A method of controlling gear selection in a vehicle transmission comprises detecting a change in a direction control signal (DCS) from a neutral signal state. If the current TOS is less than or equal to a predetermined neutral shift threshold TOS, the transmission selects one of a plurality of first direction gears if the DCS was changed to a first direction signal state or one of a plurality of second direction gears if the DCS was changed to a second direction signal state. If the current TOS is greater than the predetermined neutral shift threshold TOS, the transmission selects one of the plurality of first direction gears if a machine motion direction parameter indicates that the vehicle is moving in the first direction or one of the plurality of second direction gears if the machine motion direction parameter indicates that the vehicle is moving in the second direction.

The present disclosure relates to a method of controlling gear selection in a transmission of a vehicle in response to a directional shift requested by an operator and to a control system for controlling gear selection to manage directional shifts in vehicles, from a first direct to a second direction (e.g. forward to reverse). The method compares the current transmission output speed with a predetermined direction shift threshold transmission output speed. If the current transmission output speed is less than or equal to the predetermined direction shift threshold transmission output speed, the transmission is caused to execute a direction shift from the initial first direction gear to the same second direction gear, or a next highest second direction gear if there is no second direction gear which corresponds to the initial first direction gear. If the current transmission output speed is greater than the predetermined direction shift threshold transmission output speed, the direction shift is inhibited until the current transmission output speed slows to less than or equal to the predetermined direction shift threshold transmission output speed.

A method for rocking a vehicle free. The vehicle comprises a drive aggregate (2), a transmission (4), shifting elements (10), and a starting element (5). The rocking free process is carried out as a function of actuation of an accelerator pedal (11) by the driver or a torque delivered by the drive aggregate (2) as a function of the actuation of the accelerator pedal. The shifting element (10) is controlled such that reduced actuation of the accelerator pedal or reduced torque delivered by the drive aggregate (2), reduces a control pressure of the shifting element (10) of the transmission (4) down to a filling pressure or a pressure that corresponds to the filling pressure, and increased actuation of the accelerator pedal or increased torque delivered by the drive aggregate (2), increases the control pressure of the shifting element (10) and the shifting element is operated in a slipping mode.

A method and apparatus for evaluating the driving of a vehicle performing a journey on a road network is disclosed. The method comprises determining a fuel usage rate and an engine speed of a vehicle, and determining when the vehicle is coasting based upon at least one of the fuel usage rate and the engine speed of the vehicle. An acceleration of the vehicle, when the vehicle is determined to be coasting, is compared with a predetermined reference acceleration, and an application of braking during the coasting is determined based on the result of the comparison. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for determining a score indicative of the relative amount of time for which the vehicle is coasting without braking during a journey.

A control system for a transmission reverser having an output gear, a forward disconnect device, a first reverse disconnect device, and a second reverse disconnect device includes one or more controllers with processing and memory architecture configured to execute control logic to control the transmission reverser in a forward mode and a reverse mode. In the forward mode, the one or more controllers command the first reverse disconnect device to disengage and the forward disconnect device to engage to rotate the output gear in a forward direction. In the reverse mode, the one or more controllers command the first reverse disconnect device to engage and the second reverse disconnect device to engage to rotate the output gear in a reverse direction.

An apparatus of an automatic transmission includes a control unit controlling engagement and release of engaging mechanisms. One of the engaging mechanisms is a mechanical engaging mechanism which can be switched to a first state and a second state in which rotation of a rotational element in both directions is restricted. In a reverse range, the mechanical engaging mechanism is set in the second state. If a shift range is switched to the reverse range when the mechanical engaging mechanism is in the first state, the control unit starts engagement corresponding to the reverse range after executing preparation processing. If the shift range is switched from the reverse range to a forward range in the preparation processing, the control unit establishes a forward gear range by controlling the engaging mechanisms according to a degree of progress of the preparation processing.

The disclosure provides a control device of an automatic transmission for vehicle, which can improve the responsiveness to switching to a reverse stage. The automatic transmission includes: planetary gear mechanisms which transmit the driving force input to an input shaft to an output member; and first to third clutches and first to fourth brakes as engagement mechanisms capable of establishing shift stages by switching a transmission path of the driving force in the planetary gear mechanisms. The control device executes a reverse preparation process for starting engagements of the first and third clutches and the third brake and stopping rotation of the input shaft when the reverse stage is selected when the fourth brake (mechanical engagement mechanism) is in a unidirectional rotation allowed state (first state) and the vehicle is traveling at a vehicle speed greater than a highest vehicle speed at which the reverse stage is establishable.

A method for rocking a vehicle free. The vehicle comprises a drive aggregate (2), a transmission (4), shifting elements (10), and a starting element (5). The rocking free process is carried out as a function of actuation of an accelerator pedal (11) by the driver or a torque delivered by the drive aggregate (2) as a function of the actuation of the accelerator pedal. The shifting element (10) is controlled such that reduced actuation of the accelerator pedal or reduced torque delivered by the drive aggregate (2), reduces a control pressure of the shifting element (10) of the transmission (4) down to a filling pressure or a pressure that corresponds to the filling pressure, and increased actuation of the accelerator pedal or increased torque delivered by the drive aggregate (2), increases the control pressure of the shifting element (10) and the shifting element is operated in a slipping mode.

A shift device for an outboard motor includes a forward gear and a reverse gear; a clutch gear; a shift actuator configured to move between a neutral reference position where the clutch gear is disengaged from the forward gear and the reverse gear and an engagement reference position where the clutch gear is engaged with the forward gear or the reverse gear; and a control device configured to control a movement of the shift actuator. The control device is configured to set an intermediate target position, and to set a speed at which the shift actuator moves from the intermediate target position to the engagement reference position slower than a speed at which the shift actuator moves from the neutral reference position to the intermediate target position.

A gearbox for a vehicle includes: a housing; first and second shafts extending parallel to one another; first transmission gears mounted to the first shaft; and second transmission gears mounted to the second shaft. The transmission gears are helical gears. The first transmission gears are in constant mesh with the second transmission gears to form a plurality of gear pairings engageable to operate the gearbox in different gears. A drive gear is mounted to an input shaft extending into the housing. The input shaft is operatively connected to an engine of the vehicle. A driven gear is mounted to the second shaft and is configured to engage the drive gear. The drive and driven gears are spur gears. A flexible driving member is configured to drivingly connect one of the first shaft and the second shaft to an output shaft. A snowmobile including a gearbox is also contemplated.