Abstract: An automotive battery cable includes an electrical wire, a terminal crimped onto a distal end of the electrical wire, and a sleeve positioned on the electrical wire and extending over an attachment point between the terminal and the electrical wire, the sleeve including a first portion including a body and a neck, the body including an inner surface having contour features adapted to allow the body to deform and compress against the attachment point and matching the shape of the attachment point to sealingly encapsulate the attachment point, and the neck extending from the body around and along the electrical wire, and a second portion encircling and compressing the body onto the attachment point to seal the attachment point within the first portion and to provide a positive stop to limit relative motion of the electrical wire and the terminal at the attachment point.

Abstract: A vehicle, system and a computer-implemented method for setting a height of a seat belt in a vehicle. The system includes a computer vision module, a motor and a controller. The computer vision module determines a seatbelt-neck distance (SND) and a seatbelt-shoulder distance (SSD) for an occupant of the vehicle. The motor adjusts the height of the seat belt. The controller control the motor to set the height of the seat belt based on the SND and the SSD.

Abstract: Presented are fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite components for vehicle body structures, methods for making/using such components, and motor vehicles equipped with such components. A vehicle body structure includes one or more elongated support rails (e.g., a pair of lateral roof rails) each with an inner contoured rail panel joined to an outer contoured rail panel to define an internal rail cavity. One or more elongated support pillars (e.g., front, side, and/or back vehicle pillars) adjoin the support rail(s) and each includes an inner contoured pillar panel joined to an outer contoured pillar panel to define an internal pillar cavity coupled to the internal rail cavity. One or both contoured pillar panels and one or both contoured rail panels is/are formed, in whole or in part, from an FRP material. A structural reinforcement insert may be located inside the adjoined pillar and rail, filling a discrete region within the internal cavities.

Abstract: A method for quantifying dynamic response characteristics of a real-time damper includes positioning the damper between a stationary member and a moveable member of a shock press having a force transducer, and transmitting motion control signals to the shock press, via a test controller, to stroke the moveable member and cause the damper to move with a constant velocity between extremes of stroke. A test drive signal is transmitted to the damper for a calibrated test duration. The test drive signal has a calibrated discrete frequency, frequencies, or a frequency sweep range. The method includes measuring, via the force transducer, a force component of the damper while transmitting the test drive signal, and quantifying the response characteristics of the damper over the test duration, including recording the response characteristics in a memory device. A test system includes a shock press, force transducer, and test controller.

Abstract: A method for coating a separator for a battery includes creating an electrostatic field and disposing a substrate material within the electrostatic field. The method further includes applying a coating material to the substrate material in a presence of the electrostatic field and drying the coating material upon the substrate material.

Abstract: A precipitation hardenable aluminum alloy is disclosed along with a precipitation hardened form of the aluminum alloy and a method of manufacturing an aluminum alloy article from the precipitation hardenable aluminum alloy. The disclosed precipitation hardenable aluminum alloy has a composition that includes, on a weight percent (wt %) basis, 8%-13% zinc, 1.5%-5% magnesium, 0%-5% copper, 0%-2% of zirconium, chromium, or zirconium and chromium in total, and the balance aluminum with no more than 0.5% impurities. The alloy composition is adaptable to a wide range of manufacturing processes including additive manufacturing. The composition of the aluminum alloy also enables the dispersion of strengthening precipitate phases selected from an ?-phase precipitate, a ?-phase precipitate, and a T-phase precipitate, while being free of a S-phase precipitate, when precipitation hardened.

Abstract: A motor vehicle includes first and second drive axles coupled to respective sets of road wheels, torque actuators inclusive of rotary electric machines configured to transmit respective output torques to the drive axles, and a main controller in communication with the torque actuators. The controller receives vehicle inputs indicative of a total longitudinal and lateral motion request. In response, the controller calculates a total longitudinal torque request and/or a total longitudinal speed request, a yaw rate request, and a lateral velocity request, then determines, using a cost optimization function, a torque vector for allocating the total longitudinal torque request and/or speed request, the yaw rate request, and the lateral velocity request to the drive axles within predetermined constraints. The controller also transmits a closed-loop control signal to each torque actuator or local controllers thereof to apply the torque vector via the drive axles.

Abstract: A method for forming a bipolar solid-state battery may include preparing a plurality of freestanding gels each comprising a polymer, a solvent, and a lithium salt and, also, positioning a first freestanding gel between a first electrode and a second electrode and a second freestanding gel between the second electrode and a third electrode. Each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode may include a plurality of electroactive particles. The method may also include infiltrating at least a portion of the first free-standing gel into a space between particles of the first electrode and the second electrode and at least a portion of the second free-standing gel into a space between the particles of second electrode and the third electrode.

Abstract: A braking system includes brake rotors, wheel speed sensors, and an electronic control unit. The brake rotors are couplable to wheels. The brake rotors have rotor thickness variations that cause a vibration while braking. The wheel speed sensors are couplable to the wheels and configured to generate rotation signals for the wheels. The electronic control unit coupled to the wheel speed sensors and configured to generate an absolute phase offset signal that conveys an absolute phase offset angle between the rotor thickness variations in response to the rotation signals, generate a brake torque adjustment signal in response to the absolute phase offset signal and the rotation signals, and adjust a first braking control signal for a first brake rotor relative to a second braking control signal for a second brake rotor based on the brake torque adjustment signal to minimize an amplitude of the vibration during a braking event.

