Abstract: Methods for forming composite components with sealed bi-material interfaces include applying a sacrificial material to a surface of a substrate, over-molding the substrate and the sacrificial material with an over-molding material such that the over-molding material covers at least a portion of the sacrificial material and at least one surface of the substrate, removing the sacrificial material by deflagration to form a composite component with a channel between the substrate and the over-molding material, introducing an uncured sealant into the channel, and curing the sealant to form a sealed composite component. The method can further include removing a portion of the sealant prior to the sealant fully curing. The sealed composite component can include a passage, encircled by the channel, extending between the substrate and the over-molding material. The substrate can be a metal, a polymer, a polymer composite, a ceramic, or a continuous fiber composite material.

Abstract: A structural arrangement for a vehicle includes a vehicle frame including a first frame member and a second frame member coupled to the first frame member. The vehicle frame extends along a vehicle body axis. The vehicle frame includes a suspension component including a control arm, a bushing, a bolt coupling the suspension component to the second frame member, and a load member coupled to the first frame member at a first attachment point and coupled to the second frame member at a second attachment point. The load member extends generally longitudinally along the vehicle body axis. The suspension component is coupled to the second frame member at the second attachment point and is detachable from the second frame member upon application of a load to the vehicle due to an impact event.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle, system and method of operating an autonomous vehicle. The system includes a communication module and a processor. The communication module sends a first set of Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) data over a first communication channel and a second set of GPS data over a second communication channel. The second set of GPS data is an authenticated data set. The processor operates the autonomous vehicle using the first set of GPS data, and compares the first set of GPS data to the second set of GPS data to verify the integrity of the first set of GPS data. A first value for a vehicle parameter based on the first set of GPS data is compared to a second value for the vehicle parameter based on data from a vehicle-based sensor. The first set of GPS data is rational when the difference is less than a selected threshold.

Abstract: The present application relates to providing alert notifications of high-risk driving areas in a connected vehicle by calculating a first navigational route between a host vehicle location and a destination, transmitting the first navigational route via a wireless network, receiving via a wireless network an indication of a high-risk area in response to the first navigational route, generating a second navigational route in response to the high-risk area, presenting the second navigational route to a vehicle occupant via a user interface and prompting user action.

Abstract: A method of controlling stability of a vehicle and a stability control system for the vehicle. A driver command is determined based on driver input data. At least one output command is sent to one or more vehicle systems to control stability of the vehicle based on the driver command. A controller sends the output command based on a control hierarchy that provides an order in which the controller controls body motion of the vehicle, wheel slip of the vehicle, and standard stability of the vehicle to control stability of the vehicle. The order dictates that the controller controls the body motion of the vehicle and the wheel slip of the vehicle before the controller controls the standard stability of the vehicle. A state of one or more of the vehicle systems is controlled based on the sent output command as dictated via the control hierarchy.

Abstract: A heating apparatus is provided. The heating apparatus includes a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heating element and a power controller configured to generate and apply a pulse width modified signal to the PTC heating element. The power controller is configured to vary a current of the pulse width modified signal linearly with respect to a temperature of a space being heated by the PTC heating element.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling an occupant output system associated with a vehicle are provided. The methods and systems receive vehicle or occupant context data from a source of vehicle context data, generate occupant message data based on the vehicle or occupant context data and determine if an occupant associated with the occupant output system is vision or hearing impaired. When the occupant is determined to be vision or hearing impaired, the methods and systems decide on an output modality to assist the occupant, and generate an output for the occupant on the output device, and in the output modality, based on the occupant message data.

Abstract: A system for determining when an occupant in a motor vehicle seat and restrained by a seatbelt restraint system has improper posture. The system and method include: a seatbelt buckle sensor, a seatbelt payout sensor, an occupant posture sensor. Moreover, a control module executes code to: determine the presence of the seatbelt latchplate in the seatbelt buckle, determine whether the difference between the first seatbelt payout length when the seatbelt is buckled and the second seatbelt payout length is greater than a seatbelt payout length threshold, compare the image of the occupant to at least one of a stored image and a posture zone when the seatbelt payout length threshold is exceeded, and determine whether the occupant has improper posture based on the comparison of the captured image of the occupant and the at least one of the stored image and the posture zone.

Abstract: A process for sensor sharing for an autonomous lane change is provided. The process includes, within a dynamic controller of a host vehicle, monitoring sensors of the host vehicle, establishing communication between the host vehicle and a confederate vehicle on a same roadway as the host vehicle, monitoring sensors of the confederate vehicle, within the dynamic controller of the host vehicle, utilizing data from the sensors of the host vehicle and data from the sensors of the confederate vehicle to initiate a lane change maneuver for the host vehicle, and executing the lane change maneuver for the host vehicle.

Abstract: A method of laser welding together two or more overlapping metal workpieces (12, 14, or 12, 150, 14) included in a welding region (16) of a workpiece stack-up (10) involves advancing a beam spot (44) of a laser beam (24) relative to a top surface (20) of the workpiece stack-up along a first weld path (72) in a first direction (74) to form an elongated melt puddle (76) and, then, advancing the beam spot (44) of the laser beam (24) along a second weld path (78) in a second direction (80) that is opposite of the first direction while the elongated melt puddle is still in a molten state. The first weld path and the second weld path overlap so that the beam spot of the laser beam is conveyed through the elongated melt puddle when the beam spot is advanced along the second weld path.

