Abstract: Presented are intelligent vehicle systems for off-road driving incident prediction and assistance, methods for making/operating such systems, and vehicles networking with such systems. A method for operating a motor vehicle includes a system controller receiving geolocation data indicating the vehicle is in or entering off-road terrain. Responsive to the vehicle geolocation data, the controller receives, from vehicle-mounted cameras, camera-generated images each containing the vehicle's drive wheel(s) and/or the off-road terrain's surface. The controller receives, from a controller area network bus, vehicle operating characteristics data and vehicle dynamics data for the motor vehicle. The camera data, vehicle operating characteristics data, and vehicle dynamics data is processed via a convolutional neural network backbone to predict occurrence of a driving incident on the off-road terrain within a prediction time horizon.

Abstract: A battery cell includes an inner plastic layer, an outer plastic layer, and a middle metal layer. The inner and outer plastic layers extends along at least three of sides of the battery cell. The middle metal layer is disposed between the inner and outer plastic layers. The middle metal layer extends along the at least three sides of the battery cell and projects from at least a fourth side of the battery cell to form at least one heat dissipation tab. The at least one heat dissipation tab is configured to transfer heat to at least one cooling plate through thermal conduction. The fourth side of the battery cell connects two of the at least three sides to one another.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for printing sections of a part with integral locating and joining features. A system for joining part sections of a part having at least two separate sections includes a locating feature and a joining feature. The locating feature includes structures integrally formed with the sections to locate them relative to one another. The joining feature includes structures integrally formed with the sections to lock the sections together.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for managing transitions between operational modes of a vehicle. The system includes a controller configured to, by a processor: automatically transition between vehicular operational modes without initiation by the driver including a hands-off autonomous driving mode in which the processor controls lateral steering of the vehicle, a hands-on driving assistance mode in which the processor controls the lateral steering of the vehicle while the driver is holding the steering wheel, and a no control mode in which the driver controls the lateral steering of the vehicle. The transition between the operational modes is based on sensed data. The hands-off autonomous driving mode is prioritized over the hands-on driving assistance mode which is prioritized over the no control mode. The controller is further configured to display on a human-machine-interface a notification indicating that at least one of the operational modes is active or not available.

Abstract: A press-in-place reinforced seal for an interface between adjacent components, includes a cylindrical structure arranged along a longitudinal axis and characterized by a stepped-shape in a cross-sectional view. The seal is pressed into a first component and compressed by a second component when the seal is installed within the interface. The stepped-shape includes a compliant first section having a first width along the longitudinal axis and a first length orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. The first section is compressed by the second component and generates sealing pressure between the first and second components when the seal is installed. The stepped-shape also includes a rigid second section affixed to the first section along the first length for stabilizing the seal structure. The second section has a second width along the longitudinal axis and a second length orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and greater than the first length.

Abstract: A method for determining a two wire open fault on a two wire communications bus including determining a threshold in response to a first data from a first electronic control unit and a second data received from a second electronic control unit via the two wire communications bus, wherein the first data includes a first plurality of dominant bits and a first plurality of recessive bits and the second data includes a second plurality of dominant bits and a second plurality of recessive bits, determining a current network health indicator in response to a third data from the first electronic control unit having a third plurality of dominant bits and a third plurality of recessive bits, and generating a double wire open fault error report in response to the current network health indicator exceeding the threshold.

Abstract: Drone-based offroad vehicle routing systems and corresponding methods are proposed. In one aspect, a vehicle and uniquely assigned an aerial drone embedded with sensors, radar, lidar, etc. may establish a data link. The driver or occupant may input information into the user interface in the vehicle about a region or destination of interest. The vehicle's processor may instruct the drone to scout a target region and receive data about the topographic features of the terrain. The drone may scout the region, receive the data, and forward the data to the vehicle. The processor may compute optimal routes based on data from both the drone and the vehicle sensors. In some aspects, the drone performs calculations of the route and may communicate in or near real time with the vehicle. The system may take into account vehicle data, the skill level of the driver, or both.

Abstract: Vehicles and related systems and methods are provided for controlling a vehicle in an autonomous operating mode. One method involves obtaining navigation information for a route for the vehicle from a navigation system, transforming the navigation information into data points defining an upcoming trajectory of the route, mapping the data points to a corresponding mapped set of lane segments encompassing one or more of the data points, assigning lane preference indicia to the mapped set of lane segments, and autonomously operating one or more actuators onboard the vehicle to laterally maneuver the vehicle into one or more lanes at respective longitudinal positions along the route corresponding to one or more lane segments of the mapped set of lane segments in a manner that is influenced by the lane preference indicia assigned to the lane segments.

Abstract: An electrode for a rechargeable battery cell includes an electrode substrate. The electrode also includes a current collector fixed to the electrode substrate and having a three-dimensional (3D) porous structure defining void spaces. The electrode additionally includes active material particles arranged within the void spaces. Charging the battery cell reversibly deposits transient ions onto the active material particles and expands the active material particles into the void spaces of the 3D porous structure and discharging the battery cell extracts the transient ions from the active material particles, such that the active material contracts out of the void spaces of the 3D porous structure. A method of manufacturing such an electrode for a rechargeable battery cell is also considered.

