Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for determining when vehicle powertrain torque is being used to substantially maintain a vehicle at a substantially zero speed on a graded surface, and to shift the supplied torque from the powertrain to another vehicle system or component. A vehicle controller determines that the powertrain system is supplying a hold torque, which has a magnitude sufficient to substantially maintain the vehicle at a substantially zero speed on the graded surface. A brake torque at a magnitude at least equivalent to the hold torque is automatically applied from the vehicle brake system to thereby maintain the vehicle at the substantially zero speed. Thus, the powertrain system can remove the torque it is supplying to hold the vehicle at the substantially zero speed.

Abstract: A system and method of optimizing fuel economy for an automobile is provided. Driver torque request input data is received and is accumulated over a period of time to generate accumulated torque request data. Torque data is extracted from the accumulated torque request data. The torque data is processed to generate driver habit data from the torque data. The driver habit data is stored and used to optimize fuel economy.

Abstract: A propulsion system for use in a hybrid vehicle, wherein a first propulsion system provides a driving force to a first pair of wheels and a second propulsion system provides a driving force to a second pair of wheels. A system controller actuates the propulsion systems determines the necessary commands to be provided to the first and second propulsion systems so as to provide the vehicle with the most efficient driving and/or stopping force.

Abstract: A propulsion system designed for hybrid vehicle's utilizing a first torque path from a coupled motor generator system and internal combustion engine through and automatically shifted manual transmission having a secondary torque path from a secondary torque source to the wheels. The system incorporates the high-efficiency of a manual transmission with the smoothness of the most advanced automatic transmissions by utilizing a second torque path to maintain driver requested torque during shifts. The system is also capable of performing shifts without opening the clutch by utilizing active synchronization of the input shaft RPM combined with the force control of the shifting actuator. This results in fast and smooth shifts that disengage and reengage without unpleasant torque pulsations.