Abstract: A method in an autonomous vehicle (AV) is provided. The method includes determining, from vehicle sensor data and road geometry data, a plurality of range measurements and obstacle velocity data; determining vehicle state data wherein the vehicle state data includes a velocity of the AV, a distance to a stop line, a distance to a midpoint of an intersection, and a distance to a goal; determining, based on the plurality of range measurements, the obstacle velocity data and the vehicle state data, a set of discrete behavior actions and a unique trajectory control action associated with each discrete behavior action; choosing a discrete behavior action and a unique trajectory control action to perform; and communicating a message to vehicle controls conveying the unique trajectory control action associated with the discrete behavior action.

Abstract: In various embodiments, methods, systems, and vehicles are provided for calibrating vehicle cameras. In certain embodiments, a vehicle includes a camera, a memory, and a processor. The camera is disposed onboard the vehicle, and is configured to generate a camera image in which an object is detected onboard the vehicle. The memory is configured to store map data relating to the detected object. The processor is disposed onboard the vehicle, and is configured to perform an initial projection using the map data and initial values of calibration parameters for the camera; and update values of the calibration parameters using a comparison of the initial projection with the camera image.

Abstract: A system and method of determining a relative velocity of an object at a radar system is disclosed. A transmitter transmits a source signal at the object and a receiver receives an echo signal that is a reflection of the source signal from the object. The echo signal is partitioned into a first portion and a second portion at a processor. A first Doppler frequency is estimated for the first portion and a second Doppler frequency is estimated for the portion. A difference is estimated between the first Doppler frequency and the second Doppler frequency. A presence of a Doppler ambiguity is determined from a comparison of the estimated difference to a selected Doppler frequency. A corrected Doppler frequency is obtained based on the Doppler ambiguity and the relative velocity of the object is determined from the corrected Doppler frequency.

Abstract: In accordance with various embodiments, methods, systems, and vehicles are provided for determining an environment of vehicles. In one embodiment, a vehicle includes a body, a plurality of sensors, and a processor. The plurality of sensors are disposed onboard the vehicle, and is configured to at least facilitate transmitting signals from a vehicle and receiving return signals at the vehicle after the transmitted signals have contacted one or more objects. The processor is disposed onboard the vehicle, and is coupled to the plurality of sensors. The processor is configured to at least facilitate identifying one or more parameters of the return signals; comparing the one or more parameters with historical data stored in a memory; and determining an environment of the vehicle based at least in part on the comparison of the one or more parameters with the historical data.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining an angle of arrival of an incident plane wave received by an antenna array. The method includes receiving signals from a plurality of antenna receiving channels, determining a set of possible angles of arrival of the incident plane wave based on the signals received at the plurality of receiving channels, measuring a pulse delay of the incident plane wave between the signals received at the plurality of receiving channels, and calculating the angle of arrival of the incident plane wave based on the set of possible angles of arrival and the measured pulse delay.

Abstract: A system and method of activating and using an auxiliary key fob with a vehicle, including the steps of: pairing the auxiliary key fob and the vehicle; receiving an activation request at the vehicle, the activation request indicating to the vehicle to activate the auxiliary key fob for use with the vehicle; activating the auxiliary key fob in a particular access mode for use with the vehicle; receiving a SRWC credentials signal from the auxiliary key fob at a SRWC passive entry passive start (PEPS) module installed in the vehicle; after receiving the SRWC credentials signal, sending information included in or derived from the SRWC credentials signal to the VSM of the vehicle; determining that the auxiliary key fob is authorized at the VSM based at least in part on the information sent to the VSM; and carrying out a vehicle access function in response to the determination.

Abstract: A motor vehicle transmission assembly is provided that includes a dampening component configured to reduce at least one of noise and vibration within the transmission assembly. In some versions, the dampening component is disposed between first and second transmission components, and the dampening component may be fixed to and/or abutting one of the transmission components. The dampening component may comprise a dampening layer disposed between a pair of outer layers. In some versions, the dampening component has a metallic portion and a non-metallic portion.

Abstract: A vehicle charge air cooler of a vehicle engine air induction system. The vehicle engine air induction system could also be equipped with a turbocharger or a supercharger located upstream of the vehicle charge air cooler. The vehicle charge air cooler has an inlet housing. The inlet housing includes an inlet chamber and a resonator chamber. The inlet housing includes an inlet chamber and at least one resonator chamber. The inlet chamber is defined by an exterior wall of the inlet housing and at least one in interior wall disposed within the inlet housing. The resonator chamber includes an insulation material, an exterior wall region, and an interior wall wherein the insulation material is disposed between the interior and exterior walls. The interior wall defines at least one aperture and divides the resonator chamber from the inlet chamber. The insulating material is configured to attenuate sound waves.

Abstract: A vehicle system includes a vehicle component, a battery, and a thermoelectric module coupled to the component to allow heat transfer between the catalytic converter and the thermoelectric module, wherein the thermoelectric module is electrically connected to the battery. The vehicle system further includes a temperature sensor coupled to the vehicle component. The temperature sensor is configured to measure the temperature of the vehicle component. The vehicle system further includes a controller in electronic communication with the thermoelectric module. The controller is programmed to switch the thermoelectric module among the heating mode, the cooling mode, and the power-generation mode based on the temperature of the vehicle component. The vehicle component may be an exhaust manifold, a turbocharger turbine housing, an exhaust gas conduit coupled between an exhaust manifold and a catalytic converter, and/or a catalytic converter.

