Abstract: An automatic deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle operates so as to secure appropriate tire grip performance, depending on the conditions of a road surface on which the vehicle runs turning, and restrain excessive rolling of the vehicle body, there by stabilizing the turning behavior of the vehicle at all times. While the vehicle is turning on a high-friction road surface without undergoing haw moment control, a safe vehicle speed is computed within the rollover limit of the vehicle. While the vehicle is turning on a low-friction road surface under haw moment control, on the other hand, a safe vehicle speed that ensures satisfactory tire grip performance is computed in accordance with an estimated road friction coefficient. When the vehicle is about to exceed its safe speed as it turns, it is automatically decelerated to the safe speed or below. Thus, the vehicle can be prevented from spinning, drifting out, or rolling over.

Abstract: An electronic vehicle system monitors vehicle parameters and calculates variables such as acceleration to determine when the vehicle is cresting a hill. An action is taken to alter operation of the cruise control to avoid expending excess fuel or braking as the vehicle descends the downward grade. In one implementation, a message is displayed to a driver indicating the driver should reset the cruise set speed. In another implementation, the system automatically resets the cruise set speed without driver intervention. In yet another implementation, the system automatically resets the cruise set speed and automatically increases the set speed as the vehicle accelerates. An exemplary embodiment employs variable smoothing and a fuzzy logic system with a degree of confidence variable and an increase-in-acceleration rule.

Abstract: A fuel efficiency monitoring and display system for a vehicle dynamically evaluates vehicle performance parameters to detect conditions that cause excessive fuel consumption. The conditions include increased aerodynamic drag due to excessive speed, high RPM, braking and accelerating, excessive idling, and rapid throttle movements. The system dynamically estimates gross vehicle weight, roadway grade and drag factor from monitored parameters and uses these estimates to detect inefficient fuel use. The system indicates to the driver when inefficient fuel use is detected. For example, it displays a measure of excess fuel consumed and messages indicating actions that can be taken to improve fuel economy in response to detecting inefficient fuel use.

Abstract: An improved fuel economy device computes a filtered rate of change of instantaneous fuel economy or a filtered instantaneous fuel economy and repetitively updates a graphical display depicting the current fuel economy. The fuel economy can be displayed as a percentage of a target fuel economy, programmed by the driver or other operator of the vehicle.