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An automatic transmission control system for clutch-to-clutch shifting systems has been developed. This enables the new General Motors Powertrain families of rear- and front-wheel drive transmissions to meet stringent cost, mass, and packaging reqiurements, while providing driveability and fuel economy improvements over the four- and five-speed transmissions that they replace. The design team utilized several new technologies and methods to robustly engineer a control system that allowed excellent first time capability and reduced calibration intensity. Innovative technical approaches were developed in several key mechatronics areas.

Recent advances in ANN (Artificial Neural Network) technology enable new methods to be developed in sensor technology. There are a large number of cases where there exists a causal relationship between one or more inputs and a physical quantity, but where an easily implemented analytical relationship between the inputs and the output can not easily be found. In such cases, machine learning techniques, such as artificial neural networks, are able to model that functional relationship. However, using conventional computing hardware, these methods, while theoretically attractive, are too computationally intensive for field deployment in real-time systems. Using a hardware implementation of an artificial neural network architecture, these computational restrictions can be eliminated.

A software behavioral test determines whether software execution under given input conditions matches the requirements established for the software. A tool that can perform such tests on software subsystems has been developed. The tool evaluates real-time control software written for embedded controller applications and detects many software behavioral problems that previously were found only on the bench or in the prototype. The tool is PC/workstation-based, emulates operating system characteristics of typical embedded controllers, and employs a distributed architecture that supports global engineering.

General Motors plans to introduce a hybrid version of its popular light-duty full-size (Silverado/Sierra) pickup truck. The program imperative of minimal vehicle architecture change drove a highly integrated powertrain solution. The hybrid powertrain features a novel, compact method of integrating an electric motor/generator between the largely unchanged engine and transmission, preserving their locations. From the targeted hybrid functions, power and energy specifications are derived. Specific design aspects and performance examples relating to the motor/generator packaging, torque converter, and overall vehicle driveabiltiy are discussed.