Abstract: An on-board centralized system for regulating pressure of tyres of a vehicle includes a pressurized air source, two pneumatic rotary joints each associated to a driving wheel of the vehicle, and a circuit that sets in communication the pressurized air source with each rotary joint. An output member of a constant-velocity joint and a wheel spindle have an internal duct for air passage, connected to the respective rotary joint and to a plenum of the respective driving wheel. Each non-driving wheel has its wheel spindle traversed by an axial bore for air passage, connected to the circuit via a pneumatic rotary joint and a plenum of the non-driving wheel, which is connected to the inner chamber of the tyre. Each driving or non-driving wheel has its plenum connected to the inner chamber via two parallel lines, for deflating and inflating, respectively, the tyre interposed in which are respective one-way valves.

Abstract: A component of a vehicle structure is obtained by a hot forming operation on a hybrid panel having a sheet element of light alloy and a sheet of plastic material. The hybrid panel is hot formed by pressing it against a forming surface of a mould element by a pressurized gas or by a second mould element. Following this operation, the hybrid panel assumes a configuration corresponding to the forming surface, whereas the light alloy sheet element and the plastic material sheet constituting the hybrid panel adhere to each other following softening by heat of the plastic material. Before the hot forming step, a surface of said light alloy sheet element which must contact the plastic material sheet is subjected to a roughening treatment, thereby defining surface asperities between which the plastic material of the plastic material sheet is inserted when it is softened by heat.

Abstract: An automotive adaptive cruise control system for a host motor vehicle configured to operate in at least two different operating modes comprising at least a first operating mode in which a current speed of the host motor vehicle is controlled to maintain a cruise speed, and a second operating mode, in which the current speed of the host motor vehicle is controlled to maintain a cruise distance from a leading motor vehicle. In the second operating mode, the automotive adaptive cruise control system is further configured to estimate the travel trajectory of the motor vehicle relative to that of a leading motor vehicle, and when the leading motor vehicle is estimated to be departing from the travel trajectory of the host motor vehicle, to adjust one or more of the control parameters on based of which the automotive adaptive cruise control system operates in the second operating mode.

Abstract: It is herein described an oscillating arm for a motor-vehicle suspension having a first rod element and a second rod element. The second rod element is a half-shell rod that provides a cavity. The oscillating arm also comprises at least one insert, made of plastic or fiber-reinforced composite material, which fills the cavity of the half-shell rod.

Abstract: Described herein is a method for rolling metal sheets of variable thickness. The method makes it possible to impress, during rolling, any distribution of areas of increased thickness within a figure corresponding to the plane development of a motor-vehicle component prior to the pressing operation. Impression of the desired distribution of areas of increased thickness envisages simultaneous impression, during rolling, of a further distribution of areas of increased thickness, or compensation areas.

Abstract: A tube of elastomeric material for an air conditioning system or for other system which is on-board of a motor-vehicle is intended to be fitted over a metal connecting element and to be locked onto the latter by means of a crimping operation that envisages the clamping around the tube of a metal clamping element. The tube includes at least one body made of polymeric elastomeric material supplemented with carbon-based nanofillers wherein an outer surface with one or more piezo-resistive areas is provided, where the polymeric material supplemented with carbon-based nanofillers has been made locally piezo-resistive by means of laser irradiation. The piezo-resistive areas arranged on the body of polymeric elastomeric material of the tube can be used for verifying the correct execution of the crimping operation.

Abstract: A motor vehicle seat is provided with a backrest and a seat portion having a fixed element and at least one body which can be moved between a lowered configuration, in which it forms with the backrest a place for an adult passenger, and a raised configuration, in which it forms a booster seat suitable for supporting a child; the body is releasably fixed in the raised configuration by means of a fastening device and carries a side support element, which is arranged next to the body and is movable between an operating configuration, in which it protrudes upwards with respect to an upper surface of the body, and a rest configuration, in which it is arranged lower or flush with respect to said upper surface.

Abstract: A system for feeding air to an engine of a vehicle includes a heat exchanger arranged along a duct for feeding air, downstream of a supercharging compressor, to cool a flow of air fed by the air compressor, by a fluid that circulates in an engine cooling circuit. The system also includes an evaporator, interposed in the duct downstream of the heat exchanger, to further cool the air flow by a coolant that circulates in an air conditioning circuit of the vehicle. The air conditioning circuit includes a coolant compressor and a controller for controlling activation of the coolant compressor, depending on a request for air conditioning of a passenger compartment of the vehicle, and a request for cooling the air fed to the engine. The electronic controller is configured to enable the coolant compressor to be activated only when the engine load is below a certain threshold.

Abstract: Described herein is a gearbox for a motor vehicle including a plurality of forward gear ratios and a reverse gear ratio, the gearbox further including: a control device (configured for controlling the selection and the engagement of said forward gear ratios and of said reverse gear ratio; and a plurality of engagement devices that can be controlled by means of said control device for engaging the forward gear ratios or reverse gear ratio (RM) of the gearbox that are operatively associated to said devices. The gearbox includes a locking device, which is electrically controlled and configured for preventing actuation of the engagement device associated to a predetermined forward gear ratio, said locking device being configured for being actuated above a threshold speed of the motor vehicle on which said gearbox is installed.

