Abstract: A welding and deburring system is provided for joining first and second work pieces to one another. The system includes a friction stir welding tool for joining the first and second work pieces to one another at a weld. The system further includes a deburring tool attached to the friction stir welding tool and removing a material flash generated at the weld. The system further includes one or more nozzles disposed in a fixed position relative to the friction stir welding tool, with the nozzles directing a cryogenic fluid to at least one of the friction stir welding tool, the deburring tool, the first work piece, the second work piece, and the weld.

Abstract: A vehicle control system is provided that includes a storage module including a capacitor module configured to store electrical energy and a storage controller operatively connected to the capacitor module. The storage controller is configured to provide the capacitor module electrical energy when the stored electrical energy of the capacitor module is less than a stored electrical energy threshold. The vehicle control system also includes a computer operatively connected to the storage controller, wherein the computer is configured to determine when a supplied voltage is less than a voltage threshold and initiate a shift-by-wire actuator when the supplied voltage is less than voltage threshold using the stored electrical energy in the capacitor module to actuate the shift-by-wire actuator.

Abstract: A structural member for a vehicle battery tray includes a base that forms a bottom of the vehicle battery tray, a stanchion extending from the base into the vehicle battery tray, and a rivet nut disposed in the base and extending into the stanchion, wherein the rivet nut is sealed to the base.

Abstract: A light module for illuminating an outer component of a vehicle, including: a housing for fastening the light module to the vehicle; a cover mounted on the housing; an inner space delimited between the housing and the cover; a printed circuit board in the inner space; a light source on the printed circuit board and configured for emitting an illumination beam-; and a light guide in the housing facing the light source and extending outside the inner space for guiding the illumination beam along the outer component. The light guide includes an optical fiber extending outside the inner space and a lens positioned between the light source and an entry opening of the optical fiber, such that the illumination beam emitted by the light source is focalized toward the entry opening of the optical fiber. A process for manufacturing such light module is also described.

Abstract: A crossbar assembly for a motor vehicle having a detachable roof and a roll bar includes a stanchion having a first connection portion configured to connect in a first configuration the stanchion to the roof when the roof is attached to the roll bar, the stanchion having a second connection portion configured to connect in a second configuration to the roll bar when the roof is removed from the roll bar. A crossbar is connected to the stanchion.

Abstract: A universal crossmember assembly is provided for a motor vehicle having a roof and first and second rails attached to the roof. The assembly includes a crossbar having first and second ends along an axis. The assembly further includes a first clamp mechanism engaged with the first end for securing the crossbar to the first rail. The assembly further includes a second clamp mechanism engaged with the second end for securing the crossbar to the second rail. Each clamp mechanism includes at least first and second jaws having an associated one of first and second rail gripping surfaces for gripping one of the rails when an actuator is moved to an actuated position. Each clamp mechanism further includes a biasing mechanism capable of urging the first jaw away from the second jaw when the actuator is moved to a non-actuated position.

Abstract: A battery tray for a vehicle includes a tub having a base, a first side wall connected to the base, and a second side wall connected to the base and disposed opposite the first side wall. The tub includes a first portion with a first strength, the first portion extending from the first side wall through the base to the second side wall, and a second portion with a second strength, the second portion extending from the first side wall through the base to the second side wall. The second strength is greater than the first strength. The first portion is welded to the second portion prior to forming the tub.

Abstract: A method of training a heterogeneous convolutional neural network (HCNN) system includes identifying batch sizes for a first task and a second task, defining images for a first batch, a second batch, and a batch x for the first task, defining images for a first batch, a second batch, and a batch y for the second task, training the HCNN using the first batch for the first task, training the HCNN using the first batch for the second task, training the HCNN using the second batch for the first task, training the HCNN using the second batch for the second task. The sequential training continues for each of the batches and each of the tasks until the end of an epoch. When the epoch is complete, the images for each batch and each task are reshuffled.

Abstract: In at least some implementations, a rotary actuator includes a drive assembly including a motor and one or more gears coupled to and rotated by the motor, an output rotated by the drive assembly and a housing. The housing includes a first portion and a second portion coupled to the first portion to define an interior in which at least part of the drive assembly is received. The housing also includes a first motor locating feature that engages the motor and positions the motor within the housing and prevents rotation of the motor, and a first gear locating feature that locates and retains the position of at least one of said one or more gears. The first motor locating feature and first gear locating feature are both integrally formed in the housing.

