Patent ID: 8554431

Claim:
A method for adapting gear selection in a vehicle, the vehicle comprising: an engine with an engine output shaft connected to an automated mechanical transmission via a clutch, a transmission output shaft connected to at least one driven wheel of the vehicle, means for registering whether a towed vehicle is connected to the vehicle, and at least one control unit, the method comprising: receiving input signals with the control unit including signals indicative of the towed vehicle connection; processing the signals with the control unit in accordance with programmed logic rules to issue gear selection command output signals to the transmission for gear shifting; sensing with the control unit that a towed vehicle has been connected to the vehicle; changing, upon the control unit sensing that the towed vehicle has been connected to the vehicle, an originally selected first gear to a lower second gear having a higher starting gear ratio compared to the first gear; and registering, with the towed vehicle connection registering means, at least one change of a plurality of stored changes in a memory of the control unit, the stored changes being changes tending to occur when the vehicle bounces into the towed vehicle for connecting the towed vehicle to the vehicle; wherein the towed vehicle connection registering means comprises a rev speed sensor for sensing rev speed of a shaft rotatably connected to the vehicle wheel, and programmed logic rules in the control unit for registering the bounce in the form of rev speed bounces and determining if a towed vehicle is connected to the towing vehicle.