Vehicle drive control apparatus and method

摘要

A vehicle drive control apparatus includes an engine (12) that generates power through combustion of fuel, an automatic transmission (10) that transmits a reverse input from a driving wheel to the engine and automatically performs a gear shifting among a plurality of forward gear stages each having a different gear ratio, a fluid power transmission device (14) interposed between the automatic transmission and the engine for transmitting power through fluid, the fluid power transmission device having a lock-up clutch, and a controller (90). The controller (90) executes a fuel cut control (104) for stopping supply of the fuel to the engine upon establishment of a fuel cut condition including that a vehicle is in a coasting state where a throttle valve of the engine is fully closed, and an engine speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, executes a control (120) for engaging the lock-up clutch upon establishment of a lock-up clutch engagement condition including that the vehicle is in the coasting state, and executes (114) a control of the automatic transmission for downshifting at a coast down vehicle speed that changes in accordance with a state of the lock-up clutch under the control for engaging the lock-up clutch.