Patent ID: 8521387

Claim:
A method for assisting with a hill start for a motor vehicle, the method comprising: holding the vehicle stationary by a brake; measuring inclination of the vehicle; previously establishing a chart between engine torque and engine speed of the vehicle independently of the measured inclination of the vehicle; determining, by a computer, an unladen take-off torque, the unladen take-off torque being a torque necessary to make the motor vehicle take off when at an unladen weight, a laden take-off torque, the laden take-off torque being a torque necessary to make the motor vehicle take off when at a laden weight, a minimal nominal engine speed, and a maximal nominal engine speed for the measured inclination; defining, based on the unladen take-off torque, the laden take-off torque, the minimal nominal engine speed, and the maximal nominal engine speed, in the chart a zone authorized for a hill start and a zone forbidden for the hill start; providing a value of engine speed of the vehicle; providing a value of engine torque of the vehicle; deducing therefrom coordinates of a point of operation of the engine in the chart; automatically releasing the brake of the vehicle when the coordinates of the point of operation are in the authorized zone of the chart; and maintaining the brake when the coordinates of the point of operation are in the forbidden zone.