Patent ID: 6849029

Claim:
A method for controlling a trailing throttle of an automotive drive corresponding to an automatic transmission in operative connection with a selector lever operated by a driver and having a control equipped with a plurality of shift programs, in which a selection of one of the shift programs is done automatically as a function of an accelerator actuation, the method comprising: assigning an operating mode to a specific range of a drag torque for a selection of factors influencing the drag torque of the automotive drive of a vehicle and for one of a drivetrain control of the vehicle and a transmission-shift control of a transmission; performing, after system start-up and a setting of the selector lever in a permanent position for a forward gear D, steps for controlling one of a drivetrain and the automatic transmission according to a demanded drag torque and a coasting operation; providing a plurality of operating modes including increased drag torque operating mode B for “brake”, low drag torque operating mode C for “cruise” and coasting operation mode S for “surf” for the selection of factors influencing the drag, torque and the coasting operation; controlling one of the drivetrain and the transmission upon an activation of at least one of the plurality of operating modes by the driver in the permanent position for the forward gear D of the selector lever; and selecting one of the operating mode B, the operating mode C, and the operating mode S by the driver.