Abstract: An impairment detection system is provided and includes an emitter, first and second beam selectors, a reference reflector, a sensor and a control module. The emitter is configured to emitter a first light signal. The first beam selector is configured to forward the first light signal to a touch probe. The reference reflector is configured to reflect the first light signal received from the first beam selector to generate a second reflected signal. The second beam selector is configured to receive (i) a first reflected signal from the touch probe based on reflection of the first light signal on an area of a person, and (ii) the second reflected signal. The sensor is configured to receive from the second beam selector the first reflected signal and the second reflected signal. The control module is configured to determine an impairment level of the person based on an output of the sensor.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for providing a user notification operative for establishing a connection to a mobile device, receiving a notification from the mobile device, receiving an indication of a red-light state and a time remaining of the red-light state via a wireless communications, detecting a stationary vehicle condition from a vehicle controller, displaying the notification, the indication of the red-light state and the time remaining of the red-light state to a vehicle operator on a video display in response to the stationary vehicle condition, and discontinuing display of the notification in response to at least one of an indication of a vehicle movement from a vehicle controller and the time remaining of the red-light state being zero seconds.

Abstract: Systems and method are provided for controlling a vehicle. In one embodiment, a vehicle includes: one or more onboard sensing devices, one or more onboard actuators, and a controller that, by a processor, obtains sensor data from the one or more sensing devices, identifies an assistance event based at least in part on the sensor data, determines an automated response to the assistance event based at least in part on the sensor data and an autonomous assistance policy, and autonomously operates the one or more actuators onboard the vehicle in accordance with the automated response. In exemplary embodiments, the autonomous assistance policy is determined using inverse reinforcement learning to optimize a reward function and mimic a remote human assistor.

Abstract: The present application generally relates to a method and apparatus for generating an action policy for controlling an autonomous vehicle. In particular, the system performs a deep learning algorithm in order to determine the action policy and an automatically generated curriculum system to determine a number of increasingly difficult tasks in order to refine the action policy.

Abstract: A method, system, and engine are configured to determine a parameter based on rotational speeds of a crankshaft, over at least three cylinder combustion cycles. The method, system, and engine determine two or more estimated crankshaft rotational speeds at two or more positions in a leading cylinder combustion cycle, two or more estimated crankshaft rotational speeds at two or more positions in a middle cylinder combustion cycle, and two or more estimated crankshaft rotational speeds at two or more positions in a following cylinder combustion cycle. The method, system, and engine are configured to determine a calculated metric based on each of the determined leading estimated crankshaft rotational speeds, the determined middle estimated crankshaft rotational speeds, and the determined following estimated crankshaft rotational speeds. An engine parameter, such as misfire, is then determined based on the calculated metric.

Abstract: Systems and method are provided for identifying free space between objects. The method includes retrieving, by a processor, a voxel grid around the vehicle wherein the voxel grid has a plurality of columns. The method further includes tracing, by the processor, lidar beams from a lidar system on the vehicle through the voxel grid, identifying, by the processor, a max subarray for each column in the voxel grid, classifying, by the processor, each column with a free space level, and outputting, by the processor, the classified columns as an image.

Abstract: A welding electrode and a method of using the welding electrode for resistance spot welding are disclosed. The welding electrode includes a body and a weld face. The weld face includes a central dome portion and a shoulder portion that surrounds the central dome portion and extends from an outer circumference of the weld face upwardly and radially inwardly to the central dome portion. The central dome portion has a series of radially-spaced ringed ridges that project outwardly from a base dome face surface. The series of radially-spaced ringed ridges on the central dome portion includes an innermost ringed ridge and an outermost ringed ridge. The outermost ringed ridge on the central dome portion has a radial inner side surface and a radial outer side surface. The radial outer side surface extends below the base dome face surface down to the shoulder portion of the weld face.

Abstract: In various embodiments, methods, systems, and vehicles are provided that include obtaining first camera images from a first camera onboard a first vehicle; generating, via one or more computer processors, a first situation awareness graph with respect to objects near the first vehicle, using the first camera images; obtaining second camera images from a second camera of a second device that is in proximity to the first vehicle; generating, via one or more computer processors, a second situation awareness graph with the respect to the objects, using the second camera images; and generating, via one or more computer processor, a global situation awareness graph with respect to the objects, by merging the first situation awareness graph with the second situation awareness graph, using respective first and second weights for the first and second situation awareness graphs.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle including a sensor system that outputs a sensor signal indicative of a condition of the autonomous vehicle. The vehicle also includes a communication system including a speaker. Based upon a profile of the passenger, the autonomous vehicle can determine that support is to be provided audibly to the passenger when the support is provided to the passenger. Moreover, the autonomous vehicle can detect occurrence of an event that has been identified as potentially causing discomfort to the passenger based upon the sensor signal output by the sensor system. Responsive to detecting the occurrence of the event, and in accordance with the profile of the passenger, the autonomous vehicle can cause the speaker to output an audible support message. Content of the audible support message is based on the detected event, and the audible support message solicits feedback from the passenger of the autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, a vehicle system is provided that includes a sensor, a memory, and a processor. The sensor is configured to at least facilitate obtaining vehicle data pertaining to one or more conditions of the vehicle. The memory is configured to at least facilitate storing historical data pertaining to a user's operation of the vehicle.

