A method of controlling an engine of a hybrid vehicle includes steps of calculating a maximum torque of an engine at which an engine lambda=1 is maintained; calculating a maximum dischargeable torque of a driving motor; and allowing an operation of the engine having the engine lambda<1 when a torque required by a driver is greater than a sum of the maximum torque of the engine at which the engine lambda=1 is maintained and the maximum dischargeable torque of the driving motor.

A hybrid vehicle includes an engine that has a particulate matter filter, a motor, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to control the engine and the motor such that an intermittent operation of the engine is permitted and the hybrid vehicle travels with required power when a vehicle speed is lower than a first predetermined vehicle speed. The electronic control unit is configured to inhibit the intermittent operation of the engine when a deposition amount of particulate matters is equal to or greater than a first deposition amount and a state in which the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a second predetermined vehicle speed and is lower than the first predetermined vehicle speed is continued for a first predetermined time.

A system for improving performance or efficiency of operation of a vehicle. The system includes a sensor configured to detect current vehicle speed data and current vehicle slope data. The system includes a pedal control unit configured to detect current pedal position data. The system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to determine expected driving power demand based on current vehicle speed data and vehicle slope data. The ECU is configured to determine detected driving power demand based on current pedal position data. The ECU is configured to detect a drafting condition when the expected driving power demand exceeds the detected driving power demand. The ECU is configured to adjust, when the drafting condition is detected, at least one of a chassis control setting, an engine control setting, a transmission control setting, or a hybrid control setting to improve performance or efficiency of operation of the vehicle.

An engine power suppressing device includes a controller which controls an operation of a power changing element which changes engine power for driving a vehicle; and an environment sensor which detects an environment parameter indicating an environment in which the vehicle is used, wherein the controller determines whether or not a power suppressing condition in which a vehicle state is a state in which the engine power is to be suppressed, is met, wherein in a case where the controller determines that the power suppressing condition is met, the controller sets a suppressing value for the power changing element to suppress the engine power, and compensates the suppressing value based on the environment parameter detected by the environment sensor.

A method for operating an internal combustion engine comprises providing a vehicle having an internal combustion gasoline engine including multiple cylinders and wherein the engine is operating in a deactivated cylinder mode, receiving a torque request if a cylinder reactivation torque smoothing mode is active, setting a variable torque ratio to 1.0 if the torque request is greater than a fast exit threshold torque, setting the variable torque ratio to 0.0 if the torque request is less than a slow exit threshold torque, setting the variable torque ratio to a value between 0.0 and 1.0 if the torque request is between the fast exit threshold torque and slow exit threshold torque, and calculating a component of final engine output torque.

A plurality of segments of a predetermined route are identified based on a plurality of transition points. A setting of at least one of a plurality of vehicle subsystems is adjusted according to an assigned operating mode when a vehicle enters one of the segments. The vehicle subsystems are actuated according to the assigned operating mode. The assigned operating mode is one of a plurality of operating modes. Each operating mode includes at least one predetermined setting for each one of the vehicle subsystems. The predetermined settings are defined according to data collected from operation of the vehicle in the route by a user.

A vehicle control apparatus is provided with: a first controlling device that controls an internal combustion engine to switch an air fuel ratio after an air intake quantity of the internal combustion engine increases to a first predetermined quantity in switching the internal combustion engine from a first combustion mode to a second combustion mode, the air fuel ratio in the second combustion mode being larger than that in the first combustion mode; and a second controlling device that controls the internal combustion engine to perform a suppression operation for suppressing a decrease of a rotation number of the internal combustion engine during at least one portion of a predetermined period at which the air intake quantity increases due to the switching from the first combustion mode to the second combustion mode.

A method and a system for improving operation of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, an engine exhaust after treatment device is cooled at an opportunistic time. The approach may provide improved cooling for exhaust after treatment devices and it may also improve vehicle emissions.

If a predicted compression-time in-cylinder temperature Tp having a positive correlation with the intensity of predicted pre-ignition is equal to or higher than a pre-ignition threshold value Tig when a request for automatic start is made, a forward/reverse switching mechanism is placed in a released state, and an engine is automatically started. If the predicted compression-time in-cylinder temperature Tp is lower than the pre-ignition threshold value Tig, the forward/reverse switching mechanism is placed in an engaged state, and the engine is automatically started.

A vehicle control apparatus is provided with: a first controlling device that controls an internal combustion engine to switch an air fuel ratio after an air intake quantity of the internal combustion engine increases to a first predetermined quantity in switching the internal combustion engine from a first combustion mode to a second combustion mode, the air fuel ratio in the second combustion mode being larger than that in the first combustion mode; and a second controlling device that controls the internal combustion engine to perform a suppression operation for suppressing a decrease of a rotation number of the internal combustion engine during at least one portion of a predetermined period at which the air intake quantity increases due to the switching from the first combustion mode to the second combustion mode.