Abstract: A connection device for electrical connection of a vehicle to a charging cord provided with a charging socket includes a housing, a power contact disposed within the housing, and a printed circuit board mounted in the housing having a first face provided with a first metal pad which is compressed between the printed circuit board and a surface of the power contact, and a second face provided with a first temperature sensor which is arranged opposite the first metal pad. A method of electrical connection of a vehicle to a charging cord provided with a charging socket is also provided.

Abstract: This document describes a waveguide with radiation slots and parasitic elements for asymmetrical coverage. An apparatus may include a waveguide for providing asymmetrical coverage in an azimuth plane. The waveguide includes a hollow channel containing a dielectric and an array of radiation slots through a surface that is operably connected with the dielectric. The waveguide includes an array of parasitic elements positioned on or in the surface and offset from a longitudinal side of the array of radiation slots. The radiation slots and parasitic elements configure the described waveguide to focus an antenna radiation pattern that provides an asymmetrical coverage to focus on a particular portion within the antenna field-of-view.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an extruding device configured to dispense a dielectric material though an orifice, a wire feed device configured to feed a conductive wire through the orifice, and a cutting device configured to sever the wire. It also includes an electronic controller configured to control the extruding device, the wire feed device, and the cutting device. The electronic controller commands the extruding device to dispense the dielectric material though the orifice, the wire feed device to feed the wire through the orifice, and the cutting device to sever the wire, thereby forming a dielectric substrate encasing a plurality of wires. The electronic controller further commands the extruding device to form an opening defined in the substrate in which plurality of electrically conductive wires is exposed and a location feature on the substrate located with a positional tolerance less than or equal to 1 mm relative to the opening.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and systems to resolve return signals among pixels in lidar systems. The described lidar system transmits signals with different waveforms for consecutive pixels to associate return signals with their corresponding pixels. During a detection window, the lidar system receives a return signal and compares it in the frequency domain to at least two template signals. The template signals include the waveform of an initial pixel and a subsequent pixel of two consecutive pixels, respectively. The lidar system then determines, based on the comparison to the template signals, the pixel to which the return signal corresponds and determines a characteristic of an object that reflected the return signal. In this way, the lidar system can confidently resolve detections to reduce the time between pixels. This improvement allows the described lidar system to operate at faster scanning speeds and realize a faster reaction time for automotive applications.

Abstract: An electrical assembly includes an electrical connector soldered to a conductive pad disposed on a glass surface by a solder alloy consisting essentially of 17% to 28% indium by weight, 12% to 20% zinc by weight, 1% to 6% silver by weight, 1% to 3% copper by weight, and a remaining weight of the solder alloy being tin.

Abstract: A heatsink shield with thermal-contact dimples can improve thermal-energy distribution in a radar assembly. The radar assembly includes a printed circuit board (PCB), the heatsink shield, a radome, and a housing. The PCB can include integrated circuits and other components, along with a thermally-conductive material that covers at least a portion of the PCB surfaces. The heatsink shield includes multiple dimples that thermally contact the thermally-conductive material. The heatsink shield is configured to distribute thermal energy produced at least in part by the PCB components to the housing. In this way, the described techniques and systems permit the radar assembly to better distribute thermal energy away from the PCB components to the rest of the PCB and through the housing.

Abstract: A connector apparatus including a housing, and a primary lock reinforcement. The housing includes at least one substantially cylindrical coaxial cavity therein. The coaxial cavity has a first end, a second end, and a locking finger. At least one stop is located proximate the second end. A locking finger is positioned intermediate the first end and the second end. The locking finger includes a locking tab, and an unlocking surface. The locking finger is formed to be flexible and capable of flexing between a lock position and an unlock position. The locking finger is biased toward the lock position. The primary lock reinforcement is placed in the housing and has an opening therein corresponding to the second end of the cylindrical coaxial cavity.

