Automatic climate control with tunable transient response

A method of generating heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) commands for a motor vehicle automatic climate control, the method comprising the steps of:

• calibrating a schedule of steady-state HVAC command values for maintaining a vehicle cabin at a set temperature of the automatic climate control under diverse ambient conditions;
• periodically determining a temperature in the vehicle cabin, including a starting value of such temperature upon activation of said automatic climate control;
• periodically measuring ambient conditions, including a starting ambient condition upon activation of said automatic climate control;
• setting said HVAC commands at initial values based on said starting ambient condition, said starting value of cabin temperature and said set temperature;
• computing a transient phase modifier based on the determined cabin temperatures and said set temperature;
• retrieving scheduled steady-state HVAC command values based on said set temperature and said periodically measured ambient condition;
• and
• using said transient phase modifier to adjust said HVAC commands from said initial values toward the retrieved steady-state command values during a transient phase in which the determined cabin temperature is brought into correspondence with said set temperature, and thereafter setting said HVAC commands in accordance with said schedule of steady-state HVAC command values.