Control system for a vehicle

A control system for use in a vehicle having a pair of drive units, each drive unit independently powering a left driven wheel of the vehicle or a right driven wheel of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle is capable of moving in a plurality of forward directions, a plurality of reverse directions, a clockwise zero turn motion, and a counterclockwise zero turn motion, the control system comprising:

• a controller in electrical communication with the pair of drive units, the controller having programmed therein a plurality of driving modes selectable by a user, the plurality of driving modes comprising at least a first driving mode and a second driving mode;
• a joystick electronically connected to the controller to provide user inputs to the controller to separately control the rotational speed and direction of the left and right driven wheels of the vehicle, the joystick being pivotable about a pivot point between a plurality of pivot positions, each of the plurality of pivot positions corresponding to a particular rotational speed and direction of each of the left and right driven wheels, wherein at least two of the plurality of pivot positions comprise programmed stop positions where the left and right driven wheels are not powered;
• and
• a plurality of physical stops to prevent the joystick from accessing the programmed stop positions;
• wherein each of the plurality of driving modes maps a different set of rotational speeds and rotational directions for each of the left and right driven wheels onto the plurality of pivot positions and each of the plurality of driving modes has a maximum clockwise zero turn speed, a maximum counterclockwise zero turn speed, a maximum full forward speed and a maximum full reverse speed;
• and
• wherein in the first driving mode, when the rotational speed of one of the left and right driven wheels is zero, the rotational speed of the other of the left and right driven wheels is zero, and when the rotational speed of one of the left and right driven wheels is non-zero, the rotational speed of the other of the left and right driven wheels is non-zero.

A vehicle comprising:

• a left drive unit independently powering a left driven wheel, and a right drive unit independently powering a right driven wheel, wherein the vehicle is capable of moving in a plurality of forward directions, a plurality of reverse directions, a clockwise zero turn motion, and a counterclockwise zero turn motion;
• at least one controller in electrical communication with the left drive unit and the right drive unit;
• a joystick in electrical communication with the at least one controller to provide user inputs to the left and right drive units, the joystick being pivotable about a pivot point through a plurality of pivot positions, each pivot position corresponding to a rotational speed and a rotational direction of the left and right drive units, wherein:
• when the rotational speed of one of the left and right drive units is zero, the rotational speed of the other of the left and right drive units is zero;
• when the rotational speed of one of the left and right drive units is non-zero, the rotational speed of the other of the left and right drive units is non-zero;
• and
• wherein the plurality of pivot positions includes a full left position and a full right position, and the vehicle is stopped in either the full left position or the full right position;
• and
• a first stop to prevent the joystick from reaching the full left position and a second stop to prevent the joystick from reaching the full right position.

A control system for use in a vehicle having a left drive unit independently powering a left driven wheel of the vehicle and a right drive unit independently powering a right driven wheel of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle is capable of moving in a plurality of forward directions, a plurality of reverse directions, a clockwise zero turn motion, and a counterclockwise zero turn motion, the control system comprising:

• a controller in electrical communication with the left drive unit and the right drive unit;
• and
• a joystick in electrical communication with the controller to provide user inputs to the left and right drive units, the joystick being pivotable about a pivot point through a plurality of pivot positions, each pivot position corresponding to a rotational speed and a rotational direction of the left and right drive units, wherein at least two of the plurality of pivot positions comprise programmed stop positions where the left and right driven wheels are not powered;
• and
• a plurality of physical stops to prevent the joystick from accessing the programmed stop positions;
• wherein when the rotational speed of one of the left and right drive units is zero, the rotational speed of the other of the left and right drive units is zero, and when the rotational speed of one of the left and right drive units is non-zero, the rotational speed of the other of the left and right drive units is non-zero.