Abstract: A multi-functional control, a control system, and a method of controlling a system in a vehicle. The multi-functional control includes a base plate, a post extending through a slot in the base plate, and at least two stacked knobs, rotatably and tilt-ably attached to the post. The stacked knobs include a display knob and a base knob. The multi-functional control further includes a plurality of sensors. The sensors include a first touch sensor integrated in the display knob, a second touch sensor integrated in the base knob, a first rotary sensor integrated in the display knob, a second rotary sensor integrated in the base knob, a rocker switch connected to the stacked knobs, and a push-button switch connected to the stacked knobs. The multi-functional control also includes a sliding sensor. The post and stacked knobs are mounted to the sliding sensor.

Abstract: An electric motor includes a housing, a stator having end turn windings, a rotatable central shaft, a rotor mounted onto the central shaft, and a rotor end ring mounted onto the central shaft adjacent the rotor, the rotor end ring including an annular disk shaped body having a circumferential outer diameter and a circumferential inner diameter and being formed from a thermally conductive material, a recess formed within a face of the body, an oil jacket formed within a back side of the body, the oil jacket comprising an annular channel having a circumferential outer wall and a circumferential inner wall, two inlets, each inlet extending radially between the inner diameter of the body and the inner wall of the oil jacket, a plurality of outlets, each outlet comprising a circumferential slot, the plurality of outlets equidistantly spaced around the face adjacent the circumferential inner wall of the oil jacket.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a system and method of modeling and controlling a traction of a wheel of the vehicle. The system includes an observer, a predictive controller and an online solver. The observer receives a dynamic model parameter of the wheel and determines an estimate of a wheel velocity and an uncertainty in the wheel velocity using a non-linear model of the wheel. The predictive controller determines an average gain and differential gain from the estimate of the wheel velocity and the uncertainty in the wheel velocity. The online solver calculates a motor torque and a wheel brake torque for increasing the traction of the wheel with a road based on the average gain and the differential gain. The motor torque and the wheel brake torque are applied at the vehicle.

Abstract: A method in an On-Demand Autonomy system includes: monitoring for a trip change request from a plurality of platoon vehicles including a first leader vehicle (Lv) and a follower vehicle (Fv). When a trip termination request is received from a platoon vehicle, the method includes broadcasting information regarding the request to the other platoon vehicles, and monitoring for an acknowledgement of the request. When the trip termination request originated from the first Lv, the method includes electing a new Lv, computing a rendezvous point for the new Lv and the Fv, and signaling the Fv and new Lv regarding the rendezvous point. When a trip modification request is received from the Fv, the method includes broadcasting information regarding the request to the first Lv, electing a new Lv, computing a rendezvous point for the new Lv and the Fv, and signaling the Fv and new Lv regarding the rendezvous point.

Abstract: A method to perform secure boot procedure using a multi-stage security verification is provided. The procedure includes, within a microcontroller, referring to a table to identify a first defined memory region including code useful to start-up application programming of the microcontroller, wherein the application programming is operable to provide a function of the microcontroller to the vehicle, and a second defined memory region, including programming and data useful to operation of the application programming of the microcontroller. The procedure further includes, within a first stage, verifying authenticity of contents of the first region and starting-up the application programming of the microcontroller based upon verifying the authenticity of the contents of the first region.

