Abstract: A vehicle seat and storage system includes a vehicle seat having a seat base and a seat back extending from the seat base. A storage apparatus is connected to the seat back and is movable from a stowed position against the seat back to an extended position away from the seat back. The storage apparatus is configured to position and secure one or more cargo items. A seat motor is operably connected to the seat. The seat motor is configured to move the seat back from a first position extending upward from the seat base to a second position where the seat back is disposed flat against the seat base.

Abstract: A system for coating a separator for a battery includes a separator feed and collection assembly configured to dispense the separator, a coating distribution device configured to flow a coating material toward the separator, and an electric field generator configured to generate an electric field in a gap between the coating distribution device and the separator.

Abstract: A panel storage system for a vehicle includes a panel body including a first panel portion having a first plurality of mounting elements, a second panel portion having a second plurality of mounting elements, and a hinge joining the first panel portion to the second panel portion. The first panel portion is fixedly mountable to a surface of the vehicle and the second panel portion is pivotable about the hinge.

Abstract: A separator mechanism for battery modules and methods of removing battery modules. The mechanism includes a battery pack having a first battery module and an adhesive configured to bond the first battery module to at least one other structure. A cut-out wire is configured to separate the adhesive between the first battery module and the other structure. The other structure may be a second battery module of the battery pack or a cold plate, such that the adhesive bonds the first battery module to second battery module or cold plate. The mechanism may include an attachment mechanism for attaching the cut-out wire to an automatic pulling system. The cut-out wire may be installed concurrently with the first battery module or after the first battery module is installed. One or more handles may be attached to one or more ends of the cut-out wire.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided that include: a sensor assembly configured to at least facilitate: detecting when a vehicle approaches the sensor assembly; and obtaining sound data, via one or more microphones of the sensor assembly, when the vehicle approaches the sensor assembly; and a processor that is coupled to the sensor assembly and that is configured to at least facilitate generating a mapping of sound across a surface of the vehicle, using the sound data.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes: initiating, by a processor, steering excitation according to a pattern while the vehicle is stationary; learning, by the processor, a load associated with a front axle of the vehicle based on the steering excitation; translating, by the processor, the load associated with the front axle of the vehicle to a load associated with a tongue of a trailer, and generating, by the processor, a trailer tongue load value based on the load associated with the tongue of the trailer.

Abstract: A disclosure is presented for estimating height of an object using ultrasonic sensors carried onboard a vehicle. The height may be estimated by generating ultrasonic distance measurements based on a time of flight associated with ultrasonic reflections detected with the ultrasonic sensors, generating a three-dimensional (3D) occupancy grid to volumetrically represent at least a portion of an environment within field of view of the ultrasonic sensors, the 3D occupancy grid including a plurality of volumetric pixels (voxels), assigning a count value to each of the voxels based on the distance measurements, and estimating the height according to a relative spatial relationship between the vehicle and the voxel having the count value with a greatest value.

Abstract: A method of prioritizing updates to vehicles includes receiving one or more update requests for a first vehicle; determining a receiving capacity of the first vehicle; checking status of a battery and communications of the first vehicle; prioritizing the one or more update requests based on the receiving capacity of the first vehicle; and sending the prioritized update requests to the first vehicle. The method may include receiving one or more update requests for an additional vehicle; determining a receiving capacity of the additional vehicle; prioritizing the one or more update requests based on the receiving capacity of the additional vehicle; sending the prioritized update requests to the additional vehicle: and determining whether the vehicles are part of a common location group. Creating profiles from sets of communications available for the vehicle and selecting the best connection speed from profiles. Updating radio maps based on connection speeds.

Abstract: A skid plate for a vehicle includes a first layer, including a first material and a second layer, including a second material, which may be different from the first material. The second layer may be attached or bonded to the first layer and may convert a concentrated load into a distributed load. The second layer may provide thermal insulation for at least one underbody component of the vehicle. For example, the first layer may be metallic, while the second layer may be a rigid foam. The rigid foam may include an expanding adhesive foam. An adhesive may be disposed between the first layer and the second layer, to attach or bond the first layer to the second layer. The second layer may be adjacent to at least one underbody component of the vehicle. The concentrated load may correspond with a contact to the first layer of the skid plate.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a compute device having a microcontroller unit circuit, multiple processing circuits, and a backplane bus. Initial unsecured communications through the backplane bus are restricted. The microcontroller unit circuit is operational to authenticate the processing circuits with a plurality of processor attestations over a local area network bus based on a secure onboard communication protocol of an automotive open system architecture, a symmetric key, and a message authentication code. The processing circuits are operational to reply to the processor attestations over the local area network bus, and verify the microcontroller unit circuit based on the secure onboard communication protocol, the symmetric key, and the message authentication code received from the microcontroller unit circuit. Secure communications through the backplane bus among the processing circuits is enabled based on the authentications of the processing circuits and the verifications of the microcontroller unit circuit.

Abstract: Presented are lithium-metal electrodes for electrochemical devices, systems and methods for manufacturing lithium-metal foils, and vehicle battery packs containing battery cells with lithium-metal anodes. A method of melt spinning lithium-metal foils includes melting lithium (Li) metal stock in an actively heated vessel to form molten Li metal. Using pressurized gas, the molten Li metal is ejected through a slotted nozzle at the base of the vessel. The ejected molten Li metal is directly impinged onto an actively cooled and spinning quench wheel or a carrier sheet that is fed across a support roller underneath the vessel. The molten Li metal is cooled and solidified on the spinning wheel/carrier sheet to form a Li-metal foil. The carrier sheet may be a polymeric carrier film or a copper current collector foil. An optional protective film may be applied onto an exposed surface of the Li-metal foil opposite the carrier sheet.

Abstract: A system includes a surface, a display screen positioned adjacent to the surface, and a selectively retractable screen cover positioned at the surface adjacent the display screen. The selectively retractable screen cover including a door member rotatably mounted relative to the surface between a first stop, wherein the display screen is fully exposed and a second stop, wherein only the display screen is only partially exposed, the door member including a door pivot. An actuating fork includes a first tine element, a second tine element, and a connector portion defining an axis of rotation. The door pivot is slidingly received between the first tine element and the second tine element. A motor includes a shaft connected to the actuating fork. The motor rotates the shaft to shift the door member between the first stop and the second stop.

Abstract: A charging system of a vehicle includes a charging device configured to transfer an electric charge between a battery system of the vehicle and a recipient energy storage system, the charging device including a plurality of conversion stages. The charging system also includes a switching system configured to selectively bypass one or more conversion stages during a charging process, the charging process including transferring electric charge from the battery system to the recipient energy storage system, and a first controller configured to operate the switching system based on a voltage range of a recipient charge port of the recipient energy storage system.