Abstract: A light blocking screen includes a liquid crystal array mounted to a window. The liquid crystal array has a plurality of liquid crystal (LC) pixels, each of which is selectively darkenable. A controller is operatively connected to the liquid crystal array and configured to darken a set of the LC pixels, such that the darkened set of LC pixels limits light passage through the window in one or more selected areas. The LC pixels need not limit light passage through the entire window. The controller may determine a location of a glare source relative to the window and a location of a user proximate the window, and then darken the set of the LC pixels in an area between the glare source and the user, such that the glare source is limited from shining onto the user. The screen may be incorporated into vehicles or buildings.

Abstract: A reference electrode for a lithium-ion battery cell in the form of a porous ultrathin film that is fabricated from aluminum or an aluminum alloy is described. The aluminum layer is conductive and functions as a current collector for the reference electrode. The alloying elements may include but not limited to one or more of copper, zinc, silver, gold, titanium, chrome, rare earth metals, etc., to achieve target values for electrical, mechanical and chemical properties. Also disclosed is an electrochemical battery cell having an anode, a cathode, and a reference electrode, wherein the reference electrode is interposed between the anode and the cathode, wherein the reference electrode is an electrode layer that is arranged on a current collector, and wherein the current collector is fabricated from an aluminum alloy.

Abstract: An attachment mechanism including a first clamp member having a V-shaped first clamping end and a second clamp member having a V-shaped second clamping end and an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a relative position of the first clamp member and the second clamp member. The first and second clamp members are configured to translate toward and away from each other via force exerted by the adjustment mechanism such that the first and second clamping ends translate between an engaged and a disengaged position.

Abstract: A flexible sheet having enhanced thermal conductivity, electrical isolation and bonding strength includes a first layer of polyethylene terephthalate having opposed first and second sides and an electrical isolation of at least 500 ohms at 2.0 kV DC, and a second layer of heat-activated adhesive attached to and covering the first side. The heat-activated adhesive has a bonding strength of greater than 50 psi, and the first and second layers together have a thermal conductivity of at least 0.7 W/mK. A thermal cooling structure for use with high-voltage battery applications includes the first layer of polyethylene terephthalate, the second layer of heat-activated adhesive, a third layer of thermal interface material attached to and covering the second side of the first layer, and a metallic cooling plate attached to the second layer.

Abstract: A method for reducing parking violations includes: searching for an empty parking spot in an area surrounding a vehicle; receiving, by a controller of the vehicle, parking restriction information in the area surrounding the vehicle, wherein the controller receives the parking restriction information from sensors of the vehicle; determining, by the controller of the vehicle, that the empty parking spot is invalid; and activating, by the controller of the vehicle, an alarm to alert a vehicle operator of the vehicle that the empty parking spot is invalid.

Abstract: A battery electrode, and a method for fabricating the battery electrode are described. The battery electrode includes a current collector having a woven mesh planar sheet that is composed of metallic strands. The metallic strands define a multiplicity of interstitial spaces, and the woven mesh planar sheet includes a first surface and a second surface. An active material including lithium is embedded in the interstitial spaces of a first portion of the woven mesh planar sheet, and an electrical connection tab arranged on a second portion of the woven mesh planar sheet.

Abstract: A lithium transition metal oxide electrode including an additional metal is provided herein as well electrochemical cells including the lithium transition metal oxide electrode and methods of making the lithium transition metal oxide electrode. The lithium transition metal oxide electrode includes a first electroactive material including Li1+aNibMncCodMeO2, where 0.05?a?0.5; 0.1?b?0.5; 0.3?c?0.8; 0?d?0.3; 0.001 ?e?0.1; a+b+c+d+e=1, and M represents an additional metal, such as W, Mo, V, Zr, Nb, Ta, Fe, Al, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A battery electrode, and a method for fabricating the battery electrode are described. The battery electrode includes a lithium foil that is arranged between a first porous current collector and a second porous current collector. The first and second porous current collectors each defines a multiplicity of interstitial spaces, and the lithium foil is embedded in the interstitial spaces defined by the first porous current collector and in the interstitial spaces defined by the second porous current collector, thus enabling two-side functionality.

Abstract: A diagnostic system includes: a current command module configured to, based on a motor torque request, a motor speed, a direct current (DC) bus voltage, generate a d-axis current command for an electric motor and a q-axis current command for the electric motor; a voltage command module configured to, based on the d-axis current command and the q-axis current command, generate a d-axis voltage command and a q-axis voltage command; a switching control module configured to control switching of an inverter module based on the d-axis voltage command and the q-axis voltage command, where the inverter module is configured to apply power to stator windings of the electric motor from the DC bus; and a fault module configured to selectively indicate that the stator windings of the electric motor are degraded when the d-axis voltage command is less than a predetermined nominal d-axis voltage of the electric motor.