Abstract: A system for remotely granting vehicle permissions over a cloud network may be performed by one or more processors connected to the cloud network. The one or more processors may generate an electronic key for permitting one or more registered users to access and operate a vehicle, and the electronic key may include a plurality of permission settings. The one or more processors may provide the electronic key to the one or more registered users through the cloud network, receive at least one update from the vehicle or the one or more registered users through the cloud network, modify at least one permission setting associated with the electronic key based on the received update, and provide the modified permission setting to the one or more registered users through the cloud network. The system may further include a storage device configured to store the electronic key and the permission settings.

Abstract: Integrated drive and motor assemblies are described herein. An example integrated drive and motor assembly includes an electric motor having a winding that concentrically surrounds an input drive shaft, an inverter for delivering power to the electric motor, a gearbox assembly coupled to the input drive shaft and an output drive shaft, the gearbox assembly having a planetary gear that includes a plurality of helical gears that couple with the input drive shaft and a ring gear. The planetary gear also includes a carrier that is rotatably coupled to the plurality of helical gears and transfers rotational forces to the output drive shaft. The assembly includes a housing that encloses the electric motor, the gearbox assembly, and the output shaft in co-axial alignment with respect to a central axis.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for controlling an electric motor. An exemplary system may include a torque detector configured to detect an output torque of the electric motor. The system may also include a controller configured to control a voltage source to apply a predetermined voltage to drive the electric motor and determine an operating table containing a plurality of operating points. The controller may select an operating current value and generate a plurality of current commands. The controller may also apply each of the plurality of current commands to drive the electric motor and determine an output torque generated by the electric motor. The controller may further determine a target current command that generates a maximum output torque. In addition, the controller may determine an operating point of the operating table based on the target current command. Moreover, the controller may control the electric motor using the operating table.

Abstract: A vehicle including a window regulator system is disclosed. The vehicle may include a vehicle door with an outer panel and an inner panel, a window regulator rail positioned between the outer panel and the inner panel, a glass pane which moves along the window regulator rail between the base of the window regulator rail and the top of the window regulator rail, and a rod attached to the window regulator rail. A motor may be configured to move the rod, and the movement of the rod may vary the position of the window regulator rail.

Abstract: A method of generating dynamic user interface effects may include receiving positioning data indicative of a location of the user interface and receiving orientation data indicative of an orientation of the user interface. The method may also include determining a location of a light source relative to the user interface based on the positioning data and the orientation data, and modifying an image on the user interface based on the location of the light source.

Abstract: Examples of the disclosure are directed to using vehicle users' subjective evaluation of autonomous vehicle performance to adjust operation of one or more autonomous vehicle systems, such as an adaptive cruise control system. In some examples, a vehicle can perform an autonomous maneuver, and can use automotive sensors to collect data describing one or more quantitative aspects of that vehicle during the maneuver, such as make, model, GPS coordinates, mileage, speed, engine activity, or LIDAR data, among other possibilities. In some examples, a control system can receive subjective feedback inputted by the vehicle's user that indicates one or more qualitative evaluations of the completed autonomous maneuver. In some examples, a control system may perform statistical analysis of collected vehicle data and of subjective feedback input by vehicle users to identify correlations between quantitative vehicle parameters, specified types of user feedback and/or autonomous vehicle maneuvers.

Abstract: A system for intelligently disengaging vehicle creep, the system comprising one or more sensors configured to be operatively coupled with a vehicle, one or more processors configured to execute machine-readable instructions to obtain information from one or more of the sensors, compare obtained information with reference information, determine whether a creep disengaging condition has been satisfied based on the obtained information and the reference information, and disengage a creep function of the vehicle if it is determined that a creep disengaging condition has been satisfied. In some embodiments, the system disengages a vehicle's creep functionality when it is determined that the driver has exited the vehicle.

Abstract: Serial communication verification and safety control is disclosed. A multi-part system such as a battery management system can include distributed or subsidiary components for determining status of various parts of the system with the components in serial or point-to-point communication with a collective main controller. A safety controller can be implemented to passively be coupled to the serial or point-to-point communication between the main controller and the subsidiary units. The safety controller can monitor and verify the communication between the main controller and the subsidiary units and send a safety command or verification indicator in another line of communication separate from the communication bus between the main controller and the subsidiary units.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are battery systems for electric vehicles. An electric vehicle may include a first battery. The first battery may be configured to power various low voltage systems. For example, the first battery may provide the power to start the vehicle. The vehicle may include a second battery. The second battery may be configured to power one or more electric motors for propelling the vehicle. The first battery may include a housing. The housing may include a battery monitoring system. The battery monitoring system may include a PCB that is secured to at least one bus bar. The bus bar may include an integrated shunt. The shunt may be coupled to circuitry on the PCB that is configured to monitor current.

