Patent ID: 7115065

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling an automotive vehicle having a drive power source, a transmission having a plurality of operating positions that are selectively established, and a manually operable vehicle accelerating member, comprising: a target-drive-force setting portion operable to determine a target vehicle drive force on the basis of an operating amount of the manually operable vehicle accelerating member and a presently selected one of said plurality of operating positions of the transmission, such that the determined target vehicle drive force permits a smooth change of an actual vehicle drive force with a change of the operating amount of said vehicle accelerating member, irrespective of a shifting action of the transmission; a first controlling portion having a relatively high operating response and operable to effect a transient control of a torque of the drive power source after completion of said shifting action of the transmission, so that the actual vehicle drive force coincides with said target vehicle drive force after the completion of the shifting action of the transmission; and a second controlling portion having a lower operating response than said first controlling portion but is capable of continuously controlling the torque of the drive power source, said second controlling portion being operable to effect a continuous control of the torque of the drive power source following said transient control by said first controlling portion, so that the actual vehicle drive force coincides with said target vehicle drive force after the shifting action of the transmission.