An ECU executes processing including a step of counting up a duration Ntime when a Ready-On state is brought, and a shift position is an N position, a step of counting up a duration Not_Ntime when the duration Ntime is equal to or greater than a threshold value A, the duration Ntime is greater than a threshold value C, and the shift position is other than the N position, a step of resetting the duration Ntime and the duration Not_Ntime to initial values in a case where the duration Not_Ntime is greater than a threshold value D, and a step of executing warning processing when the duration Ntime is greater than the threshold value A.

A method of operating a vehicle drivetrain for rocking the vehicle free. The drivetrain has a transmission with an input and an output that can be coupled by a clutch. The input and output are connected to a drive aggregate and a drive output, respectively. The clutch is actuated based on driver actuation of an accelerator and a rotational speed of the drive output such that following accelerator actuation, when its actuation decreases, the clutch disengages with a first opening gradient. Then, based on a calculated point in time at which drive aggregate torque upon the clutch corresponds to torque on the clutch from the drive output, the clutch disengages with a second, smaller opening gradient. And depending on a rotational speed of the drive output relative to a limit value, the clutch either initiates or terminates engagement with a first closing gradient.

The present disclosure relates to a method of controlling gear selection in a transmission of a vehicle in response to a directional shift requested by an operator and to a control system for controlling gear selection to manage directional shifts in vehicles, from a first direct to a second direction (e.g. forward to reverse). The method compares the current transmission output speed with a predetermined direction shift threshold transmission output speed. If the current transmission output speed is less than or equal to the predetermined direction shift threshold transmission output speed, the transmission is caused to execute a direction shift from the initial first direction gear to the same second direction gear, or a next highest second direction gear if there is no second direction gear which corresponds to the initial first direction gear. If the current transmission output speed is greater than the predetermined direction shift threshold transmission output speed, the direction shift is inhibited until the current transmission output speed slows to less than or equal to the predetermined direction shift threshold transmission output speed.

A controller of a driving force control apparatus starts shift-change-timing restrain control to limit operation driving force at a timing when a starting condition including a condition that a shift position has changed when an accelerator pedal is in an operating state becomes satisfied, and performs reverse-timing restrain control to limit the operation driving force when a performing condition including a condition that the accelerator pedal is in the operating state as well as the shift position is in a reverse position is satisfied. When a specific operation is performed during the shift-change-timing restrain control being performed, the controller moderates a degree of the limitation to the operation driving force in the shift-change-timing restrain control or stops this control. When the specific operation is performed during the reverse-timing restrain control being performed, the controller maintains a degree of the limitation to the operation driving force in the reverse-timing restrain control.

An ECU executes processing including a step of counting up a duration Ntime when a Ready-On state is brought, and a shift position is an N position, a step of counting up a duration Not_Ntime when the duration Ntime is equal to or greater than a threshold value A, the duration Ntime is greater than a threshold value C, and the shift position is other than the N position, a step of resetting the duration Ntime and the duration Not_Ntime to initial values in a case where the duration Not_Ntime is greater than a threshold value D, and a step of executing warning processing when the duration Ntime is greater than the threshold value A.

A method for digging out a motor vehicle at a standstill, in which the driver predefines a startup direction for the motor vehicle with the aid of an operating element; in which a reciprocating motion of the motor vehicle is generated with the aid of chronologically consecutive drive force pulses which are independent of the driver and have a first intensity; in which the spatial amplitude of the reciprocating motion is ascertained and compared to a predefined threshold value; and when the spatial amplitude of the reciprocating motion of the motor vehicle exceeds the threshold value, a startup movement of the motor vehicle is subsequently generated in the predefined startup direction using at least one drive force pulse which is directed in the predefined startup direction and which has a second intensity, which is greater than the first intensity.

A map, including potential obstacles, can be generated by a computing device in a vehicle. An estimated coefficient of friction between the vehicle wheels and a roadway surrounding a stuck vehicle can be generated based on sensor data. A path can be determined based on the map, and the stuck vehicle can be operated based on the path and a determined slip ratio based on the vehicle wheels to unstick the stuck vehicle.

A controller of a driving force control apparatus starts shift-change-timing restrain control to limit operation driving force at a timing when a starting condition including a condition that a shift position has changed when an accelerator pedal is in an operating state becomes satisfied, and performs reverse-timing restrain control to limit the operation driving force when a performing condition including a condition that the accelerator pedal is in the operating state as well as the shift position is in a reverse position is satisfied. When a specific operation is performed during the shift-change-timing restrain control being performed, the controller moderates a degree of the limitation to the operation driving force in the shift-change-timing restrain control or stops this control. When the specific operation is performed during the reverse-timing restrain control being performed, the controller maintains a degree of the limitation to the operation driving force in the reverse-timing restrain control.

A switchback control apparatus for an industrial vehicle, includes a forward and reverse operating part, a forward and reverse position detector detecting a position of the forward and reverse operating part, a vehicle speed detector; and a shift control section shifting the transmission forcibly to a first speed stage and then, releasing the first speed stage of the transmission that is set forcibly when the forward and reverse operating part is shifted from the forward position to the reverse position or from the reverse position to the forward position by the forward and reverse position detector and a vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed detector greater is than or equal to a threshold value that is smaller than a shift-up vehicle speed for shifting the transmission from the first speed stage to a second speed stage.

Methods and apparatus to extricate a vehicle from a stuck condition, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed. An example apparatus includes: a user interface to receive a command to place a vehicle in an autonomous control mode of the vehicle; and a stuck mode controller to autonomously shift a transmission of the vehicle alternately between a reverse gear and a forward gear of the vehicle when in the autonomous control mode to autonomously rock the vehicle back and forth. A timing of the shifting of the transmission is based on a ratio of a velocity of the vehicle to an acceleration of the vehicle.