Apparatus for enhancing vehicle performance along inclined surfaces, and methods of use and manufacture thereof

A vehicle comprising:

• a power source assembly;
• a manually operated acceleration input member that controls the power source assembly to propel the vehicle along an inclined surface;
• and
• a vehicle braking system that includes friction members for reducing or limiting vehicle speed based on application of fluid pressure;
• and
• a brake control system for enhancing performance of a vehicle traveling along an inclined surface, the brake control system including:
• a manually actuated braking input member being movable between an actuated position that reduces or limits vehicle speed and a released position that does not reduce or limit vehicle speed;
• a brake modulator that is controllable to manipulate the vehicle braking system to maintain the vehicle in a stationary position by maintaining an amount of fluid pressure supplied to the friction members if the braking input member is in the released position;
• and
• a controller that controls the brake modulator to selectively operate in a hill start assist system mode such that the controller controls the brake modulator to adjust fluid pressure at the friction members to hold the vehicle stationary after the vehicle is initially stopped while traveling along the inclined surface, the vehicle being held stationary until the acceleration input member is manually operated to control the power source to propel the vehicle, and the controller controls the brake modulator to release fluid pressure at the friction members at a pressure release rate that is based on a current position of the acceleration input member.

A method of enhancing performance of a vehicle traveling along an inclined surface, the vehicle including a vehicle braking system that includes friction members for reducing or limiting vehicle speed based on application of fluid pressure, a brake modulator that is controllable to manipulate the vehicle braking system to reduce or limit the vehicle speed by controlling an amount of fluid pressure supplied to the friction members, and a manually actuated braking input member being movable between an actuated position that reduces or limits vehicle speed and a released position that does not reduce or limit vehicle speed, the vehicle including a power source assembly and a manually operated acceleration input member that controls the power source assembly to propel the vehicle along the inclined surface, the method comprising:

• detecting the released position of the braking input member;
• selectively instructing activation and deactivation of a hill start assist system mode;
• and
• controlling the brake modulator to manipulate the vehicle braking system to selectively operate in a hill start assist mode such that the brake modulator adjusts fluid pressure at the friction members to hold the vehicle stationary after the vehicle is initially stopped while traveling along the inclined surface, the vehicle being held stationary until the acceleration input member is manually operated to control the power source assembly to propel the vehicle, and the controller controls the brake modulator to release fluid pressure at the friction members at a pressure release rate that is based on a current position of the acceleration input member.