Actual engaged gear identification: a hybrid observer approach

The knowledge of the actual engaged gear is essential to achieve high-quality control of an automotive power train. in cars equipped with manual gear shift, this information is not directly available. A hybrid observer for online identification of the actual engaged gear is proposed. Two hybrid models of an automotive driveline, a detailed one for verification and a reduced-order one for synthesis, have been developed. The identification algorithm is based on a novel approach to observer design for hybrid systems. The algorithm was tested on experimental data obtained at Magneti Marelli Powertrain on an Opel Astra equipped with a Diesel engine and a robotized gearbox and yielded excellent results. Copyright © 2005 IFAC.