Abstract: A heat treatment method is provided in which a first steel component (11) formed with a coating (111) thereon is fitted in first holes (123, 124) of a second steel component (12) subjected to a quenching treatment. The heat treatment method includes a heating step of heating the second steel component to a first temperature (T1) equal to or higher than a tempering temperature (T0) of the second steel component and higher than a temperature of the first steel component by a temperature difference (?T) for achieving shrink fitting and a shrink-fitting step of shrink-fitting the first steel component in the first holes of the second steel component in a state of maintaining the temperature difference for achieving shrink fitting between the first steel component and the second steel component.

Abstract: A sliding member includes, on a surface of a metal substrate, a surface-treated layer including a zinc-electroplated layer, a chemical conversion-treated layer, and a topcoat layer sequentially stacked on the metal substrate. The chemical conversion-treated layer includes chromium and oxygen. The topcoat layer includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of a silica compound, acrylic resin, polyurethane resin, epoxy resin, phenol resin, and melamine resin. A method of manufacturing the sliding member includes a step of forming, on a surface of the chemical conversion-treated layer, the topcoat layer including at least one material selected from the group consisting of a silica compound, acrylic resin, polyurethane resin, epoxy resin, phenol resin, and melamine resin.

Abstract: A method of controlling the hybrid vehicle in which electric power of the battery and electric power generated by an electric generator are supplied to a drive device, a running load of the drive motor is estimated on the basis of the driver's requirement, and a first distance to empty that allows for running in a state where the estimated running load is fulfilled is calculated on the basis of an amount of charge remaining in the battery and an amount of fuel remaining used to drive the fuel cell. Then, a required running distance is estimated on the basis of the driver's requirement, and, on the basis of the first distance to empty and the required running distance, a necessary energy replenishment operation is notified to the driver.

Abstract: A vehicle travel control method is provided for controlling a host vehicle so as to follow a preceding vehicle. A first area where the host vehicle can possibly travel is calculated from a travel trajectory of the new preceding vehicle upon detecting a new preceding vehicle cutting in between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle. A second area is set to a previous travelable area of the host vehicle that was determined up to a previous time. The first area and the second area are added to define a defined travelable area. A target travel trajectory of the host vehicle is generated within the defined travelable area. The host vehicle is controlled along the generated target travel trajectory.

Abstract: A control method for an electric vehicle includes controlling a torque of a motor based on a final torque command value by calculating the final torque command value such that a vibration damping control to reduce vibrations of a driving force transmission system of a vehicle is performed on a target torque command value set based on vehicle information, calculating the final torque command value based on the target torque command value and a value obtained by multiplying a drive-shaft torsional angular velocity by a feedback gain, estimating, by use of a vehicle model that models the driving force transmission system, a dead-zone period during which a motor torque output from the motor is not transmitted to a drive-shaft torque of the vehicle, and determining whether or not the vehicle is just before stop of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle dynamic control monitoring system includes a vehicle, a warning indicator, at least one vehicle dynamic control system (VDC), a tire pressure sensor and an electronic controller. The vehicle has a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted to the vehicle. The warning indicator is installed to the vehicle at a location visible to a vehicle operator. The at least one VDC and the tire pressure sensor are installed to the vehicle. The electronic controller is connected to the warning indicator, the at least one VDC and the tire pressure sensor. The electronic controller is configured such that in response to determining that at least one of the wheels has a tire pressure that is below a predetermined tire pressure range, the warning indicator is displayed indicating that the at least one VDC will operate with reduced effectiveness.

Abstract: A traveling assistance method detects another vehicle and objects around a host vehicle, sets a blind spot area from the other vehicle, specifies an object present in the blind spot area among the detected objects, and predicts an action that the other vehicle takes in accordance with the specified object.

Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell system including a fuel cell module that includes a fuel cell and a reformer. The fuel cell system includes: a housing including a high temperature chamber in which the fuel cell module is disposed, and a low temperature chamber in which a gas supply system configured to supply a fuel and an oxidant to the fuel cell module is disposed; and a heat insulating partition wall that partitions a section of the housing to define the high temperature chamber and the low temperature chamber and that is formed with supply passages configured to allow supply of the fuel and the oxidant to the fuel cell module by the gas supply system.

