Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an off-road feature of a vehicle includes determining that the vehicle is in an off-road area based upon a location of the vehicle and sensed terrain characteristics at the location. Upon determining that the vehicle is in the off-road area, the vehicle monitors parameters for enablement of the off-road feature of the vehicle. The off-road feature is enabled in response to the parameters being within a predetermined range based upon a number of transitions between an enabled state and a disabled state within a predetermined time being less than a transition threshold. Parameter monitoring for enablement of the off-road feature is ceased upon determining that the vehicle has moved from the off-road area to an on-road area.

Abstract: A cargo space cover for a vehicle, the cargo space cover comprising a body comprising a first panel, a second panel, a tote bottom, a first tote wing, and a second tote wing; and at least one coupling portion. The cargo space cover operates in a cover configuration and a tote configuration. While the at least one coupling portion of each the first edge of the first panel and the second edge of the second panel each couple to an a first side wall of the interior of the vehicle and a second side wall of the interior of the vehicle, the cargo space cover is held in the cover configuration. While two of the first panel, the second panel, and the tote bottom operably couple to each of the first tote wing and the second tote wing the cargo space cover is held in the tote configuration.

Abstract: A workstation includes a dashboard for a vehicle having a recess on an upper surface, a first display screen extending from the dashboard, and a second display screen that is deployable between a stowed position within the recess in the dashboard and an extended deployed position aligned proximate to the first display screen. A control arm operatively couples the first display screen with the second display screen, wherein the control arm pivots about a pivot axis to deploy the second display screen proximate to the first display screen. The workstation has a deployable desk that pivots between a stowed position proximate to the dashboard and an extended deployed position forward of the dashboard, wherein the desk in the stowed position covers the second display screen.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a microcellular foam is provided, wherein the microcellular foam comprises a polymer blend, the polymer blend comprising: from 70 to 95% by weight low density polyethylene (LDPE); and from 5 to 30% by weight of polydimethylsiloxane grafted LDPE (PDMS-g-LDPE), wherein the microcellular foam has an average cell size of less than 60 ?m.

Abstract: This disclosure includes methods for preparing a non-polar-polar diblock copolymer. The method includes polymerizing one or more olefin monomers in the presence of an alkyl aluminum chain transfer agent to produce a polymeryl aluminum species, which is then heated to produce a vinyl-terminated polyolefin. A thiol compound is reacted with the vinyl terminated polyolefin to form a sulfide containing polyolefin intermediate. The thiol compound comprises a terminal hydroxyl or a protected terminal amine. A macroinitiator is produced by reacting the sulfide containing polyolefin intermediate with a linker, wherein the linker comprises an acyl halide and a halogen atom bonded to the alpha carbon to the acyl halide. Reacting the macroinitiator, a radical reagent, and CH2?CH—(X) monomers via reversible-deactivation radical polymerization reaction produces the non-polar-polar diblock copolymer, where X is —C(O)OR, —CN, or —C(O)NHR, wherein R is chosen from —H, linear (C1-C18)alkyl, or branched (C1-C18)alkyl.

Abstract: A floor mat for a vehicle includes a first panel, a second panel pivotably coupled to the first panel, and an actuator operably coupled to and positioned beneath the first panel. The actuator is operable to move the first panel in a vehicle-forward direction from a first position to a second position. Movement of the first panel toward the second position causes the second panel to pivot relative to the first panel from a lowered position to a raised position. In the lowered position of the second panel, the vehicle-uppermost portion of the second panel is positioned at a first vehicle-elevation. In the raised position of the second panel, the vehicle-uppermost portion of the second panel is positioned at a second vehicle-elevation that is greater than the first vehicle-elevation.

Abstract: An automotive control system includes a controller for use with an inverter configured to drive a traction motor with electrical energy from a traction battery. The controller is programmed to select a base switching frequency for a control signal for the inverter such that a switching noise sideband frequency of the inverter is the same as a harmonic frequency of the traction motor, modify the selected base switching frequency by a random switching frequency to obtain a modified switching frequency, and control the inverter with the control signal having the modified switching frequency for the inverter to drive the traction motor.

