A device and a method for controlling vehicle speed in a vehicle equipped with cruise control while traveling downhill. The method involves driving a vehicle downhill with the cruise control set to a brake speed; detecting a current vehicle speed; applying the auxiliary brake to maintain the brake speed; detecting a request for a downshift from a current gear to a lower gear; and determining if a downshift is permissible at the current speed. If a downshift is not permissible, then a control unit automatically applies the service brakes to retard the vehicle speed; retarding the vehicle from a current speed to a lower speed at which a downshift to a lower gear is permissible; and performing a downshift to a lower gear when the second vehicle speed is reached. The cruise control is set to a second brake speed lower than the first brake speed.

A vehicle includes an engine and an electric machine coupled to a gearbox through a torque converter. The vehicle includes a controller programmed to command an engine torque and an electric machine torque to achieve a predetermined positive torque at the input of the torque converter when a driver demand torque at the torque converter input decreases to fall within a range between the predetermined positive torque and a predetermined negative torque.

A vehicle engine automatic control device has a brake pedal operation amount detecting unit that detects an amount of brake pedal operation by a driver, a negative pressure-based force multiplying unit that multiplies a force, with which a brake is operated, using an intake negative pressure of an engine, a negative pressure detecting unit that detects a negative pressure of the negative pressure-based force multiplying unit, and a coast stop control unit that stops the engine when the amount of brake pedal operation that is detected is equal to or greater than a first operation amount threshold during coast drive, and re-starts the engine when the negative pressure that is detected falls below a first negative pressure threshold after the engine stops.

A vehicle control apparatus, configured to control a vehicle, includes an engine that is configured to drive wheels via a power transmission device. The vehicle control apparatus includes a towing state detector and an engine controller. The towing state detector is configured to detect whether the vehicle is in a towing state. The engine controller is configured to stop the engine in a case where a predetermined engine stopping condition is satisfied during traveling of the vehicle. The engine controller is configured to vary, in a case where the towing state detector detects that the vehicle is in the towing state, the predetermined engine stopping condition to reduce an operational range in which the engine is to be stopped compared with an operational range in a case where the towing state detector does not detect that the vehicle is in the towing state.

A method for operating a drive device for a motor vehicle. The drive device has an internal combustion engine, an output shaft, and a clutch connected between the internal combustion engine and the output shaft. In a coasting operating mode, an idling speed control of the internal combustion engine to an idling speed is carried out and the clutch is opened, and, in an overrun operating mode, the clutch is closed. When shifting from the coasting operating mode to the overrun operating mode, while, at the same time, carrying out the idling speed control of the internal combustion engine to the idling speed, the clutch is closed, so that an entrainment of the internal combustion engine occurs.

The present invention 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) is configured to close the second decoupling mechanism (12) to couple the torque transmitting means (8) to the one or more driven wheel, determine a target operating speed of the torque generating machine (4), control an operating speed of the torque generating machine (4) in dependence on the determined target operating speed and 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. The present invention also 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).

Provided is a novel control apparatus for a vehicle which allows the number of stops and restarts to be reduced while performing engine stop and coasting control. The configuration is such that, when there is a high probability of restarting an engine under circumstances where engine stop and coasting control is performed, the engine is maintained in idling operation while only the clutch is disengaged. For example, if it is determined that there is a high probability of restarting due to a change in the acceleration of a host vehicle or a preceding vehicle, the clutch is disengaged and the vehicle is coasted. Since the engine is maintained in an idle state, there is no need for restarting, and the number of restarts can be minimized.

Provided herein is a method of disconnecting and connecting elements of a tandem axle system (100) drivingly connected to an engine (206) and transmission (204) of a vehicle, the method including the steps of: providing a tandem axle system (100) having: an inter-axle differential and clutch assembly (102) in driving engagement with the engine, wherein the inter-axle differential and clutch assembly includes an inter-axle differential (108) and an inter-axle differential lock (110); a forward axle assembly (104) including a differential assembly (116), a disconnect assembly (114) and two axle half shafts (104a, 104b); and a rear axle assembly (106) including a differential assembly (120), a disconnect assembly (122) and two axle half shafts (106a, 106b); providing a control system (300) in communication with the inter-axle differential lock, the disconnect assemblies and the engine; detecting (402) a disconnect opportunity; commanding (404) the engine torque set to zero; disconnecting (406) the axle half shafts of the forward and rear axle assemblies; engaging (408) the inter-axle differential lock; and allowing (410) the engine to idle.

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting powertrain torque in a vehicle based on driver intent. Driver intent is inferred based on foot motion inside a foot well monitored via a foot well region sensor and changes in clearance outside the vehicle monitored via a range sensor. By adjusting powertrain torque based on operator foot motion and traffic movements outside the vehicle, frequency of lash transitions can be reduced and lash transition initiation can be adjusted based on expected changes in torque demand.

A system and method for operating a hybrid vehicle having an engine and an eMachine coupled by a clutch using a hybrid controller is presented. The method determines an idle fuel rate of the engine, determines a hybrid efficiency index for the hybrid vehicle, determines an expected energy storage rate increase for an operating condition where the engine is decoupled from a vehicle transmission using said clutch, multiplies the expected energy storage rate increase by the hybrid efficiency index to determine an expected fuel rate reduction of the engine in the operating condition; and decouples the engine from the vehicle transmission using the clutch if the expected fuel rate reduction is greater than the idle fuel rate.