Abstract: A fluid circuit includes a device, a cooler, and a valve. The valve includes a housing, a sealing member, a biasing device, and an actuator. The sealing member moves inside the housing between a first position and a second position. The actuator includes a smart material that is activated when the temperature of a fluid inside the housing exhibiting at least a first temperature, causing the sealing member to move to the second position. The smart material is deactivated when the fluid is a sufficient number of degrees less than the first temperature, causing the sealing member to move to the first position. The fluid flows from the housing to the device and then to the housing when the sealing member is in the first position. The fluid flows from the housing to the cooler and then to the device when the sealing member is in the second position.

Abstract: An expanding locating and clamping pin assembly configured to locate and clamp a part includes a housing, a locating pin, an actuating mechanism, and a controller. The housing is configured with a plurality of radial jaw guides and a part rest face. The locating pin has a plurality of jaws radially movable in the radial jaw guides, extending past the part rest face, and configured with a part clamping feature. The actuating mechanism is connected to the housing and the jaws and is configured to synchronously move the jaws to a radial position and to apply the clamping force. The controller controls the radial position of the jaws and the clamping force. The part rest face and the jaws of the locating pin are configured to receive the part in a located position and to clamp the part in the located position via the clamping force.

Abstract: A method for determining a thickness of water on a path of travel. A plurality of images of a surface of the path of travel is captured by an image capture device over a predetermined sampling period. A plurality of wet surface detection techniques are applied to each of the images. A detection rate is determined in real-time for each wet surface detection technique. A detection rate trigger condition is determined as a function of a velocity of the vehicle for each detection rate. The real-time determined detection rate trigger conditions are compared to predetermined detection rate trigger conditions in a classification module to identify matching results pattern. A water film thickness associated with the matching results pattern is identified in the classification module. A water film thickness signal is provided to a control device. The control device applies the water film thickness signal to mitigate the wet surface condition.

Abstract: An expanding locating pin assembly configured to locate and hold a part includes a housing, a locating pin, an actuating mechanism, and a controller. The housing is configured with a plurality of radial jaw guides and a part rest face. The locating pin has a plurality of jaws connected to and radially movable in the radial jaw guides and extending past the part rest face. The actuating mechanism synchronously moves the jaws to a radial position and applies a holding force to the part. The controller controls the radial position and the holding force of the jaws. The part rest face of the housing and the jaws of the locating pin are configured to receive the part in a located position. The jaws of the locating pin are configured to hold the part in the located position via the holding force and a friction force resulting from the holding force.

Abstract: A number of variation may include a seat belt buckle assembly having a first shell and a second mating shell, the first shell having a first inner face and second shell having a second inner face, a seat belt latching assembly received inside of the first shell and second shell a hydrophobic coating over at least one of the first inner face, second inner face, or the seat belt latching assembly.

Abstract: A lockable latching device includes a body defining a cavity therein and having a central longitudinal axis, and a plunger disposed within the cavity. The plunger has a first end and a second end and is translatable with respect to the body along the axis between an open position and a closed position. The device also includes an annular rotator spaced apart from the body along the axis and configured for rotating the plunger about the axis. The device includes an annular latch abutting the rotator that is transitionable between an unlocked state and a locked state. The device also includes an element attached to the latch and formed from a shape memory alloy that is transitionable between an austenite crystallographic phase and a martensite crystallographic phase in response to an activation signal to thereby transition the latch from the locked state to the unlocked state.

Abstract: A lifting mechanism includes a load bearing structure, and a carrier. The carrier is configured for supporting a load. The carrier is moveable relative to the load bearing structure in a substantially vertical direction relative to a ground surface, along a vertical axis. A load carrying spring applies a spring force that biases the carrier relative to the load bearing structure in a direction along the vertical axis. A negative stiffness device interconnects the carrier and the load bearing structure. The negative stiffness device applies a device force that biases the carrier relative to the load bearing structure in a direction along the vertical axis. The device force opposes the spring force. The device force includes a magnitude that is substantially equal to the spring force in any of a plurality of different positions of the carrier relative to the load bearing structure along the vertical axis.

Abstract: A system and method of changing features of an existing automatic speech recognition (ASR) system includes: monitoring speech received from a vehicle occupant for one or more keywords identifying a feature to remove from or add to the ASR system; detecting the keywords in the monitored speech; and adding the identified feature to or removing the identified feature from from the ASR system.

Abstract: An airflow management system is employed for a vehicle having a body configured to face an oncoming ambient airflow at a first body end and an underbody section configured to receive an underbody portion of the oncoming airflow when the vehicle is in motion. The system includes a vehicle fascia at the first body end for receiving a fascia portion of the oncoming airflow and an airflow deflector on the underbody section proximate the first body end. The system also includes an airflow duct for channeling the fascia portion of the airflow from the fascia to exit the duct between the fascia and the deflector at the underbody section orthogonal thereto. Thus exiting fascia airflow portion guides the underbody airflow portion around the deflector to reduce pressure of the underbody airflow portion on the airflow deflector and improves aerodynamic efficiency of the vehicle body when the vehicle is in motion.