Abstract: Methods and systems for an On-Demand Autonomy (ODA) system are provided. A method includes: receiving a request for ODA service from the Fv, wherein the request includes a location of the Fv; when the Lv is within a first distance of the location of the Fv: identifying the Fv within a scene of an environment of the Lv; identifying an orientation of the Fv within the scene of the environment of the Lv; and determining a second location for the Lv to begin the ODA service; when the Lv is within a second distance of the second location, determining a closeness of other vehicles within a second scene of the environment of the Lv; confirming the orientation of the Fv in the second scene; performing a handshake method with the Fv to create a virtual link between the Lv and the Fv; and performing at least one of pulling and parking platooning methods using the created virtual link.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a polymeric gel electrolyte for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions. The polymeric gel electrolyte includes greater than or equal to about 0.1 wt. % to less than or equal to about 10 wt. % of a non-lithium salt. The non-lithium salt includes a non-lithium cation having an ion radius that is greater than or equal to about 80% to less than or equal to about 250% of an ion radius of a lithium ion. The polymeric gel electrolyte further includes greater than or equal to about 50 wt. % to less than or equal to about 99.9 wt. % of a non-volatile gel. The non-volatile gel includes greater than or equal to 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 50 wt. % of a polymeric host and greater than or equal to about 5 wt. % to less than or equal to about 100 wt. % of a liquid electrolyte.

Abstract: Systems and method are provided for coordinating remote control of an autonomous vehicle by a remote transportation system. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, by a processor of the remote transportation system, request data requesting intervention of control of the autonomous vehicle; selecting, by the processor, an operator from a plurality of available operators; selectively assigning, by the processor, the selected operator to a task associated with the intervention based on at least one of a skill level of the selected operator, a workload of the selected operator, and an economic element of the ride associated with the selected operator; and coordinating, by the processor, control of the autonomous vehicle based on the assigned operator.

Abstract: Rotor for electric machines and methods for fabricating rotors for electric machines are provided. An exemplary method includes assembling a stack of laminations to form a rotor core having an external surface. The rotor core defines one to five layers of internal cavities and an interior permanent magnet is positioned in a selected internal cavity. The method also includes locating a non-magnetic structural element in the selected internal cavity. Further, the method includes applying a compressive force on the external surface of the rotor core with an annular sleeve.

Abstract: A system for modular dynamically adjustable capacity storage for a vehicle is provided. The system includes a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells, a negative terminal including a chassis ground connection, and a plurality of positive battery pack terminals. The negative terminal and the plurality of positive battery pack terminals are useful for connecting at least one electrical circuit through the battery pack. The system further includes a battery cell switching system, including a plurality of solid-state switches connected to each of the battery cells. The plurality of solid-state switches is operable to selectively connect a portion of the battery cells in parallel, selectively connect the portion of the battery cells in series, and selectively connect one of the plurality of battery cells to one of the plurality of positive battery pack terminals.

Abstract: Presented are metalworking systems for forming metallic workpieces, methods for making such workpieces and methods for operating such systems, and battery cell tabs bent by a multistage plunger press. A metalworking system includes a plunger fixture that mounts adjacent metallic workpieces, and a plunger head movably mounted to the plunger fixture to move between activated and deactivated positions. A first row of plunger fingers is mounted to the plunger head and moves in one direction to press against and bend one metallic workpiece a predefined bend angle. Likewise, a second row of plunger fingers is mounted to the plunger head and moves in an opposite direction to press against and bend another metallic workpiece another predefined bend angle. The plunger head then moves to the activated position, in tandem with the plunger fingers bending the metallic workpieces, to cause the plunger fingers to bend the workpieces additional respective bend angles.

Abstract: An electrode precursor or slurry according to various aspects of the present disclosure includes a blended electroactive material and a binder solution. The blended electroactive material includes a first electroactive material and a second electroactive material. The first electroactive material includes nickel. The first electroactive material is selected from the group consisting of LiNixCoyMnzO2 where x is greater than 0.6, LiNixCoyAlzO2 where x is greater than 0.6, LiNixCoyMnzAl?O2 where x is greater than 0.6, or any combination thereof. The second electroactive material includes a phosphor-olivine compound at less than or equal to about 30 weight percent of the blended electroactive material. The binder solution including a polymeric binder and a solvent including N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. In various aspects, the present disclosure provides a high-nickel-content positive electrode formed from the slurry.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to solid-state electrolytes and methods of making the same. The method includes admixing a sulfate precursor including one or more of Li2SO4 and Li2SO4.H2O with one or more carbonaceous capacitor materials. The first admixture is calcined to form an electrolyte precursor that is admixed with one or more additional components to form the solid-state electrolyte. When a ratio of the sulfate precursor to the one or more carbonaceous capacitor materials in the first admixture is about 1:2, the electrolyte precursor consists essentially of Li2S. When a ratio of the sulfate precursor to the one or more carbonaceous capacitor materials in the first admixture is less than about 1:2, the electrolyte precursor is a composite precursor including a solid-state capacitor cluster including the one or more carbonaceous capacitor materials and a sulfide coating including Li2S disposed on one or more exposed surfaces of the solid-state capacitor cluster.

