Abstract: Systems and methods for fleet management for a fleet of vehicles include collecting data associated with the fleet of vehicles including data associated with a plurality of vehicle operations affecting degradation of each vehicle in the fleet of vehicles, determining a composite score associated with the fleet of vehicles based on the collected data, the composite score associated with both an average score for the fleet and a standard deviation score associated with each vehicle in the fleet of vehicles, wherein a higher composite score relates to a slower degradation of the fleet of vehicles, and altering assignment of the plurality of vehicle operations assigned to each vehicle in the fleet of vehicles based on the composite score data to enable a higher composite score by equalizing an average degradation of the fleet of vehicles.

Abstract: This disclosure details exemplary portable power systems for vehicles. The portable power systems may be configured as a secondary battery pack that is removably stored within a front trunk of a vehicle. The portable power systems may include a plurality of individually removable battery units that can be used to extend vehicle driving range or power electrically powered devices that are separate from the vehicle. In some embodiments, when the portable power system is stored in the vehicle and an electrically powered device is connected to the portable power system, the vehicle may be controlled in a Following Mode in which the vehicle is autonomously moved to follow an operator of the electrically powered device.

Abstract: A pet bowl is provided that comprises a housing defining a water container, a proximity sensor located proximate to the water container, the proximity sensor having conductive circuitry comprising a first circuit made of a first metal and a second circuit made of a dissimilar second metal, and a controller processing signals received from the proximity sensor, the controller selectively switching the conductive circuitry between a first configuration operating as the proximity sensor to sense water contained in the container and a second configuration operating as a thermocouple to sense temperature proximate to the water container.

Abstract: The disclosure generally pertains to battery charging management of battery electric vehicles (BEVs). In an example method, a processor generates an operational profile for a first BEV among a number of BEVs. The profile may be based on a mileage accumulation pattern, a parking pattern, and/or a battery charging pattern, detected over an information collection period. The mileage accumulation pattern may be based on the use of the first BEV for commuting from a residence to a workplace. The processor determines an availability of a battery charging outlet in a section of a garage of the residence, and based on the operational profile of the first BEV, identifies a period of time for charging a battery of the first BEV in the garage. The processor then issues a directive to park the first BEV in the section of the garage over the identified period of time for charging the battery.

Abstract: A system receives a request for assistance on a task, the request at least identifying the task. The system determines one or more designated entities having predefined characteristics associated therewith indicating suitability for assistance and determines a current status of each determined entity and whether the status indicates availability for assistance. Further, the system contacts at least one of the entities for which the characteristics indicate suitability and for which the status indicates availability and, responsive to at least one entity indicating willingness to assist, opens a communication channel between a requestor, from whom the request originated, and the at least one entity indicating willingness to assist.

Abstract: A system receives a request for gate formation, including indication of a location where one or more vehicles are to form a gate. The system determines a number of vehicles to form the gate. The system also determines available vehicles in proximity to the location and, responsive to the available vehicles including at least the number of vehicles, selects the number of vehicles from the available vehicles to serve as gate vehicles. Also, the system instructs the gate vehicles to autonomously travel to the location and arrange in a designated formation, included in the instruction, to form the gate.

Abstract: An item repositioning method includes, in response to a request for an item, moving a vehicle along a first route to a location of the item, loading the item in the vehicle using a lift assist device mounted to the vehicle, moving the vehicle along a second route to transport the item to a desired location, and at the desired location, unloading the item from the vehicle using the lift assist device.

Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes a cargo bed having a first and a second sidewall. A rail assembly is disposed on the first sidewall. The rail assembly is movable between an extended position and a retracted position relative to the first sidewall. An actuator system raises and lowers the rail assembly to move the rail assembly between the extended position and the retracted position.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a body, an access aperture that is defined by the body, a closure panel, a load ramp, and a moisture sensor. The access aperture provides access to an interior of the vehicle. The closure panel selectively covers at least a portion of the access aperture. The closure panel is movable between an open position and a dosed position relative to the access aperture. The load ramp is deployably coupled to the closure panel. The load ramp includes a coupled end and a free end. The load ramp is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The moisture sensor is positioned proximate to the free end of the load ramp. Methods of controlling the vehicle are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for battery life cycle prediction for a preowned electrified vehicle including receiving state of charge (SOC) and mileage data associated with the preowned electrified vehicle, providing one or more driving maneuvers to be performed by a driver, providing one or more instructions to the driver to operate power-driven accessories of the preowned electrified vehicle, collecting data representing battery usage by the driver by monitoring the driving maneuvers and the operation of power-driven accessories as performed by the driver, and responsive to the collected data representing battery usage and the SOC and mileage, providing a battery life prediction for the preowned electrified vehicle.

