A method for operating a hybrid vehicle includes monitoring, a rotational speed of an internal combustion engine (2) or a rotational speed of an electric machine (3) or a rotational speed of a transmission (4) or a rotational speed of a driven end (5) during travel with the internal combustion engine (2) running and the separating clutch (7) engaged in order to determine an increase in driving resistance. The method also includes, when the monitored rotational speed falls below or reaches a first limiting value, partially disengaging the separating clutch (7) toward a disengagement position in which a torque transmitted by the separating clutch (7) is adjusted such that an idling speed governor of the internal combustion engine (2) accelerates the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine toward the idling speed of the internal combustion engine (2).

A control unit is provided for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine with a shaft, which can be coupled to an electric machine or decoupled from the electric machine. The control unit is designed to couple the electric machine to the internal combustion engine during an engine stop of the internal combustion engine. The control unit causes the electric machine to guide the shaft of the internal combustion engine. The control unit determines that a speed of the guided shaft is equal to or less than a speed threshold value and, in response thereto, decouples the electric machine from the internal combustion engine, such that the internal combustion engine stops without being guided by the electric machine.

A controller causes a clutch to transition from a half-engaged state to an engaged state when a difference in rotational velocity between input and output sides of the clutch falls within a predetermined range in the half-engaged state of the clutch. The controller executes a moving start control to increase an output rotational velocity of a prime mover and cause the clutch to transition to the engaged state when a predetermined first condition is satisfied in the half-engaged state of the clutch.

A hybrid drive device includes an internal combustion engine, an electric machine and an impulse start module which comprises two clutches and a flywheel mass. A method for operating the hybrid device includes opening the first clutch of the impulse-start module and establishing a start-up requirement for the internal-combustion engine. The method also includes closing the first clutch with the second clutch in an open or closed position for a start of the internal-combustion engine.

Systems and methods are shown for meeting wheel torque demand in a hybrid vehicle with an engine, a dual clutch transmission coupled to a driveline of the vehicle downstream of the engine, and an electric machine coupled to the driveline downstream of the dual clutch transmission. In one example, a method includes transferring transmission input torque through a clutch of the dual clutch transmission controlled to a first capacity, and, in response to a desired transmission input torque exceeding the capacity, increasing torque output of the electric machine coupled downstream of the dual clutch transmission to assist in meeting a wheel torque demand. In this way, a driver-requested increase in acceleration may be met under conditions where transmission input torque is limited by clutch capacity.

A method of controlling a mode transition of a hybrid vehicle includes determining whether a mode transition from a first mode to a second mode is required based on a first torque, the first torque being a current required torque. A second torque, which is a required torque expected to be generated at a near-future time from a current time, is also determined. A predicted gear shift time point and a predicted engagement time point of an engine clutch are determined based on the second torque. The mode transition to the second mode is performed when it is determined that the mode transition to the second mode is required and the predicted engagement time point is earlier than the predicted gear shift time point.

A travel control apparatus including a driving level switching portion switching to a first driving automation level involving a driver responsibility to monitor surroundings or a second driving automation level not involving the driver responsibility to monitor the surroundings, a distance measurement device measuring an inter-vehicle distance to a forward vehicle, and a microprocessor. The microprocessor performs controlling an equipment according to the inter-vehicle distance so as to follow the forward vehicle, controlling the equipment so that the self-driving vehicle starts when the inter-vehicle distance increases up to a predetermined value, and determining a first predetermined value as the predetermined value when the driving automation level is switched to the first driving automation level and a second predetermined value larger than the first predetermined value as the predetermined value when the driving automation level is switched to the second driving automation level.

System and methods are provided for improving fuel economy of a hybrid vehicle. A hybrid vehicle may include an EV driving mode, where the motor alone powers the hybrid vehicle. However, use of such a driving mode may be limited to conditions involving low drive force and power requests due to motor and battery power specifications. In some circumstances, the conditions during which the motor can be used to power the hybrid vehicle can be expanded. Such conditions may include instances where the driver only seeks light accelerations for a short period of time. Such an expanded EV mode may be triggered when the hybrid vehicle is travelling a downhill grade.

A control method for operating an automated manual transmission system having a fuel-controlled engine, a multiple-speed change-gear transmission and a clutch drivingly interposed between the engine and an input shaft of the transmission is provided. The control method determines a rate of throttle change of a throttle pedal. The clutch is engaged at a first clutch engagement rate based on the rate of throttle change being greater than a threshold. The clutch is engaged at a second clutch engagement rate in a blended pedal mode that is proportional to an amount of throttle percentage engagement based on the rate of throttle change being less than the threshold. The first and second clutch engagement rates are distinct.

A driving force control device for saddled vehicle includes a transmission that transmits driving force of an engine to a driving wheel of a vehicle at predetermined reduction ratio; a clutch that connects/disconnects the driving force between the engine and the transmission; and a controller that controls the transmission and the clutch. The controller permits selection of a normal mode in which the reduction ratio of the transmission is varied according to a running condition and a slow mode permitting slow forward movement and slow backward movement by varying the reduction ratio of the transmission to a fixed reduction ratio according to predetermined operation, and the controller holds the clutch in a partial clutch engagement condition so as to prevent the vehicle from moving forward or backward when the slow mode is selected and no predetermined operation is performed.