Patent ID: 9156462
Filing Date: 2015-10-13
Classification: B60W,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A drive control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a control unit that is configured to control drive force output from a prime mover serving as a drive power source of the vehicle, in accordance with operation of an accelerator; and a shift mechanism capable of selectively switching a shift position to one of a driving position and a non-driving position, wherein: the shift mechanism is configured to transmit the drive force from the prime mover to vehicle wheels when the shift position is in the driving position, and to interrupt transmission of the drive force from the prime mover to the vehicle wheels when the shift position is in the non-driving position; the control unit is configured to execute a drive force restriction process of reducing the drive force output from the prime mover when the shift position is switched from the non-driving position to the driving position while the accelerator is in an on state; and the control unit is configured so that, in executing the drive force restriction process, when the switching of the shift position is from the non-driving position, which is a neutral position, the control unit changes a mode of reducing the drive force in accordance with a continuation time of the neutral position, during which the shift position is in the neutral position; the control unit is configured to terminate execution of the drive force restriction process and to execute a drive force restoration process of restoring the drive force output from the prime mover, when a prescribed condition is established during the execution of the drive force restriction process; the control unit is configured so that, when the switching of the shift position is from the neutral position, the control unit changes the prescribed condition in accordance with the continuation time of the neutral position; the control unit is configured to reduce the drive force output from the prime mover while maintaining the drive force at or above a value enough to get the vehicle out of a muddy road during execution of the drive force restriction process if the continuation time of the neutral position is shorter than a prescribed time; the control unit is configured to, during execution of the drive force restriction process, set an acceleration upper limit value Ath in accordance with a vehicle speed so that, when the continuation time of the neutral position is equal to or greater than the prescribed time, in a range of the vehicle speed from a first prescribed speed S the control unit is configured to change the prescribed condition to more easily execute the drive force restoration process, when the continuation time of the neutral position is equal to or greater than the prescribed time as compared to the prescribed condition when the continuation time of the neutral position is shorter than the prescribed time.