A method for controlling a start time of an engine in a hybrid vehicle includes: generating, by a controller, an engine start command before executing start control of the engine in response to an acceleration signal output from an acceleration pedal sensor; determining, by the controller, a gradient of a road on which the hybrid vehicle travels; controlling, by the controller, a hybrid starter-generator to operate by controlling the engine to start depending on the engine start command when it is determined that the gradient of the road is present; and controlling, by the controller, electric power of the hybrid starter-generator to charge a battery which provides electric power to a motor. The controller controls an engine clutch so that the motor is not engaged with the engine.

A vehicle control system is provided which includes a travel controller working to execute a coasting mode to cut transmission of drive power, as produced by an engine to a drive wheel of the vehicle when a given execution condition is encountered while the vehicle is traveling. The travel controller determines a threshold value, as used for comparison with a position of an accelerator, based on the speed of the vehicle. When the position of the accelerator is determined to be smaller than the threshold value, the travel controller executes the coasting mode. This improves the fuel economy in the vehicle without sacrificing traveling of the vehicle according to a driver's operation on the accelerator.

A method for starting and operating an engine of a mild hybrid vehicle following start-up is disclosed for an engine having low and high voltage starting devices, and controlled by an electronic controller. The method comprises using the high voltage starting device as a motor to crank the engine whenever possible so as to partially discharge a high voltage battery. The method further comprises using the high voltage starting device as a generator after starting the engine if the exhaust gas temperature needs to be increased so as to assist with light-off of one or more exhaust gas after treatment devices.

An electronic device extracts feature data from an input image, calculates one or more class maps from the feature data using a classifier layer, calculates one or more cluster maps from the feature data using a clustering layer, and generates image segmentation data using the one or more class maps and the one or more cluster maps.

A launch control method for a vehicle with a dry-type clutch includes: determining a target engine speed corresponding to an operation amount of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle when vehicle launch is started by operation of the accelerator pedal; calculating a feedforward component which is part of the torque to control the clutch using a rate of change over time of the target engine speed and a current engine torque; calculating a feedback component which is part of the torque to control the clutch based on a difference between the target engine speed and the current engine speed; calculating a compensation torque using a current engine torque and an estimated clutch torque which is estimated to be currently transferred by the clutch; and controlling a clutch actuator to drive the clutch with a sum of the feedforward component, the feedback component, and the compensation torque.

A vehicle control system is provided which includes a travel controller working to execute a coasting mode to cut transmission of drive power, as produced by an engine to a drive wheel of the vehicle when a given execution condition is encountered while the vehicle is traveling. The travel controller determines a threshold value, as used for comparison with a position of an accelerator, based on the speed of the vehicle. When the position of the accelerator is determined to be smaller than the threshold value, the travel controller executes the coasting mode. This improves the fuel economy in the vehicle without sacrificing traveling of the vehicle according to a driver's operation on the accelerator.

A motor vehicle having a braking device and drive engine which can be used independently of one another for decelerating the vehicle. A method of controlling the vehicle during a thrust operation includes steps of detecting a requirement to change a currently engaged first gear in a transmission that transfers the braking force from the engine; determining a first deceleration brought about by the engine in the first gear; determining a second deceleration brought about by the engine in a second gear to be engaged; and changing the gear by disengaging a clutch that couples the engine to the transmission, the first gear is disengaged, the second gear is engaged, and the clutch is again engaged. In this case, the braking device is controlled, during the gear change, in such manner that any jerk experienced by the vehicle is below a predetermined value.

A launch control method for a vehicle with a dry-type clutch includes: determining a target engine speed corresponding to an operation amount of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle when vehicle launch is started by operation of the accelerator pedal; calculating a feedforward component which is part of the torque to control the clutch using a rate of change over time of the target engine speed and a current engine torque; calculating a feedback component which is part of the torque to control the clutch based on a difference between the target engine speed and the current engine speed; calculating a compensation torque using a current engine torque and an estimated clutch torque which is estimated to be currently transferred by the clutch; and controlling a clutch actuator to drive the clutch with a sum of the feedforward component, the feedback component, and the compensation torque.

When a rotational fluctuation NEeng of an engine is equal to or larger than a first threshold NEref1, a rotational fluctuation NEmg1 of a motor MG1 that is calculated at a timing preceding the rotational fluctuation NEeng of the engine by 180 degrees in terms of a rotational angle of a crankshaft is compared with a second threshold NEref2. When the rotational fluctuation NEmg1 is equal to or larger than the second threshold NEref2, it is determined that the rotational fluctuation NEeng of the engine has reached a value equal to or larger than a threshold NEref due to a disturbance such as running on a bad road or the like, and a misfire counter is maintained. When the rotational fluctuation NEmg1 is smaller than the second threshold NEref2, it is determined that a misfire may be occurring in at least one of cylinders of the engine, and the misfire counter is incremented.

A diagnostic system of a vehicle for diagnosing a drive belt of a continuously variable transmission. A diagnostic circuit detects or predicts a fault of the drive belt based on an operating parameter received from a sensor associated with the vehicle during a predetermined diagnostic period.