Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for injecting water stored in a water reservoir at a plurality of locations in an engine system, including directly into engine cylinders, upstream of a turbocharger turbine, and at an exhaust manifold, and controlling a water level of the water reservoir. In one example, a method may include supplying the water stored in the water reservoir to one or more of a water injection system, a windshield wiper system, an engine coolant system, and a drinking water system based on water supply conditions and responsive to engine operating conditions. When the water level is low (e.g., below a threshold), supply to the water injection system may be prioritized.

Abstract: A method for influencing the efficiency of an electrical grid includes coordinating operation of a first electrified vehicle and a second electrified vehicle traveling along an inductive roadway and having opposite power needs in a manner that influences an amount of energy supplied by the electrical grid during an inductive roadway event.

Abstract: A computer in a vehicle includes a processor programmed to apply, on the vehicle, upon detecting an occupant alertness level below a first threshold, a first periodic component to a first torque applied to one or more first-end wheels and a second periodic component to a second torque applied to one or more second-end wheels.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine and a controller programmed to, responsive to an estimated oil dilution level of the engine exceeding a first threshold, issue commands such that regenerative braking is inhibited to increase a temperature of the engine, and responsive to the estimated oil dilution level falling below the first threshold, discontinue issuing the commands.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnostics of a gasoline particulate filter in an exhaust system. In one example, a method may include indicating degradation of a hose coupled across a particulate filter responsive to a difference between a first differential pressure and a second differential pressure being greater than a threshold, the first differential pressure measured by a differential pressure sensor positioned in the hose responsive to a downstream exhaust tuning valve being fully open, the second differential pressure measured by the differential pressure sensor responsive to the exhaust tuning valve being fully closed.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnostics of a gasoline particulate filter in an exhaust system. In one example, a method may include during conditions where a differential pressure sensor is exposed to changing exhaust pressure, indicating degradation of a hose coupled across a particulate filter in an exhaust system responsive to a change in differential pressure measured by the differential pressure sensor being different than an expected change, the differential pressure sensor positioned in the hose and the particulate filter positioned upstream of an exhaust tuning valve.

Abstract: A vehicle may include a processor of a vehicle configured to communicate with an update server hosting software updates; and a software update management module connected to the processor and vehicle modules over a vehicle bus and configured to send an update command over the vehicle bus to invoke a software update mode for one of the vehicle modules identified by a software update, and apply the software update to the one of the vehicle modules. A computing system of a vehicle may be configured to request consent from a user to install a software update, when consent is received, install the software updates using a software update management module configured to invoke software update mode for a vehicle module identified by the software update, and apply the software update to the vehicle module, and when consent is not received, display an indication that software updates are available.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for integrating a VCR engine with a CVT transmission. Responsive to a driver demand, a controller may determine whether to maintain a current compression ratio or transition to an alternate compression ratio based on the fuel economy benefit of the transition and further based on any engine limitations that may be incurred at the engine speed-load following the transition. To improve the net fuel economy benefit while addressing the engine limitation, a compression ratio transition may be combined with a CVT adjusted engine speed-load regime, while maintaining engine power output.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon sensor diagnosis system includes a computer programmed to collect data from a hydrocarbon sensor while an exhaust gas recirculation system is in an open state. The hydrocarbon sensor is mounted along an engine air intake between an exhaust port of the exhaust gas recirculation system and an intake port of a cylinder head. The computer is further programmed to determine whether a hydrocarbon sensor fault exists based at least on the collected data.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an emission control device that includes a particulate filter with a bypass. In one example, a method includes bypassing the particulate filter when the exhaust gas has a decreased soot load and when the particulate filter has a decreased soot storage. The method further includes reducing the filter bypass flow and terminating or adjusting a deceleration fuel shut-off operation due to an exhaust temperature proximate to the particulate filter being above a threshold.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine air intake having a humidity sensor, and a system having a nozzle positioned in the air intake and fluidly connected to a reservoir. The vehicle has a controller configured to activate the system to deliver fluid from the nozzle into the intake while the engine is inoperative and generate a diagnostic code in response to a change in humidity measured by the sensor being less than a threshold value. A method of controlling a vehicle includes measuring a baseline humidity (H1) using a humidity sensor in an air intake of an engine, and controlling a misting system to mist fluid from a reservoir into the air intake and adjacent to the humidity sensor while the engine is inoperative. The method measures a post-fluid delivery humidity (H2) using the humidity sensor, and generates a diagnostic code based on a comparison of H1 and H2.

