Fuel level display filter algorithm adjust to prevent fuel run out with fuel displayed on gauge

A vehicle system, comprising:

• an internal combustion engine;
• an engine controller in communication with the internal combustion engine, the engine controller being programmed with a display filter;
• a fuel tank in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine;
• a fuel level sensor configured to measure and monitor a fuel level inside the fuel tank;
• an instrument panel controller in communication with the engine controller;
• and
• an instrument panel in communication with the instrument panel controller, wherein the instrument panel includes a fuel level gauge;
• wherein the engine controller is programmed to:
• receive an unfiltered fuel level signal from the fuel level sensor;
• generate, using the display filter, a normal filtered fuel level signal to determine the fuel level in the fuel tank;
• compare the fuel level in the fuel tank as determined using the normal filtered fuel level signal with a predetermined fuel level threshold to determine that the fuel level in the fuel tank is less than the predetermined fuel level threshold;
• monitor a fuel economy of the vehicle system;
• in response to determining that the fuel level in the fuel tank is less than the predetermined fuel level threshold, compare the fuel economy with a predetermined fuel economy threshold to determine whether the fuel economy is less than the predetermined fuel economy threshold;
• adjust a sensitivity of a display filter based on the fuel economy in response to determining that the fuel economy is less than the predetermined fuel economy threshold for a predetermined amount of time in order to maximize an accuracy of the fuel level gauge, wherein the display filter is configured to filter the unfiltered fuel level signal received from the fuel level sensor to at least generate the normal filtered fuel level signal, wherein adjusting the sensitivity of the display filter includes decreasing the sensitivity of the display filter from a first sensitivity to a second sensitivity after determining that the fuel economy is less than the predetermined fuel economy threshold for the predetermined amount of time to maximize the accuracy of the fuel level gauge of the vehicle system;
• generate, using the display filter, an updated filtered fuel level signal using the second sensitivity after adjusting the sensitivity of the display filter, wherein the display filter generates the updated filtered fuel level signal by filtering the unfiltered fuel level signal using the second sensitivity;
• and
• wherein the instrument panel controller is programmed to:
• control the fuel level gauge of the vehicle system to display the fuel level of the vehicle system corresponding to the updated filtered fuel level signal after adjusting the sensitivity of the display filter;
• start a timer in response to determining that the fuel economy of the vehicle system is less than the predetermined fuel economy threshold to measure an amount of time that has lapsed since the fuel economy of the vehicle system is less than the predetermined fuel economy threshold;
• and
• remove a lag from the display filter in response to determining that the fuel economy is less than the predetermined fuel economy threshold for the predetermined amount of time to minimize a temporal delay between the unfiltered fuel level signal and the normal filtered fuel level signal, wherein the lag is removed from the display filter by reinitializing the display filter.