A simulation apparatus that generates a gradient pattern of a running road for a vehicle and a vehicle speed pattern for simulation. The apparatus includes a gradient pattern generation unit configured to generate a gradient pattern of a running road by sequentially deriving a gradient for each section, and a vehicle speed pattern generation unit configured to generate a vehicle speed pattern by, in a model including a lead vehicle that runs in accordance with a first vehicle speed pattern, a rearmost vehicle that runs in accordance with a first preceding vehicle following algorithm, and one or more intermediate vehicles that increase or reduce by one for each first period at an equal probability between the lead vehicle and the rearmost vehicle and that runs in accordance with the first preceding vehicle following algorithm, deriving a vehicle speed of the rearmost vehicle.

Methods for controlling a transmission of a vehicle are provided. Such methods include establishing a desired speed profile for the vehicle when travelling along a road segment, performing a plurality of simulations, each of a vehicle response, in the road segment, to a respective gear control action, wherein the gear control action differs from one simulation to another, wherein the simulations include an aim to keep the speed on the speed profile, or within one or more established limits of deviations from the speed profile, determining costs for the simulated vehicle responses, selecting, in dependence on the determined costs, one of the gear control actions, controlling the transmission with the selected gear control action.

A simulation apparatus that generates a gradient pattern of a running road for a vehicle and a vehicle speed pattern for simulation. The apparatus includes a gradient pattern generation unit configured to generate a gradient pattern of a running road by sequentially deriving a gradient for each section, and a vehicle speed pattern generation unit configured to generate a vehicle speed pattern by, in a model including a lead vehicle that runs in accordance with a first vehicle speed pattern, a rearmost vehicle that runs in accordance with a first preceding vehicle following algorithm, and one or more intermediate vehicles that increase or reduce by one for each first period at an equal probability between the lead vehicle and the rearmost vehicle and that runs in accordance with the first preceding vehicle following algorithm, deriving a vehicle speed of the rearmost vehicle.

A gear stage choosing apparatus that chooses a gear stage of a stepped transmission of a vehicle includes a storage unit configured to store a shift map containing a relationship between vehicle speed and gear stage, a determination unit configured to determine a gear stage associated with an estimated vehicle speed after a lapse of a first period of time from current time based on the shift map, an evaluation unit configured to evaluate fuel efficiency in some gear stages, including the determined gear stage and one or more gear stages higher or lower in less than or equal to a specific number of gear steps than the determined gear stage, of multiple gear stages, and a choosing unit configured to choose a gear stage selected from among the some gear stages based on the fuel efficiency as a gear stage to which a current gear stage is changed.

A work machine includes an engine, a transmission connected to the engine to change a transmission gear ratio continuously, a travel device connected to the transmission to cause the work machine to travel, a sensor arranged and configured to detect an acceleration of the work machine, and a controller. The controller selectively execute a first mode and a second mode that limits a target tractive force of the machine in comparison to the first mode. The controller weakens limitation of the target tractive force and determines the target tractive force when the acceleration of the machine in the second mode is less than a predetermined acceleration threshold. The controller determines a target transmission gear ratio in accordance with the target tractive force. The controller controls the transmission based on the target transmission gear ratio.

In this vehicle control device (10), which controls operation of a vehicle provided with a transmission including a direct gear and an overdrive gear, which is a gear with a lower gear ratio than that of the direct gear, a travel segment determination unit (15) determines a next travel segment which, forward in the travel direction of the vehicle, has a road slope different from that of the current travel segment where the vehicle is currently traveling. A next gear stage selection unit (16) determines a next gear stage, which will be the gear stage of a transmission in the next travel segment, on the basis of the speed of the vehicle, an equal fuel consumption map of the engine of the vehicle, and the travel resistance of the vehicle in the next travel segment estimated on the basis of the road slope in the next travel segment. The next gear stage selection unit (16) selects the next gear stage referring to different equal fuel consumption maps depending on whether the gear stage of the transmission is the direct gear or whether the gear stage of the transmission is a normal gear.

A control apparatus for a vehicle includes an input-rotation limiting portion configured, when the vehicle starts running and is accelerated, to calculate an estimated speed value that is a speed value of an input rotational speed of an automatic transmission upon elapse of a predetermined length of time, and to calculate an estimated force value that is a force value of a piston pressing force acting on a piston in a forward direction in a released engagement device upon the elapse of the predetermined length of time, based on a centrifugal hydraulic pressure in a pressure chamber of the released engagement device and the centrifugal hydraulic pressure in a canceller chamber of the released engagement device. When the estimated force value is not smaller than a predetermined threshold, the input-rotation limiting portion restrains an increase of the input rotational speed.

An apparatus for controlling a transmission of a vehicle includes: a determination device that decides whether to perform a forward vehicle-based deceleration tracking control, based on information of the vehicle and a forward vehicle, when the vehicle starts to coast; a calculation device that calculates a target velocity and a target distance based on a position and a velocity of the forward vehicle, when the forward vehicle-based deceleration tracking control is decided to be performed; a gear position decision device that constructs deceleration profiles for respective gears and decides a final gear based on the target velocity and the target distance calculated; and a controller that controls the transmission based on the final gear.

A gear stage choosing apparatus that chooses a gear stage of a stepped transmission of a vehicle includes a storage unit configured to store a shift map containing a relationship between vehicle speed and gear stage, a determination unit configured to determine a gear stage associated with an estimated vehicle speed after a lapse of a first period of time from current time based on the shift map, an evaluation unit configured to evaluate fuel efficiency in some gear stages, including the determined gear stage and one or more gear stages higher or lower in less than or equal to a specific number of gear steps than the determined gear stage, of multiple gear stages, and a choosing unit configured to choose a gear stage selected from among the some gear stages based on the fuel efficiency as a gear stage to which a current gear stage is changed.

A control device of a vehicle disposed on a vehicle including an engine and a fluid transmission device including a lockup clutch, the control device of a vehicle comprises: an automated-driving running control portion automatically controlling at least an engine torque so that the vehicle runs in a predefined target running state without requiring an acceleration/deceleration operation; and a lockup control portion engaging/releasing the lockup clutch in accordance with a predefined lockup condition. The automated-driving running control portion includes a fuel efficiency priority running portion setting the target running state such that the lockup clutch is brought into an engaged state in accordance with the lockup condition.