A propulsion system, control system, and method are provided for optimizing fuel economy, which use model predictive control systems to generate a plurality of sets of possible command values and determine a cost for each set of possible command values based on weighting values, a plurality of predicted values, and a plurality of requested values. The set of possible command values having the lowest cost is determined. A linearized axle torque requested value and a linearized axle torque measured value are each created by subtracting an estimated disturbance. The estimated disturbance is determined based on a model of a relationship between measured engine output torque and measured transmission ratio. The linearized axle torque measured value is used to compute the predicted values, which are used to determine the cost. The linearized axle torque requested value is also used to determine the cost.

Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing an in-range error of a pressure sensor arranged downstream of a lift pump in a fuel system of a vehicle. In one example, a method may include performing feedback control of the lift pump based on output of the pressure sensor, monitoring the pressure sensor output for flattening during the application of the voltage pulses, and adjusting operation of the fuel system depending on whether the pressure sensor output flattens for at least a threshold duration, which is indicative of an in-range error. The method may further include dynamically learning a setpoint pressure of a pressure relief valve of the fuel system and a fuel vapor pressure within the fuel system by monitoring pressure sensor output while adjusting the duty cycle of voltage pulses applied to the lift pump.

A method of controlling a powertrain of a vehicle includes opening and/or closing one or more of a first switching device, a second switching device, a third switching device, and engaging and/or disengaging at least one of a pair of actuators for a starter mechanism or a motor/generator clutch. Many different control modes are provided for the powertrain by changing the operation of a motor-generator between a motor or a generator, and changing the electrical connections between a first energy storage device, a second energy storage device, an auxiliary electric system, the starter mechanism, and the motor-generator.

Systems and methods for improving fuel economy in vehicles such as Class 8 trucks are provided. In some embodiments, signals indicating states of the powertrain are collected and used to generate fuel rate optimization values. Fuel rate optimization values may indicate a difference between optimum fuel flow rates and actual fuel flow rates during a vehicle drive cycle. Recorded fuel rate optimization values may be used to compare different vehicle configurations during testing, and may also be used to evaluate vehicle performance during real-world operation.

A method is for calculating a management setpoint for the consumption of fuel and of electric current by a hybrid motor vehicle including at least one electric motor that is supplied with electric current by a traction battery and an internal combustion engine that runs on fuel. The method includes: dividing a journey into segments; acquiring attributes for each segment; for each segment, acquiring a relationship between the fuel and electrical consumption; determining an optimal consumption point in each acquired relationship to maximize discharging the traction battery over the segments for which use of the internal combustion engine is not authorized, minimize the fuel consumption of the hybrid motor vehicle over the entire journey, and maximize the discharging of the traction battery upon completion of the journey; and developing a setpoint for power management over the entire journey, according to the coordinates of the optimal points.

A method for operating a main vehicle along a trajectory, the vehicle belonging to a fleet of vehicles, the main vehicle including a powertrain controlled by a control unit. To diminish the consumption of the vehicle, the method includes analyzing, by an external server, consumption data of each vehicles of the fleet of vehicles having previously travelled on said trajectory; based on the analyzed consumption data, identifying, by the external server, an improvable-consumption section of the trajectory; and providing to the control unit from the external server with instructions to restrict consumption of the powertrain on the improvable-consumption section.

The system described herein provides a sensor-based assessment of attention interruptibility. In a driving scenario, this system solves a persistent safety issue with regard to dangerous interruptions as they increase driver workload and reduce performance on the primary driving task. Being able to identify when a driver is interruptible is critical for building systems that can mediate these interruptions. The present invention utilizes sensor data collected from wearable devices and on-board diagnostics which can be used as input to build a machine learning classifier that can determine driver interruptibility in real-time.

A computing device-implemented method includes receiving data representative of one or more operational parameters for a vehicle, calculating the fuel rate required for an internal combustion engine of the vehicle to respond to the operational parameters, determining if the required fuel rate exceeds a threshold which would cause a state change in the performance of the internal combustion engine, if the required fuel rate exceeds the threshold, calculating an amount of assistance required for an electric hybrid traction motor to provide to a drivetrain of the vehicle to implement the received operational parameters of the vehicle, and providing the amount of assistance to the drivetrain of the vehicle, thereby preventing the state change in the performance of the internal combustion engine.

An ECU is applied to a hybrid vehicle that is equipped with an internal combustion engine and a second motor-generator, which are configured to output a driving force for running. The hybrid vehicle is configured to run with the internal combustion engine in intermittent operation. Also, the ECU is configured to calculate an amount of dilution water that is mixed into oil in the internal combustion engine to dilute the oil. The ECU is configured to operate the internal combustion engine when the amount of the dilution water becomes larger than a first threshold.

A method and apparatus for providing an advised driving speed to a driver of a vehicle travelling on a road network is disclosed. The method comprises determining an advised driving speed of a vehicle for a portion of the road network currently being traversed, determining a current speed of the vehicle on the portion of the road network, and determining a speed limit and/or an expected driving speed for the portion of the road network. An indication of the advised driving speed is then provided to the driver of the vehicle when: (i) the current speed of the vehicle is greater than a first threshold value based on the advised driving speed; and (ii) the speed limit and/or the expected driving speed is greater than a second threshold value. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for determining a score indicative of the compliance of a driver of a vehicle to an advised driving speed during a journey on a road network.