Abstract: Disclosed herein are stability display apparatus and methods. One apparatus comprises a driving state detection unit configured to detect a driving state of a vehicle in operation; a controller comprising an instability estimation unit configured to estimate an instability index indicating driving instability of the vehicle based on the driving state of the vehicle detected by the driving state detection unit and configured to determine changes in the instability index; and a display unit configured to display the instability index estimated by the instability estimation unit in a display region within a range less than or equal to an upper limit that is a limit of display and configured to display in the display region a representation of the changes of the instability index when the instability index is beyond the upper limit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are stability display apparatus and methods. One apparatus comprises a driving state detection unit configured to detect a driving state of a vehicle in operation; a controller comprising an instability estimation unit configured to estimate an instability index indicating driving instability of the vehicle based on the driving state of the vehicle detected by the driving state detection unit and configured to determine changes in the instability index; and a display unit configured to display the instability index estimated by the instability estimation unit in a display region within a range less than or equal to an upper limit that is a limit of display and configured to display in the display region a representation of the changes of the instability index when the instability index is beyond the upper limit.

Abstract: A vehicle steering control system is provided with a steering angle ratio varying mechanism, a variable power assisted steering mechanism and a steering angle ratio controller. The steering angle ratio varying mechanism varies the steering angle ratio, which is the ratio of the turning angle of the front wheels with respect to the steering angle of the steering wheel. The variable power assisted steering mechanism outputs an auxiliary steering force that supplements the steering force of the driver to the steering mechanism for turning the front wheels. The steering angle ratio controller increases the steering angle ratio in a steering angle range in the vicinity of the steering angle center point, and reduces the steering angle ratio in the steering angle range in the vicinity of the rack stopper position, regardless of the steering angular speed of the steering wheel.

Abstract: A vehicle steering control system is provided with a steering angle ratio varying mechanism, a variable power assisted steering mechanism and a steering angle ratio controller. The steering angle ratio varying mechanism varies the steering angle ratio, which is the ratio of the turning angle of the front wheels with respect to the steering angle of the steering wheel. The variable power assisted steering mechanism outputs an auxiliary steering force that supplements the steering force of the driver to the steering mechanism for turning the front wheels. The steering angle ratio controller increases the steering angle ratio in a steering angle range in the vicinity of the steering angle center point, and reduces the steering angle ratio in the steering angle range in the vicinity of the rack stopper position, regardless of the steering angular speed of the steering wheel.

Abstract: A vehicle behavior control system comprises a controller for determining a sensed steering angle from a steering amount signal and a neutral detection signal from a steering angle sensor, and performs a behavior control operation to reduce a deviation of a sensed actual motion variable such as a vehicle yaw rate from a target motion variable determined from the sensed steering angle. When the neutral detection signal is not available just after a start of the engine, the controller determines the target motion variable from an estimated steering angle instead of the sensed steering angle, and immediately starts controlling the vehicle behavior without delay by, for example, controlling the braking forces of the individual wheels.

Abstract: In an antiskid braking system for increasing or decreasing a braking force according to a wheel speed and a vehicle speed, an algorithm applied to the determination of a braking force decrease amount is improved. Once a target braking force decrease amount is determined according to the wheel speed and vehicle speed, this is compared with a predetermined minimum decrease amount, and when the target decrease amount is less than the minimum decrease amount, braking force is decreased according to the minimum decrease amount. The minimum decrease amount is preferably determined according to the braking force immediately before the braking force decrease. In this way, braking force reduction insufficiencies in several conditions are prevented.

Abstract: In an antiskid brake system that increases or decreases a wheel cylinder pressure according to a wheel speed and vehicle speed, an algorithm applied to pressure increase after pressure decrease is improved. A first target pressure increase amount is computed based on the wheel speed and vehicle speed, and a second target pressure increase amount is computed based on a total pressure decrease amount when pressure is decreased. The wheel cylinder pressure is then increased according to the first target pressure increase amount when an elapsed time from the start of pressure decrease to the start of pressure increase, is longer than a predetermined value, and according to the second target pressure increase amount when the elapsed time is shorter than the predetermined value. In this way, increase of slip amount due to excessive pressure increase is prevented.

Abstract: An apparatus controls the steering angle of a pair of front or rear wheels and the braking forces to be applied to left and right wheels of at least one of the wheel pairs. The apparatus includes a control unit for calculating a target value for a dynamic parameter related to a motion of the vehicle based upon sensed vehicle operating conditions. The control unit calculates a target value for the steering angle of the one wheel pair and controls the steering angle to the calculated target value so as to bring the dynamic parameter to its target dynamic parameter value. An absolute value of the target or actual steering angle is calculated for comparison with a predetermined value. The control unit controls the second control unit to provide a difference between the braking forces applied to the left and right wheels of the one wheel pair so as to bring the dynamic parameter to the target dynamic parameter value only when the calculated absolute value exceeds the predetermined value.

Abstract: A system and method for independently controlling the braking force applied to each wheel of an automobile based on the lesser of two target braking force calculations intended to produce a desired vehicular motion. The first target braking force is based upon steering angle and vehicle sped, and is calculated so as to achieve a target value of a preselected motion variable, such as yaw rate, corresponding to the desired vehicular motion. The second target braking force is based upon individual wheel speed and is intended to maintain within a predetermined slip rate at least one wheel of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle dynamic characteristic is controlled using a first unit for controlling braking forces to be applied to left and right wheels of at least one of the wheel pairs, a second unit for controlling a steering angle of one of the wheel pairs, and a third unit for controlling the first and second units. In the absence of vehicle braking, the third unit calculates a first target value for a first parameter related to a first motion of the vehicle based upon vehicle operating conditions and controls the second unit to bring the first parameter to the first target value. The third unit calculates a value of a second parameter related to a second motion of the vehicle provided when the first parameter is controlled to the first target value in the absence of vehicle braking. In the presence of vehicle braking, the third unit calculates changes in cornering powers of the respective wheel pairs and modifies the first target value based upon the calculated cornering power changes.

