According to one aspect, mechanisms already in vehicles may be substantially repurposed or reconfigured to facilitate autonomous driving. Cruise control controls, e.g, a cruise control stem or stick, in a vehicle may be configured for use to activate and to deactivate an autonomous mode in the vehicle. By repurposing cruise control controls to activate and to deactivate an autonomous mode, drivers may efficiently activate and deactivate the autonomous mode while a vehicle operates, a vehicle includes an autonomy system, an activator mechanism, and a cruise control system. The autonomy system is configured to enable the vehicle to operate in an autonomous mode when the autonomy system is in an active state. The activator mechanism including a toggle having a first toggle state and a second toggle state. The toggle is in communication with the autonomy system to activate the active state when the toggle is in the first toggle state and to deactivate the active state when the toggle is in the second toggle state The cruise control system is arranged to be engaged to cause a speed of the vehicle to be automatically controlled, wherein the cruise control system is physically decoupled from the activator mechanism.

A cruise control interlock system detects a current set of conditions for a vehicle, compares the current conditions with cruise control interlock conditions (e.g., an adjustable threshold state of a windshield wiper system), and executes a process to deactivate the cruise control system. The process to deactivate functionality of the cruise control system may include presenting a notification to the operator to alert the operator to an upcoming automatic deactivation or to encourage the operator to deactivate cruise control. The process also may include a vehicle de-rate process (e.g., reducing vehicle speed) to induce the operator to deactivate cruise control. Deactivation of cruise control may be postponed in some situations, such as when the vehicle is ascending an uphill grade or where doing so may deactivate an active downhill speed control function.

A method for controlling a vehicle having an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal includes monitoring a position of the accelerator pedal. The position of the accelerator pedal varies from a lower limit corresponding to a released state to an upper limit corresponding to a fully depressed state. The method includes monitoring whether the brake pedal is depressed or released and, when depressed, deactivating a setpoint. The method includes, while the brake pedal remains released and in response to determining that the accelerator pedal is depressed: determining a maximum value of the position of the accelerator pedal and, in response to determining that the accelerator pedal has returned to the released state, selectively activating the setpoint and storing a current speed of the vehicle as a setpoint speed. The method includes, while the setpoint is activated, controlling the vehicle to remain at the setpoint speed.

A cruise control interlock system detects a current set of conditions for a vehicle, compares the current conditions with cruise control interlock conditions (e.g., an adjustable threshold state of a windshield wiper system), and executes a process to deactivate the cruise control system. The process to deactivate functionality of the cruise control system may include presenting a notification to the operator to alert the operator to an upcoming automatic deactivation or to encourage the operator to deactivate cruise control. The process also may include a vehicle de-rate process (e.g., reducing vehicle speed) to induce the operator to deactivate cruise control. Deactivation of cruise control may be postponed in some situations, such as when the vehicle is ascending an uphill grade or where doing so may deactivate an active downhill speed control function.

A method includes receiving a set speed, a maximum allowed speed, and a minimum allowed speed, wherein the maximum allowed speed and the minimum allowed speed define an allowed speed range; commanding a propulsion system to produce a commanded axle torque to maintain the set speed; monitoring a current vehicle speed of the vehicle; determining whether the current vehicle speed is between a first speed value and a second speed value, wherein the first speed value is the minimum allowed speed plus a first predetermined value, and the second speed value is the maximum allowed speed minus a second predetermined value; and in response to determining that the current vehicle speed is not between the first speed value and the second speed value, commanding the propulsion system to adjust the commanded axle torque in order to maintain the current vehicle speed within the allowed speed range.

A cruise control interlock system detects a current set of conditions for a vehicle, compares the current conditions with cruise control interlock conditions (e.g., an adjustable threshold state of a windshield wiper system), and executes a process to deactivate the cruise control system. The process to deactivate functionality of the cruise control system may include presenting a notification to the operator to alert the operator to an upcoming automatic deactivation or to encourage the operator to deactivate cruise control. The process also may include a vehicle de-rate process (e.g., reducing vehicle speed) to induce the operator to deactivate cruise control. Deactivation of cruise control may be postponed in some situations, such as when the vehicle is ascending an uphill grade or where doing so may deactivate an active downhill speed control function.

A vehicle which includes an energy storage device, a rotating electric machine, a recognition unit for recognizing an other vehicle in front, a support unit, and a control unit configured to controlling charge and discharge of the rotating electric machine and the energy storage device according to support control of the support unit. When travelling is performed in accordance with support control, and the support unit predicts or detects that the other vehicle is in a near space closer to the vehicle than a space which satisfies the predetermined positional relationship ahead in a travelling direction of the vehicle based on recognized contents of the recognition unit, the control unit sets a regeneration preparation state where an allowable charging electricity amount, by which the energy storage device can be charged by regenerative electric power generated by the rotating electric machine operating as a generator, is increased.

A cruise control interlock system detects a current set of conditions for a vehicle, compares the current conditions with cruise control interlock conditions (e.g., an adjustable threshold state of a windshield wiper system), and executes a process to deactivate the cruise control system. The process to deactivate functionality of the cruise control system may include presenting a notification to the operator to alert the operator to an upcoming automatic deactivation or to encourage the operator to deactivate cruise control. The process also may include a vehicle de-rate process (e.g., reducing vehicle speed) to induce the operator to deactivate cruise control. Deactivation of cruise control may be postponed in some situations, such as when the vehicle is ascending an uphill grade or where doing so may deactivate an active downhill speed control function.

A method and system for improved driver reward display functionality. A driver reward is calculated based on inputs, such as freight fuel, fuel economy, and % idle. The driver reward system configures and displays a primary driver reward image for various menu selections. The primary driver reward image is configured to indicate whether the driver reward is at full penalty, partial penalty, neutral, partial bonus, or full bonus. The image is displayed in one color if above an expected value and another color if below the expected level. Images that indicate to the operator of the vehicle the impact of each input on the overall driver reward or whether each input is improving or worsening may be displayed. A secondary driver reward image may also be displayed to indicate a specific bonus or penalty in miles per hour and speed limit.

A vehicle control apparatus is provided that can maintain an automatic engine stop function when an abnormality occurs in a preceding vehicle following control function. The vehicle control apparatus includes a first control unit configured to include a preceding vehicle following control function to control vehicle speed, based on a traveling state of a preceding vehicle, and to output a prohibition request to an automatic engine stop function; and a second control unit configured to include the automatic engine stop function, and to maintain the automatic engine stop function, contrary to the prohibition request output from the first control unit, when an abnormality occurs in the preceding vehicle following control function.