A method for controlling power generation load based on coasting operation may include a first control step for judging whether a coasting operation is being executed, and a step for controlling the power generation load of a generator based on the charged level of a battery if the operation is judged as a coasting operation.

A braking force control apparatus for a saddle ride vehicle includes a transmission controller which reduces driving force of an engine by a predetermined speed reduction ratio and transmits the driving force to a drive wheel, a clutch device which connects—disconnects the driving force between the engine and the transmission, a brake device which generates braking force on the drive wheel, and a sensor which detects a state of the transmission. The transmission switches between a neutral state and an in-gear state, and when the sensor detects that the transmission is switching from the neutral state to the in-gear state, the controller causes the brake device to generate braking force on the drive wheel, and then releases the braking force upon completion of the switching to the in-gear state.

A transmission includes an input shaft coupled to a prime mover, a countershaft, main shaft, and an output shaft, with gears between the countershaft and the main shaft. A shift actuator selectively couples the input shaft to the main shaft by rotatably coupling gears between the countershaft and the main shaft. The shift actuator is mounted on an exterior wall of a housing including the countershaft and the main shaft. An integrated actuator housing includes a single external power access for the shift actuator. A controller interprets controls the shift actuator with actuating and opposing pulses, and interprets a shaft displacement angle, determines if the transmission is in an imminent zero or zero torque region, and performs a transmission operation in response to the transmission in the imminent zero or zero torque region.

In response to a DN operation that changes a shift position SP from a D position to an N position during forward drive in an HV drive mode, then an accelerator position Acc is not less than a reference accelerator position Aref (step S130), a mechanical neutral control is performed to provide a neutral state by releasing transmission of power between an intermediate shaft 32 and a driveshaft 36 by a multi-speed transmission 60 (step S230). An engine and two motors are then controlled to be rotated at rotation speeds close to rotation speeds Nedn, Nm1dn and Nm2dn at the time of DN operation (steps S250, S270 and S280).

A four-wheel drive vehicle includes: a drive-power distribution device for distributing a drive power from an engine to main and auxiliary drive wheels with a drive-power distribution ratio between the main drive wheels and auxiliary drive wheels; and a control apparatus for controlling an electric motor such that the drive-power distribution ratio becomes a target distribution ratio value, by setting an electric-current command value for driving an electric motor. The control apparatus is configured, in a drive-power transmitted state in which the drive power is transmitted to the drive-power distribution device, to execute a command-value reduction control operation for causing the electric motor to be driven with the electric-current command value being set to a value smaller than in a drive-power non-transmitted state in which the drive power is not being transmitted to the drive-power distribution device.

A driving assistance apparatus includes a clutch provided between a drive source and a transmission, a clutch operator with which a driver who drives a vehicle disengages the clutch, a clutch operation detector that detects that the clutch is disengaged, a shift operator with which the driver sets the transmission at least to a neutral position, a shift position detector that detects that the transmission is in the neutral position, a low-speed motor, and a controller that controls a drive force of the low-speed motor. The controller includes a driving mode setter that sets a driving mode of the vehicle to a motor driving mode when the clutch is detected to be disengaged or the transmission is detected to be in the neutral position. The controller stops the drive source and starts the low-speed motor when the driving mode is set to the motor driving mode.

A computer-implemented method includes determining a vehicle configuration indicative of a towing mode setting for the vehicle, which can include a neutral transmission gear setting, a battery conservation mode, or another towing mode setting. The method can include determining at least one vehicle operation characteristic that changes with time while the vehicle is in the towing mode setting, and performing, via a vehicle control module and based at least in part on the towing mode setting and the vehicle operation characteristic, one or more vehicle actions that include generating an alert signal indicative that vehicle damage may occur.

A method for managing electrical Key Off Load (KOL) and other potentially damaging operational conditions in a vehicle while in a neutral mode setting, comprising: determining a vehicle drivetrain is in the neutral mode setting; determining an operational characteristic that changes with time while the vehicle is in the neutral mode setting; performing, via a vehicle control module and based on the neutral mode setting and the operational characteristic, vehicle actions comprising engaging an automated start powertrain activation while the vehicle is in the neutral mode setting.

Disclosed herein are a control device and method for forward collision avoidance in a vehicle. The control device for forward collision avoidance in a vehicle includes a forward object determination unit configured to recognize an object in front of the vehicle and to determine an attribute of the recognized object, a gear position detection unit configured to detect a gear position of the vehicle, and a forward collision-avoidance assist (FCA) control unit configured to finally determine the attribute of the object determined by the forward object determination unit according to the gear position input from the gear position detection unit and to set an FCA control range based on the finally determined object attribute.

Systems and methods for operating a driveline of a hybrid vehicle are described. In one example, a torque of an engine is adjusted in response to an error between an actual electric machine torque and a minimum electric machine torque plus an offset torque. The reduction of engine torque may be performed when a driveline is operating in a speed control mode.