An autonomous vehicle mode regulator system and method comprise transmitting authorization signals from autonomous driving infrastructure on a roadway to a controller module to authorize or inhibit operation of a vehicle in different levels of automation. The controller module controls the level of automation under which the autonomous driving system of the vehicle operates based on the signals received from the autonomous driving infrastructure. In this regard, the controller module can prevent the autonomous driving system of the vehicle from operating in certain levels of automation unless appropriate authorizations signals are received. Similarly, the controller module can permit or even require operation of the vehicle in certain levels of automation upon receipt of certain authorization signals. Still further, the controller module can inhibit or disengage operation of a vehicle in certain levels of automation upon receipt of signals from autonomous driving infrastructure associated with certain driving hazards on the roadway.

A starting control device is provided for an electrically driven vehicle having an electric motor and an internal combustion engine as drive sources and a transmission shifts and transmits an output of the electric motor to a drive wheel. The starting control device is configured to suppress an abrupt increase in the rotation of the electric motor at the time of an EV start of the vehicle from a released state of a starting dog clutch. In the electrically driven vehicle, an EV start is carried out by transmitting the output of the first motor/generator (MG1) to the drive wheel via a starting dog clutch that is meshingly engaged. The output of the first motor/generator is limited until the starting dog clutch comes into a meshed state in which the transmission transmits drive power at the time of start from a released state of the starting dog clutch.

A control system for a mild hybrid vehicle is configured to detect whether a main contactor is open, the main contactor being connected between a primary battery system and a bi-directional direct current to direct current (DC-DC) converter and in response to detecting that the main contactor is open: command the DC-DC converter to operate in a boost mode to excite a motor-generator unit (MGU), after the excitation of the MGU has completed, command the DC-DC converter to operate in a buck mode, determine a previous voltage regulation feedback setpoint for the DC-DC converter, and control the DC-DC converter to maintain a voltage of the secondary battery system within a desired range by inserting a delay to a voltage control loop of the DC-DC converter such that the voltage control loop mimics a bandwidth of the MGU.

Systems and methods for operating a hybrid powertrain that includes an engine and a motor/generator are described. The systems and methods adjust torque converter clutch opening responsive to whether or not a motor/generator is available to provide a negative torque to a driveline. Further, the motor/generator and the vehicle's engine are operated to provide a desired amount of driveline braking.

A vehicle control system includes a central ECU configured to calculate target outputs of actuators, and relay devices each disposed in a communication path between the central ECU and a corresponding actuator among the actuators. The plurality of relay devices includes a specific relay device configured transfer a control signal from the central ECU only to a fixed actuator that is an actuator not related to driving control, braking control, and steering control of a vehicle. The specific relay device is configured to output, to the fixed actuator coupled to the specific relay device, one of a signal for setting the fixed actuator in an operating state or a signal for setting the fixed actuator in a non-operating state, in response to detection of an abnormality in the central ECU. The specific relay device does not have a function of diagnosing an abnormality in the specific relay device.

An electrically operable axle drive train for a motor vehicle, comprising a first vehicle axle having a first electric machine configured to drive a first vehicle wheel of the first vehicle axle, a second electric machine configured to drive a second vehicle wheel of the first vehicle axle, a steering system configured to steer the motor vehicle, and a control unit designed to actuate the steering system. In response to a malfunction of one of the electric machines in which at least one of a lower speed and a lower torque is applied to one of the vehicle wheels than to the other vehicle wheel, the control unit actuates the steering system to a steering position that counteracts a resulting torque that acts on the motor vehicle in response to the malfunction.

In a regular mode of automated driving operation a vehicle is guided to a target position by a main control device and in an emergency mode the vehicle is guided along an intended emergency trajectory into a safe stopping position by an auxiliary control device. The intended emergency trajectory is continuously determined by the main control device in the regular mode and is stored in the auxiliary control device, with a lane course of a lane lying ahead of the vehicle. In the emergency mode, the stored intended emergency operation trajectory is corrected based on the stored lane course and a lane course of the lane of the vehicle continuously determined in the emergency mode. The correction is only undertaken if the continuously determined lane course has previously been evaluated as plausible, the plausibility being checked based on a determined deviation between the stored lane course and the continuously determined lane course.

Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to resolving one or more deficiencies in autonomous driving requirements for a road segment. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving sensor data for a portion of the road segment from at least one sensor of a vehicle, and determining autonomous driving requirements for the portion of the road segment. The method includes identifying the one or more deficiencies in the autonomous driving requirements for the portion of the road segment based on the received sensor data and the determined autonomous driving requirements for the portion of the road segment. The method includes determining an alteration to the portion of the road segment to overcome the one or more deficiencies in the autonomous driving requirements for the portion of the road segment.

Provided is a vehicle control apparatus for controlling a vehicle including an internal combustion engine and an own-vehicle position detection device. The internal combustion engine includes a plurality of cylinders arranged so as to be aligned along the width direction of the vehicle, and an EGR device equipped with an EGR channel configured to connect an exhaust channel with a portion of an intake channel located on the upstream side of a branch portion to the plurality of cylinders. The vehicle control apparatus includes a controller programmed, when a condensed water occurrence condition is met and when predicting turning of the vehicle based on information from the own-vehicle position detection device, to execute a misfire countermeasure process to reduce or avoid misfire, for at least a cylinder located outermost during the turning among the plurality of cylinders, during at least a part of time of the turning.

A fuel evaporation gas purge control method for a hybrid vehicle may include collecting an evaporation gas generated in a fuel tank to a canister; controlling a purge control solenoid valve to provide the evaporation gas collected in the canister to a combustion chamber; monitoring a fault of the purge control solenoid valve; and controlling a torque of an engine by use of a hybrid starter-generator (HSG) when the fault of the purge control solenoid valve is detected.