Abstract
Automotive mechanical CVTs require a clutch unit for smooth starting and changing a movement from forward to backward. The wet-clutch is suitable for a starting device because of simple mechanism and reasonable reliability. A conventional clutch-engagement system, however, has issues of an engine stall and a slight sliding when starting on an up-or down-hill. For these issues, authors have developed a fuzzy-controlled wet-clutch unit for the starting system of the automotive CVT. The fuzzy intelligence estimates skillfully both the driver's will from the accelerator-pedal operation and the starting condition from the engine-speed, and the fuzzy system reflects them to the clutch-engagement control. The fuzzy-controlled engagement provides the sophisticated starting performance not only on the flat-road but also in the up-and down-hill.