Abstract: A system and method are provided for optical detection of driver tampering of a camera in a vehicle. In one embodiment, an indication is provided that the camera is in a potentially-blocked state. In response, a determination is made regarding whether the driver tampered with the camera (e.g., using pixel comparison or by determining that the camera is in the potentially-blocked state on a plurality of occasions over a period of time). In response to determining that the driver tampered with the camera, the driver can be reported and/or a change can be made to the operation of the vehicle. Other embodiments are provided.

Abstract: A system for demodulating and decoding received messages transmitted along a vehicle power line includes a reference signal generator, a timer, and a demodulation and decoding circuit. The circuit determines whether a message is present on the power line by identifying a symbol indicative of a message preamble, subsequently setting the timer to a time corresponding to a predetermined length of the message preamble, detecting, during the time, a plurality of symbols and determining whether the symbols indicate the presence of a message preamble. The circuit then extracts data from the message by activating the reference signal generator, adding the reference signal to the message to produce an equivalent signal, detecting a symbol in the equivalent signal indicative of the message data body, subsequently setting the timer to a time corresponding to a predetermined length of the message data body and detecting, during the time, a second plurality of symbols.

Abstract: A friction pad carrier for a vehicle disc brake includes a frame having an aperture through which a portion of a rotor rotating about a rotational axis extends. The frame mounts friction pads on opposite sides of the rotor. The frame includes lugs proximate each end that receive fasteners coupling the frame to an anchor plate mounted on an axle of the vehicle. The fasteners permit some amount of surge movement and sway movement between the frame and the anchor plate in a plane at the interface between the frame and the anchor plate and yaw movement about an axis perpendicular to the plane. A first alignment pin between one of the lugs and the anchor plate inhibits the amount of surge movement and sway movement and a second alignment pin between one of the lugs and the anchor plate inhibits the amount of yaw movement.

Abstract: A braking control apparatus for use in an associated multiple-steer vehicle having first and second steerable axles and a plurality of drive axles effects axle-by-axle braking control of steerable wheel brakes of the steerable axles and wheel-by-wheel braking control of drive wheel brakes of the drive axles, respectively, to perform a braking operation in the associated multiple-steer vehicle. The axle-by-axle braking control of the steerable wheel brakes and the wheel-by-wheel braking control of the drive wheel brakes are simultaneously effected to decelerate the vehicle using both the steerable and drive wheel brakes so that the ability to steer the vehicle is not adversely affected should one or more of the steerable wheel brakes on any of the steerable axles experience slippage, skidding, or lockup during the braking or deceleration.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring a driver's operation of a vehicle and automatically providing a lesson to a driver based on the driver's operation are provided. Input data generated by an onboard vehicle computing system specifying actions taken by the driver while operating the vehicle are received. Based on the input data, a determination is made whether a driving event has occurred that requires the lesson to be output to the driver. The driving event is analyzed based on threshold data stored in the memory, and based on the results of the analysis of the driving event one or more lessons are automatically output to the driver. Additionally, the driver's completion of the lesson can be monitored, and subsequent instances of the driver's operation of the vehicle may include controlling movement of the vehicle based on the results of the analysis of the driving event.

Abstract: A system for transmitting and receiving signals having varying frequencies along a power line within a vehicle is provided. A transceiver is configured to transmit output signals to and receive input signals from various electronic systems on a vehicle along a power line at a first frequency. A frequency control circuit determines whether the destination system for the output signal is configured to receive the output signal at the first frequency or a different frequency and modulates the frequency of the output signal if necessary. The frequency control circuit also determines, prior to receipt by the transceiver, whether the input signal has the first frequency or different frequency and modulates the frequency of the input signal if necessary.

Abstract: A system and method for insight-triggered opportunistic imaging in a vehicle are provided. In one embodiment, a plurality of images are captured opportunistically using an image capture device in a vehicle. A compressive sensing sampling technique is used to store a subset of image pixels of at least some of the plurality of images. A retention filter is applied to the plurality of images to select a subset of the plurality of images to retain based on a signal from a sensor in the vehicle. The retained image information can be sent to an entity external to the vehicle for processing.

Abstract: A brake demand arbitrating device is provided comprising: a first transceiver configured to receive a first brake demand generated by a first brake pedal of a vehicle; a second transceiver configured to receive a second brake demand generated by a second brake pedal of the vehicle; a processor configured to determine which of the first brake demand and the second brake demand is greater; and a third transceiver configured to send the greater brake demand to a brake controller of the vehicle. Other embodiments are possible, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or together in combination.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to system and methods for controlling data transmission from vehicles to external servers. In one form, a processor of a system is configured to identify a potential abnormality within data of a data transmission from a vehicle to an external server; adjust the data transmission after identifying the potential abnormality; transmit a first indicator from the vehicle to the server that is configured to indicate at least one of the potential abnormality or an adjustment of the data transmission; receive a second indicator from the server that is configured to indicate how to adjust the data transmission; and adjust or maintain, based on the second indicator, the data transmission.

