Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, an electric machine, a battery, and at least one controller. The vehicle may further comprise a port for supplying power to a load external to the vehicle. The controller is programmed to operate the engine at a power level based on a difference between a battery voltage and a reference voltage such that a power output by the electric machine reduces the difference. The power level may define an engine operating point that minimizes fuel consumption. The operating point may be an engine torque and an engine speed. The power level may be further based on a state of charge of the battery. The electric machine may be operated to cause the engine to rotate at an engine speed corresponding to the selected power level. The difference may be caused by varying power drawn by a load external to the vehicle.

Abstract: An example method of crowd-sourcing energy consumption data for vehicles includes controlling a vehicle in response to a predicted energy consumption that is continually updated based on a difference between a previous predicted energy consumption and a previous actual base energy consumption. Another example method of routing a vehicle includes changing a route for a vehicle in response to a predicted energy consumption for the vehicle when travelling the route, the predicted energy consumption based on a difference between a previous predicted energy consumption and a previous actual base energy consumption.

Abstract: A stop/start vehicle includes at least one controller that, in response to predicting a vehicle stop, initiates an engine pre-shutdown protocol such that vehicle subsystems begin to prepare for engine shutdown prior to a speed of the vehicle reaching approximately zero to reduce time between the speed of the vehicle reaching approximately zero and engine shutdown.

Abstract: A stability control system for a vehicle that has an electric traction motor that provides torque to an axle through a differential. The traction motor responds to an instability event that is sensed by sensors on the vehicle by initially reducing the torque provided to the traction wheels to regain steering control. The traction motor then pulses increased torque in sequence with the application of braking force to provide enhanced direct yaw moment control.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, an electric machine, a battery, and at least one controller. The vehicle may further comprise a port for supplying power to a load external to the vehicle. The controller is programmed to operate the engine at a power level based on a difference between a battery voltage and a reference voltage such that a power output by the electric machine reduces the difference. The power level may define an engine operating point that minimizes fuel consumption. The operating point may be an engine torque and an engine speed. The power level may be further based on a state of charge of the battery. The electric machine may be operated to cause the engine to rotate at an engine speed corresponding to the selected power level. The difference may be caused by varying power drawn by a load external to the vehicle.

Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle having a continuously variable transmission to simulate a step-ratio transmission. The method includes increasing an output torque based on a modified accelerator pedal position in response to a corresponding virtual gear selection. An initial virtual gear is determined or selected from a predetermined finite number of available virtual gears based on an accelerator pedal position, a vehicle speed, and whether an upshift or downshift has been requested. The engine speed and engine torque are controlled to meet driver expectations of increased or decreased engine speed or vehicle output torque.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine having a crankshaft, a transmission having an input, and a torque converter mechanically coupled to the input. The vehicle further includes an electric machine mechanically coupled to the torque converter, a clutch configured to mechanically couple the electric machine and crankshaft, and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers are programmed to, in response to the transmission being in a drive or reverse gear and a speed of the vehicle being less than a predetermined value in an absence of driver demand, control the electric machine to achieve a target speed to cause the torque converter to output torque such that the speed of the vehicle approaches a generally constant speed less than or equal to the predetermined value when the vehicle is on a generally flat grade.

Abstract: A system of one or more computers configured to perform operations or actions by virtue of having software, firmware, hardware, or a combination installed on the system which causes the system to perform actions. One or more computer programs can be configured to perform operations or actions by virtue of including instructions that cause the apparatus to perform the actions. One general aspect includes a system, including a computer programmed to receive a pickup request with a current location of a rider. The system determine a route to the rider, based on a geolocation of a vehicle and the location of the rider. The system receives updated locations from the rider, and updates the route to the rider for the driver. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding computer systems, apparatus, and computer programs recorded on one or more computer storage devices, each configured to perform the actions of the methods.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, an electric machine, a battery, and at least one controller. The vehicle may further comprise a port for supplying power to a load external to the vehicle. The controller is programmed to operate the engine at a power level based on a difference between a battery voltage and a reference voltage such that a power output by the electric machine reduces the difference. The power level may define an engine operating point that minimizes fuel consumption. The operating point may be an engine torque and an engine speed. The power level may be further based on a state of charge of the battery. The electric machine may be operated to cause the engine to rotate at an engine speed corresponding to the selected power level. The difference may be caused by varying power drawn by a load external to the vehicle.

