Abstract: A semi-rigid axle for a vehicle may include a torsion profile, which extends in a Y direction and is open downward in a Z direction; and two longitudinal control arms, which are connected to the semi-rigid axle and are each connected to the torsion profile by a gusset plate arrangement. Each gusset plate arrangement has a first gusset plate welded to one of the two longitudinal control arms and a second gusset plate arranged at least partially above the first gusset plate. First and second connecting sections of the first and second gusset plates are connected to one another and each of the first and second gusset plates is welded to an inside of the torsion profile on both sides in an X direction.

Abstract: A system and method of planning external electric power usage of a vehicle traction battery includes retrieving, remotely from the vehicle, data including a current charge level of a traction battery in the vehicle and an estimated range of the vehicle based on the charge level. Input of planned power usage of the traction battery by a set of devices is input remotely from the vehicle. An estimated change of the current charge level is determined based upon the planned power usage based on the current charge level, the estimated range, and the planned power usage. Based on the estimated change of the current charge level, a revised charge level of the traction battery and a revised estimated range of the vehicle is determined, and the revised charge level of the traction battery and the revised estimated range of the vehicle is output to a user computing device.

Abstract: A vehicle monitors an ongoing enforcement situation using one or more sensors provided to the vehicle and determines, based on the monitoring and sensor data of the one or more sensors, that a foot pursuit has begun. The vehicle receives a location signal from a location-providing device carried by at least one entity involved in the situation and determines a street route for the vehicle that follows movement of the entity by using streets travelable by the vehicle, based on a plurality of locations received from the location-providing device. Also, the vehicle automatically and autonomously controls the vehicle to follow the determined street route.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a flexible multilayer film. The flexible multilayer film includes at least three layers. One of the layers is a seal layer and one of the layers is a barrier layer. The seal layer is an ionomer. The backing layer is in direct contact with the seal layer. The backing layer is an ethylene/?-olefin multi-block copolymer.

Abstract: Responsive to a magnitude of current associated with power from a vehicle being supplied to upfitter loads approaching a predefined threshold, a controller discontinues supply of power to vehicle loads according to a user defined priority order of the vehicle loads such that the vehicle loads of lowest priority among the priority order of the vehicle loads are sequentially shed to maintain the magnitude less than the predefined threshold.

Abstract: Vehicle subframes and methods of producing the same are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a subframe of a vehicle including longitudinal members, and lateral extensions extending from the longitudinal members, the lateral extensions extending outward from a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle, outer edges of the lateral extensions including contours to avoid turn radii of steerable tires of the vehicle.

Abstract: Autonomous modular robots and methods of use are disclosed herein. An example system includes a first assembly includes a first controller having a first processor that causes a first assembly support to translate along a first axis and align with a container placed on the first assembly support which is connected to a third assembly. The third assembly is configured to release a lid when the container has been engaged with the lid. The lid and container form a second assembly that includes a second processor and a second sensor assembly located in the lid. A transfer assembly can transfer an object into and out of the container. The first processor can determine a position and orientation of a delivery platform, planned movement and position of the second assembly, and planned operations of the transfer assembly in order to deliver a package to the delivery platform.

Abstract: Integrated frame and battery pack structure for electric vehicles are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a battery pack structure including a flange to be coupled to a surface of a longitudinal rail of a frame of a vehicle, a first wall, and a second wall, the first wall and the second wall defining an interior, a battery disposed within the interior, a cross member disposed within the interior.

Abstract: A vehicle ECU receives an ECU update package from a remote source. The ECU verifies a first timestamp included with the ECU update package postdates a second timestamp stored onboard the vehicle in conjunction with a last-successful update of the ECU and obtains a unique vehicle identifier from the vehicle bus. The ECU obtains secure configuration data for the ECU included in a payload of the update package and calculates a first hash value using at least the unique vehicle identifier and the secure configuration data. Also, the ECU validates the update package based on comparison of the first hash value matching a second hash value included in the update package and, responsive to the first timestamp post-dating the second timestamp and validation of the update package, modifies the ECU through use of the secure configuration data.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle roof and an airbag supported by the vehicle roof. The airbag is inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag defines an inflation chamber in the inflated position. The airbag includes a distal end below the vehicle roof in the inflated position. The vehicle includes an inflatable device supported by the vehicle roof. The inflatable device is a thermoplastic elastomer and inflatable to an inflated position. The inflatable device is in the inflation chamber of the airbag when the inflatable device and the airbag are in the inflated positions. The inflatable device includes a distal end in the inflation chamber of the airbag. The distal end of the inflatable device is below the vehicle roof and above the distal end of the airbag in the inflated position.

Abstract: A vehicle including a transceiver, a control unit and a processor is disclosed. The transceiver may be configured to receive inventory information from a server. The inventory information may include a plurality of delivery addresses associated with a plurality of packages disposed in the vehicle. The control unit may be configured to determine vehicle information. The processor may be configured to determine that a predefined condition may be met based on the inventory information and the vehicle information. The processor may further generate a geofence for each delivery address based on the vehicle information, responsive to determining that the predefined condition may be met. Furthermore, the processor may determine that the vehicle may have entered the geofence based on the vehicle information. The processor may perform a predefined action responsive to determining that the vehicle may have entered the geofence.

Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle and associated fluid line arrangement include a main branch, which passes through a fuel cell unit, and a secondary branch that branches off the main branch and includes a flow limiter having a tube element, the internal cross section of which decreases downstream with respect to a flow direction, and a piston element moveable at least partially downstream along a movement path in the tube element counter to a restoring force between an open position and a restricting position. The flow limiter provides a fluid-carrying cross section of passage that is smaller than in the open position formed between the piston element and the tube element to limit mass flow through the secondary branch between a maximum and minimum mass flow.

Abstract: A system including a conveyor lane, a transceiver and a processor is disclosed. The conveyor lane may be configured to move a bin from a first location to a second location. The second location may be in proximity to a motorized tile disposed in a vehicle interior portion. The motorized tile may be configured to receive the bin from the conveyor lane and move the bin to a predefined position in the vehicle interior portion. The transceiver may be configured to receive a wheel speed associated with the motorized tile. The processor may be configured to obtain a trigger signal, and obtain the wheel speed from the transceiver responsive to obtaining the trigger signal. The processor may be further configured to activate the conveyor lane to cause bin movement from the first location to the second location at a predefined speed responsive to obtaining the wheel speed.

Abstract: A delivery vehicle is disclosed. The delivery vehicle may include a vehicle elevator unit configured to move a bin to a bin pickup zone in a vehicle interior portion. The delivery vehicle may further include a vehicle drone unit disposed on a top portion of the vehicle elevator unit. The vehicle drone unit may be removably coupled to the vehicle elevator unit. The vehicle drone unit may include a landing platform for a drone. The landing platform may include an opening to enable the drone to engage with the bin for a bin last-mile delivery. The opening may be in proximity to the bin pickup zone.

Abstract: A seat system includes a seat having a seatback and a seat bottom extending in a seat-forward direction from the seatback. A seatbelt retractor is mounted to the seatback and an anchor is carried by the seat bottom and movable seat-rearward and seat-forward between a retracted position and an extended position. A seatbelt webbing extends from the seatbelt retractor and is attached to the anchor. An actuator is operatively coupled to the anchor to move the anchor between the retracted position and the extended position. A lock is operable to selectively retain the anchor in the retracted position.

Abstract: A container configured to be removably attached into a delivery vehicle is disclosed. The container may include a base, a first sidewall, a second sidewall and a third sidewall. Each of the first sidewall, the second sidewall and third sidewall may be disposed perpendicular to the base. The container may further include a slot disposed on the first sidewall, the second sidewall and the third sidewall. The container may additionally include a first power and data interface disposed on the third sidewall, and a frame configured to be removably inserted into the container via the slot. The frame may include a second power and data interface configured to couple with the first power and data interface, and a plurality of grids configured to secure a plurality of motorized tiles.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle-battery enclosure including an upper plate and a lower plate spaced downwardly from the upper plate. The vehicle includes a vehicle battery between the upper plate and the lower plate. The vehicle includes vibration isolators, including a first vibration isolator and a second vibration isolator, between the vehicle-battery enclosure and the vehicle battery. The first vibration isolator is between vehicle battery and the upper plate. The second vibration isolator is between the vehicle battery and the lower plate. Each of the vibration isolators includes a coil spring and a molded portion encasing the coil spring. The molded portion is elastomeric polymer.

Abstract: A method of optimizing a suspension system to avoid pitch resonance may include determining pitch characteristics of a vehicle for a terrain profile and speed range via a model associated with the vehicle, decoupling front and rear axles by removing pitch inertia from the model, and determining optimized damping for a main damper of a position sensitive damper over a linear range of wheel travel in a bounce control zone based on the pitch characteristics. The method may further include recoupling the front and rear axles by adding the pitch inertia back into the model, and selecting a secondary damper associated with a compression zone or a secondary damper associated with a rebound zone as a selected damper for adjustment based on which of the front and rear axles is limiting. The method may also include performing a damping adjustment to the selected damper and cyclically repeating selecting the secondary damper and performing the damping adjustment until pitch resonance is suppressed.

Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to select a scanning rate for a first sensor of a vehicle based on at least one of data related to a current time or data related to a location of the vehicle; instruct the first sensor to run at the selected scanning rate; in response to receiving data from the first sensor indicating a newly present object, turn on a second sensor; and then record data from the second sensor. The second sensor has a higher power draw than the first sensor.

Abstract: Protection and load distribution strategies are disclosed for electrified vehicle traction battery packs. Exemplary battery protection structures may include a corrugated portion and at least one flat sheet portion that are joined together. The battery protection structure may be integrated as part of an outer enclosure assembly of the traction battery pack or could embody a skid plate design that is a separate structure from the outer enclosure assembly. The battery protection structures may be configured for absorbing and transferring energy during vehicle loading events, thereby minimizing the transfer of loads inside the battery pack where relatively sensitive battery internal components are housed.