Abstract: A vehicle dynamic characteristic control apparatus for use with an automotive vehicle supported on a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels. The apparatus comprises a first unit for controlling a steering angle of one of the wheel pairs, a second unit for controlling braking forces to be applied to left and right wheels of at least one of the wheel pairs, and a third unit coupled to the sensor means for controlling the first and second units. The third unit calculates a target value for a dynamic parameter related to a motion of the vehicle based upon the sensed vehicle operating conditions. The third unit controls the first unit to bring the dynamic parameter to the target value.

Abstract: A control system for a wheeled vehicle, comprises a brake actuator for controlling a behavior of the vehicle during braking by producing a braking force difference between a left wheel braking force and a right wheel braking force in response to a control signal, a sensor for sensing an actual vehicle motion variable such as a yaw rate, and a controller for controlling the vehicle motion by producing the control signal. The controller determines an estimated vehicle motion variable from a driver's steering command by using one or more predetermined estimator transfer characteristics, compares the sensed and estimated vehicle motion variables to determine a deviation therebetween, and determines the magnitude of the control signal so as to reduce the deviation by using a predetermined compensator transfer characteristic and a predetermined filter transfer characteristic for filtering the deviation.

Abstract: A braking force control apparatus for use with an automotive vehicle. The braking forces applied to the left and right wheels of the vehicle are controlled to provide a target yaw rate calculated based upon a sensed steering angle and a sensed vehicle speed. For this control, a target difference between the braking forces applied to the left and right wheels is calculated from a vehicle model specifying a target braking force difference as a function or functions of target yaw rate, steering angle and vehicle speed. The vehicle model is obtained from equations of motions of the vehicle. The calculated braking force difference is used to set the braking forces to be applied to the left and right wheels.

Abstract: A control system for an automotive vehicle controls driving torque delivery for driven wheels. The control system basically controls an output torque of an automotive internal combustion engine toward a target engine output torque which is derived on the basis of an accelerator operational magnitude. The target engine output torque can be modified according to associated conditions, such as road friction level, a characteristic of a power train including a torque converter and a power transmission. The control system also performs selection of engine output control and transmission shift control depending upon vehicle driving condition.

Abstract: A system for correcting a wheel speed data produced by a wheel speed sensor, employs a filter for removing noise contained in the output of the wheel speed sensor. The filter limits variation rate of the wheel speed data so as to avoid occurrence of extraordinary variation of wheel speed as influenced by error factors, such as destruction of the wheel speed sensor or noise superimposed on the output of the wheel speed sensor.

Abstract: A control system is associated with both of an anti-skid brake system and a power distribution control system. The control system controls operation of the anti-skid brake system for adjusting the braking pressure in order to maintain a wheel slippage at about optimal level. The control system also adjusts an engaging force for a transfer clutch depending upon projected vehicle body speed representative value.

Abstract: An anti-skid brake control system is associated with a control system for a power train which controls power train operation mode between a four-wheel drive mode, in which all four wheels are coupled with an automotive internal combustion engine to be distributed torque according to a controlled distribution ratio of an engine driving torque, and a two-wheel drive mode, in which two auxiliary driving wheels are disconnected from the engine to be free from engine driving torque and two driving wheels are connected to the engine to receive the engine driving torque. The anti-skid brake control system is so associated with the power train control system as to normally set the power train operation mode into the two-wheel drive mode during active state of anti-skid brake control, and to set the power train operation mode into the four-wheel driven mode in response to wheel slippage at the primary driving wheels greater than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An anti-skid brake control system comprises a limiter which provides an upper limit of variation of wheel speed indicative data. The limited wheel speed indicative data is derived with respect to each wheel. The greatest limited wheel speed indicative data is selected as vehicle body speed indicative initial data. The anti-skid brake control system derives a projected vehicle body speed indicative data by adding an integrated value of a longitudinal acceleration to the aforementioned vehicle body speed indicative initial data. The integrated value is provided with a predetermined offset value for compensating for error caused in a longitudinal acceleration sensor.

Abstract: An anti-skid brake control system two mutually different mode for projecting the vehicle body speed representative data. In the first mode, the vehicle body speed representative data is derived on the basis of an instantaneous wheel speed data which is latched upon initiation of vehicular braking operation or upon detection of vehicular braking deceleration, and an integrated value of a longitudinal acceleration indicative signal. On the other hand, in a second mode, the vehicle body speed representative data is derived on the basis of the initially latched instantaneous wheel speed data and a fixed value of wheel deceleration gradient data. A first vehicle body speed representative data derived through the first mode of operation and a second vehicle body speed representative data derived through the second mode of operation are selectively used as the vehicle body speed representative data.

Abstract: An anti-skid brake control system for monitoring variation of wheel slippage and whereby detects APPLICATION mode of the anti-skid brake control system and for detecting HOLD mode of the anti-skid brake control. The system comprises a period of time where the operational mode is maintained at HOLD mode condition. When the period to maintain the HOLD mode becomes longer than a predetermined period, than the system set smaller rate for increasing the braking pressure in the subsequent APPLICATION mode.