A method and apparatus is disclosed for determining the available gears of a geared vehicle based on the ratios of vehicle speed to engine speed, together with a method and apparatus for determining the current gear in which a geared vehicle is being driven based on the current ratio of vehicle speed to engine speed.

A method and apparatus for evaluating an advised driving speed of a vehicle traversing a particular portion of a road network is disclosed. The method comprises accessing first predetermined data indicative of the variation in average fuel consumption for the vehicle with speed of the vehicle, using the first predetermined data to determine data indicative of average fuel consumption for the vehicle for a plurality of speeds within a range based on a speed limit for the portion of the road network being traversed, and evaluating the advised driving speed of the vehicle based at least in part on the determined data indicative of average fuel consumption for the vehicle for the range of speeds. The evaluation of the advised driving speed may further be based on second predetermined data indicative of the variation in a likelihood of the vehicle being in the highest gear with speed of the vehicle.

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.

A method and apparatus for providing an indication to a driver of a geared vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear is disclosed. The method comprises determining a current gear of the vehicle and determining a current speed of a drive unit of the vehicle. An indication is then provided to the driver of the vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear when: (i) the determined current speed of the drive unit is greater than a predetermined threshold; and (ii) the determined current gear of the vehicle is less than a maximum gear of the vehicle. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for determining a score indicative of the amount of time during a journey on a road network that a geared vehicle is driven in an optimal gear.

A method and apparatus is disclosed for evaluating the driving of a vehicle performing a journey on a road network, comprising determining at least one constant speed zone of the road network, a constant speed zone being a portion of the road network at which the vehicle can travel at a constant speed, said determination being based upon expected speeds of travel along the road network determined from positional data relating to the movements of a plurality of vehicles over time along the road network. A speed of the vehicle traversing the road network is determined at a plurality of times during the journey, and a value indicative of a consistency of the speed of the vehicle within the at least one constant speed zone is further determined.

A traffic information providing system includes a traffic information collector configured to collect information on traffic flow. A traffic information generator is configured to detect a speed change point at which an average vehicle speed on a road changes based on the information on the traffic flow and to generate traffic information including position information on the speed change point and a target speed after a vehicle passes the speed change point. A traffic information provider is configured to transmit the traffic information to a vehicle controller for automatically controlling acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle based on the target speed.

A vehicle, system and method for improving driving efficiency for a first host vehicle with at least one propulsion unit and at least one energy storage unit are provided. The method comprises; determining a first set of parameters which affects driving efficiency before a driving session with the first host vehicle is initiated and providing input indicative thereof to a user interface or an autonomous or semi-autonomous driving system of the first host vehicle, monitoring a second set of parameters which affects driving efficiency during the driving session of the first host vehicle, comparing parameters of the first and second set of parameters with corresponding parameters received from at least one second host vehicle, and in response to identified differences between parameters of the first and second host vehicle, and providing input indicative thereof to the user interface or the autonomous or semi-autonomous driving system of the first host vehicle.

[Problem] A transmission structure that may improve a traveling feeling when a drive traveling state is interrupted in traveling and then the drive traveling state is resumed is provided. [Solution] A control device actuates a clutch actuator so that only a clutch mechanism on a most downstream side in a transmission direction in a selected shift gear is brought to a disengaged state when receiving a power cut-off signal in a state in which a traveling state change member is subjected to a forward operation or a reverse operation, and, actuates the clutch actuator so that only the clutch mechanism on the most downstream side in the transmission direction in the selected presumed shift gear is brought to a disengaged state based on a traveling state, and in addition, actuates a gear shift actuator so that a gear ratio of a continuously variable transmission mechanism that realizes a vehicle speed at that time point in the presumed shift gear is obtained while the power cut-off signal is valid, and actuates the clutch actuator so that the clutch mechanism on the most downstream side in the transmission direction in the presumed shift gear at that time point is brought to an engaged state when a cancel signal for canceling the power cut-off signal is input.

Disclosed are a hybrid electric vehicle and a control method thereof. In particular, the hybrid electric vehicle includes: an engine with a supercharger using exhaust gas; a driving motor; and a controller configured to determine whether entry into an acceleration state accompanied by turbo lag of the engine is expected while the engine operates, increase boost pressure of the supercharger before entering the acceleration state when it is determined that the entry into the acceleration state is expected, and control a torque of the driving motor to offset an engine torque of the engine that is increased to increase the boost pressure.