Jaguar Land Rover Limited

Elliot Hemes

James Kelly

Andrew Fairgrieve

Dan Dennehy

Sam Anker

Paul Malcolm Darnell

Stephen Stacey

Luke Birch

Dennis Lausecker

David Armstrong

Syed Asad Ali

Adrian Berry

Mark Roberts

Timothy Holton

A control system () configured to control an active suspension system () of a vehicle (), the control system comprising one or more controller (), wherein the control system is configured to: determine () that the vehicle is travelling on or approaching repeating surface undulations; determine () vehicle speed; determine () an indication of surface wavelength of the repeating surface undulations; and control () the active suspension system to control at least one of a leading wheel suspension frequency and a trailing wheel suspension frequency in dependence on the vehicle speed and surface wavelength.

Active suspension control on repeating surface undulations

Embodiments of the present invention provide a controller for indicating a residual driving range available in a battery of an electric vehicle. The controller is operable in a first mode wherein it instructs the output means to display an output indicative of the total amount of energy remaining in the battery and a second mode wherein it instructs the output means to display an output indicative of an amount of energy that may be used without causing the total amount of energy stored in the battery to reduce below an amount required to undertake a predetermined journey. The controller is operable to switch from the first mode to the second mode upon receipt of a user input via said second input means. Advantageously, the second mode may display an amount of energy that can be used in a leisure driving session.

Apparatus and method for indicating residual driving range

A method for providing a steering recommendation for a vehicle for negotiating an obstacle includes receiving terrain information, the terrain information indicative of a surface of an obstacle, the surface facing an approaching wheel of the vehicle. The method further includes determining, from the terrain information, at least one characteristic of the facing surface of the obstacle and determining, in dependence on the determined at least one characteristic, a steering recommendation for the wheel to negotiate the obstacle. The method further includes providing the steering recommendation for use in negotiating the obstacle. A computer-readable medium, a controller, a system and a vehicle are also provided.

Vehicle controller and method

A vehicle control system for at least one vehicle subsystem of a vehicle; the vehicle control system comprising a subsystem controller for initiating control of the or each of the vehicle subsystems in a selected one of a plurality of different subsystem control modes, each of which corresponds to one or more different driving conditions for the vehicle. Evaluation means are provided for evaluating one or more driving condition indicators to determine the extent to which each of the subsystem control modes is appropriate and for providing an output to the subsystem controller that is indicative of the control mode which is most appropriate. This may be an evaluation means for calculating the probability that the or each of the subsystem control modes is appropriate. Automatic control means may be operable in an automatic response mode to select an appropriate one of the subsystem control modes in dependence on the output.

Vehicle control system and method for controlling a vehicle

A method and system for blending between different torque maps of a vehicle in a smooth and progressive manner. Blending is delayed if the vehicle driver cannot detect that blending is taking place, for example, when the difference between a source map and target map is below a predetermined threshold.

Adaptive control of motor vehicle powertrain

A method and system for blending between different torque maps of a vehicle so that step changes of torque output are avoided as accelerator pedal position is changed. Different blending rates are provided so as to reduce the blending time if driver demand is in the direction of torque change.

A driver advice system for a vehicle having at least one vehicle subsystem comprises a selector for receiving at least one driving condition indicator for the vehicle and for selecting, from a plurality of settings, a preferred setting for the at least one vehicle subsystem in response to the at least one driving condition indicator. The driver advice system includes an indication device for providing to the driver an indication of the preferred setting for one or more of the vehicle subsystems.

Driver advice system for a vehicle

A method and system for blending between torque maps of a source propulsion of a vehicle. The method and system are particularly applicable to automatic selection of an alternative torque map in response to a change of vehicle operating condition, for example, a change of terrain. Blending may substantially avoid a step change in response of the source of propulsion as accelerator position is changed.

A motor vehicle control system for controlling a plurality of vehicle subsystems to operate in a plurality of subsystem control modes in dependence on a driving surface. The system is operable in an automatic control mode selection condition in which the system is configured to determine the driving surface automatically and to cause each of the vehicle subsystems to operate in a predetermined one of the subsystem control modes in dependence on the determined driving surface. The system may be configured to determine if an interruption in powertrain torque occurs and to, in dependence on the identification of a powertrain torque interruption event, temporarily suspend causing an automatic change to the predetermined one of the subsystem control modes in which each subsystem is operating.

Vehicle control system and method for automatic control of vehicle subsystems

Embodiments of the present invention provide a control system for a motor vehicle, the system being operable in an automatic mode selection condition in which the system is configured to select automatically an appropriate system operating mode and to assume operation in said system operating mode, wherein when operating in the automatic mode selection condition the system is configured to prevent selection of a prescribed one or more operating modes if it is determined that the vehicle is towing a load.

Vehicle control system and method

Embodiments of the present invention provide a vehicle having different operating modes, and for each such mode a different characteristic of output torque and accelerator pedal position. The rise of output torque in response to a propulsion request is more or less delayed according to the instant operating mode. The invention provides for blending of the response to a propulsion request so that the delay is progressively varied between a source and target operating mode.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a control system for a motor vehicle, the system being operable in an automatic mode selection condition in which the system is configured to select automatically an appropriate system operating mode from a plurality of operating modes whereby the system assumes operation in said system operating mode, the system being further operable to activate an automatic progress control function in which a speed of the vehicle over terrain is controlled automatically by the system, wherein when the system is in the automatic mode selection condition the system is configured to allow the automatic progress control function to be activated only when the system is operating in one of a subset of one or more system operating modes.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a control system for a motor vehicle, the system being operable in an automatic mode selection condition in which the system is configured to select automatically an appropriate system operating mode whereby the system assumes operation in said system operating mode, the system being further configured to allow activation of an automatic progress control function in which a speed of the vehicle over terrain is controlled automatically by the system, wherein when the automatic progress control function is active the system is configured automatically to suspend changes in the selected system operating mode.

Terrain-based vehicle speed control and system

Embodiments of the present invention provide a vehicle control system for at least one vehicle subsystem of a vehicle; the vehicle control system comprising: a subsystem controller for initiating control of the or each-of the vehicle subsystems in a selected one of a plurality of subsystem control modes, each of which corresponds to one or more different driving conditions for the vehicle, automatic control means configured to select automatically the most appropriate one of the subsystem control modes, the system being operable in a manual mode in which a user may select a required subsystem control mode or an automatic response mode in which the automatic control means selects the most appropriate control mode, wherein when the system is operating in the manual mode and not when the system is operating in the automatic response mode, the subsystem controller is configured automatically to impose a first set of one or more prescribed constraints on an amount of torque applied to one or more wheels of a vehicle when commanded to operate in a prescribed one or more of the control modes.

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Solihull, United Kingdom

Elliot Hemes