Automotive vehicle suspension control apparatus

摘要

A suspension control apparatus for use with shock absorbers provided between sprung and unsprung masses of the vehicle at the respective road wheel positions for providing variable damping force characteristics. A control unit receives first sensor signals indicative of sensed vehicle sprung mass vertical behaviors for controlling the shock absorbers to have respective target damping force characteristics determined based on the vehicle sprung mass vertical behaviors. A surface condition of a road on which the vehicle is running is determined based on the first sensor signals. The control unit also receives a second sensor signal indicative of a sensed vehicle lateral acceleration for detecting vehicle steering operation. The second sensor signal is compared with a reference value. Vehicle steering operation is detected in response to a result of comparison of the second sensor signal with the reference value. The target damping force characteristics for vehicle steering operation are determined upon the detection of the vehicle steering operation. The reference value is corrected based on the determined surface condition. <IMAGE>