Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle includes: a program updating portion configured to update a vehicle program to a new program received via a radio communication from an external device that is provided outside the vehicle; and a remaining-electric-energy reduction suppressing portion configured, when there is a program update request requesting the vehicle program to be updated to the new program, to execute a control for suppressing reduction of a remaining electric energy remaining in a vehicle electric-storage device configured to supply an update-consumed electric energy that is an electric energy consumed when the vehicle program is being updated to the new program.

Abstract: An apparatus for estimating a remaining life of a vehicle component included in a vehicle, based on various kinds of remaining-life-related data that influence the remaining life. The apparatus includes: a data transmitting portion provided in the vehicle, and configured to correlate the remaining-life-related data with running of the vehicle and to transmit the remaining-life-related data correlated with the running of the vehicle, to a data management center provided outside the vehicle, via a wireless communication; a data-unobtained running-section specifying portion configured to specify a data-unobtained running section in which the remaining-life-related data has been unobtainable by the data management center; and a remaining-life calculating portion configured to estimate the remaining life, by taking account of a reduction of the remaining life of the vehicle component in the data-unobtained running section.

Abstract: A cause for a malfunction in a vehicle is identified using a preset malfunction cause identifying model indicating a relation between the cause for the malfunction identified based on a detection value of an experimental vehicle sensor such as an oil pressure sensor, which is a detection value allowing the cause for the malfunction to be identified more easily than a detection value of an in-vehicle sensor group that is the same as an in-vehicle sensor group equipped in the vehicle, and the detection value of the in-vehicle sensor group, and the detection value of the in-vehicle sensor group when the malfunction has occurred in the vehicle. Therefore, in the case where the vehicle is not equipped with the experimental vehicle sensor, it is possible to improve the accuracy of the identification of the cause for the malfunction in the vehicle.

Abstract: A controller and a control method for a vehicle including an engine with a supercharger and an automatic transmission provided in a power transmission path between the engine and driving wheels are provided. The controller is configured to perform learning control of learning a command value associated with gear shifting of the automatic transmission. The controller is configured to limit a supercharging pressure of the supercharger when the automatic transmission is performing gear shifting to be equal to or less than a predetermined pressure until initial learning which is performed by the learning control unit in a predetermined period after the vehicle has been manufactured is completed.

Abstract: When a noise generation duration time predicted by a prediction unit is equal to or less than a predetermined time and it is predicted that generation of noise can be further curbed in comparison with a case in which the noise generation duration time in which noise is generated is relatively short and the noise generation duration time is greater than the predetermined time, an engine operating point control unit controls an engine and a differential unit such that an engine operating point reaches an engine operating point in an optimal fuel-efficiency operating line and thus it is possible to curb generation of noise and to curb a decrease in fuel efficiency.

Abstract: A vehicle failure-factor specifying apparatus includes (a) a peculiarity-presence determining portion configured to determine, based on a pre-failure driving state in a stage prior to occurrence of a certain failure in a vehicle, whether a peculiarity was present or absent in the pre-failure driving state, and (b) a failure-causing-driving state specifying portion configured, when the peculiarity was present in the pre-failure driving state, to determine whether the peculiarity present in the pre-failure driving state of the vehicle is substantially identical with a peculiarity in the pre-failure driving state of other vehicles.

Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle includes an engine operating point control unit that shifts an engine operating point to an engine operating point on an optimal fuel-efficiency operating line outside a predetermined noise generation region in which combustion sounds of an engine become noise when the engine operating point is in the noise generation region. Accordingly, when the engine operating point is in the noise generation region, the engine operating point control unit shifts the engine operating point to an engine operating point on the optimal fuel-efficiency operating line outside the noise generation region. As a result, since the engine operating point is not separated from the optimal fuel-efficiency operating line even when the engine operating point departs from the noise generation region, it is possible to curb a decrease in fuel efficiency.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a learning control portion configured to execute a learning control operation, and to limit a learning value obtained through the learning control operation, by a guard value, and an update control portion configured to obtain a new guard value from an external device, and to update the guard value to the new guard value. The update control portion limits the learning value by the new guard value, prior to execution of the learning control operation, such that the learning value is rewritten, by the update control portion, to a value within a new guard-value range defined by the new guard value in a case in which the learning value is deviated from the new guard-value range, and such that the learning value is kept unchanged by the update control portion in a case in which the learning value is within the new guard-value range.

Abstract: A controller for a hybrid vehicle predicts whether necessary discharging electric power from a power storage device which is required to perform downshift in a transmission exceeds upper-limit discharging electric power of the power storage device when downshift in the transmission is performed in a hybrid vehicle travel mode and controls a compressor rotation speed such that a rate of increase of the compressor rotation speed of a supercharger at the time of performing downshift in the transmission increases as the upper-limit discharging electric power decreases when it is predicted that the necessary discharging electric power exceeds the upper-limit discharging electric power.

Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes an electronic control unit configured to perform an automatic driving control, to determine whether there is a possibility that a start control of an engine and a gear shift control of an automatic transmission are concurrently executed in a future traveling under the automatic driving control, during execution of the automatic driving control, and to first execute one control of the start control of the engine and the gear shift control of the automatic transmission in the future traveling and execute the other control after the one control finishes, when the electronic control unit determines that there is the possibility that the start control of the engine and the gear shift control of the automatic transmission are concurrently executed in the future traveling under the automatic driving control.

