Patent ID: 11897473
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 3:
4. A method of controlling a device for a towing vehicle, the method comprising:
providing a device for a towing vehicle, the device comprising:
a drive unit configured to independently drive each of left and right wheels of a towing vehicle that tows a towed vehicle,
an acceleration detection unit configured to detect an acceleration of the towing vehicle, and
a drive force detection unit configured to detect a drive force of the towing vehicle;

estimating a mass of the towed vehicle using respective detection results generated by the acceleration detection unit and the drive force detection unit at a time of acceleration of the towing vehicle in a towing state; and
controlling a drive force of the left and right wheels of the towing vehicle in consideration of an influence of the estimated mass of the towed vehicle at a time of turning of the towing vehicle in the towing state.