Abstract: Systems and method are provided for monitoring an operator of a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, by a processor, data generated by the vehicle; determining, by the processor, causal time series event data based on the received data; computing, by the processor, a score for at least one of safety and quality based on a first machine learning model and the causal time series event data; computing, by the processor, at least one explanation for the score based on a second machine learning model; and generating, by the processor, display data to display at least one of the causal time series event data, the score, and the explanation to an end user.

Abstract: A rocker assembly for a vehicle body structure includes a rocker rail having a boxed cross-section defining a rocker rail interior space, a rocker rail length, and a rocker rail outer surface along the length. The rocker rail defines at least one aperture connecting the interior space and the panel outer surface. The rocker assembly also includes an insert member configured to fit within the rocker rail interior space and extend along the panel length to reinforce the panel. The insert member includes at least one projection configured to match up with and extend at least partially through a respective at least one aperture. The projection(s) are configured to reinforce the rocker rail by opposing deformation of the boxed cross-section. The projection(s) oppose deformation via interference with the boxed cross-section at the respective aperture(s) when the rocker rail is subjected to an applied load perpendicular to the panel outer surface.

Abstract: A method to utilize an animation feature of a vehicle lighting member includes receiving, by a controller, sensor data indicative of a vehicle condition, determining a vehicle condition type from the sensor data, generating a control signal to control the animation feature of the vehicle lighting member based on the vehicle condition type, and controlling the animation feature of the vehicle lighting member to visually illustrate the vehicle condition type.

Abstract: Presented are finger-proof electrical terminals for battery assemblies, methods for making/using such electrical terminals, and vehicles with battery modules having finger-proof electrical terminals for bolted busbar connections. A battery assembly includes one or more electrochemical battery cells and one or more electrical terminals each electrically connected to the battery cell(s) and having a contact face to electrically connect the battery assembly to an electrical connector. A threaded nut attaches each electrical terminal to one of the electrical connectors. An electrically insulating nut cap is attached to each threaded nut. A battery housing, which stores therein the battery cell(s), includes an electrically insulating housing wall with one or more terminal jackets each mounting therein one of the electrical terminals.

Abstract: The concepts described herein provide for a system, apparatus and/or method for fuel vapor capture on-vehicle for evaporative emission control. This includes a device for capturing fuel vapor on-vehicle that includes a canister device having a first port that is fluidly coupled to a head space portion of a fuel tank. The canister device defines a chamber that is fluidly coupled in series between the first port and a second port. A first Metal Organic Framework (MOF) material is disposed in the chamber to adsorb fuel vapor constituents.

Abstract: An alloy composition is provided. The alloy composition includes silicon (Si) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.55 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.75 wt. %, magnesium (Mg) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.55 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.75 wt. %, chromium (Cr) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.15 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.3 wt. %, and a balance of the alloy composition being aluminum (Al). The alloy composition has an intermetallic phase content of less than or equal to about 3 wt. %. Methods of preparing the alloy composition and of processing the alloy composition are also provided.

Abstract: A vehicle system having an internal combustion engine and evaporative emission system including a canister is described, wherein canister includes a chamber having a flexible Metal Organic Framework (MOF) material disposed therein. A controllable device is coupled to the flexible MOF material, and a controller is operatively connected to the controllable device and the purge valve. The controller includes an instruction set that is executable to activate the controllable device and control the purge valve to an open state in response to a command to purge the canister, determine an activation parameter for the controllable device, determine a purge flow, integrate the purge flow to determine a total purge mass, and deactivate the controllable device when the total purge mass is greater than a threshold.

Abstract: An air intake system for an internal combustion engine is described, and includes a vapor capture element disposed in an interior portion of an air intake system. The vapor capture element includes a flexible Metal Organic Framework (MOF) material, wherein the flexible MOF material is reversibly controllable to a first state and to a second state in response to a control stimulus. The flexible MOF material is configured to adsorb hydrocarbon vapor when controlled to the first state and configured to desorb the hydrocarbon vapor when controlled to the second state.

Abstract: A vehicle system is described that includes a multi-phase rotary electric motor rotatably coupled via a rotatable member to an air-conditioning compressor, and a remotely located rechargeable energy storage system (RESS). The RESS includes a first power inverter that is electrically coupled to the multi-phase rotary electric motor via a plurality of electric power cables, a second power inverter that is electrically coupled to a second electric machine, a DC power source, and a chiller. A controller is in communication with and controllably coupled to the first power inverter and the second power inverter. The controller is operative to control the first power inverter to operate the multi-phase rotary electric motor in an open-loop control scheme.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing an air filter status includes receiving, by a controller, sensor data indicative of a mass air flow rate, an air temperature and an air pressure of an air cleaner assembly including an air filter, determining an air filter life remaining from the sensor data, and receiving data indicative of a vehicle condition. The method also includes determining when a first condition is satisfied and when true, triggering an air filter leakage alert. When the first condition is not satisfied, the controller determines when a second condition is satisfied. When the second condition is satisfied, the controller determines when a third condition is satisfied, and when the third condition is satisfied, triggers an air filter snow intrusion alert. When the second condition is satisfied and the third condition is not satisfied the controller triggers an air filter blockage alert.