Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Michael Frey

Filip Tomik

Bradley Dean Riedle

Richard David Bruns

Kyle Ness

Michael Peter Mongeau

Peter Chagnon

Bryce Crane

Douglas Harriman, Ii

A vehicle includes a primary axle, a secondary axle, and a powertrain. The powertrain has an engine coupled to the primary axle and selectively coupled to the secondary axle. The vehicle also includes a clutch associated with the secondary axle. A controller is programmed to, responsive to (i) a request to shift from two-wheel drive to four-wheel drive and (ii) a current engine-torque command exceeding a torque limit associated with the clutch, override the current engine-torque command to reduce a torque of the engine below the torque limit, and, responsive to the torque of the engine being less the torque limit, command engagement of the clutch.

Powertrain torque control during shift to four-wheel drive in automated-driving mode

A system and method for controlling a torque transfer clutch of a vehicle. A first data source indicates if the clutch is in AWD or 4×4 mode. An integrator system monitors energy transferred across the clutch. A temperature data source measures or calculates the clutch temperature. In a first case, the integrator accumulates data of the energy across the clutch during a monitoring period that is compared to a maximum accumulated energy value and initiates a powertrain torque dependent transfer point learn routine. In a second case, the controller responds to energy accumulator cycle data in a single monitoring cycle that is compared to a maximum cycle data value. In a third case, the controller responds to clutch temperature data and compares the temperature data to a maximum temperature value. The second and third cases initiate a non-powertrain torque dependent transfer point learn routine.

System and method to reduce transfer clutch overheating

Example systems and methods for a driver detection steering wheel are disclosed. An example disclosed vehicle includes a steering wheel, a driver, a detector, and an enabling module. The example steering wheel includes a plurality of capacitive sensors. The example driver is to change voltage levels on the plurality of capacitive sensors. The example detector is to measure time delays corresponding to the plurality of capacitive sensors, and determine a number of hands on the steering wheel based on the time delays. The example enabling module is to, in response to the detector detecting two hands on the steering wheel, grant access to an infotainment system.

Driver detection steering wheel

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Northville, MI, United States of America

Michael Frey