Patent ID: 6942598

Claim:
A drive control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: an engine which generates power using combustion of fuel; a hydrodynamic power transmission which transmits an output of the engine via fluid, and which has an input side and an output side which can be directly coupled using a lock-up clutch; a lock-up engagement device configured to engage the lock-up clutch when a predetermined lock-up engagement condition is satisfied; a lock-up restriction device configured to stop engagement control performed by the lock-up engagement device so as to disengage the lock-up clutch if there is a possibility that knocking will occur in the engine when the lock-up clutch is engaged by the lock-up engagement device; and a knocking prevention device configured to control the engine so as to suppress occurrence of knocking when an operating state of the engine is in a preset knocking prevention region, wherein the lock-up restriction device configured to disengage the lock-up clutch only while the knocking prevention device performs control of the engine so as to suppress the occurrence of knocking, and to reengage the lock-up clutch after the control performed by the knocking prevention device is finished.