Abstract: A system for automatically adjusting a steering wheel of a vehicle may include a controller configured to generate a control signal for retracting a steering wheel to a collapsed position. The steering wheel may include a first half and a second half, and the system may include an actuator configured to collapse the steering wheel in response to the control signal. The actuator may be configured to fold the first and second halves of the steering wheel in a direction orthogonal to a direction of a longitudinal axis defined by a steering column, and retract the steering wheel along the direction of the longitudinal axis, towards a dashboard.

Abstract: Battery module communication system with improved enclosure sealing is disclosed. When applied to an electric vehicle, a battery data communication system disclosed herein includes module enclosures having partial transformers, such as coils, contained inside the enclosures having inter-module interfaces. The inter-module interfaces can engage with one another to form transformers without the module enclosures having wire holes to connect data communication circuits contained in the respective module enclosures.

Abstract: A vehicle windscreen assembly includes a first windscreen at a front section of a vehicle and a second windscreen positioned beneath and at an angled position with the first windscreen. The second windscreen substantially reduces a driver's blind spot area in front of the vehicle.

Abstract: An in-vehicle locking safe system comprising a lockbox having one or more walls defining an enclosure, wherein the lockbox is configured with one or more apertures in one or more lockbox walls. The in-vehicle locking safe system further comprises a vehicle structural element including one or more studs configured to be inserted within one or more apertures in one or more lockbox walls, and a fastener component coupled to a portion of the one or more studs at a location inside the enclosure of the lockbox. In some embodiments, the vehicle structural element includes one or more of a vehicle chassis, a slider rail, a slider track, and/or a floor layer.

Abstract: Features of a vehicle navigation system are discussed in this disclosure. In particular, systems and methods for identifying glare-prone areas and establishing a route that avoids one or more of the identified glare-prone areas that are determined to be likely to degrade visibility of an environment outside of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the navigation system can be configured to calculate the likely duration of a trip and then based on sun angle data identify locations where glare is likely to be problematic. In some embodiments, the navigation system can also be configured to choose routes that avoid bright sources of light that could adversely affect visual acuity at night.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for adaptive download of map information are presented which include obtaining a route from a start location to a destination location for a vehicle, acquiring projected environmental information associated with a first portion in the route the vehicle is expected to traverse, acquiring projected network availability information associated with a second portion in the route the vehicle is expected to traverse; and determining whether to download map information associated with the first portion of the route based on (1) the projected environmental information and (2) the projected network availability information.

Abstract: Certain aspects relate to a bus bar unit for providing three phases of electric current to the windings of the stator of an electric machine while structured to have a compact footprint for fitting within the enclosure of the electric machine. Each winding can have a phase lead end and a neutral end extending above one face of the stator. The bus bar unit can include three phase lead bus bars and a neutral bus bar each having a planar branch with legs extending from the planar branch, each leg having a slot at an end thereof for electrically coupling with either the phase lead or the neutral end of one or more of the windings. The planar branches can be stacked such that they overlap from a top-down perspective but are spaced apart from a side perspective.

Abstract: Provided are cooling subsystems for a vehicle energy-storage system comprising a heat exchanger disposed between two battery modules. The heat exchanger can be thermally coupled to each of a plurality of cells of the battery modules at an end of each cell and fluidly coupled to a coolant system, the heat exchanger transferring heat from the plurality of cells.

Abstract: Generally described, one or more aspects of the present application correspond to techniques for reduced user involvement in Bluetooth pairing between computing devices. For example, a vehicle computing device and a mobile electronic device may execute applications registered with a user account. At least in response to a user command and the vehicle computing device and the mobile electronic device being in proximity with each other, the described techniques can exchange information between the vehicle computing device and mobile electronic device via one or more intermediary servers connected to a network to establish a Bluetooth connection.

Abstract: Systems and methods for secure user profiles are disclosed. One example method includes the steps of receiving a user profile, the user profile comprising a plurality of domains, at least one of the domains having an associated encryption key and at least one associated data record, wherein the encryption key is encrypted according to a first encryption technique and wherein the at least one data record is encrypted according to a second encryption technique using the encryption key; transmitting a request for a decryption key to a first device, the decryption key usable by the first encryption technique to decrypt the encryption key; receiving the decryption key from the first device; decrypting the encryption key using the first encryption technique and the decryption key; decrypting the at least one data record using the second encryption technique and the encryption key.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for connecting a plurality of battery strings to a direct-current (DC) bus. The method may include sorting the plurality of battery strings in an order based on respective output voltage values of the battery strings. The sorted plurality of battery strings may include, in the order, at least a first battery string and a second battery string. The method may also include connecting the first battery string to a pre-charge circuit. The method may further include pre-charging the DC bus using the first battery string and the pre-charge circuit. The method may further include connecting the first battery string to the DC bus. The method may further include connecting the second battery string to the DC bus.