Abstract: A method of automatically detecting adhesive wash-off includes: capturing, by a vision system, before-images of adhesive-covered areas on an assembly bonded by an adhesive before a process; capturing, by the vision system, after-images of the adhesive-covered areas on the assembly after the process; and determining, by a data processing module, an occurrence of the adhesive wash-off based on a comparison between the before-images and the after-images. The method further includes automatically determining a root cause of the adhesive wash-off when a number of occurrences of the adhesive wash-off exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: A structural assembly for a vehicle includes a battery structure having a battery frame. The structural assembly includes a vehicle frame and a vehicle body. The vehicle frame has opposed longitudinal rails. The vehicle body is separate from and mounted on the vehicle frame. The vehicle body includes opposed rockers extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Each opposed longitudinal rail is located between a respective rocker and the battery frame of the battery structure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for segmenting scan data are disclosed. The methods include creating a graph from scan data representing a plurality of points in an environment associated with a ground and one or more objects, where the graph includes a plurality of vertices corresponding to the plurality of points in the environment, a first terminal vertex associated with the ground label, and a second terminal vertex associated with the non-ground label. A unary potential being the cost of assigning a vertex to a ground label or a non-ground label is assigned to each vertex, and a pairwise potential is assigned to each pair of neighboring vertices in the graph as a measure of a cost of assigning different labels. The methods include using the unary the pairwise potentials to identify labels for each point and segmenting the scan data to identify points associated with the ground.

Abstract: A vehicle electric machine includes a housing and a stator having windings and a stator core. The core defines a plurality of axially extending cooling channels each having an entrance port at one end of the stator and an exit port at the other end of the stator. An end cover is connected to a first end of the housing defining a recessed cavity configured to receive the windings and defines an arcuate inlet manifold channel that extends in a circumferential direction of the stator to partially circumscribe the first cavity and that is in fluid communication with first ones of the axial cooling channels.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a visual indicator of engine performance. In one example, a method may include generating an adaptive knock control parameter and adjusting a display to an operator. The display may be adjusted based on the adaptive knock control parameter and may allow the operator to be notified of changes in available engine power.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to extend brake life cycle are disclosed herein. An example vehicle disclosed herein includes a brake including a rotor and a brake pad and a brake controller to detect a request to determine a wear level of the brake pad, activate the brake to cause contact between the brake pad and the rotor, and determine, based on a latency between the activation of the brake and the contact between the brake pad and the rotor, the wear level.

Abstract: A method for operating a powertrain of an autonomous vehicle is described. In one example, the autonomous driver may supply a torque request and a torque or power urgency assessment to a powertrain controller. The powertrain controller may monitor vehicle control system parameters based on the driver demand torque and the torque or power urgency assessment.

Abstract: A vehicle includes first and second fuel-cell stacks, a first coolant circuit having conduit arranged to circulate coolant through the first fuel-cell stack, a second coolant circuit having conduit arranged to circulate coolant through the second fuel-cell stack, a heater in fluid communication with at least the first coolant circuit, and an isolation valve assembly configured to proportion a flow of coolant between the first and second coolant circuits. The isolation valve assembly includes valving. The valving has an isolation position in which the first and second circuits are isolated. The valving also has at least one mixing position in which the first and second circuits are in fluid communication.

Abstract: A vehicle door trim panel has a vehicle interior-facing A-side and a vehicle door structure-facing B-side. The vehicle door trim panel includes a pocket portion that includes a side portion and a wall portion that surrounds and extends outward from the pocket portion. The wall portion has a first portion. The B-side of the first portion of the wall portion is concave and faces generally vehicle-downward. A thickness of the first portion of the wall portion is less than a thickness of the pocket portion adjacent to the first portion of the wall portion.