Patent ID: 8413635

Claim:
A vehicle control device, comprising a vehicle control unit that controls engagement between an engine and a starter motor for starting the engine, wherein the vehicle control unit causes the engine to rotate inertially with cutting off fuel supply to the engine, controls supply of electrical power to start rotation of the starter motor based on a rotational speed of the engine that is rotating inertially in a state in which fuel supply to the engine is cut off and the starter motor is not engaged with the engine, causes the starter motor to rotate inertially when a rotational speed of the starter motor has reached a first predetermined value, and engages the starter motor to the engine when the rotational speed of the engine and the rotational speed of the starter motor have become equal to each other or when an absolute value of difference of the rotational speed of the engine and the rotational speed of the starter motor has become less than or equal to a second predetermined value.