Abstract: The techniques of this disclosure relate to a vehicle lateral-control system with dynamically adjustable calibrations. The system includes a controller circuit that receives weather data for a geographic region traveled by a vehicle. The controller circuit receives image data from a camera of a roadway traveled by the vehicle in the geographic region. The controller circuit receives vehicle-state data from one or more vehicle sensors indicating an operating condition of the vehicle on the roadway in the geographic region. The controller circuit adjusts a calibration of vehicle lateral-control features based on the weather data, the image data, and the vehicle-state data. The controller circuit operates the vehicle on the roadway based on the adjusted calibration. The system can increase passenger comfort or reduce an error from a lane centerline when the vehicle is operated in an autonomous-driving mode, which can improve operational safety.

Abstract: The pinch detector includes a torque estimator that estimates a motor torque from current values of physical quantities of the motor including a motor voltage, a motor current and a motor speed, using coefficients of an approximation function that calculates an energy conversion efficiency of the motor as a function of the motor torque; a converter that calculates a first estimation of a pinch force exerted by the opening and closing member on a pinched object by converting the estimated motor torque into an estimated pinch force using a torque to force conversion coefficient; a comparator that compares the estimated pinch force with a predetermined force limit in order to detect a pinch based on the comparison result.

Abstract: Electrified vehicle electrical systems and formatting methods include arranging a first layer including one or more first electrical transmission lines each configured to carry electrical power at a first voltage to one or more electrical powertrain components of the electrified vehicle, arranging a second layer above at least a portion of the first electrical connection layer, wherein the second layer includes one or more second electrical transmission lines each configured to carry electrical power at a second voltage to one or more electrical power distribution components of the electrified vehicle, and arranging a third layer above at least a portion of the first and second layers, wherein the third layer includes one or more third electrical transmission lines each configured to carry electrical power at a third voltage to one or more input/output device components of the electrified vehicle.

Abstract: An illustrative example embodiment of a detector device includes a plurality of transmitters and a controller that controls the transmitters to transmit respective signals defined at least in part by a sequence of 2N pulses within a period. N is an integer greater than 1. A first one of the transmitters transmits 2N first signal pulses within the period. Each of the 2N first signal pulses have a first phase. A second one of the transmitters transmits 2N second signal pulses within the period. Each of the 2N first signal pulses is simultaneous with one of the 2N second signal pulses. N second signal pulses have a phase shift of 180° relative to the first phase. Others of the second signal pulses have the first phase. The N second signal pulses having the phase shift are immediately adjacent each other in the sequence.

Abstract: A system includes a first transceiver and a controller circuit. The first transceiver is configured to transmit first radio frequency (RF) signals. The first transceiver is further configured to output the first RF signals at a first transmission level corresponding to a first transmission range. The controller circuit is communicatively coupled with the first transceiver. The controller circuit is configured to attenuate the first RF signals to transfer the first RF signals at a second transmission level lower than the first transmission level. The second transmission level corresponds to a shorter transmission range than the first transmission range. The controller circuit detects a presence of at least one second transceiver within the shorter transmission range using the first RF signals transmitted at the second transmission level.

Abstract: This document describes techniques, apparatuses, and systems that can implement auction-based cooperative perception for autonomous and semi-autonomous driving systems. The described techniques, apparatuses, and systems cooperatively use perception systems of an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle (AV) in a fleet of connected AVs to provide perception data to the entire fleet. An AV of the fleet is selected to act as an auction system (e.g., an auctioneer) and sends an announcement offering perception tasks to the fleet for bidding. The AVs of the fleet determine whether they have the communication and computational capabilities to perform the tasks and, if so, submit bids to perform one or more tasks. The auctioneer awards the tasks, and the bid-winning AV(s) perform the tasks and update the fleet. In this way, the described techniques, apparatuses, and systems can provide perception services with increased coverage and quality, which can make autonomous and semi-autonomous driving systems safer.

