Torque management based traction control system

In a vehicle having a power train and a drive line, the drive line including at least one drive wheel, a method for controlling the power train to abate a wheel slip condition at the drive wheel, the method including the steps of:

• determining an actual angular acceleration (αa) of a portion of the drive line;
• determining a maximum predicted acceleration (αp) of the portion of the drive line, the value of αp being calculated from the equation αp=To÷(Io);
• determining the existence of a wheel slip condition based on αa and αp;
• and
• if a wheel slip condition is occurring, determining an amount of excess torque (Tx) that is being delivered to the drive line, the value of Txbeing calculated from the equation Tx=(αa−αp)(Id).

A vehicle comprising:

• a power train having a power source, an output member and a power train controller, the power source providing a source of rotary power, the output member being operable for outputting rotary power, the power train controller determining a magnitude of the rotary power that is produced by the power source;
• a drive line having an input member and at least one drive wheel, the input member receiving the rotary power from the output member, the drive wheel rotating in response to receipt of the drive torque;
• a plurality of sensors coupled to the power train and the drive line, the sensors being operable for sensing a plurality of vehicle characteristics and generating a sensor signal in response thereto, the vehicle characteristics including a rotational speed of a portion of the drive line;
• a traction control system having a controller, the controller being coupled to the sensors, the power train controller and at least one of the power train and the drive line, the controller being operable for determining if excess rotary power is being supplied by the power train by comparing an actual angular acceleration of a portion of the drive line to a maximum predicted angular acceleration of the portion of the drive line, the controller being operable for determining a reduction in the magnitude of the rotary power that is output from the power train in response to a determination that the power train is providing excess rotary power.