Method and apparatus for assisting in the maintenance of a vehicle speed within a speed range, and a vehicle comprising such an apparatus

A vehicle coasting system for assisting in maintaining a speed of a vehicle within a target speed range, the system comprising:

• at least one processor, and
• an electronic memory device,
• the at least one processor being configured to
• generate a plurality of coasting profiles for the vehicle based upon receiving signals indicative of a value of vehicle speed and upcoming changes in geometry of a predicted vehicle path, each coasting profile having an initial speed and a starting point on a predicted vehicle path, where each coasting profile represents a predicted vehicle speed over a time and/or distance from the starting point and is generated based on a geometry of at least a portion of the predicted vehicle path, wherein the memory device has instructions stored therein, wherein the processor is configured to access the electronic memory device and execute the instructions stored therein such that it is operable to generate said coasting profiles;
• identify at least one of the coasting profiles that maintains the speed of the vehicle approximately equal to a current cruise control set speed and within the target speed range of the current cruise control set speed while the vehicle is coasting by identifying one or more of the coasting profiles for which a coasting time period and/or coasting distance exceeds a threshold, wherein the target speed range has an upper speed limit above the cruise control set speed and a lower speed limit below the cruise control set speed;
• and
• output a coasting signal for either:
• controlling a prime mover of the vehicle to place the vehicle into a coasting mode in accordance with the at least one identified coasting profile;
• or
• providing feedback to a vehicle user to place the vehicle into a coasting mode, such that the vehicle if placed in the coasting mode by the user will coast in accordance with the at least one identified coasting profile.