Abstract: A radar system comprises a radar device defining upper and lower pairs of mounting tabs and being configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic waves based on a squint angle, a mounting device configured to be attached to a surface and to receive the radar device, wherein the mounting device defines upper and lower pairs of connection position assurance (CPA) features that correspond to the upper and lower pairs of mounting tabs, and a pair of mounting tab caps configured to be selectively installed on the upper or lower pairs of mounting tabs to offset the squint angle of the radar device.

Abstract: A radar-data collection system a radar, a camera, and a controller-circuit. The radar and the camera are intended for mounting on a host-vehicle. The radar is configured is to indicate a radar-profile of an object detected by the radar. The camera is configured to render an image of the object. The controller-circuit is in communication with the radar and the camera. The controller is configured to determine an identity of the object in accordance with the image, and annotate the radar-profile in accordance with the identity.

Abstract: Techniques and systems are described that enable automatic emergency braking (AEB) using a time-to-collision (TTC) threshold that is based on target acceleration. The TTC may be a combination of a first TTC sub-threshold and a second TTC sub-threshold. The first TTC threshold may be based on a vehicle velocity of a host vehicle and a relative velocity between the host vehicle and a target object. The second TTC sub-threshold may be based on a target acceleration of the target object and a distance between the host vehicle and the target object. By utilizing the target acceleration in the TTC threshold determination, the techniques and systems described herein enable AEB to work as planned to prevent a collision between a vehicle and a target, in a wider variety of environments and situations.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for a plastic air-waveguide antenna with conductive particles. The described antenna includes an antenna body made from a resin embedded with conductive particles, a surface of the antenna body that includes a resin layer with no or fewer conductive particles, and a waveguide structure. The waveguide structure can be made from a portion of the surface on which the embedded conductive particles are exposed. The waveguide structure can be molded as part of the antenna body or cut into the antenna body using a laser, which also exposes the conductive particles. If the waveguide is molded as part of the antenna body, the conductive particles can be exposed by an etching process or by using the laser. In this way, the described apparatuses and techniques can reduce weight, improve gain and phase control, improve high-temperature performance, and avoid at least some vapor-deposition plating operations.

Abstract: A computer implemented method is provided for determining a collision free space in front of a host vehicle. A plurality of limiting points is detected via a detection system of the host vehicle, wherein each limiting point is located at a respective obstacle free distance with respect to the vehicle. A dynamic grid is formed in front of the host vehicle, wherein the dynamic grid is based on the course of a lane being determined in front of the host vehicle via the detection system of the host vehicle, and wherein the dynamic grid comprises a plurality of cells. An obstacle free subset of the cells is determined based on the plurality of limiting points, wherein the obstacle free subset of the cells defines the collision free space in front of a host vehicle.

Abstract: A test fixture for PCB components is described herein. The test fixture comprises a shim with an aperture configured to direct RF energy from a component of a PCB, via an end of the PCB, and to a top clamp of the test fixture. The end of the PCB may correspond to a cut line of a destructive test. The test fixture also comprises the top clamp with a test port and a taper configured to direct the RF energy from the aperture to the test port. The test fixture also comprises a bottom clamp attached to the top clamp to retain the PCB between the top and bottom clamps for testing. The test fixture allows for quick mounting of the PCB and testing of the component without modifying a design of the PCB or requiring specific drilling of the PCB.

Abstract: This document describes a pedestrian alert system that can draw a driver's attention to a pedestrian on or near a roadway. The described pedestrian alert system can help prevent collisions with pedestrians and other objects in poor visibility environments or when drivers may be distracted. For example, a system can determine a presence of an object in or near a travel path of a host vehicle. The system can also determine the object's position relative to the host vehicle and control a light bar to provide an indication of the object. The indication can have specific characteristics to indicate the object's position relative to the host vehicle. In this way, the described pedestrian alert system can utilize sensors to focus a driver's attention on an object before a potential crash occurs and reduce the number of traffic-related deaths.