A travelling control apparatus includes a preceding vehicle information acquiring unit acquiring a preceding vehicle travelling speed pattern indicating a travelling speed change of a preceding vehicle; an energy efficiency index calculation unit calculating an energy efficiency index indicating a degree of improvement in an energy efficiency of the vehicle, in the case where the vehicle travels based on an own vehicle travelling speed pattern indicating a travelling speed change of the vehicle when the vehicle travels tracking the preceding vehicle; a compatibility index calculation unit calculating a compatibility index indicating a degree of compatibility between the vehicle and a following vehicle based on a travelling speed of the vehicle and the following vehicle; and a control unit performing a coasting travel determination determining whether to perform a coasting travel of the vehicle based on a degree of the energy efficiency index and the compatibility index.

An engine stop control device is provided for a vehicle that ensures a sufficient operation frequency of coast stop operation during travel on a congested road, thereby to improve practical fuel economy. The vehicle has an engine that is capable of being restarted. A controller is configured to stop the engine automatically when the vehicle, after experiencing a travel with a vehicle speed VSP exceeding a first threshold value, decreases the speed below a CS (coast stop) start vehicle speed. The controller is further configured to set a second threshold value below the first threshold value. The controller is further configured, after starting from an engine automatic stop due to the coast stop control and when the vehicle experiences travel exceeding the second threshold value without exceeding the first threshold value, to permit the automatic engine stop due to the coast stop control at least once.

A cruise control system capable of: determining, by a controller, whether the vehicle is in a cruise mode-on state; determining, by the controller, an operation mode of the vehicle selected by a driver; and when it is determined that the vehicle is in the cruise mode-on state, performing, by the controller, cruise control of the vehicle for the operation mode selected by the driver, and a method therefor. Herein, the operation mode includes an eco mode which performs driving control prioritizing fuel consumption reduction.

A vehicle control device includes a controller configured to perform: ignition starting of an engine when a detected crank angle is within a first area in which the ignition starting of the engine may be performed with probability not smaller than a first predetermined value; and the ignition starting of the engine while increasing an engine speed by engaging a clutch to transmit torque of a drive wheel to a crankshaft when the crank angle is within a second area in which the ignition starting of the engine may be performed with probability not smaller than a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value and smaller than the first predetermined value, the instruction is output based on a signal indicating that a braking unit is turned on, and a gear of a transmission is not in neutral.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for guiding a driver in coasting of an eco-friendly vehicle at an appropriate timing in a situation where deceleration is needed, which can enable economic driving through energy savings and improve the mileage and fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for guiding a driver in coasting of an eco-friendly vehicle at an appropriate timing in a situation where deceleration is needed, which can enable economic driving through energy savings and improve the mileage and fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

The invention concerns a method for automatically controlling a motor vehicle (10) for switching from a “normal” mode to a “freewheel” mode, the vehicle (10) comprising an engine (12) capable of providing engine torque to drive wheels (14) via an automatically controlled clutch device (18) that comprises a drive shaft (15) and a driven shaft (16). A transition step (E1) is interposed chronologically between the “normal” mode and the “freewheel mode” during which the engine (12) is automatically controlled in such a way that the driven shaft (16) and the drive shaft (15) turn at the same speed without transmitting torque to the drive wheels (14).

A vehicle control system is provided to maintain an SOC level of the battery during autonomous operation of the vehicle. The control system is applied to a vehicle that can be operated autonomously by controlling an engine, a motor, a steering system, a brake system etc. autonomously by a controller, and the vehicle is allowed to coast by manipulating a clutch. During autonomous operation of the vehicle, a first coasting mode in which the engine is stopped and the clutch is disengaged is selected if the SOC level is higher than a threshold level, and a second coasting mode in which the engine is activated and the clutch is disengaged is selected if the SOC level is lower than the threshold level.

A method of controlling the operating mode of a motor vehicle includes transitioning between driving and coasting modes and vice-versa automatically in response to a driver trigger. The method controls an engine of the motor vehicle to bring a driveline driven by the engine via an electronically controlled clutch into a lash state before engaging or disengaging the electronically controlled clutch thereby preventing driveline disturbances from being produced by the transition.

A method detects a driving state of a vehicle. The vehicle has a drive train with at least one drive and an accelerator pedal. A rest state of the accelerator pedal is determined by evaluating an operating point position of the accelerator pedal by a first accelerator pedal gradient in a first time interval, and checking whether the first accelerator pedal gradient within the first time interval is less than a maximum value.