Abstract: A flexible circuit board includes a flexible substrate having a first portion, a second portion, and a first side defining part of the first portion and the second portion. Electrical components are disposed on the first side in the first portion and in the second portion. The flexible substrate is folded between the first portion and the second portion such that the first portion overlays the second portion and the first side is directed outwards.

Abstract: In at least some implementations, a gear shift actuator assembly to cause gear changes in a vehicle transmission includes an electrically operated drive member, a drivetrain driven by the drive member and having a plurality of gears arranged in a plurality of stages to provide a torque increase and a direction change within the drivetrain and an output driven by the drivetrain for rotation to cause a gear change in the vehicle transmission. In some implementations, the torque increase from the motor to the output is between 150:1 and 300:1.

Abstract: A motor electronics unit includes a printed circuit board having a first and a second side. An electrical conductor is connected to the printed circuit board. A heat sink is positioned proximate to the printed circuit board. A housing of a polymeric material includes: an endcap encapsulating the printed circuit board and covering an outer edge of the heat sink defining a heat sink first portion, with a second portion of the heat sink not covered by the polymeric material and extending through and outward from the endcap to transfer heat from the printed circuit board. A first section of the electrical conductor extends through and is partially encapsulated by the endcap. A connector body is integrally connected to the housing. A second section of the electrical conductor is exposed within a cavity of the connector body to electrically connect the printed circuit board to another component.

Abstract: A trim panel assembly includes a printed foil extending for a first area, a printed circuit board disposed overtop the foil, the printed circuit board extending for a second area smaller than the first area, and a light guide disposed overtop the printed circuit board and having a perimeter. The perimeter is inset from the printed foil, and surrounds the printed circuit board, forming a sealed interface with the printed foil. At least a portion of the perimeter of the light guide is beveled. A reflector is disposed overtop the light guide. In an electronic assembly the reflector, the light guide, the printed circuit board, and the printed foil are disposed at least partially in a cavity of a molded support panel. The molded support panel is substantially planar, and a semi-transparent material is overmolded directly onto and overtop the electronic assembly and the molded support panel.

Abstract: In at least some implementations, a vehicle shift lever assembly includes a shift lever movable about a first pivot axis within a first shift path having multiple shift positions, and movable about a second pivot axis to a second shift path having at least one shift position, and the second pivot axis is not parallel to the first pivot axis, and a sensor element coupled to the shift lever for movement with the shift lever. The sensor element is oriented in a different position when the shift lever is in each of the shift positions in the first shift path and each of the shift positions of the second shift path.

Abstract: A system and method for facial and gesture recognition, and more particularly a system and method for facial and gesture recognition using a heterogeneous convolutional neural network (CNN).

Abstract: A heterogeneous convolutional neural network (HCNN) system includes a visual reception system generating an input image. A feature extraction layer (FEL) portion of convolutional neural networks includes multiple convolution, pooling and activation layers stacked together. The FEL includes multiple stacked layers, a first set of layers learning to represent data in a simple form including horizontal and vertical lines and blobs of colors. Following layers capture more complex shapes such as circles, rectangles, and triangles. Subsequent layers pick up complex feature combinations to form a representation including wheels, faces and grids. The FEL portion outputs data to each of: a first sub-network which performs a first task of object detection, classification, and localization for classes of objects in the input image to create a detected object table; and a second sub-network which performs a second task of defining a pixel level segmentation to create a segmentation data set.

Abstract: At least some implementations of a transmission gear shifter include a first body rotatable among multiple positions, a second body rotatable among multiple positions, a retainer and first and second actuators. The retainer is movable relative to the second body between a first position in which the retainer prevents rotation of the second body, and a second position in which the retainer permits rotation of the second body. The first actuator is coupled to the retainer to move the retainer between the first and second positions. And the second actuator provides a force on the second body to rotate the second body when the retainer is in the second position.

Abstract: An electronic assembly and a method of forming an electronic assembly. The electronic assembly including a printed circuit board including a first face, a flexible printed circuit connected to the first face of the printed circuit board, a filler component arranged over a first portion of the first face of the printed circuit board, a housing defining a cavity, wherein the filler component is arranged in the cavity, a channel guide extending from the housing, wherein the flexible printed circuit sits in the channel guide, and a substrate positioned adjacent to a second face of the printed circuit board, wherein the second face opposes the first face.