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 vehicle driving assistance apparatus predicts (i) a first consumed energy amount corresponding to a consumed energy amount consumed by a driving apparatus of an own vehicle when executing a first following control and (ii) a second consumed energy amount corresponding to the consumed energy amount consumed by the driving apparatus of the own vehicle when executing the second following control. The apparatus executes the second following control when the second consumed energy amount is smaller than the first consumed energy amount. On the other hand, the apparatus executes the first following control when the second consumed energy amount is equal to or greater than the first consumed energy amount.

A method includes detecting, via a processor of an autonomous vehicle, an upcoming downhill road segment of a route on which the autonomous vehicle is currently travelling. The detection is based on map data, camera data, and/or inertial measurement unit (IMU) data. In response to detecting the upcoming downhill road segment, a descent plan is generated for the autonomous vehicle. The descent plan includes a speed profile and a brake usage plan. The brake usage plan specifies a non-zero amount of retarder usage and an amount of foundation brake usage for a predefined time period. The method also includes autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle, based on the descent plan, while the autonomous vehicle descends the downhill road segment.

A system for regulating the speed of a vehicle includes defining a first border for a first geographic region. The border has a first speed within the border and a second speed outside of the border. The system includes determining a first velocity of the vehicle including a vehicle speed and direction of the vehicle approaching the border. The difference between the vehicle speed and the second speed is the calculated, as is a distance between the vehicle and the border. If the difference between the vehicle speed and the second speed divided by the distance is greater than a predetermined value, the vehicle is decelerated at a rate so that the vehicle will have a second speed when the vehicle reaches the border.

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 regenerative braking control system of an AWD (all-wheel-drive) hybrid vehicle including a front wheel HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) powertrain and a rear wheel EV (electric vehicle) powertrain is provided. The control system includes a manipulating instrument mounted to a steering wheel for manual shifting and regenerative braking control by a driver's manipulation, and a controller for adjusting a regenerative braking amount and controlling a shift pattern of each of a front wheel motor of the front wheel HEV powertrain and a rear wheel motor of the rear wheel EV powertrain by receiving a (−) or (+) manipulation signal or a hold manipulation signal of the manipulating instrument.

A vehicular breaking force control system that includes a control device including a processor that acquires a plurality of longitudinal accelerations from a driving assistance system, and calculates a driving/braking request when the vehicle is in a coasting state in which an acceleration operation or a deceleration operation are not performed during running of the vehicle. The processor further acquires a driving force lower limit set for a powertrain actuator having a set gear ratio, and distributes the driving/braking request to at least one of (i) a powertrain system including the powertrain actuator and (ii) a brake system including a brake actuator. The driving/braking request is distributed to the at least one of the powertrain system and the brake system based on the acquired driving force lower limit.

The present disclosure provides a method and a device for vehicle parking control. The method includes following steps performed according to a predetermined time period until the vehicle stops at an end point: determining (101) a target position and a target speed when the vehicle arrives at the target position based on a current speed of the vehicle and a distance between a current position and the end point, the target position being on a road where the vehicle is located and in front of the vehicle; determining (102) a deceleration motion mode for the vehicle based on the current speed of the vehicle and the target speed; and performing (103) braking control for the vehicle in accordance with a vehicle braking strategy corresponding to the deceleration motion mode. The method can solve the problem in the related art associated with inaccurate vehicle parking control and uncomfortable experience.

A driver assist system for a vehicle includes a vehicle speed sensor disposed at a vehicle. An ECU includes a processor for processing sensor data generated by the vehicle speed sensor. The ECU, responsive to processing at the ECU of sensor data generated by the vehicle speed sensor, determines speed of the vehicle. The ECU, responsive to determining that the speed of the vehicle reaches a vehicle soft lock speed, automatically enables a vehicle speed soft lock. The ECU, responsive to the vehicle reducing speed to the vehicle soft lock speed by coasting, maintains the current vehicle speed at the vehicle soft lock speed. The ECU, responsive to the speed of the vehicle increasing a multiple of a vehicle speed increment above the vehicle soft lock speed, automatically sets an increased vehicle soft lock speed that is the multiple of the vehicle speed increment above the vehicle soft lock speed.

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.