Forward/reverse drive controller for controlling a rapid forward/reverse shifting of the driving mode of a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission

A forward/reverse drive controller suitable for controling a forward/reverse shifting operation of a vehicle having an engine, an accelerator pedal, a clutch provided in a system for transmitting an output of the engine, to connect and disconnect the engine and a driven part, and an automatic transmission, which comprises, in combination:

• clutch actuating means for changeably controlling a working condition of said clutch between an engaged state and a disengaged state through slipping engagement;
• transmission driving means provided for said automatic transmission to shift said automatic transmission between three positions, namely, a forward speed position, a neutral position and a reverse speed position;
• running speed detecting means for detecting a running speed of the vehicle;
• a forward/reverse shift control lever which is manually shifted to a plurality of shift positions including a forward drive position, a neutral position, and a reverse drive position;
• shift position detecting means for detecting a position of said forward/reverse shift control lever;
• braking control means which actuates braking means of the vehicle to decelerate said vehicle upon detection of a shift of said forward/reverse shift control lever to invert a running direction of said vehicle;
• decision means for deciding whether or not the running speed of the vehicle has been reduced to a predetermined running speed by said braking means, on the basis of the detection of running speed by said running speed detecting means;
• and
• shift control means which provides a command to actuate the transmission driving means in order to shift the automatic transmission according to decision of said decision means, when the running speed of said vehicle is reduced to said predetermined running speed, and provides a command upon completion of shifting of the automatic transmission to actuate the clutch actuating means and the transmission driving means in order to engage said clutch.