A vehicle control apparatus includes an engine, a refrigerant compressor, a lock up clutch, a throttle valve, and first, second, and third deceleration controllers. The second deceleration controller controls the lock up clutch to a slip state and controls the throttle valve openwise on the condition that the refrigerant compressor is in the stopped state on decelerated travel of a vehicle in a second speed region in which a vehicle speed is lower than a first vehicle speed and higher than a second vehicle speed lower than the first vehicle speed. The second deceleration controller controls the lock up clutch to a disengaged state and controls the throttle valve closewise on the condition that the refrigerant compressor is in the operative state on the decelerated travel of the vehicle in the second speed region.

Systems and methods for operating a driveline of a hybrid vehicle are disclosed. In one example, an engine may enter or stay in one of two cylinder deactivation modes or enter or stay in a combustion mode in response to a request to downshift a transmission while a vehicle in which the engine resides is coasting.

The invention obtains a controller and a control method capable of improving safety by automatic emergency deceleration action while suppressing a motorcycle from falling over. The invention also obtains a brake system that includes such a controller.

In the controller, the control method, and the brake system according to the invention, a control mode that causes the motorcycle to take the automatic emergency deceleration action is initiated in response to trigger information generated in accordance with peripheral environment of the motorcycle. In the control mode, automatic emergency deceleration that is deceleration of the motorcycle generated by the automatic emergency deceleration action is controlled in accordance with a change rate of a state amount that is related to posture of the motorcycle during turning travel.

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle (1) having a torque generating machine (4); and one or more driven wheel (W.sub.D). A driveline (6) is provided for transmitting torque from the torque generating machine (4) to said one or more driven wheel. The driveline (6) includes a torque transmitting means (8). A first decoupling mechanism (11) is operable to decouple the torque transmitting means (8) from the torque generating machine (4). The first decoupling mechanism (11) is closed to couple the torque transmitting means (8) to the torque generating machine (4) and is opened to decouple the torque transmitting means (8) from the torque generating machine (4). A second decoupling mechanism (12) is operable to decouple the torque transmitting means (8) from the one or more driven wheel. The second decoupling mechanism (12) is closed to couple the torque transmitting means (8) to the one or more driven wheel and is opened to decouple the torque transmitting means (8) from the one or more driven wheel. A controller (2) is provided having at least one electronic processor for controlling operation of the first and second decoupling mechanisms (11, 12). The at least one electronic processor (P) being configured to determine a target operating speed of the torque generating machine (4), control the operating speed of the torque generating machine (4) in dependence on the determined target operating speed, close the first decoupling mechanism (11) when the operating speed of the torque generating machine (4) at least substantially matches the determined target operating speed and close the second decoupling mechanism (12) after closing the first decoupling mechanism (11). The present disclosure relates to a corresponding method of controlling first and second decoupling mechanisms (11, 12) to control the transmittal of torque from a torque generating machine (4) to one or more driven wheel of a vehicle (1).

A transmission system selectively coupled to an engine crankshaft of an internal combustion engine arranged on a vehicle includes a transmission, a motor generator an HVAC compressor and a controller. The transmission has an input shaft, a mainshaft, an output shaft and a countershaft offset from the input shaft. The countershaft is drivably connected to the first input shaft and a mainshaft. The motor generator is selectively couple to the countershaft. The HVAC compressor is selectively driven by the motor generator. The controller operates the transmission system in various modes based on operating conditions.

A vehicle control device includes control means for executing coasting control, in which a friction engaging element is disengaged and a rotation speed of a rotary shaft of a drive source is set at zero, when a shift range corresponds to a travel range and a coasting condition is established, and the control means executes the coasting control when the shift range is modified to a neutral range.

A method of guiding a coasting time point of a vehicle includes steps of detecting occurrence of an upcoming deceleration event, determining driver's coasting characteristics for each deceleration event based on information of the detected occurrence of an upcoming deceleration event and a vehicle driving state, and determining a coasting guidance time point based on a determined result of coasting characteristics corresponding to a type of the detected deceleration event. The method provides, to a driver, information of a time point at which the driver needs to release an accelerator pedal operation, in order to begin coasting at an appropriate time point when a deceleration situation is assumed to lie ahead.

A method and apparatus for evaluating the driving of a vehicle performing a journey on a road network is disclosed. The method comprises determining a fuel usage rate and an engine speed of a vehicle, and determining when the vehicle is coasting based upon at least one of the fuel usage rate and the engine speed of the vehicle. An acceleration of the vehicle, when the vehicle is determined to be coasting, is compared with a predetermined reference acceleration, and an application of braking during the coasting is determined based on the result of the comparison. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for determining a score indicative of the relative amount of time for which the vehicle is coasting without braking during a journey.

Some embodiments of the present invention comprise a method of controlling a powertrain of a vehicle, the powertrain comprising drive torque means, a transmission and a driveline, the drive torque means comprising an internal combustion engine, the method comprising: detecting that coasting entry criteria have been met; causing the powertrain to assume a first coasting mode for a first time period in which the drive torque means delivers positive drive torque to the driveline to substantially balance powertrain losses; determining a value for at least one parameter, the or each parameter being indicative of: a probability that a demand will be made for torque to be delivered to the driveline in addition to torque delivered to substantially balance powertrain losses; or a probability that a demand will be made for braking of the vehicle; and setting the value of the first time period in dependence on the value of the or each parameter.

A method for controlling a car with a parallel hybrid system comprising at least a combustion engine and an electrical machine in P0- or P1-configuration, with a clutch for connecting the combustion engine's output shaft with at least one drive shaft. Steps include determining a power demand P.sub.d, and decoupling the combustion engine from the drive shaft if the power demand P.sub.d is below a first threshold P.sub.1. Coupling the combustion engine with the drive shaft when the power demand P.sub.d is above the first threshold P.sub.1 provides additional fuel savings when the method further comprises shutting off the combustion engine and providing power to the drive shaft by providing electrical power to the electrical machine to drive the car, when the power demand P.sub.d is between the first threshold P.sub.1 and a second threshold P.sub.2. The second threshold P.sub.2 is greater than the first threshold P.sub.1, i.e. if P.sub.1<P.sub.d<P.sub.2.