Abstract: In exemplary embodiments, methods and systems are provided that include one or more underbody cameras and a processor for a vehicle. The underbody cameras are configured to obtain camera images under the vehicle. The processor is coupled to the one or more underbody cameras, and is configured to at least facilitate: performing image processing for the camera images; and determining a ride height, a measure of weight on the vehicle, or both, based on the camera images from the one or more underbody cameras and the processing thereof via the processor.

Abstract: A gradient steel includes a first layer, a second layer near a first surface of the first layer, and a third layer near a second surface of the first layer. The first layer includes a first ferrite phase volume. The second and third layers include a second ferrite phase volume greater than the first ferrite phase volume. The gradient steel may also include a fourth layer near the second layer and a fifth layer near the third layer. The fourth and fifth layers may each include a third ferrite phase volume greater than the second ferrite phase volume. The gradient steel may also include a sixth layer near the fourth layer and a seventh layer near the fifth layer. The sixth and seventh layers may each include a fourth ferrite phase volume greater than the third ferrite phase volume.

Abstract: Methods and systems of controlling a vehicle. The methods and systems include switching to a second processor executed mode in response to determining that a range of perception information extends to a range end point that is closer to the vehicle than a first Look Ahead (LA) point. In the second processor executed mode: a motion planner requests a lateral controller to provide a closer LA point relative to the vehicle. The lateral controller determines the closer LA point and sends the closer LA point to the motion planner. The lateral controller generates control commands for an EPS system based on an error between a desired trajectory and an actual trajectory at the closer LA point. The motion planner generates the desired trajectory based on perception data and the closer LA point.

Abstract: Presented are thermal management systems with cell-level internal cooling for multicell battery assemblies, methods for making/using such systems, and vehicles equipped with such systems. A battery assembly includes one or more battery cells located inside a battery housing. Each battery cell includes a cell case with a coolant tube located inside the cell case and opening through a case wall. A cold plate assembly, which is located inside the battery housing and attached to the battery cell(s), includes stacked first and second plates, a coolant intake shaft projecting from the first plate into the coolant tube, and a coolant exhaust shaft projecting from the second plate into the coolant intake shaft and coolant tube. The cold plate assembly circulates coolant between the stacked plates, into each cell case via the coolant tube and coolant intake shaft, and out of each cell case via the coolant tube and coolant exhaust shaft.

Abstract: Systems are provided for system for delivering plural materials to plural molding machines according to defined formulations. Material supply units each contains a unique material and is coupled with a set of manifolds that have a mixing chambers. Conduits couple the material supply units with the manifolds. A controller is configured to operate valves to admit select materials from the material supply units into the mixing chamber according to the defined formulations, and to supply the mixed materials to the molding machines.

Abstract: A system for a fuel-cell subgasket active area edge with through-plane proton conduction is provided. The system includes a fuel-cell membrane-subgasket assembly. The assembly includes an active area including a proton exchange membrane and a first portion of a transitional proton-conductive material attached to the proton exchange membrane. The assembly further includes a non-active subgasket boundary surrounding the active area, configured for preventing a flow of gaseous material and liquid material therethrough. The non-active subgasket boundary includes a non-conductive subgasket and a second portion of the transitional proton-conductive material attached to the subgasket.

Abstract: A system of managing communications in a vehicle includes a telematics unit connected to the vehicle. The telematics unit is configured to execute a retransmission request protocol upon receipt of erroneous data. A command unit in communication with the telematics unit, the command unit having a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which instructions are recorded. The command unit is adapted to determine vehicle situational parameters at a beginning of a data communication cycle. The vehicle situational parameters including current location and navigation status of the vehicle. When a first retransmission according to the retransmission request protocol is detected, the vehicle situational parameters are updated. The command unit is adapted to determine a desirable value of a retransmission frequency for the retransmission request protocol based in part on the updated vehicle situational parameters. In one embodiment, the retransmission request protocol is Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ).

Abstract: Presented are thermal management systems using coolant flow distribution plates for immersion cooling of battery cells, methods for making/using such systems, and vehicles equipped with such systems for cooling the vehicles' battery packs. A battery assembly includes multiple battery cells arranged in adjacent, mutually parallel cell rows. The battery cells are stored inside a protective battery housing that includes inlet and outlet fluid ports for receiving and evacuating therethrough dielectric coolant fluid. A pair of (first and second) separator plates is located between each neighboring pair of cell rows. Each plate includes coolant channels that are arranged in mutually parallel channel bands. The separator plates are in face-to-face contact with each other such that each channel band of the first separator plate is aligned with a respective channel band of the second plate so the coolant channels cooperatively distribute coolant fluid onto and vertically upward between the battery cells.

Abstract: A battery maintenance system includes an enclosure including a plurality of walls. A plurality of battery cells are located in the enclosure and surrounded by electrolyte. An electrolyte agitator such as a piezoelectric device is attached to at least one of the walls of the enclosure and is configured to selectively agitate the electrolyte.

Abstract: In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, methods and systems are provided for controlling steering of an autonomous vehicle. The method includes: operating, by a processor, the autonomous vehicle in a path-based automated driving assist mode; receiving, by the processor, driver input including a driver torque; classifying, by the processor, an operation mode based on a type of the path-based automated driving assist mode; determining, by the processor, an override threshold for overriding the path-based automated driving assist mode on a first lateral side of the autonomous vehicle based on the operation mode; determining, by the processor, a driver override status based on the override torque threshold; and generating, by the processor, control signals to control the steering of the autonomous vehicle based on the driver override status and the driver torque.