Abstract: A method detects errors during execution of software based programs in a system of motor vehicle components. During execution a component executes its assigned program, and the components call each other interactively. When a component is called, a program identity and an error parameter are transmitted from the other component to the component. If a component identifies an error during execution, it stores an active error entry that contains the program identity, the component identification and an error status. If a component, which has called another component, receives the component identification, it stores a passive error entry that contains the program identity, its component identification and the identification of the other component. A component, which stores one or more active or passive error entries, returns the program identity and the component identification of the component, at least once during program execution, to the component that has called it.

Abstract: A method for controlling a hybrid powertrain system based upon a predicted speed of an output member, a predicted operator torque request, and a predicted accelerator pedal position is disclosed. The method comprises predicting the accelerator pedal position based upon a monitored accelerator pedal position and a filtered accelerator pedal position, predicting the speed of an output member based upon a monitored speed of the output member, and predicting the operator torque request based upon the predicted speed of the output member and the predicted accelerator position.

Abstract: In a device for providing information to a vehicle user about various functional elements using a display screen system, having an overview image to display the functional elements, having a rotating actuator, which is assigned to the functional elements, rotatable arbitrarily around its axis for the individual selection of the functional elements, and having the property of displaying further information about the particular functional element using an axial movement of the actuator, the functional elements are marked in the overview image. The functional elements are individually selectable by a rotational movement of the actuator and an enlarged detail of the overview image containing the particular functional element is displayable as the information.

Abstract: A method controls an automatic shutdown and start-up process of a drive unit in a motor vehicle by way of a start and stop device, by which the drive unit is automatically shut down when the motor vehicle comes to a halt if predefined shutdown conditions are met, and by which a drive unit, which has been automatically shut down, is automatically started up if at least one start request is made. Before the initiation of an automatic shutdown process of the drive unit, a possible stop duration of the drive unit is predicted, taking into consideration the present operating variables of the vehicle, the state variables, and/or other parameters. Depending on the predicted stop duration, an automatic shutdown process is initiated when all other shutdown conditions are met.

Abstract: A method to monitor integrity of a motor torque command for a transmission in a hybrid powertrain system includes calculating motor torque commands for the torque generating machines. Torque corrections for the motor torque commands are determined. The motor torque commands are adjusted based upon the torque corrections. The adjusted motor torque commands are verified based upon an estimated output torque.

Abstract: An exhaust gas routing device for an internal-combustion engine having a thermoelectric generator is fluidically connected with an exhaust gas line and a pipe guiding a coolant. The generator has a plurality of thermoelectric yoke pairs which are arranged between a first surface heated by the exhaust gas and a second surface cooled by the coolant. The exhaust gas routing device has a device guiding the exhaust gas along the first surface at a flow velocity that increases in the flow direction of the exhaust gas.

Abstract: A motor vehicle includes an on-board vehicle electric system, an electric consumer, whose resistance decreases with the decreasing voltage dropping at the consumer, an electric energy accumulator, and a switching arrangement. The switching arrangement is designed and is connected or connectable to the on-board vehicle electric system, the consumer and the energy accumulator such that in a first switching position, the energy accumulator, and in a second switching position, the switching arrangement, is connected in parallel to the on-board vehicle electric system. The energy accumulator in the second switching position is connected in series to the consumer, and the energy accumulator in the first switching position is not connected in series to the consumer.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for direct data exchange between two or more vehicles for transmission of data relating to events having a negative effect on driving safety, via wireless communication such as WLAN in particular. Unambiguous identification information is assigned to each vehicle. To increase acceptance of such a system, the identification information of the respective vehicle is temporary and is formed on the basis of the current status of the vehicle.

Abstract: A driver assistance system for driver assistance for consumption controlled driving combines tactile and visual feedback functions, especially in the form of a drive configuration, a display concept and/or a deceleration assistant, wherein the emphasis is, on the one hand, on a modified accelerator pedal characteristic and, on the other hand, on the ECO tips for interactive output of efficient driving instructions.