Abstract: Since a supercharging pressure from a supercharger decreases when an actual rotation speed difference is equal to or less than a margin rotation speed difference, a response delay of an engine torque due to a response delay of the supercharging pressure in a high rotation curbing control unit can be appropriately curbed. A shortage of the engine torque with respect to a required engine torque due to a decrease in the supercharging pressure by a supercharging pressure decreasing unit is compensated for using an torque of a second rotary machine. Accordingly, it is possible to curb a decrease in power performance due to a decrease in the supercharging pressure and to prevent an engine rotation speed from falling into a high-rotation state in which the engine rotation speed exceeds a maximum rotation speed.

Abstract: When a speed difference between a maximum rotation speed and an engine rotation speed, that is, an actual rotation speed difference, is equal to or less than a margin rotation speed difference, an engine operating point is changed such that the actual rotation speed difference becomes greater than the margin rotation speed difference. Accordingly, the speed difference between the maximum rotation speed and the engine rotation speed is prevented from becoming equal to or less than the margin rotation speed difference. As a result, since a relatively sufficient margin is secured in the difference between the maximum rotation speed and the engine rotation speed, it is possible to prevent the engine rotation speed from falling into a high-rotation state in which the engine rotation speed exceeds the maximum rotation speed.

Abstract: Since a maximum rotation speed of a second rotary machine is set to a lower value when a supercharging pressure is high than when the supercharging pressure is low, an engine torque decreases with an rotation speed of the second rotary machine which is relatively low and the rotation speed is less likely to fall into a high-rotation state. When the supercharging pressure is relatively low and the rotation speed is less likely to reach an upper-limit rotation speed of the second rotary machine, the maximum rotation speed is set to a relatively high value. Accordingly, the engine torque does not decrease to the rotation speed which is relatively high and power performance can be easily secured. As a result, it is possible to prevent a decrease in power performance due to the decrease in the engine torque and to prevent the rotation speed from falling into a high-rotation state.

Abstract: It is determined whether chargeable and dischargeable electric power of a battery which is a power storage device are limited. When it is determined that the chargeable and dischargeable electric power of the battery is limited, an electric power balance target value of the battery during gear shifting control in a stepped gear shifting unit which is a mechanical gear shifting mechanism is calculated. A smaller value is calculated as a change rate limit value when the chargeable and dischargeable electric power is small than when the chargeable and dischargeable electric power is great, and the calculated change rate limit value is used to perform gear shifting control in the stepped gear shifting unit.

Abstract: Since a maximum rotation speed is set to a lower value when a supercharging pressure from a supercharger is high than when the supercharging pressure is low, an engine torque is decreased at a relatively low engine rotation speed and the engine rotation speed is less likely to fall into a high-rotation state. Since the maximum rotation speed is set to a relatively high value when the supercharging pressure is relatively low and the engine rotation speed is less likely to fall into a high-rotation state, the engine torque is not decreased at a relatively high engine rotation speed and power performance can be easily secured. Accordingly, it is possible to curb a decrease in power performance due to a decrease in the engine torque and to prevent the engine rotation speed from falling into a high-rotation state.

Abstract: When it is determined that there is a likelihood of occurrence of an abnormality in a supercharger, a maximum engine rotation speed and a maximum MG2 rotation speed are changed to a low rotation speed side and operating points of an engine and a rotary machine are controlled such that an engine rotation speed and an MG2 rotation speed are respectively within ranges which do not exceed the changed maximum rotation speeds. Accordingly, even when the supercharger does not operate normally and an abnormal increase in a supercharging pressure occurs, it is possible to curb a high-rotation state of the engine rotation speed and the MG2 rotation speed. As a result, even when an abnormal increase in the supercharging pressure occurs, it is possible to curb a decrease in durability of components.

Abstract: When a travel mode in which an engine is not used as a drive power source for travel is switched to a travel mode in which the engine is used as a drive power source for travel in response to an acceleration request from a driver, it is determined whether an assist torque which is able to be output from a second rotary machine is sufficient for a required assist torque for compensating for an output shortage of the engine due to a supercharging response delay in a supercharger. When it is determined that the assist torque is not sufficient for the required assist torque, an engine rotation speed is increased to a predetermined target rotation speed by an MG1 torque of a first rotary machine.

Abstract: A friction plate (11) includes a plate (1A) with a disc shape and a friction material (F1, F2) that is fixed to aside face (1a) of the plate (1A). The friction material (F1, F2) is disposed so that one or both of an inner peripheral side and an outer peripheral side is nonuniform in an inner and outer peripheral direction with respect to a circumferential direction around a center (CT1) of the plate (1A). Thus, there is an increase in the amount of lubrication oil that is fed to a surface of friction material segments (F1, F2) and there is an increase in a separation force in an axial direction between a friction plate (11) and a separator plate or an end plate.

Abstract: When braking of the electric vehicle is performed, the braking is controlled based on a target braking split ratio which is a target value of the ratio of the braking force that is applied to the rear wheels to a total braking force that is applied to the front and rear wheels. In this case, an initial value of the target braking split ratio is set to a value within an allowable range about a transmission split ratio when braking of the electric vehicle is started while the electric vehicle is being braked by the motor, the transmission split ratio being the ratio of a braking force that is transmitted from a drive shaft to the rear wheels via a driving force split device to a total braking force that is transmitted from the drive shaft to the front and rear wheels via the driving force split device.

Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a first motor, a differential unit, a second motor, a driving force split device, and a controller, the controller is configured to control the engine, the first motor, and the second motor such that the hybrid vehicle travels with the engine rotating within a range of an allowable maximum rotational speed for control or less. In this case, the controller is configured to set the allowable maximum rotational speed such that the allowable maximum rotational speed is higher when a main-side ratio is lower than when the main-side ratio is higher. The main-side ratio is a ratio of a driving force that is transmitted to main drive wheels to the total driving force that is transmitted from a drive shaft to the main drive wheels and sub drive wheels via the driving force split device.