Method and system for categorizing powertrain torque requests

A vehicle operating method, comprising:

• generating a powertrain torque or power request and a plurality of powertrain torque or power urgency assessment levels via an autonomous driver, wherein a powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level generated to govern one or more control parameters for powertrain operation of a vehicle is a level two powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level;
• adjusting one or more thresholds based on the level two powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level, the one or more thresholds associated with powertrain degradation levels, wherein the one or more thresholds based on the level two powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level are associated with increased powertrain degradation compared to one or more thresholds for a level one powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level;
• adjusting powertrain or power output torque in response to the powertrain torque or power request based on the one or more thresholds based for the level two powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level;
• monitoring one or more control parameters of powertrain components relative to the one or more thresholds for the level one powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level;
• and
• counting an actual total number of times a catalyst temperature exceeds an associated catalyst temperature threshold for the level one powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level during a drive cycle and returning a vehicle to a service center via the autonomous driver responsive to the catalyst temperature exceeding the associated catalyst temperature threshold a predetermined number of times after completing a drive cycle in which the associated catalyst temperature threshold for the level one powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level is exceeded the predetermined number of times, the actual total number of times the catalyst temperature exceeds the associated catalyst temperature threshold for the level one powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level being incremented separately from generating the powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level, wherein the level one powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level indicates that powertrain devices are to be operated as though expected to operate for their full useful life.

A vehicle system, comprising:

• a propulsion source;
• an autonomous driver;
• and
• a controller including executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory to:
• receive a powertrain torque or power request and a powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level via the autonomous driver, wherein the powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level is a level two powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level to govern one or more control parameters for powertrain operation of a vehicle;
• adjust one or more thresholds based on the level two powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level, the one or more thresholds associated with powertrain degradation level, wherein the one or more thresholds based on the level two powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level are associated with increased powertrain degradation compared to one or more thresholds for a level one powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level;
• adjust output torque or power of the propulsion source in response to the powertrain torque or power request based on the one or more thresholds based for the level two powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level;
• monitoring one or more control parameters of powertrain components relative to the one or more thresholds for the level one powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level;
• counting an actual total number of times a catalyst temperature exceeds an associated catalyst temperature threshold for the level one powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level during a drive cycle, the actual total number of times the catalyst temperature exceeds the associated catalyst temperature threshold for the level one powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level being incremented separately from receiving the powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level, wherein the level one powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level indicates that powertrain devices are to be operated as though expected to operate for their full useful life;
• and
• request vehicle service responsive to the actual total number of times the catalyst temperature exceeds the associated catalyst temperature threshold for the level one powertrain torque or power urgency assessment level being greater than a predetermined threshold.