Axle torque control system for a motor vehicle

A method for controlling a powertrain of a motor vehicle comprising:

• determining a desired axle torque;
• determining a desired engine torque and a desired gear ratio based on the desired axle torque and a plurality of inputs;
• determining a commanded axle torque based on the desired engine torque;
• controlling the engine to produce an actual engine torque using the commanded engine torque;
• determining a commanded gear ratio based on the desired gear ratio;
• controlling the transmission to produce an actual gear ratio using the commanded gear ratio;
• estimating an actual axle torque based on the actual engine torque and the actual gear ratio;
• and
• communicating the actual axle torque to the supervisory control module as one of the plurality of inputs.

A method for controlling a powertrain of a motor vehicle using a supervisory control module, the powertrain having an engine controlled by an engine control module and a transmission controlled by a transmission control module, the method comprising:

• determining, by the supervisory control module, a desired axle torque from a vehicle pedal position and a vehicle speed;
• determining, by the supervisory control module, a desired engine torque and a desired gear ratio based on the desired axle torque and a plurality of inputs;
• determining, by the engine control module, a commanded axle torque based on the desired engine torque;
• controlling the engine to produce an actual engine torque using the commanded engine torque;
• determining, by the transmission control module, a commanded gear ratio based on the desired gear ratio;
• controlling the transmission to produce an actual gear ratio using the commanded gear ratio;
• estimating, by the engine control module, an actual axle torque based on the actual engine torque and the actual gear ratio;
• and
• communicating the actual axle torque to the supervisory control module as one of the plurality of inputs.