Abstract: Driver fatigue can increase a driver's reaction time and result in a collision. A system and method are provided for assessing driver alertness based on a braking request and forward vehicle distance information. Based on the assessed driver alertness, a warning can be issued to the driver to take a break from driving. In one embodiment, the system predicts a time when the driver should take a break based on a curve representing the driver's circadian rhythm.

Abstract: A fleet management server includes a memory and a processor. The processor is configured to: receive past event data associated with at least one vehicle and at least one driver, the past event data representing at least one respective past vehicle event that occurred when one of the drivers was driving one of the vehicles; receive respective predetermined classifications of the past vehicle events that were previously manually assigned based on respective contemporaneous videos of the past vehicle events; receive novel event data representing at least one respective novel vehicle event; automatically assign respective ones of the predetermined classifications to the novel vehicle events based on the previous manually assigned classifications to the past vehicle events; and output, to a user of the fleet management server, the respective automatically assigned predetermined classifications of the novel vehicle events.

Abstract: An electronically-controlled tractor protection control module in a tractor prevents air flow from an air reservoir to a gladhand when a signal is received that indicates a trailer is not coupled with the gladhand. This prevents air from being vented out the gladhand when the tractor's service brakes are applied. However, a failure can occur that prevents this signal from being received or acted upon, which would result in air being vented out the gladhand. To address this problem, an air flow restrictor is used to limit the amount of air that is vented in such a situation.

Abstract: A braking controller causes a tractor protection control module in a tractor to prevent air flow from an air reservoir to a gladhand when the braking controller determines that the trailer is not pneumatically coupled with the gladhand. This prevents air from being vented out the gladhand when the tractor's service brakes are applied. The braking controller can detect pneumatic discontinuity, for example, by receiving a notification from a parking brake controller or from a pressure sensor in the tractor protection control module.

Abstract: A system and method for releasing a parking brake of a vehicle after assessing driver alertness is provided. In one embodiment, a controller in the vehicle determines whether the driver is alert (e.g., by providing a field sobriety test using component(s) in the vehicle) and allows the vehicle to unpark only if it determines that the driver is alert. The controller can also determine if the driver is an authorized driver and use that as an additional condition to release the parking brake.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for detecting an overloaded vehicle and/or detecting when a load of a vehicle has shifted. In one form, the present disclosure provides a system comprising a memory and at least one processor. The at least one processor is configured to: receive lateral movement information associated with a first turn and a second turn; determine whether a load of the trailer has shifted based on the lateral movement information associated with the first turn, the lateral movement information associated with the second turn, data characterizing the first turn, and data characterizing the second turn; and upon a determination that the load of the trailer has shifted, at least one of store information associated with the determination that the load of the trailer has shifted or transmit a message with information associated with the determination that the load of the trailer has shifted.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods that identify tractors associated with faults at a trailer or a dolly in a tractor trailer configuration. In one form, the present disclosure provides a system positioned on a trailer that comprises a memory and at least one processor of a braking system. The at least one processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory and to receive a VIN from a tractor that is connected to the trailer; detect a fault of the braking system of the trailer; and associate the VIN of the tractor with the fault of the braking system and store the associated fault of the braking system and the VIN of the tractor in the memory.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for detecting an overloaded vehicle and/or detecting when a load of a vehicle has shifted. In one form, the present disclosure provides a system comprising a memory and at least one processor in communication with the memory. The at least one processor is configured to: send a request to a controller of a vehicle requesting a vehicle mass; receive a response from the controller, the response comprising a calculated gross mass of the vehicle; determine a gross mass estimate of the vehicle; compare the gross mass estimate of the vehicle to an overweight value associated with the vehicle and determine whether the vehicle is overweight; and upon a determination that the vehicle is overweight, at least one of store information associated with the overweight determination in the memory or transmit a message with information associated with the overweight determination.

Abstract: A tamper detection system for a controller includes a housing, a circuit board mounted in the housing, a voltage input line on the circuit board receiving an operating voltage, a light detection circuit mounted on the circuit board receiving the operating voltage from the voltage input line and a signal conditioning device conditioning the operating voltage and connected to the light detection circuit. The light detection circuit interrupts the operating voltage at the signal conditioning device in response to detecting a source of light having a light value greater than a threshold.

Abstract: Vehicle fleet management includes processing event-based data corresponding to detected events to generate event data sets that include: at least video corresponding to the event and data identifying an event-type for the event. One or more pedagogical event pairs are identified, each of which includes a first event data set reflecting a “good” response to an event-type and a second event data set reflecting a “bad” response to the event-type. At least one cluster of drivers having similar occurrence rates for the event-type is identified. One or more training lessons are generated for the cluster based on the event type, which training lessons include at least the video of the first event data set and the video of the second event data set. The training lessons are administered to a driver of the cluster via a computing device. The autonomous control of one or more vehicle systems is instituted based on the administered training lessons.