Abstract: A driver assistance system for assisting a driver in achieving consumption-controlled driving combines haptic and visual acknowledgment functions, particularly in the form of a drive configuration, a display concept, and/or a deceleration assistant. A modified characteristic accelerator pedal curve is utilized, and ECO tips of the interactive output of efficient driving instructions are provided.

Abstract: A driver assistance system for driver assistance for consumption controlled driving combines tactile and visual feedback functions, especially in the form of a drive configuration, a display concept and/or a deceleration assistant, wherein the emphasis is, on the one hand, on a modified accelerator pedal characteristic and, on the other hand, on providing ECO tips for an interactive output of efficient driving instructions.

Abstract: A method of checking the quality of traffic disturbance reporting processes records a total number of traffic disturbance reports generated by a traffic disturbance reporting process, which traffic disturbance reports each relate to at least one defined reporting time period and at least one defined reporting route segment, over a predefined analyzing time period and a predefined analyzing range. A number of reported conditions is formed from the total number of traffic disturbance reports, and a first statistical frequency distribution of the reported conditions is determined. A total number of reference observations are recorded, which each relate to at least one defined observation time period and at least one defined observation route segment, within the analyzing time period and within the analyzing range. A number of actual conditions is formed from the total number of reference observations and a second statistical frequency distribution of the actual conditions is determined.

Abstract: A hybrid powertrain system includes a transmission operative to transfer power between an input member and a torque machine and an output member coupled to a driveline coupled to a wheel including an actuable friction brake. The torque machine is operative to react torque transferred from the wheel through the driveline to the output member of the transmission. The torque machine is connected to an energy storage device.

Abstract: A powertrain including an electro-mechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an internal combustion engine and first and second electric machines to transmit power to an output member is disclosed. A method for controlling the electro-mechanical transmission includes determining minimum and maximum motor torque constraints for the first and second electric machines, and determining available battery power in terms of battery power constraints. One of a first, a second and a third case is determined based upon the motor torque constraints and the battery power constraints. A preferred output torque is determined for transmitting to the output member of the electro-mechanical transmission.

Abstract: In a vehicle wheel suspension, a first trailing arm is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a second trailing arm in the direction of an angle bisector between the longitudinal and transverse directions. The ends of the trailing arms determine a substantially horizontal instantaneous axis for the wheel carrier relative to the spring jounce and rebound motions of the vehicle chassis. The wheel carrier is slightly pivotable about a toe axis under the influence of braking forces. A support arm securely connects to the wheel carrier and extends over a defined distance substantially in parallel with and supported on the second trailing arm. The support is softer in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction. A suitable design of the second trailing arm and/or the support arm allows a slight pivot motion of the wheel carrier about the toe axis.

Abstract: A powertrain system includes a transmission operative to transfer power between an engine coupled to an input member and a plurality of torque machines and an output member, A method for controlling the powertrain system includes monitoring system operation and determining an output torque request, determining a closed loop speed error, determining motor torque offsets to the torque machines based upon the closed loop speed error, determining output torque constraints based upon the motor torque offsets and the system operation, determining an output torque command based upon the output torque request and the output torque constraints, determining preferred motor torque commands for the torque machines based upon the output torque command, reducing the preferred motor torque commands for the torque machines using the motor torque offsets to the torque machines, and adjusting the reduced preferred motor torque commands for the torque machines based upon the closed loop speed error.

Abstract: In a method for transmitting data using a predetermined data protocol between a first electronic control unit and a second electronic control unit in a motor vehicle, in which a data protocol is transmitted in the form of a pulse-pause sequence via a single electrical line, a first data protocol may be output by the first control unit on the line and synchronously a second data protocol may be output by the second control unit on the line, after which at least one of the control units acquires the resulting signal of the data protocols on the line and checks it for predefined criteria.

Abstract: A method represents objects of varying visibility surrounding a vehicle for a driver on a display device. The surroundings are automatically recognized by object recognition devices. For recognized objects, it is determined whether the respective object is a first object classified to be visible, or a second object classified to be invisible to the occupant. For a number of recognized objects including at least one first object and second object, respective positions of the objects are determined for the display, in the case of which the geometrical relationships between the number of objects correspond essentially to the real geometrical relationships.