Abstract: An electric power supply system 100 comprises a fuel cell system 20 including an FC auxiliary machine 23 that operates to causes fuel cells to generate an electric power, and a battery 10 that generates heat through discharging and charging. The electric power supply system 100 supplies the electric power to an electric load device 90. The electric power supply system 100 determines an operation state of the battery 10, and supplies the electric power discharged from the battery 10 to the FC auxiliary machine 23 of the fuel cell system 20 when it is determined that the battery 10 is a predetermined temperature or less. When it is determined that the battery 10 is in a charging state, the electric power supply system 100 reduces or stops the electric power supplied to the FC auxiliary machine 23.

Abstract: A method for a motor vehicle to select a preferred traffic lane to access a toll area having a plurality of traffic lanes includes the following: a) detecting traffic lanes of the toll area, b) determining, for at least some of the traffic lanes, a first item of data relating to the distance between the motor vehicle and the corresponding traffic lane, and a second item of data relating to the number of other vehicles situated on the corresponding traffic lane, c) minimizing a cost function that depends on each first item of data and on each second item of data, so as to identify the preferred traffic lane, and d) determining the possibility or the risk for the motor vehicle of changing traffic lane in order to move towards the preferred traffic lane.

Abstract: A method for incrementally forming includes: preparing a tool T disposed on one side of a metal plate W, a fixing jig 1 to hold a periphery of the metal plate W, and a template P1 including a molded edge E that follows at least a part of a contour of a part to be processed F; arranging the template P1 on the other side of the metal plate W; holding the periphery of the metal plate W together with the template P1 by the fixing jig 1 to fix the metal plate W and the template P1; and moving the tool T while pressing the tool T against the metal plate W, to incrementally form the part to be processed F having a three-dimensional shape of the metal plate W. The method enables to form the part to be processed F in high precision with no use of a molding die and thus, is effective in bringing about reducing cost of equipment and manufacturing.

Abstract: A route guidance method includes: if, on a set route from a departure point to a destination of a vehicle, a travelling road at a present position of the vehicle has a first plurality of lanes, and a next road following a nearest branch point from the present position has a second plurality of lanes, finding a branch-merge point up to which lanes other than a lane for reaching the destination out of the second plurality of lanes have gone away; and if a start point of traffic congestion is downstream of the branch-merge point, and an end point of the traffic congestion is upstream of the nearest branch point, guiding the vehicle to the lane for reaching the destination as a target before reaching the end point.

Abstract: A map data correcting method for correcting map data used in a vehicle using a controller includes executing a first correction process of uniformly offsetting the map data as a whole to reduce a first error that is a general position error of the map data and executing a second correction process of reducing a second error that is a position error still remaining in the map data even after uniformly offsetting the map data as a whole.

Abstract: When an occupant stretches his/her lower extremity in a state where putting his/her foot on a foot resting portion during autonomous driving of a vehicle, a seat is controlled so as to move rearward and obliquely upward along a control portion. Concurrently, a seat cushion is controlled so that its front portion moves downward while being supported by a link member and then its inclination angle is made gentle. When at least one of a position and an angle of at least one of the seat cushion and the seatback is controlled, an upper end of the seat is located on an inclined straight line extending downward on a forward side of the upper end.

Abstract: A vehicle position correction device is provided with a controller for correcting a position error of an autonomous host vehicle. The controller detects a lane boundary of a lane in which the host vehicle travels. The controller calculates a target value for a lateral correction amount of the target route by comparing positional relationships between lane boundary detection results and the target route on a map, and changes a lateral movement speed of the target route to calculate the target value for the lateral correction amount according to a bearing of the host vehicle in which the bearing being a vehicle attitude angle. The controller corrects the target route by moving the target route sideways in a lateral direction by an amount equal to the lateral correction amount upon the calculation of the lateral correction amount.