Methods and systems for improving operation of a vehicle driveline that includes an engine and an automatic transmission with a torque converter are presented. In one non-limiting example, the engine may be stopped while a vehicle in which the engine operates is rolling. A transmission coupled to the engine may be shifted as the vehicle rolls so that vehicle response may be improved if a driver requests an increase of engine torque.

A method (300) and control arrangement (210) for controlling a vehicle (100) to freewheel with engine off. The vehicle (100) has an engine (260) for propelling the vehicle (100) and a hydraulic power steering system (400). The hydraulic power steering system (400) comprises a primary power steering pump (270a) arranged to be driven by the engine (260) and a secondary power steering pump (270b). The method (300) includes: determining (301) when to start freewheeling the vehicle (100) with its engine off; and prior to starting the freewheeling of the vehicle (100) with engine off, determining (302) to start the secondary power steering pump (270b).

Various embodiments include a method for operating a hybrid drive train for a motor vehicle having an output shaft from an internal combustion engine releasably connected to a shaft of an electric traction machine via a first clutch, wherein the shaft of the electric traction machine is releasably connected to a transmission input shaft via a second clutch. The method may comprise: determining a state parameter for the motor vehicle; and opening either the first clutch or the second clutch for a changeover to coasting operation of the hybrid drive train based on a function of one or more state parameters.

A control method for an autonomous vehicle is used in an autonomous vehicle including an engine, and a controller that controls an operation of the engine. In the control method, required driving force is set in accordance with an intervehicular distance between an own vehicle and a preceding vehicle when there is the preceding vehicle in front of the own vehicle. Also, when there is the preceding vehicle, a behavior of the preceding vehicle is predicted from a situation in front of the preceding vehicle. Further, when there is the preceding vehicle, sailing stop is executed based on the required driving force and the predicted behavior of the preceding vehicle. The sailing stop causes the engine to stop automatically while the own vehicle is traveling at vehicle speed equal to or higher than given vehicle speed.

A mild hybrid vehicle controlling method, wherein the mild hybrid vehicle has a driver assistance module for detecting peripheral vehicle information and a mild hybrid starter & generator (MSHG) may comprises comparing, by a controller, the peripheral vehicle information with a predetermined reference value and deciding whether after-treatment regeneration control is performed or not according to a result of the comparison.

Controlling a prime mover of a first vehicle following a first path is based, at least in part, on a likely speed behaviour of a second vehicle ahead of the first vehicle, which is estimated based on a predicted path of the second vehicle. At least one coasting profile for the first vehicle is estimated for at least part of the first path and/or the predicted path. At least one of the coasting profiles is determined that meets at least one predetermined coasting requirement. The prime mover may be controlled to place the vehicle into a coasting mode based on the determined coasting profile. Alternatively, feedback is provided to a user to put the vehicle into a coasting mode.

The object of the invention is to travel backward by an engine alone in a state where an electric motor is disconnected. Thus, external teeth are formed on the outer periphery of a ring gear which meshes with a first sun gear via a first pinion gear and a second pinion gear and to which power input from an electric motor is transmitted; a power transmission mechanism further includes a gear meshing with the external teeth of the ring gear; and a second clutch capable of non-rotatably fixing the ring gear at the time of causing a vehicle to travel backward with power input from an engine is provided between the ring gear and a transmission case.

Methods and systems are described for vehicle coasting optimization. The system may include a vehicle having an engine, a drivetrain, and an accelerator. The system may include selecting a fuel-saving mode based on an anticipated braking requirement in response to detecting the vehicle is non-stationary and the accelerator is disengaged. The system may include generating an instruction corresponding the selected fuel-saving mode, wherein the instruction is configured to control at least the engine and the drivetrain.

Various embodiments include a method for controlling a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine with a crankshaft and a drivetrain separable from the internal combustion engine using a releasable clutch comprising: propelling the vehicle in a first operating state in a predetermined range around a speed while the internal combustion engine is off and is separated from the drivetrain by the releasable clutch; sensing a braking operation while in the first operating state; predicting whether a power demand is expected within a predetermined time interval; and, if the power demand is expected, setting the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine in rotation, or increasing a rotational speed of the crankshaft in preparation for an engine restart.

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.