Abstract: A method and apparatus that prevent a collision with a hitch accessory are provided. The method includes: detecting an input to open a gate or detecting a gate opening motion, determining whether hitch accessory is present in a path of the gate opening motion, and in response to determining that the hitch accessory is absent from the path, opening the gate.

Abstract: A suspension system includes a first and second mass and an actuator connected with the first mass and with the second mass and configured to influence a relative movement between the first mass and the second mass. The actuator includes a tube, and a magnetic assembly disposed in the tube. The actuator is configured to generate a force between the magnetic assembly and the tube as a result of the relative movement between the two. A motor is configured to rotate the magnetic assembly relative to the tube to vary the force in a velocity-dependent relationship. The actuator may generate forces to resist or assist motion between the first and second masses.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a crankshaft including an outer crankshaft gear and an in-line balance shaft system coupled to the crankshaft. The in-line balance shaft system is configured to balance reciprocating inertial forces of the internal combustion engine, the in-line balance shaft system is configured to provide concurrent and counter-rotating balance forces. The in-line balance shaft system includes a planetary gear set coupled to the crankshaft. The planetary gear set is coupled to the outer crankshaft gear such rotation of the crankshaft drives the planetary gear set. The planetary gear set includes an input gear and an output gear. The input gear is coupled to the crankshaft such that rotation of the crankshaft causes rotation of the input gear.

Abstract: A cylinder head assembly for an engine assembly is provided herein. The cylinder head assembly may include a head framework, an exhaust liner include a thermal barrier material, an intake liner, and a polymeric housing disposed around at least a portion of the metal head framework and the exhaust liner. The cylinder head assembly may further include a plurality of channels for heating and/or cooling the cylinder head assembly, which can be defined in one or more of: the metal head framework, the exhaust liner, and the polymeric housing. Methods of making the cylinder head assembly are also provided herein.

Abstract: An alloy composition comprises that carbon at a concentration of from greater than or equal to about 0.15% by weight to less than or equal to about 0.5% by weight of the alloy composition, manganese at a concentration of from greater than or equal to about 0.1% by weight to less than or equal to about 3% by weight of the alloy composition; silicon at a concentration of from greater than or equal to about 0.1% by weight to less than or equal to about 0.

Abstract: A hydraulic control system for a continuously variable transmission (CVT) of a motor vehicle includes a source of pressurized hydraulic fluid that communicates with an electronic transmission range selection (ETRS) subsystem. The ETRS subsystem may include one or more mode valves, a park servo, and a park mechanism. A pressure regulator subsystem is configured to provide a pressurized hydraulic fluid. The ETRS subsystem is in downstream fluid communication with the pressure regulator subsystem and has first and second outputs. The ETRS subsystem has an electronically-activated mode control valve in communication with the mode valve. The mode control valve is operable to move the mode valve between a first position and a second position. The ETRS subsystem is configured to selectively communicate pressurized hydraulic fluid to the forward clutch for the CVT through the first output and to the reverse clutch through the second output.

Abstract: A method of forming a film system includes depositing a monolayer formed from a fluorocarbon onto a substrate. After depositing, the method includes ablating the monolayer to define a plurality of cavities therein, wherein each of the plurality of cavities is spaced apart from an adjacent one of the plurality of cavities along the monolayer. After ablating, the method includes embedding a photocatalytic material into each of the plurality of cavities to form a film on the substrate and thereby form the film system. The film system includes a plurality of regions including the photocatalytic material and disposed within the monolayer such that each of the plurality of regions abuts and is surrounded by the fluorocarbon.

Abstract: A system and method of managing virtual vehicle keys includes: receiving at a central facility a request to use a vehicle; receiving an identifier of a handheld wireless device at the central facility; generating at the central facility a virtual vehicle key that permits vehicle access using the handheld wireless device; and wirelessly transmitting the virtual vehicle key to the handheld wireless device and a vehicle the handheld wireless device has authorization to access.

Abstract: A number of variations may include a method that may include laser shock peening a friction work surface of a working part and applying a ferritic nitrocarburizing process to the friction work surface such that diffusion of carbon and nitrogen atoms into the friction work surface is accelerated.

Abstract: In an example of a method for enhancing the performance of a silicon-based negative electrode, the silicon-based negative electrode is pre-lithiated in an electrolyte including a lithium salt dissolved in a solvent mixture of dimethoxyethane (DME) and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC). The DME and FEC are present in a volume to volume ratio ranging from 10 to 1 to 1 to 10. The pre-lithiation forms a stable solid electrolyte interface layer on an exposed surface of the negative electrode.

Abstract: An adaptive parallel imaging processing system in a vehicle is provided. The system may include, but is not limited to, a plurality of processors and a resource management system including, but not limited to, an execution monitor, the execution monitor configured to calculate an average utilization of each of the plurality of processors over a moving window, and a service scheduler controlling a request queue for each of the plurality of processors, the service scheduler scheduling image processing tasks in the respective request queue for the each of the plurality of processors based upon the average utilization of each of the plurality of processors, the capabilities of each of the plurality of processors, and a priority associated with each image processing task, wherein an autonomous vehicle control system is configured to generate the instructions to control the at least one vehicle system based upon the processed image processing tasks.