Abstract: A gravity-fed system for harvesting and storing clean drinking water in a vehicle is provided. The gravity-fed system includes a heat-exchanger and a reservoir adapted to receive gravity-fed water from the heat-exchanger. The gravity-fed system further includes a bottle receptacle fluidly connected to the reservoir to receive gravity-fed water from the reservoir. The gravity-fed system further includes a filter fluidly connected to and disposed between the reservoir and the bottle receptacle to filter gravity-fed water received from the reservoir.

Abstract: An electric vehicle display system may include a battery, an interface configured to present at least one selectable icon configured to control a battery powered vehicle feature, and a controller programmed to, in response to state-of-charge (SOC) data indicating that a trip range exceeds a possible driving range, update the selectable icon to indicate a suggested adjustment to the vehicle feature to decrease power demand of the feature.

Abstract: A first vehicle includes a hydrocarbon sensor and a controller in communication with the hydrocarbon sensor. The controller is programmed to receive data from the hydrocarbon sensor indicating hydrocarbon emissions and determine that the hydrocarbon emissions originated in a second vehicle and are exceed a predetermined threshold. The controller may further be programmed to transmit a message reporting the hydrocarbon emission to a remote server.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for accurately inferring an exhaust temperature during steady-state and transient vehicle operation based on the duty cycle of an exhaust gas sensor heating element. A steady-state temperature is inferred based on an inverse of the duty cycle, and then adjusted with a transfer function that compensates for transients resulting from changes in vehicle speed, and load, and for the occurrence of tip-in and tip-out events. The inferred temperature can also be compared to a modeled temperature to identify exhaust temperature overheating conditions, so that mitigating actions can be promptly performed.

Abstract: Embodiments of an electronic fraud analysis platform system are disclosed which may be used to analyze tax returns for potential fraud. Analysis of tax return data using the tax return analysis platform computing systems and methods discussed herein may provide insight into whether a tax return may be fraudulent based on, for example, an initial screening component configured to filter tax returns which appear fraudulent due to missing or inaccurate information provided with the return; a device activity analysis component configured to identify whether a device used to submit a tax return or to provide further authentication information needed to complete processing of the return may have been used in other fraudulent activities; and a knowledge-based authentication component configured to identify potential fraudsters using dynamically generated questions for which fraudsters typically do not know the answers.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for conducting tests for undesired evaporative emissions on a vehicle fuel system and evaporative emissions system. In one example, a method may include learning routes commonly traveled by the vehicle, including altitude changes and stop durations, and may further include diagnosing the fuel system and evaporative emissions system based on the learned altitude changes in one example, and may include diagnosing the fuel system and evaporative emissions system based on a learned stop duration in another example. By conducting tests for undesired evaporative emissions as a function of learned travel routes, completion rates for tests for undesired evaporative emissions tests may be increased, and the release of undesired evaporative emissions to atmosphere may be reduced.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided to determine air-fuel imbalance of cylinders in a variable displacement engine. In one example, the method may include during a cylinder deactivation event, sequentially deactivating each cylinder of a cylinder group including two or more cylinders and estimating a lambda deviation for each cylinder following the sequential deactivation of each cylinder of the cylinder group; and learning an air error for each cylinder based on the estimated lambda deviation.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnostics of a gasoline particulate filter in an exhaust system. In one example, a method may include indicating degradation of a hose coupled across a particulate filter responsive to a difference between a first differential pressure and a second differential pressure being greater than a threshold, the first differential pressure measured by a differential pressure sensor positioned in the hose responsive to a downstream exhaust tuning valve being fully open, the second differential pressure measured by the differential pressure sensor responsive to the exhaust tuning valve being fully closed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a hybrid powertrain that includes an engine and a motor/generator are described. The systems and methods provide different ways to transition engine operating conditions between two low engine fuel consumption operating regions that are separated by a higher engine fuel consumption operating region. In one example, engine torque is increased at a higher rate in a fuel economy mode to increase an amount of time an engine operates in one of the two low fuel consumption operating regions.