Abstract: A thermal interfacing assembly for use in a power module having at least one battery module and a cooling plate, and corresponding method of forming the thermal interfacing assembly. The thermal interfacing material is deposited over a first surface of the cooling plate such that the thermal interfacing material conforms to the shape of the first surface. The thermal interfacing material is configured to be electrically insulating and thermally conductive. A first embedded heater is positioned adjacent to the thermal interfacing material. The first embedded heater includes an electrically-conductive portion and a resistive portion. The battery module is installed adjacent to the first embedded heater such that the first embedded heater is directly in contact with a first face of the battery module. The first embedded heater is employed to at least partially induce in-place curing of the thermal interfacing material.

Abstract: Methods and systems for piecewise sinusoid trajectory planning including: receiving, by a processing unit disposed in an ego vehicle, point data defining a current path plan for the ego vehicle; fetching, by the processing unit, a current ego position along the current path plan; calculating, by the processing unit, a current velocity and an acceleration for the current ego position which is based in part on a velocity and acceleration derived from a previous planned trajectory, the planned trajectory is calculated by: setting a graph with a grid of nodes in the velocity-time domain of the search space connected by edges; evaluating the graph with a shortest path algorithm wherein the validity and cost with respect to desired constraints of vehicle motion and system limitations of each edge are determined by use of the piecewise sinusoidal path length, velocity, and acceleration profiles which are parameterized to connect pairs of nodes; setting, by the processing unit, the optimal vehicle trajectory equal to

Abstract: A variable output torque rod system for panel counterbalance includes a telescoping torque rod having a solid inner rod with a first end concentrically disposed in a tubular outer rod, wherein the tubular outer rod includes a first end fixed relative to a storage area, and wherein the solid inner rod includes a second end secured in a slider block relative to the panel. The telescoping torque rod is configured to store energy by being twisted when the panel is pivoted in a first direction relative to the storage area, and wherein the slider block is operative to adjust an overall length and cross-sectional area of the telescoping torque rod when the slider block is moved from a fully extended position to at least one other position that is less than the fully extended position.

Abstract: A method implemented in a smartphone associated with a transportation apparatus to detect a crash of the transportation apparatus, comprises receiving a signal generated in time domain by a sensor of the smartphone in response to an event triggered by motion of the smartphone. The method further comprises transforming the signal to a delay domain to generate a two-dimensional representation of the signal in the delay domain. The method further comprises processing the two-dimensional representation using a Hough transform to select lines from the two-dimensional representation having a parameter greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold. The method further comprises determining a pattern associated with the selected lines, comparing the pattern to a predetermined pattern indicating crash event of the transportation apparatus, and determining based on the comparison whether the event indicates crash event of the transportation apparatus.

Abstract: A method to determine soot mass of a gasoline engine powered automobile vehicle includes: predefining a time period between approximately 50 seconds to 200 seconds defining a cold start operation of a gasoline engine; determining a critical engine cold start temperature at a time defining a start of the cold start operation; identifying a cold start soot mass value from a lookup table based on the predefined time period and the critical engine cold start temperature; calculating a hot engine soot mass value for a hot engine operating time; repeating the calculating step for at least one next successive hot engine operating time; and adding the cold start soot mass value to the hot engine soot mass value for the hot engine operating time and the at least one next successive hot engine operating time to define a total soot mass value.

Abstract: Electrochemical cells that cycle lithium ions are provided. The electrochemical cells have an electrode that includes a silicon-containing electroactive material that undergoes volumetric expansion and contraction during the cycling of the electrochemical cell; and an electrolyte system that promotes passive formation of a flexible protective layer comprising a lithium fluoride-polymer composite on one or more exposed surface regions of the silicon-containing electroactive material. The electrolyte system includes a lithium salt, at least one cyclic carbonate, and two or more linear carbonates. At least one of the two or more linear carbonate-containing co-solvents is a fluorinated carbonate-containing co-solvent. The electrolyte system accommodates the volumetric expansion and contraction of the silicon-containing electroactive material to promote long term cycling stability.

Abstract: A multi-stage tooling pin clamp capable of holding weld nuts of different sizes includes a housing having a proximal end, a distal end, and a plurality of longitudinal stages extending between the proximal and distal ends. A plunging pin within the housing and includes a plurality of tapered surfaces configured to radially displace at least one locking ball ring assembly disposed in at least one of the plurality of longitudinal stages of the housing. An actuating mechanism is in communication with the plunging pin configured to move the plunging pin toward the distal end of the housing to displace the at least one locking ball ring assembly radially outward to hold the weld nut, and a restoring mechanism in communication with the plunging pin configured to move the plunging pin toward the proximal end of the housing to release the hold on the weld nut.

Abstract: A method is provided for autonomously operating a vehicle. The method includes receiving, at a processor, at least vehicle state data and vehicle object environment data; generating, with the processor, an optimal path for the vehicle with a cost function based on the vehicle state data and the vehicle object environment data; identifying, with the processor, at least one critical condition constraint based on at least one of the vehicle or vehicle environment; modifying, with the processor, at least a first portion of the optimal path based on the at least one critical condition constraint to result in a short-range trajectory portion; generating a resulting trajectory with the short-range trajectory portion; and implementing the resulting trajectory on the vehicle.