Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Kyle Culek

Ashok E Rodrigues

Jose Velazquez Alcantar

Andrew Monticello

Nithesh Maddi Reddy

Nicholas Harris

Cameron Dillon

Methods and a system for estimating a coefficient of friction of a surface being traveled upon by a vehicle is disclosed. The methods and systems may be active when wheel slip is not present and while wheel slip is present. The coefficient of friction for the surface being traveled upon may be estimated as a function of time since a most recent wheel slip event.

Time-based artificial road friction learning method and system

A method of controlling torque in an all-wheel-drive vehicle limits the duration of loss of traction. During wheel slip events, a controller reduces the commanded torque from a driver demanded level. The controller calculates a normalized wheels speed for each wheel based on a measured yaw rate, measured wheel speeds, and calculated wheel diameters. The controller determines the end of the wheel slip event by comparing the normalized speeds of each while to one another.

Traction control for all-wheel drive vehicles

An all-wheel-drive vehicle includes a primary axle operably coupled to an engine and a secondary axle having an input operably coupled to the engine a first halfshaft, a second halfshaft, a first clutch selectively connecting the first halfshaft to the input, and a second clutch selectively connecting the second halfshaft to the input. A transmission has an input coupled to the engine and output coupled to the primary drive axle. A driveshaft couples a power-transfer unit and the input, and a third clutch selectively couples the output to the driveshaft. A controller is programmed to, during a power-limiting routine, command a torque to the engine based on closed-loop feedback control such that the torque decreases when a calculated slip of a selected one of the first and second clutches is greater than a target slip of the selected clutch and increases when the calculated slip is less than the target slip.

Growing community of inventors

Birmingham, MI, United States of America

Kyle Culek