In a suspension controlling apparatus for a vehicle which includes a suspension whose damping force is variably settable and a control unit capable of executing skyhook control on the basis of target damping force for skyhook control to control the damping force of the suspension, the vehicle stability is raised upon skyhook control during turning of the vehicle. Target damping force limit value determination device provided in a control unit determines target damping force limit values for skyhook control such that a value obtained by subtracting, from the target damping force limit value on the decompression side when the suspension is in a decompressed state, the target damping force limit value on the compression side when the suspension is in a compressed state increases as a roll angle detected by a roll angle sensor increases. The control unit limits the target damping forces with the target damping force limit value.

Systems and methods for controlling a vehicle including a friction control device are provided. A method of controlling the vehicle includes operating at least one friction control device in a first of a plurality of friction modes, detecting a vehicular speed, changing operation of the at least one friction control device from the first friction mode to a second of the plurality of friction modes in response to the vehicular speed exceeding a first threshold speed value, and changing operation of the at least one friction control device from the second friction mode to the first friction mode in response to the vehicular speed falling below a second threshold speed value that is less than the first threshold speed value. The second friction mode is associated with a higher level of resistance than the first friction mode.

The present invention makes it possible to appropriately grasp a stop cause when a vehicle stops. An ECU 5, which controls a vehicle including wheels and a vehicle body connected to the wheels includes: a wheel stop detection unit 138 that detects a stop of the wheels; a vehicle body stop detection unit 133 that detects a stop of the vehicle body; and a stop cause determination unit 141 that determines a stop cause of the vehicle based on a stop timing of the wheels detected by the wheel stop detection unit 138 and a stop timing of the vehicle body detected by the vehicle body stop detection unit 133. The stop cause determination unit 141 may determine that the stop cause is contact of the vehicle body with an obstacle when the stop timing of the vehicle body is earlier than the stop timing of the wheels.

A system for controlling an active suspension of a vehicle may include a sensor device mounted on the vehicle to detect a state of the vehicle, and a vehicle controller that estimates a pitch angle of the vehicle using the state information related to the vehicle when pulling of the vehicle occurs in a pitch control situation based on a willingness of a driver to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle, determines a sum of a control force of a front wheel of the vehicle and a control force of a rear wheel of the vehicle for minimizing the pitch angle, and compares a steering intention of the driver with a yaw rate signal of the vehicle to determine control amounts of a left active suspension of the vehicle and a right active suspension of the vehicle based on a magnitude of pulling of the vehicle.

A method for controlling vehicle motion is described. The method includes accessing a set of control signals including a measured vehicle speed value associated with a movement of a vehicle. A control signal associated with user-induced input is also accessed. The method compares the measured vehicle speed value with a predetermined vehicle speed threshold value to achieve a speed value threshold approach status, and then compares the set of values to achieve a user-induced input threshold value approach status. The method monitors a state of a valve within the vehicle suspension damper, and determines a control mode for the vehicle suspension damper. The method also regulates damping forces within the vehicle suspension damper.

The invention resides in a system and method for determining the manner in which a vehicle is driven. The system comprises a processor comprising an input configured to receive dynamic ride data from at least one on-board vehicle dynamic ride sensor, wherein the processor is configured (i) to calculate an output signal which is indicative of whether the dynamic ride data exceeds at least one dynamic ride data threshold value for a predetermined period of time; and (ii) to compare the output signal with at least one output threshold to determine the manner in which the vehicle is driven. The processor comprises an output configured to send a control signal to one or more vehicle components, wherein the control signal is indicative of the manner in which the vehicle is driven.

A method for controlling vehicle motion is described. The method includes accessing a set of control signals including a measured vehicle speed value associated with a movement of a vehicle. A control signal associated with user-induced input is also accessed. The method compares the measured vehicle speed value with a predetermined vehicle speed threshold value to achieve a speed value threshold approach status, and then compares the set of values to achieve a user-induced input threshold value approach status. The method monitors a state of a valve within the vehicle suspension damper, and determines a control mode for the vehicle suspension damper. The method also regulates damping forces within the vehicle suspension damper.

A leaning vehicle includes: a body frame; a right wheel and a left wheel; a linkage mechanism including arms rotatably supported on the body frame; a left-right tilt angle control mechanism configured to control a tilt angle of the body frame in a left direction or in the right direction by adjusting a rotation of the arms with respect to the body frame; and a control section. The control section controls the left-right tilt angle control mechanism to change the tilt angle of the body frame in the left direction or in the right direction in accordance with an input to the leaning vehicle from a rider while the leaning vehicle is stopped.

An apparatus for controlling a suspension of a vehicle includes: the electronically controlled suspension arranged between wheels and a vehicle body and configured to increase or decrease a contact force between a tire of the vehicle and a road surface; and a controller that adjusts a height of the vehicle depending on a type of road when it rains and adjusts an operating time of the suspension based on a lateral acceleration of the vehicle.

A method for controlling vehicle motion is described. The method includes accessing a set of control signals including a measured vehicle speed value associated with a movement of a vehicle. A control signal associated with user-induced input is also accessed. The method compares the measured vehicle speed value with a predetermined vehicle speed threshold value to achieve a speed value threshold approach status, and then compares the set of values to achieve a user-induced input threshold value approach status. The method monitors a state of a valve within the vehicle suspension damper, and determines a control mode for the vehicle suspension damper. The method also regulates damping forces within the vehicle suspension damper.