Abstract: A control system and a method for controlling an automatic transmission that determines the disengagement of an off-going clutch and the engagement of an on-coming clutch by monitoring the corresponding hydraulic clutch pressures, and/or the calculated gear ratios with or without the assistance of off-pressure timer controls, or both.

Abstract: An adaptive position kick-down detent mechanism for providing a force feedback to an operator of a vehicle through a drive-by-wire accelerator prior to the transmission performing a kick-down. The kick-down detent mechanism includes a plunger portion, a plunger driving device, and an elastic portion. The plunger portion is slidable within the plunger driving device and is biased by the elastic portion. An electronic control unit communicates a kick-down pedal position to the plunger driving device, which moves the plunger portion to the kick-down pedal position so that the force feedback is provided to the driver before the kick-down even as the kick-down pedal position changes during vehicle operation.

Abstract: An engine's power may be gradually reduced during a torque phase of a clutch-to-clutch up-shift within an automatic transmission and then reduced fully during a subsequent inertia phase.

Abstract: A control system and a method for controlling an automatic transmission that determines the disengagement of an off-going clutch and the engagement of an on-coming clutch by monitoring the corresponding hydraulic clutch pressures, and/or the calculated gear ratios with or without the assistance of off-pressure timer controls, or both.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for operating a vehicle towing a trailer including a camera that captures an image of a frontal surface of the trailer. A surface estimate component may be used to receive an image from the camera and generate an estimated area and shape of the frontal surface of the trailer. A type recognition component may be used to generate a trailer identification based on the estimated area and shape. A cross reference component may be used to retrieve correlated information related to the trailer based on the trailer identification. A vehicle control interface may be used to transmit the correlated information to an on-board vehicle control unit, to modify the operation of the vehicle according to the correlated information.

Abstract: A method for maintaining a fuel cut function in a vehicle wherein, depending on the rate of vehicle deceleration, the pressure upon the lock-up and shift clutches associated with the vehicle's automatic transmission is changed accordingly. This is unlike prior practice, where a fixed pressure was applied to the lock-up and shift clutches at all deceleration rates. In the present invention, if the rate of deceleration is small, the pressure applied to the shift and lock-up clutches is low; there is no increase of the applied pressures. If the rate of deceleration is moderate, the pressure on the lock-up and shift clutches is moderately increased. If the rate of deceleration is high, there is no increase of the applied pressures. Further, if the rate of deceleration is high, the lock-up clutch is completely disengaged.

Abstract: An adaptive position kick-down detent mechanism for providing a force feedback to an operator of a vehicle through a drive-by-wire accelerator prior to the transmission performing a kick-down. The kick-down detent mechanism includes a plunger portion, a plunger driving device, and an elastic portion. The plunger portion is slidable within the plunger driving device and is biased by the elastic portion. An electronic control unit communicates a kick-down pedal position to the plunger driving device, which moves the plunger portion to the kick-down pedal position so that the force feedback is provided to the driver before the kick-down even as the kick-down pedal position changes during vehicle operation.

Abstract: A method for varying automatic-transmission clutch-pressure duration by determining the clutch-pressure duration at least in part as a function of atmospheric pressure to account for a slower hydraulic fill rate associated with automatic-transmission hydraulic clutches at high altitudes.

Abstract: An engine's power may be gradually reduced during a torque phase of a clutch-to-clutch up-shift within an automatic transmission and then reduced fully during a subsequent inertia phase.

Abstract: A method for maintaining a fuel cut function in a vehicle wherein, depending on the rate of vehicle deceleration, the pressure upon the lock-up and shift clutches associated with the vehicle's automatic transmission is changed accordingly. This is unlike prior practice, where a fixed pressure was applied to the lock-up and shift clutches at all deceleration rates. In the present invention, if the rate of deceleration is small, the pressure applied to the shift and lock-up clutches is low; there is no increase of the applied pressures. If the rate of deceleration is moderate, the pressure on the lock-up and shift clutches is moderately increased. If the rate of deceleration is high, there is no increase of the applied pressures. Further, if the rate of deceleration is high, the lock-up clutch is completely disengaged.