Heuristic powertrain setpoint determination

This paper addresses challenges in managing complex automotive powertrain control systems by employing a heuristic method to determine complex setpoints. Two main areas of focus are the fuzzy determination of the driver characteristics and the gear selection for discrete automatic transmissions. The driver characterization determines how aggressive or docile a driver is and has a weighted impact on the gear selection. The gear selection process captures transmission performance fundamentals and infuses them with logic to eliminate undesired or physically impossible gears.