Abstract: A vehicle diagnosis system for ascertaining, storing and transmitting diagnosis data from control units in a motor vehicle to a computer outside of the motor vehicle has components which are inside of the vehicle and components which are outside of the vehicle. The onboard components are capable of autonomously requesting diagnosis data from control units, buffer-storing the diagnosis data and of transmitting the diagnosis data to offboard components. The offboard components can be used to configure the onboard components, to visually display the transmitted data and to forward said data to subsequent systems. Access is effected using a communication module, which is preferably implemented in a diagnosis control unit with a dedicated gateway and which is not the control unit for the central locking. A gateway for diagnosis applications is present in the vehicle in the case of vehicles with a diagnosis CAN bus or with another diagnosis bus.

Abstract: Future vehicle headlamps will provide light functions, such as, for example, town light, country road light, motorway light, full beam, poor weather light, etc. A method and a device is therefore provided with which the light functions of vehicle headlamps are controlled in a reliable manner. The device essentially comprises front headlamps with a dipped headlight and full beam, and at least one variable actuator with which different light functions can be realized. In order to select a light function, the variable actuator is set to a predetermined, fixed position. In this case, it is not possible to select a light function in the region between the dipped headlight and the full beam, there being no means of locking the actuator in the intermediate region between the position of the actuator for the dipped headlight and the position for full beam. Only a light function which is matched to the driving situation and can be selected in a reliable manner is therefore possible.

Abstract: A method for detecting speed faults in a hybrid powertrain having engine and electric machine speed inputs includes directly sensing the engine and machine speeds and performing comparisons of sensed engine speed with engine speed determined based upon the machine speeds.

Abstract: The invention concerns a composite material consisting of intermetallic phases and ceramic, in particular in the form of a coating on metallic substrates, as well as an arc wire spraying process for production of the composite material in which the intermetallic phases and the ceramics to be deposited are newly formed during the deposit process from the components of the supplied wires by chemical reaction. The invention further concerns wear resistant layers formed by the composites, tribologic layers and plating or hard-facing materials.

Abstract: This objective is achieved according to the present invention in that in a method for determining the deterioration of a battery, the charge and discharge cycles of the battery are measured by number and depth of the charge/discharge. For each of the charge and discharge cycles, a characteristic deterioration value is determined on the basis of a deterioration curve that is characteristic of the specific battery type. These individual characteristic deterioration values are then summed up to obtain the deterioration of the battery.

Abstract: A multipart composite valve for an internal combustion engine, in which a valve shaft (2) and a valve plate (4) are embodied separately while being joined together in an overlapping area (6). The invention is characterized in that at least some parts of the valve shaft (2) are provided with an intermediate layer (8) in the overlapping area (6). Said intermediate layer (8) forms an integral joint with both the valve shaft (2) and the valve plate (4) in the form of a chemical bond, the valve plate (4) being cast onto the valve shaft (2).

Abstract: A method and a control unit are provided for detecting when the driver of a motor vehicle becomes inattentive. In order to be able to reliably draw conclusions about the presence of inattentiveness of the driver, it is proposed to observe not only a steering inactivity phase but also a steering action which follows the steering inactivity phase. A detected implementation of the steering inactivity phase and of the steering action are logically combined with one another, and the result of this logic combination is then used as a measure of the severity of the inattentiveness of the driver. In addition, the measure of the severity of the inattentiveness of the driver depends on at least one driver-specific parameter which is determined during the execution of the method. The inattentiveness of the driver can also be detected during the time interval in which the at least one driver-specific parameter is determined.

Abstract: An exhaust-gas purification unit for purifying the exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine which is preferably operated in lean-burn mode, in particular a diesel engine used in motor vehicles, has a particulate filter and a SCR catalytic converter arranged in the exhaust pipe in succession in the direction of flow, and a reducing-agent supply. Ammonia can be added to the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine on the entry side of the SCR catalytic converter by the reducing-agent supply. The exhaust-gas purification unit includes a hydrogen-generating unit for enriching the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine with the hydrogen which it generates.

Abstract: A steering column arrangement for motor vehicles includes a steering column designed to be changeable in terms of its inclination and/or length and a clamping system having plate packs for fixing the steering column in a specific position. The steering column arrangement is designed for increasing the frictional force in the clamping system and/or for locking the clamping system, preferably by way of form-fitting engagement, with structure that acts automatically when a threshold load, acting on the steering column in the direction of its longitudinal axis, is exceeded.

Abstract: Improvements in freezing and sub-freezing startup time for an electrochemical fuel cell system may be observed by having a passive coolant microloop using two gear pump heads. During a cold start, a stack valve is initially fully closed and causes all system coolant arriving at the module to run through a driving gear pump head. This causes a driven gear pump head to recirculate coolant inside the module. In an embodiment, the stack valve is a thermostatic valve that begins to open as the coolant begins to warm up. This allows a small bleed of system coolant into the module and decreases the percentage of microloop recirculation. When operating temperature is reached, the thermostatic valve is fully open and system coolant inlet pressure on the driving gear pump head counteracts the pressure on the driven gear pump head, thus stopping recirculation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cylinder crankcase (4) comprising at least one cylinder liner (2) which is integrally cast in the cylinder crankcase (4). The cylinder liner (2) runs in the cylinder crankcase (4) from a cylinder-head side (6) to an oil-chamber side (8) and has an inner side (10) and an outer side (14). The invention is characterized in that the cylinder liner (2), at least at one end, is longer along the inner side (10) in the axial direction (20) than on the outer side (14). The transition from the inner side (10) to the outer side (14) is affected in the form of encircling, concentric steps (22).