Abstract: Heat energy retainment systems and methods involve a set of devices configured to restrict or stop an upstream flow and release of heat energy from exhaust gas upstream from an exhaust burner upstream from a catalyst in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine and a controller configured to proximate to cold starts of the engine, control the exhaust burner to increase a temperature of the catalyst to a desired operating temperature and, during engine off periods, control the set of devices to retain the heat energy in the exhaust system proximate to the exhaust burner and the catalyst, wherein the retainment of the heat energy in the exhaust system during engine off periods decreases a duration of engine cold starts by decreasing catalyst light-off time.

Abstract: An air deflection ring that is configured to be attached to a wheel of a motor vehicle that includes a barrel including a cylindrical inner surface and an opposing cylindrical outer surface, a plurality of spokes that are each separated by an opening and attach the barrel to a center of the wheel. The air deflection ring includes a cylindrical mounting ring that is configured to be fixed to the cylindrical inner surface of the barrel, and an air deflection flange that extends radially inwardly toward the center of the wheel from the cylindrical mounting ring. The cylindrical mounting ring is configured to be fixed to the cylindrical inner surface of the barrel at a location positioned immediately adjacent to the plurality of spokes, and the air deflection flange is configured to direct a flow of air away from the openings during rotation of the wheel.

Abstract: A flat towed vehicle includes a battery and wheels and a supplemental fuse. A transfer case generates a transfer case status signal an electric power steering system coupled to the wheels and the battery through the supplemental fuse. The electrical power steering system has a tow mode and a driven mode. The electric power steering system enters the tow mode when the supplement fuse communicates battery power to the electrical power steering system and the transfer case status signal corresponding to a neutral position.

Abstract: A stamping machine configured to shape a sheet material including an upper binder including first teeth, a lower binder including second teeth, and a punch. A first cylinder is positioned between a lower binder and a support surface. A second cylinder is positioned between the upper binder and the lower binder. A cushion pin is positioned at the support surface that is configured to contact and control movement of the lower binder relative to the punch. A force exerted by the second cylinder is greater than that exerted by the first cylinder, and the force exerted by the cushion pin is greater than that exerted by the second cylinder. The first and second cylinders and the cushion pin are used to control when the first and second teeth are permitted to engage the sheet material, which assists in preventing or minimizing spring back of the sheet material through post-stretching.

Abstract: A multifunction tailgate including a first door and a second door that are each selectably pivotable relative to the vehicle between an open position and a closed position along both a horizontal axis and a second vertical axis. At least one of the first door and the second door includes an exterior structure including an exterior panel, an inner panel, and a pair of side panels that collectively define a cavity, a trim panel coupled to the inner panel, and a reinforcement panel is positioned between the inner panel and the trim panel. The reinforcement panel is formed of a polymeric material, and is configured to provide structural support to the trim panel to assist in absorbing static and dynamic loads received by the trim panel.

Abstract: An exhaust system for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine includes an exhaust pipe having a central axis and configured to receive an exhaust gas flow from the engine, a catalytic converter disposed within the exhaust pipe, and an exhaust gas burner assembly having a burner unit configured to generate and supply a heated burner flow to a supply pipe. An outlet end of the supply pipe is disposed within the exhaust pipe and extends substantially parallel to the exhaust pipe central axis such that the exhaust gas flows around the supply pipe outlet end. A plurality of mixing apertures are formed in the supply pipe outlet end and configured to promote mixing of the heated burner flow and the exhaust gas flow to disperse heat over the catalytic converter for rapid heating thereof.

Abstract: An electrical system for a vehicle includes a main battery system configured to provide power for starting/cranking an engine of the vehicle, an auxiliary battery system configured to provide power for powering a set of accessory loads of the vehicle during starting/cranking of the engine, and a solid-state device disposed therebetween and including a solid-state switch configured to close/open to connect/disconnect the main and auxiliary battery systems to/from each other and intelligence circuity configured to monitor voltages in the main and auxiliary battery systems or current flowing therethrough and, based on the monitoring, commanding the solid-state switch to open to isolate the other of the main and auxiliary battery systems, wherein the isolated one of the main and auxiliary battery systems is configured to provide a degraded but operational operation of an L2+ autonomous driving feature of the vehicle.

Abstract: A powertrain component mount includes a housing, a main rubber element, a hydraulic body, a membrane and a valve. The main rubber element has an outer armature, an inner armature and an isolating element coupled to the armatures, the isolating element being formed of a material that is more flexible than the outer armature and the inner armature, wherein the main rubber element defines at least part of a fluid flow path. The hydraulic body supports the outer armature of the main rubber element, defines part of the fluid flow path, a fluid chamber, and part of a control chamber communicated with the fluid flow path. The hydraulic body has a port open to the control chamber. The membrane defines part of the control chamber and the valve has a valve head movable between a first position closing the port and a second position spaced from the port.

Abstract: Systems and methods for testing a machine learning algorithm or technique of an autonomous driving feature of a vehicle utilize a sensor system configured to capture input data representative of an environment external to the vehicle and a controller configured to receive the input data from the sensor system and perform a testing procedure for the autonomous driving feature that includes inserting known input data into a target portion of the input data to obtain modified input data, processing the modified input data according to the autonomous driving feature to obtain output data, and determining an accuracy of the autonomous driving features based on a comparison between the output data and the known input data.

Abstract: A bracket configured to mount a high voltage component to a structure of a vehicle. The bracket includes a body, a plurality of first apertures formed in the body that are each respectively configured for receipt of a fastener that secures the body to the high voltage component, and a plurality of second apertures formed in the body that are respectively configured for receipt of a fastener that secures the body to the structure of the vehicle. Upon application of a sufficient force to the vehicle, a material of the body that forms at least one of the first apertures and the second apertures is configured to fail to permit either the body and the high voltage component to disengage from structure of the vehicle or the high voltage component to disengage from the body.

Abstract: A structural support system for a vehicle having a longitudinal axis extending from a front of the vehicle to a rear of the vehicle includes a cradle configured to support an engine of the vehicle, a structural side rail assembly having first and second side rails, a first set of six cradle attachments coupling the cradle to the first side rail, and a second set of six cradle attachments coupling the cradle to the second side rail. A predetermined portion of the cradle attachments of both the first and second set of six cradle attachments are designed to intentionally detach during a frontal impact event to facilitate absorbing impact energy and reducing deceleration and passenger compartment intrusion.