Abstract: An electrolyte can be pretreated by contacting with an oxide species (e.g., SiO2, SiOx, where 1?x?2, TiO2). The in electrolyte comprises LiPF6 and a carbonate solvent. A reaction occurs to form a pretreated electrolyte comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of: MaPx?OyFz, MaPx?OyFzCnHm, and combinations thereof, where when P in the formula is normalized to 1 so that x? is equal to about 1, 0<y?4, 0<z?6, 0?a?3, 0?n?20, 0?m?42, and Ma is selected from Li, Na, K, Mg, Ca, B, Ti, Al, and combinations thereof. Lithium-ion electrochemical cells including lithium titanate oxide (LTO) using such a pretreated electrolyte have reduced reactivity and gas formation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for entertaining a passenger of a vehicle by providing an immersive experience. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving image data from a plurality of camera devices coupled to the vehicle, wherein the image data depicts an environment surrounding the vehicle; receiving point of interest data associated with the environment of the vehicle; fusing, by a processor, the image data and the point of interest data using a localization method; orienting, by a processor, the fused image data based on a position of a user device; and rendering, by a processor, the oriented, fused data on a virtual reality display of the user device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling a movement of a window of a vehicle to a selected position. The method includes receiving, by a processor, an input from a source that indicates the selected position for the window, and determining, by the processor, a coordinate location value based on the selected position. The method also includes determining, by the processor, a position for the window based on the coordinate location value and outputting, by the processor, one or more control signals to a motor associated with a window regulator of the window to move the window to the position.

Abstract: A system and method of wirelessly communicating data originating at a central facility between a plurality of vehicles using vehicle-to-vehicle short-range wireless communications includes wirelessly receiving, at a seed vehicle, one or more data files that have been encoded into data chunks from a central facility; storing the data chunks included in the received data file(s) at the vehicle; receiving interest messages for the data file(s) at the seed vehicle from each of a plurality of other vehicles via a short-range wireless broadcast, wherein the interest messages include one or more data file names and, for each data file name, the identity of the data chunks requested; identifying data files and data chunks existing in more than one received interest message; and transmitting the data chunks to the plurality of vehicles via the short-range wireless broadcast.

Abstract: A crowdsourced virtual sensor generator is provided which could be generated by a vehicle or provided to the vehicle as, for example, a service. The crowdsourced virtual sensor generator may include, but is not limited to, a communication system configured to receive contributing vehicle sensor data from one or more contributing vehicles, a location of the one or more contributing vehicles and a target vehicle, and a processor, the processor configured to filter the received contributing vehicle sensor data based upon the location of the one or more contributing vehicles and the location of the target vehicle, aggregate the filtered contributing vehicle sensor data into at least one of a data-specific dataset and an application-specific data set, and generate a virtual sensor for the target vehicle, the virtual sensor processing the filtered and aggregated contributing vehicle sensor data to generate output data relative to the location of the target vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for determining steering performance. The method includes: generating a torque disturbance signal; applying the torque disturbance signal to a torque command of the steering system; measuring a value of torque on the steering system; recording the measured value and a value associated with the torque disturbance signal; computing at least one performance metric of the steering system based on the recorded measured value and the recorded value associated with the torque disturbance signal; and selectively improving a steering system based on the at least one performance metric.

Abstract: A knitted seat trim cover for attachment to a vehicle seat includes a knitted trim panel configured to be installed over one or more support members of the vehicle seat and at least one fastener tube integrally knitted to the trim panel. The fastener tube is positioned on a back side of the trim panel facing the one or more support members. The knitted seat trim cover also includes an elongated fastener member positioned inside the at least one fastener tube. The elongated fastener member is configured to releasably connect to a complimentary fastener member on the vehicle seat.

Abstract: A method of forming a self-cleaning film system includes depositing a fluorinated material selected from the group consisting of fluorinated organic compounds, fluorinated inorganic compounds, and combinations thereof onto a substrate to form a first layer. The method includes removing a plurality of portions of the first layer to define a plurality of cavities in the first layer and form a plurality of projections that protrude from the substrate. The method includes depositing a photocatalytic material onto the plurality of projections and into the plurality of cavities to form a second layer comprising: a plurality of bonded portions disposed in the plurality of cavities and in contact with the substrate, and a non-bonded portion disposed on the plurality of projections and spaced apart from the substrate. The method also includes, after depositing the photocatalytic material, removing the non-bonded portion to thereby form the self-cleaning film system.

Abstract: A method of joining together adjacent overlapping copper workpieces by way of resistance spot welding involves providing a workpiece stack-up that includes a first copper workpiece and a second copper workpiece that lies adjacent to the first copper workpiece. The faying surface of the first copper workpiece includes a projection that ascends beyond a surrounding base surface of the faying surface and makes contact, either directly or indirectly, with an opposed faying surface of the second copper workpiece. Once provided, a compressive force is applied against the first and second copper workpieces and an electric current is passed momentarily through the first and second copper workpieces. The electric current initially flows through the projection to generate and concentrate heat within the projection prior to the projection collapsing. This concentrated heat surge allows a metallurgical joint to be established between the first and second copper workpieces.