Abstract: A mount assembly for attaching a cradle to a vehicle frame includes an inner sleeve. The inner sleeve defines an inner sleeve aperture having a first aperture portion having a first diameter and a second aperture portion having a second diameter. The mount assembly also includes a bushing having a bushing body and configured to extend through the first aperture portion. The mount assembly additionally includes a fuse fixed to the bushing body to separate the first and second aperture portions. The mount assembly also includes a fastener configured to extend through the bushing body and an aperture in the vehicle frame for attaching the cradle to the frame. The fuse is configured to separate from the bushing body under a predetermined load to permit the fastener to shift from the first aperture portion to the second aperture portion and the cradle to shift relative to the frame.

Abstract: A vehicle including an autonomic vehicle control system is described. A method for operating the vehicle includes, during operation of the autonomic vehicle control system, determining vehicle and environmental operating conditions and extra-vehicle conditions when the autonomic vehicle control system is activated. A confidence level associated with operation of the autonomic vehicle control system is determined based upon the vehicle operating conditions, the environmental operating conditions and the extra-vehicle conditions. The confidence level associated with the operation of the autonomic vehicle control system is transmitted via an operator interface device.

Abstract: Disclosed are SCR predictive control systems, methods for using such control systems, and motor vehicles with SCR employing predictive control. A method for regulating operation of an SCR system includes receiving sensor signals indicative of NOx output downstream from an SCR catalyst, and sensor signals indicative of exhaust gas temperature upstream from the SCR catalyst. The method determines if a model error condition has occurred for the NOx output signal and, responsive to such an occurrence, modulating dosing injector output for at least a calibrated designated time period. Upon expiration of the designated time period, the dosing injector is activated and commanded to inject reductant in accordance with a modulated dosing value. After the dosing injector injects the modulated dosing value of reductant, the method determines if the SCR system is underdosing or overdosing based on a response shape of signals received from the outlet NOx content sensor.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder block defining a cylinder and a cylinder head mounted to the block. The cylinder head supplies air and fuel to the cylinder for combustion therein. The engine also includes an exhaust manifold operatively connected to the cylinder head and having first and second outlets configured to exhaust post-combustion gasses from the cylinder. The engine also includes a turbocharging system including a low-flow turbocharger driven by the post-combustion gasses from the first outlet to pressurize the airflow and a high-flow turbocharger driven by the post-combustion gasses from the second outlet. The turbocharging system also includes a flow control device for selectively directing the post-combustion gasses to the low-flow and high-flow turbochargers.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a combustion engine having at least one cylinder to burn a fuel, and a fuel injector to supply a fuel mass to the at least one cylinder. The vehicle also includes a controller programmed to cause the fuel injector supply a series of fuel pulses that sum to an aggregate target fuel mass. The controller is also programmed to adjust a commanded duration of a subsequent pulse of the series of pulses from a target pulse duration value based on at least one of a dwell time since a preceding pulse, a fuel mass of the preceding pulse, and an opening delay of the preceding pulse.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a body and an active air dam assembly. The body has a first end facing an ambient airflow and a second end facing away from the ambient airflow. The assembly is disposed at the first or second end and controls the ambient airflow between the body and a road surface. The assembly includes an adjustable flap, an actuator, sensors, and a controller. The flap shifts between different stowed and deployed positions. The actuator moves the flap, e.g., via a shaft. Each sensor measures a separate performance parameter of the actuator. The controller executes a method to receive the measured performance parameters, identify a fault mode of the air dam assembly from among different possible fault modes using the performance parameters, and execute a control action corresponding to the identified fault mode.

Abstract: A vehicle engine system includes a combustion engine configured to provide a propulsion torque to satisfy a propulsion demand in response to a driver input. The engine system also includes a controller programmed to receive data indicative of at least one upcoming driving event, and issue a command to impart a predetermined velocity profile based on the upcoming driving event. The predetermined velocity profile is arranged to optimize a performance attribute of the combustion engine and preempt the driver input.

Abstract: A body-mounted tire blocker assembly can absorb and/or manage energy when a vehicle body assembly is subjected to an external force. This vehicle body assembly may include a vehicle body defining a passenger compartment. The vehicle body further includes a rocker panel defining a first panel end and a second panel end opposite the first panel end. The tire blocker assembly is coupled to the rocker panel and includes a first blocker body and a second blocker body coupled to the first blocker body. The first blocker body is farther from the first panel end than the second blocker body in order to guide a wheel away from the passenger compartment when an external force is applied to the vehicle body.