Clutch-by-wire integration including human override

A vehicle system comprising:

• a clutch;
• an electronic control unit (ECU);
• and
• a shuttle valve, the shuttle valve comprising first and second inlets and an outlet, wherein the shuttle valve operates to:
• in response to receiving clutch-related input signals from a driver of the vehicle and the ECU, routing fluid to the first and second inlets of the shuttle valve respectively, route the fluid from the greater pressure source through the outlet, to a piston in a hydraulic cylinder which adjusts, by a mechanical linkage, engagement of the clutch based on fluid pressure;
• and
• in response to receiving clutch-related input signals from the driver of the vehicle and the ECU simultaneously, routing fluid to the first and second inlets of the shuttle valve simultaneously, route the fluid from the greater pressure source through the outlet, to the piston in the hydraulic cylinder which adjusts, by the mechanical linkage, engagement of the clutch based on the fluid pressure.

A method comprising:

• receiving, by a hydraulic-mechanical linkage, fluid routed from an outlet of a shuttle valve;
• wherein the fluid routed from the outlet of shuttle valve is the greater pressure of:
• a first fluid, routed by clutch-related signals from a driver of the vehicle, into a first inlet of the shuttle valve;
• and
• a second fluid, routed by clutch-related signals from an ECU in the vehicle, into a second inlet of the shuttle valve;
• and
• adjusting, by the hydraulic-mechanical linkage, engagement of a clutch in the vehicle based on the pressure of the received fluid;
• wherein when both the first fluid and the second fluid are compressed simultaneously, engagement of the clutch is adjusted in accordance with one of the first or second fluids having the greater pressure.