Abstract: A pet restraint system for a vehicle is provided. The pet restraint system includes a leash configured to connect to a restraint device on a pet, a wearable device comprising one of a collar and a harness configured to be worn on the pet and connected to the leash, a retractor device coupled to the leash and configured to be secured to a support structure on the vehicle, a sensor for detecting an expected condition of the vehicle, and a controller for controlling the retractor to retract or lock the leash based on the determined expected condition of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a body, an aperture defined by the body, a closure panel, and a load sensor. The closure panel is movable between an open position and a closed position. The closure panel covers at least a portion of the aperture when the closure panel is in the closed position. The load sensor is coupled to the closure panel. The load sensor senses a load that is applied to the closure panel.

Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes a vehicle body, a plurality of RF signal receivers located at a plurality of locations within the vehicle, a portable pet bowl configured to be transported in the vehicle body, the pet bowl including a container for holding content such as water, an RF signal transmitter located on the pet bowl for transmitting an RF signal, and a controller for processing the RF signal received by each of the plurality of RF signal receivers and determining a location of the pet bowl based on the received RF signals.

Abstract: A vehicle configurable to tow a charging trailer having at least one electric outlet configured to charge a battery powered device includes a human-machine interface (HMI), a wireless transceiver, and a controller in communication with the wireless transceiver and the HMI, the controller programmed to, in response to the wireless transceiver receiving signals associated with at least one battery powered device in a connected charging trailer having a battery state of charge (SOC) below a corresponding threshold, signal the HMI to generate an associated output. Input from the HMI may enable or disable regenerative braking of the charging trailer to charge connected battery powered devices to control the associated effect of the charging of devices in the charging trailer on efficiency of the towing vehicle.

Abstract: A transportation vehicle provides a workspace in a passenger cabin to support a teleconference with a remote party. External sensors are configured to scan the exterior of the vehicle. A sound exciter is configured to generate a masking noise directed to the exterior. A control circuit which enhances privacy of the teleconference is configured to A) detect the audio content of the teleconference being present in the interior of the vehicle, B) quantify an interior sound level of the audio content, C) estimate a discernability of the audio content at an external location accessible to passersby where the audio content can be overheard, and D) activate the sound exciter such that the masking noise is adapted to mask the audio content at the external location.

Abstract: A multi-layer electrode for a capacitive pressure sensor is manufactured according to a method including co-extruding a conductive polymer layer and a dielectric foam layer and forming coextruded layers of the capacitive pressure sensor and pressure rolling an XY layer and the coextruded layers together and forming the multi-layer electrode.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing optimized, multi-objective charge planning strategies for electrified vehicles of a vehicle fleet. The proposed systems and methods may utilize a multi-objective approach to charge planning. The multi-objective approach may account for factors such as time, wear, and cost to charge by assigning a cost value to each factor. The proposed systems and methods may further leverage charging at fleet owned/managed depots, public charging stations, and private, residential charging locations when solving the charging path optimization problem for each vehicle of the fleet.

Abstract: A vehicle analyzes buffered content, buffered by the vehicle, to determine if any content includes one or more predefined characteristics designated to trigger an offer to re-route the vehicle to review the content including the one or more predefined characteristics. The vehicle, responsive to at least one item of the buffered content including the one or more predefined characteristics, for at least one item of the content including the one or more predefined characteristics, determines if an alternative route exists. The alternative route may have at least one of at least one characteristic projected to permit autonomous driving for a duration, or at least having sufficient projected delays associated therewith of the duration, the duration being a duration sufficient to review the content based on a projected review time of the content. The vehicle, responsive to determining the alternative route exists, presents the route to a vehicle driver for acceptance.

Abstract: Systems and methods for driver presence and position detection are disclosed herein. A method can include determining a presence and a position of a driver in a sensing zone of a vehicle using a sensor platform integrated into the vehicle, determining when the position of the driver indicates that the driver is not in a fully-seated position relative to a driver's seat of the vehicle, and selectively adjusting a vehicle parameter of the vehicle based on the driver not being in a fully-seated position.

Abstract: A plurality of vehicle charging stations and a plurality of stationary sensors with respective fields of view can be disposed within an area. A stationary node computer including a first processor and a first memory and communicatively can be coupled to the charging station and the stationary sensors, the first memory storing instructions executable by the first processor such that the stationary computer is programmed to authorize a request from a vehicle to access the charging station; identify an object, detected in the area in data from one or more of the stationary sensors, to be tracked with respect to the vehicle; wherein the object to be tracked with respect to the vehicle is identified based on a type of the object, an attribute of the object and an attribute of the vehicle; and transmit data about the object to the vehicle.