Abstract: A positive electrode for an electrochemical cell of a secondary lithium metal battery may include an aluminum metal substrate and a protective layer disposed on a major surface of the aluminum metal substrate. The protective layer may include a conformal aluminum fluoride coating layer. A positive electrode active material layer may overlie the protective layer on the major surface of the aluminum metal substrate. The positive electrode active material layer may include a plurality of interconnected pores, which may be infiltrated with a nonaqueous electrolyte that includes a lithium imide salt.

Abstract: In various embodiments, methods, systems, and vehicle apparatuses are provided. A method for estimating a Hitch Articulation Angle (HAA) using Ultra-Sonic Sensors (USSs) while ensuring quality detected echo signal performance using plausibility filtering, generating at least one set of USS data based on detecting a set of echo signals generated by a plurality of USSs configured about a vehicle coupled to a trailer; determining based on a set of USS data using a selected set of geometric equations in a plausibility filtering process for an arbitrary frontal shape of the trailer; and generating at least one comparison based on at least one set of USS data estimations to a kinematic model at low speeds for ensuring that results of the kinematic model to the HAA associated with the determined trailer shape is based on a pair of detected echo signals that are deemed to have a higher signal performance.

Abstract: A crash detection system for a vehicle comprises first and second batteries and a computational system comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. First and second antennas are both in electronic communication with the computational system and powered by one of the batteries, with the antennas configured to independently wirelessly communicate with an external network. A microphone powered by one of the batteries and in electronic communication with the computational system. The microphone continuously receives sound waves in real time and transmits sound signals to the processor. The processor monitors properties of the sound waves within the sound signals, compares the properties to thresholds stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium, determines if the vehicle has been involved in a collision if at least one of the properties crosses the respective threshold, and communicates with the external network to report the collision with one of the antennas.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a plurality of microphones to obtain speech from a person outside the vehicle as an input signal and a sensor system to determine a location and orientation of the person relative to the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a controller to determine characteristics of the input signal and to determine whether to perform speech enhancement on the input signal based on one or more of the characteristics and the location and orientation of the person.

Abstract: A wastegate system of a vehicle includes: a wastegate valve configured to regulate exhaust flow through a turbine of a turbocharger of an engine; a wastegate actuator including a lever that is mechanically coupled to the wastegate valve via one or more linkages and that is configured to move linearly based on a pressure within an interior of the wastegate actuator; a resonator that is fluidly coupled to the interior of the wastegate actuator via a first one or more hoses and that is configured to counteract force attributable to pressure changes in the exhaust from combustion events within the engine; and a regulator valve that is fluidly connected between a pneumatic source and the resonator via a second one or more hoses and that is configured to regulate the pressure within the interior of the wastegate actuator.

Abstract: An automobile vehicle self-cleaning modular floor system includes a self-cleaning modular assembly positioned in a passenger compartment of an automobile vehicle and including a tread portion, the tread portion having a first face and an oppositely directed second face. The first face of the tread portion when upwardly directed defines a first position of the tread portion, with a waste item collecting onto the first face in the first position during operation of the automobile vehicle. The tread portion is selectively moved from the first position to a second position having the first face downwardly directed and the second face upwardly directed. A waste collection tray is positioned below the tread portion to receive the waste item when the tread portion is in the second position.