Abstract: A system according to the present disclosure includes a pawl actuator control module. The pawl actuator control module controls a pawl actuator of a seatbelt retractor to disengage a pawl of the seatbelt retractor from a control disc of the seatbelt retractor. The pawl actuator control module disengages the pawl of the retractor from the control disc when at least one of: a tongue of the seatbelt is disengaged from a seatbelt buckle; a button on the buckle is pressed; a manual disengagement button is pressed; an occupant is present in the seat; and a user provides an instruction to disengage the pawl via a user interface device. The seatbelt retractor allows a seatbelt to be extracted from the seatbelt retractor when the pawl is disengaged from the control disc and prevents the seatbelt from being extracted from the seatbelt retractor when the pawl is engaged with the control disc.

Abstract: The oil pan assembly includes an oil pan and a slideable cover. The oil pan includes a base and a sidewall which surrounds the base wherein the base and the sidewall are configured to retain a pool of oil. The oil pan further includes a peripheral flange operatively configured to be coupled to an engine block. The slideable cover is affixed to the oil pan and is configured to maintain the pool of oil proximate to the base of the oil pan.

Abstract: A method of attaching a thermoplastic-based workpiece and a metal workpiece involves the use of a metal reaction coating. The metal reaction coating is applied over a base metal substrate of the metal workpiece such that the metal reaction coating faces and contacts the thermoplastic-based workpiece when the two workpieces are assembled in overlapping fashion. To attach the workpieces at their faying interface, an energy source such as, for example, a laser beam or an electric arc, is directed against the metal workpiece to create a zone of concentrated heat that at least warms up the metal reaction coating and melts a portion of the thermoplastic-based workpiece. Such heated activity at the faying interface promotes interfacial chemical bonding between the thermoplastic-based workpiece and the metal workpiece that contributes to an enhanced attachment between the workpieces.

Abstract: A seat belt routing sensing system for a seat belt of a vehicle is provided. The seat belt includes a latch plate. The seat belt routing sensing system includes a seat belt buckle mounting assembly and a sensor. The seat belt buckle mounting assembly includes a first bracket or a first strap. The first bracket or the first strap is configured to connect to a seat belt buckle. The sensor is attached directly or indirectly to the first bracket, the first strap, or the seat belt buckle and is configured to detect changes in a parameter. The changes are indicative of (i) at least one of a bending moment, a force, an angular position, or an angular movement of the first bracket or first strap, and (ii) routing of the seat belt.

Abstract: An aqueous or water-borne precursor for forming an anti-fouling heterophasic thermoset polymeric coating is provided. The precursor includes a fluorine-containing polyol precursor having a functionality >about 2 that forms a branched fluorine-containing polymer component defining a continuous phase in the anti-fouling heterophasic thermoset polymeric coating. The precursor also includes a fluorine-free precursor that forms a fluorine-free component present as a plurality of domains each having an average size of ?about 100 nm to ?about 5,000 nm defining a discrete phase within the continuous phase in the anti-fouling heterophasic thermoset polymeric coating. A crosslinking agent and water are also present. An emulsifier may also be included. Methods of making anti-fouling heterophasic thermoset polymeric coatings with such precursors are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for evaluating a CAN that includes a CAN bus and a plurality of modules configured to communicate over the CAN bus. A voltage sensor may be provided in electrical communication with the CAN bus. A number (N) of pairs of voltages may be read. Each pair may include a CAN high (CAN-H) value and a CAN low (CAN-L) value. The N pair of voltages may be processed through a comparison of the CAN-H values and the CAN-L values. Whether a fault signature is present in the CAN-H and CAN-L values may be determined from the processing.

Abstract: A system and method to perform two-stage beamforming in a radar system includes obtaining an incoming signal vector x associated with a detected target. The method also includes performing coarse beamforming with a first set of k1 azimuthal angle ?i and elevation angle ?i combinations associated with each element of the vector, and selecting a selected area in an azimuth-elevation plane around a subset of the k1 azimuthal angle ?i and elevation angle ?i combinations for each element of the vector. Fine beamforming is performed in the selected area with a second set of k2 azimuthal angle ?i and elevation angle ?i combinations associated with each element of the vector. The second set of k2 azimuthal angle ?i and elevation angle ?i combinations is more closely spaced in the azimuth-elevation plane than the first set of k1 azimuthal angle ?i and elevation angle ?i combinations.

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 user interface device with a display. A computing system determines, based upon a profile of the passenger, that support is to be provided pictorially to the passenger when the support is provided to the passenger. The computing system further detects occurrence of an event that has been identified as potentially causing discomfort to the passenger. The computing system yet further sets a predefined pictorial support message defined in an account corresponding to the event maintained in a database prior to occurrence of the event as a pictorial support message to be presented to the passenger. The computing system additionally causes the display to present the pictorial support message, wherein the pictorial support message solicits feedback from the passenger of the autonomous vehicle.