travel determination section determining coasting state of the vehicle, and a clutch control section performing half-clutch control during coasting at least at one of at the beginning of coasting and immediately before coasting is cancelled, the half-clutch control setting a degree of clutch device engagement to an intermediate degree.

Provided is a vehicle control method that performs basic self-driving control configured to automatically control the travel of a host vehicle based on an intervehicle distance between the host vehicle and a preceding vehicle. When a traffic jam on a travel lane of the host vehicle is detected, low torque travel control configured to cause the host vehicle to travel by a drive torque lower than a drive torque determined based on the basic self-driving control is performed, and when the intervehicle distance exceeds, in the low torque travel control, a predetermined upper limit distance larger than a set during-vehicle-stop intervehicle distance serving as a reference for the start or the stop of the host vehicle in the basic self-driving control, the low torque travel control is switched to the basic self-driving control.

An autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle and maneuvering method for a vehicle for overcoming an obstacle may include detecting the obstacle in front of and/or behind the motor vehicle by a detection device, moving the motor away from the obstacle to come to a standstill at a defined distance x, wherein the running direction of a wheel is facing towards the obstacle. The method may also include accelerating the motor vehicle toward the obstacle within a power-limiting range of a drive unit of the vehicle. The power-limiting range may be a power-limiting range of an electric motor powering the vehicle.

A vehicle control method is provided such that when a host vehicle is stopped at a front of a vehicle line of vehicles in accordance with a stop signal of a traffic light at an intersection, the engine is stopped by using an idle stop control. When either a left-turn or a right-turn will be made after the traffic light changes to a go signal, a presence or an absence of a traveling body, which is stopped on a side of or behind the host vehicle in a direction from which the host vehicle is turning, is detected during the stop signal. Upon determining the traveling body is stopped on the side of host vehicle, restarting of the engine is placed on standby even when the traffic light turns to the go signal, and the engine is restarted in accordance with a behavior of the traveling body.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling a distribution between engine and motor torques for a hybrid electric vehicle operating in a creep mode of operation in response to an engine start request. In one example, responsive to a request to start an engine while a vehicle is being propelled at a predetermined wheel creep torque via an electric motor positioned downstream of a transmission and a torque converter, coordinating an electric motor torque and an engine torque in one of a first mode, second mode, or a third mode depending on whether the electric motor can continue to provide the predetermined wheel creep torque. In this way, engine idle speed may be minimized depending on vehicle operating conditions, which may improve fuel economy.

Methods and systems are provided for providing off-road capabilities in electric vehicles with a single gear reduction. In one example, when a 44 mode is selected in an electric vehicle, a relationship between motor torque and accelerator pedal position is changed so as to increase the vehicle creep wheel torque. A degree of increase of the creep wheel torque is adjusted as a function of the terrain on which the vehicle is off-roading.

Systems and methods for operating a vehicle that includes an engine and an electric machine are described. In one example, electric machine torque is adjusted according to a wheel torque in a wheel torque creep mode where an engine provides torque to vehicle wheels. Operating the electric machine in this way may allow the electric machine to emulate wheel creep torque that is generated via an engine.

A hybrid powertrain includes a torque provider, an automatic transmission without a torque converter, and a transfer case configured for providing four wheel drive low range. A controller receives a signal indicative of the transfer case being in low range and determines if brake pedal torque is indicative of a brake pedal being released and, if so, commands engagement of a launch clutch of the transmission up to maximum creep torque capacity at a predetermined maximum gradient. The controller determines when torque provider speed is synchronized with vehicle creep speed, and upon such determination, controls the launch clutch to fully engage to a lock up state to mimic behavior of engagement of a manual transmission gear when the hybrid powertrain is in low range to thereby substantially eliminate a time lag associated with automatic transmissions having a torque converter or a constantly slipping launch clutch.

A vehicle control apparatus includes a controller configured to perform creep traveling control in which a vehicle is caused to travel regardless of an accelerator operation. When one or both of front wheels or one or both of rear wheels of the vehicle are determined as having moved onto a step by the controller after the creep traveling control starts, the controller causes a target vehicle speed of the creep traveling control to be lower than a first target vehicle speed until the remaining wheels out of the front wheels and the rear wheels are determined as having moved onto the step. The first target vehicle speed is equal to the target vehicle speed having been set before a time when the one or both of the front wheels or the one or both of the rear wheels are determined as having moved onto the step.

An eco-friendly vehicle and a launch control method for an eco-friendly vehicle reduces an unpleasant secondary launch effect based on a gear alignment state of a transmission in a specific situation. The launch control method includes: determining a first condition for enabling a preset stop control when the first condition is satisfied; turning off a control for generating a creep torque of a motor when a brake is released; controlling a transmission in an open state and enabling the control for generating the creep torque; and when a second condition for revolutions per minute (RPM) of the motor is satisfied, controlling the transmission in a lock state through a slip state.