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.

Abstract: An automatic engine stop-start (ESS) system for a vehicle with an internal combustion engine includes a brake pedal, a gear shifter configured to shift a transmission between park, reverse, neutral, and drive, and a controller. The controller is configured to command an ESS engine stop when the gear shifter is in drive, the vehicle is stopped, and the brake pedal is pressed, prevent an ESS engine restart when the gear shifter is shifted from drive to park, and provide, when the ESS engine restart is prevented, a warning notification to a driver that the engine is keyed-on.

Abstract: A road simulation test system and method for testing torsional strain input to an axle assembly having an input shaft and a suspension system, including a torque input module configured to apply rotary torque to the axle assembly. The torque input module includes a rotary actuator, a torsional load cell, a drive shaft connection portion, and a controller in communication with the rotary actuator and the torsional load cell, wherein upon receipt of an instruction from the controller, the rotary actuator is configured to rotate the input shaft to apply the rotary torque to the axle assembly, and as the rotary actuator rotates the input shaft, a signal indicative of a torsional load is communicated by the torsional load cell to the controller to monitor the rotary torque applied to the axle assembly.

Abstract: A portable alternating current (AC) power adapter system for a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) having a high voltage (HV) battery system and configured for bi-directional charging includes a charging connector including a first 240 volts AC (VAC) signal circuit, a second 240 VAC signal circuit, a 120 VAC ground circuit, and a proximity circuit comprising a resistor, the proximity circuit being configured to wake-up the PEV when the charging cable is connected to the plug-in charging port, and a charging power panel electrically coupled to the charging connector and including a charge plug port connected to the first and second 240 VAC signal circuits and the 120 VAC ground circuit and configured to be connected to a 120 VAC or 240 VAC external load, and a switching relay connected to the proximity circuit and configured to transition on/off to disable/enable exporting power from the HV battery system.