Abstract: A method and a system augment or improve a distance until charge (DUC) estimation for a vehicle such as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) by using location information. Such location information may be provided by a global positioning system (GPS) or the like associated with the vehicle. The method and the system generally estimate the DUC value as a function of past driving pattern historical data that is relevant to a current driving situation. To this end, the method and the system ignore past driving pattern historical data that is not relevant to the current driving situation when estimating the DUC value.

Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle having a motor and an engine that are selectively connected on a driveline and controlled by a controller. The controller is configured to schedule additional motor torque to compensate for engine inertia drag based upon a clutch pressure value and a clutch slip speed value during a period of clutch engagement. The controller is also configured to maintain vehicle acceleration using a proportional integral controller to adjust the motor torque during a period of clutch engagement.

Abstract: A method implemented in a travel mode selection device is provided. The method comprises obtaining weather information, determine rating indices for a plurality of travel manners corresponding to the weather information, and recommending at least one travel mode based on the rating indices.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating and hybrid driveline are presented. In one example, driver demand torque may be supplied to vehicle wheels via a hydraulic torque path and a friction torque path. Torque is distributed between the friction torque path and the hydraulic torque path in a way that ensures that driver demand torque is met and the friction torque path transfers torque up to its capacity.

Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle includes an engine and an electric machine, both capable of providing propulsion power. A clutch is configured to selectively couple the engine to the electric machine. At times, the vehicle may be subject to excessive loads, such as a large amount of weight in the vehicle or the vehicle towing another object. At least one controller is programmed to engage the clutch and start the engine in response to a load of the vehicle exceeding a predetermined threshold and a release of the brake pedal while the vehicle is stopped and in drive. This increases available engine torque prior to vehicle launch in anticipation of an upcoming acceleration demand.

Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle includes an engine and an electric machine, both capable of providing torque to transmission gearing. A clutch is disposed between the engine and the electric machine and is configured to selectively couple the engine to the electric machine. At times in which control of the amount of engine torque transmitted to the gearing is desirable, a controller is programmed to slip the clutch. If the controller is able to determine the amount of torque transmitted through the slipping clutch, the controller alters an output of the electric machine based upon the torque through the clutch. If, however, the controller is unable to determine the amount of torque transmitted through the slipping clutch, the controller alters the output of the electric machine based upon an acceleration of the electric machine.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a starter motor, an engine having an output mechanically coupled to the starter motor, a transmission having an input, and an electric machine mechanically coupled to the transmission input. The vehicle further includes a clutch configured to mechanically couple the electric machine and the output of the engine, and at least one controller. The at least one controller is programmed to initiate an engine start based on driver demand. The controller is further configured to enable pressure to the clutch for the engine start if driver demand is less than a calibratable torque value or enable the starter motor for the engine start if the driver demand is greater than a calibratable torque value. The controller may lock the clutch to the output of the engine in response to the speed of the engine being approximately equal to the speed of the electric machine.

Abstract: A stop/start vehicle includes at least one controller that, in response to predicting a vehicle stop, initiates an engine pre-shutdown protocol such that vehicle subsystems begin to prepare for engine shutdown prior to a speed of the vehicle reaching approximately zero to reduce time between the speed of the vehicle reaching approximately zero and engine shutdown.

Abstract: A controller may be configured to adjust a brake apply and release detection calibration based on a detection sensitivity associated with a predicted driver start/stop intention for a vehicle and an associated confidence level indicative of a likelihood of the predicted driver intention; and perform at least one of engine startup and engine shutdown according to the adjusted brake pedal detection calibration.

Abstract: A system and method for estimating disconnect clutch torque during engine start with the motor in vehicles having an engine selectively coupled to the motor and transmission may be configured to control motor torque based on a clutch torque estimated from a difference in a measured powertrain state and a predicted powertrain state using motor torque as an input. The powertrain states may include, for example, motor speed, turbine speed, engine speed and clutch torque. An adaptive gain may be used to drive the difference between measured and estimated clutch torque toward zero.

Abstract: A stop/start vehicle includes at least one controller that, in response to predicting a vehicle stop, initiates an engine pre-shutdown protocol such that vehicle subsystems begin to prepare for engine shutdown prior to a speed of the vehicle reaching approximately zero to reduce time between the speed of the vehicle reaching approximately zero and engine shutdown.