A regenerative torque control unit is configured to reduce a regenerative torque and increase a rising gradient of the regenerative torque at a start of regeneration when a road surface friction coefficient acquired by a road surface friction coefficient acquisition unit is low as compared to when the road surface friction coefficient is high. Thus, it is possible to suppress occurrence of a slip on a low μ road, and it is less likely to provide a feeling of strangeness from a change between a low μ road and a high μ road.

A vehicle control system includes one or more processors configured to assign plural vehicles to different groups in one or more vehicle systems for travel along one or more routes. The one or more processors also are configured to determine trip plans for the different groups. The trip plans designate different operational settings of the vehicles in the different groups at different locations along one or more routes during movement of the one or more vehicle systems along the one or more routes. The one or more processors also are configured to modify one or more of the groups to which the vehicles are assigned or the operational settings for the vehicles in one or more of the vehicle systems based on a movement parameter of one or more of the vehicle systems. The trip plans for the different groups of the vehicles are interdependent upon each other.

A travel information recording system for associating travel information on a vehicle obtained immediately after travel through a branch location with an appropriate road segment includes: travel segment specifying unit for specifying a travel segment that is a road segment in which a vehicle is traveling; and travel information recorder for recording travel information on the vehicle obtained during travel in the travel segment in association with the travel segment in a storage medium. In the case where there occurs a segment variation in which the travel segment is varied from one of several road segments branched off from a branch location, the travel information recorder acquires the travel information to be recorded in association with a post-variation segment, which is the travel segment after the segment variation, on the basis of the travel information obtained before the segment variation.

A network of collection, charging and distribution machines collect, charge and distribute portable electrical energy storage devices (e.g., batteries, supercapacitors or ultracapacitors). Locations of collection, charging and distribution machines having available charged portable electrical energy storage devices are communicated to or acquired by a mobile device of a user, or displayed on a collection, charging and distribution machine. The locations are indicated on a graphical user interface on a map on a user's mobile device relative to the user's current location. The user may use their mobile device select particular locations on the map to reserve an available portable electrical energy storage device. The system nay also warn the user that the user is near an edge of the pre-determined area having portable electrical energy storage device collection, charging and distribution machines. Reservations may also be made automatically based on information regarding a potential route of a user.

The invention relates to a controller (140) for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), the controller (140) being operable to control a HEV to assume a HEV mode of operation in which each of a plurality of actuators (121, 123) of a HEV is controlled to assume a prescribed operational state, the controller being configured to control a HEV to assume an operational mode responsive to data in respect of a route of a journey to be made by a HEV, a route comprising at least one route segment, the controller (140) being configured to determine a target state of charge of an energy storage device (150) of a HEV for each said at least one route segment being a state of charge of an energy storage device (150) that is to be achieved at the end of said at least one segment responsive to the data in respect of a route, the controller (140) being further configured to control the HEV to achieve the target state of charge at the end of said at least one segment.

Techniques for estimating a vehicle state of charge (“SoC”) are disclosed. A computing device may determine a first instance of connectivity between the computing device and an electric vehicle and determine a first location of the computing device associated with the first instance of connectivity. The computing device may detect completion of a first trip of the electric vehicle, wherein the first trip reflects movement of the electric vehicle from the first location to a second location, and determine a first distance traveled by the electric vehicle during the first trip based on the first location and the second location. The computing device may select the electric vehicle for charging using the determined first instance of connectivity between the computing device and the electric vehicle, estimate a SoC of the selected electric vehicle using the determined first distance, and transmit the estimated SoC to a charging station.

The invention relates to a control system for controlling a torque generator of a vehicle. The control system is configured to receive one or more electrical signals indicative of a surface indicator; receive one or more electrical signals indicative of a deceleration demand; select a surface type from a plurality of predetermined surface types based on said one or more electrical signals indicative of a surface indicator; determine a target vehicle deceleration in dependence on the selected surface type; determine, based on said one or more electrical signals indicative of a deceleration demand, a requirement to decelerate the vehicle; and in dependence on determining said requirement, output a control signal to the torque generator. The control signal is configured to cause the torque generator to provide the target vehicle deceleration.

Described herein are devices, systems, and methods for managing the power consumption of an automotive vehicle, and thereby for optimizing the power consumption of the vehicle. The devices and systems for managing the power consumption of the vehicle typically include power management logic that can calculate an applied power for the vehicle engine based on information provided from the external environment of the vehicle, the operational status of the vehicle, one or more command inputs from a driver, and one or more operational parameters of the vehicle.

An apparatus comprising an interface, a memory and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle. The memory may be configured to store the sensor data samples over a number of points in time. The processor may be configured to analyze the sensor data samples stored in the memory to detect a pattern. The processor may be configured to manage an application of brakes of the vehicle in response to the pattern.

A method for operating a recuperation brake of a motor vehicle is disclosed. First, a future operating intensity of the recuperation brake is estimated for a section of route to be travelled on by the motor vehicle based on an input which characterizes the driving style of the section of route to be travelled on. In addition, a maximum slip-free vehicle braking power for the section of route is estimated as a function of the input. In addition, the braking power of the recuperation brake is set to a setpoint braking power which is not greater than the maximum vehicle braking power for the section of route, and finally the recuperation brake is activated on the section of route to be travelled on with the setpoint braking power. In addition, a recuperation brake for carrying out the method is described.