Abstract: A vehicle structure sub-unit includes a cross-member of metal material and two crash-box modules with their front surfaces welded or glued to the rear wall of the cross-member. A reinforcing metal plate is interposed between the front surface of at least one of the two crash-box modules and the rear wall. The rear wall has a depressed flat portion in which the reinforcing plate is received, in such a way that the surface of the reinforcing plate facing the crash-box module is substantially flush with the surface of the rear wall. A depressed portion of the rear wall is located in an offset position, closer to the center of the cross-member, with respect to the crash-box module, in such a way that the reinforcing plate is in contact only with a part of the front surface of the crash-box module, the remaining part of the front surface being in direct contact with the rear wall.

Abstract: An advanced driver assistance system designed to receive and process motor-vehicle position-related data and motor-vehicle motion-related data of a host motor vehicle and of neighbour motor vehicles detected in the vicinity of the host motor vehicle and which have been determined as entering the same roundabout in which the host motor vehicle will enter, to provide assistance to the driver of the host motor vehicle for negotiating the roundabout. A degree of proximity of the host motor vehicle and the neighbour motor vehicle to the roundabout based on motor-vehicle position-related data is determined and a determined alert level is provided the driver.

Abstract: A joint between at least one element of metal material and at least one element of plastic material is obtained by pressing these elements in contact against each other, with a simultaneous application of heat. A cladding of metal material and/or of plastic material is applied above the joint by additive manufacturing technology.

Abstract: An engine is equipped with a gas feeding system, including main gas injectors each associated with an intake duct of a respective engine cylinder, a gas distribution manifold communicating with said main injectors, a gas tank, connected to the manifold, where pressurized gas is accumulated, a controlled pressure valve interposed between the tank and manifold, and a control unit for controlling the pressure valve to establish a gas pressure in the manifold. A spark plug of each cylinder is mounted within a support body that defines a combustion pre-chamber and a channel for auxiliary gas injection within the pre-chamber, communicating with a respective auxiliary gas injector. The auxiliary gas injectors are in communication with the manifold, downstream of the pressure valve. In the channel, a non-return valve and a restricted passage are provided in series, providing for passage of gas flow proportional to a volume of the pre-chamber.

Abstract: A motor-vehicle includes one or more electrically-operated valves, arranged on the structure of the motor-vehicle in a lower position with respect to the windows, for providing a communication between a passenger compartment and the external environment, and one or more electronic control units programmed to activate a ventilation mode of the passenger compartment when the motor-vehicle is parked with the engine off, even with the driver outside the vehicle. The ventilation mode includes controlling at least partial opening of one or more windows and the opening of one or more of the valves to generate a flow of natural air from the bottom upwards through the passenger compartment of the motor-vehicle.

Abstract: A motor-vehicle seat, in particular a rear motor-vehicle seat, includes a backrest frame having an upper cross-member, and a headrest connected to the upper cross-member and tiltable between an upright operative position and an inoperative position rotated forwardly relative to the operative position. The headrest is rotatably mounted on the upper cross-member of the backrest frame, whereby it is adapted to tilt between its operative and inoperative positions around a transversal axis which is vertically located substantially at the same height of the cross-member.

Abstract: A welded joint between at least one metal material element and at least one thermoplastic material element is obtained by pressing the elements against each other while applying heat. Contact surfaces of the metal material, which are in contact with the thermoplastic material, are provided with uneven surface portions having a distribution of asperities. With heat applied, the thermoplastic material fills spaces between these asperities and maintains this configuration after subsequent cooling, thereby improving strength of the joint. The uneven surface portions are obtained in a preliminary forming step of the metal material in a press mold, which is configured with a forming surface for generating the uneven surface portions by mechanical deformation and/or with a device for guiding a laser or electron beam. By this technique, hybrid components are obtained made of one or more elements of metal material between which a shaped component of thermoplastic material is interposed.

Abstract: A deformation detecting device includes weft yarns and warp yarns woven together. At least some of the weft yarns, or some weft yarns, and some warp yarns, are electrically conductive. The weft yarns include a flocking made up of non-electrically conductive fibers protruding substantially radially from the weft yarns. The electrically conductive yarns are connected to conductive ends for applying an electrical voltage, such that yarns that are connected to conductive ends with different polarities define respective plates of a capacitive sensor, while the fibers of the flocking of the weft yarns define a dielectric material interposed between the capacitive sensor plates. The device comprises an electronic control and processing unit configured to detect a deformation of the fabric based on a capacitance variation of the capacitive sensor.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes a thermal control system having a first high temperature cooling circuit, a second low temperature cooling circuit and a third cooling circuit for cooling/heating a battery pack. A system of valves is configured to connect the third circuit with the second circuit so as to create a loop consisting of a main portion of the third circuit and a main portion of the second circuit including the cooling portion of one or more electric motor assemblies of the hybrid vehicle, one or more additional components of the motor-vehicle, such as a turbocharger assembly and an intercooler assembly. In this operating condition, circulation of the liquid in the loop thus-formed can be activated by the pump of the third circuit and causes heating of the battery pack by the heat generated by the electric motor assemblies and, preferably, by the aforesaid additional components of the motor-vehicle.

Abstract: Described herein is a unit for conversion of thermal energy designed in particular for installation along an exhaust-gas line of a motor vehicle and configured for exchange and conversion of the thermal energy of the exhaust gases.

Abstract: An elastic support for on-board suspension systems of a motor-vehicle includes at least one body formed of polymeric elastomeric material supplemented with carbon-based nanofillers. An outer surface is provided with one or more piezo-resistive areas where a polymeric material supplemented with carbon-based nanofillers has been made locally piezo-resistive by laser irradiation so as to define one or more electric deformation sensors configured to detect the load applied on the elastic support.