Abstract: A vehicle wheel assembly includes a vehicle wheel including a wheel body having a center. The vehicle wheel defines a plurality of openings arranged annularly around the center of the wheel body. The vehicle wheel assembly further includes a self-deployed wheel shutter system coupled to the vehicle wheel. The self-deployed wheel shutter system includes a hub plate, an annular rim disposed around the hub plate, and a plurality of shutter flaps. The shutter flaps are movable relative the vehicle wheel between an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position, the shutter flaps cover the openings of the vehicle wheel to preclude air from flowing through the vehicle wheel. When the plurality of shutter flaps are in the retracted position, the openings are exposed, allowing the air to flow through the openings of the vehicle wheel.

Abstract: Disclosed are fuel cell systems, reinforced membrane electrode assemblies, and methods for fabricating a reinforced membrane electrode assembly. In an example, a disclosed method includes depositing an electrode ink onto a first substrate to form a first electrode layer, and applying a first porous reinforcement layer onto a surface of the first electrode layer to form a first catalyst coated substrate. The method also includes depositing a first ionomer solution onto the first catalyst coated substrate to form a first ionomer layer. A membrane porous reinforcement layer is applied onto a surface of the first ionomer layer to form a reinforced membrane layer.

Abstract: An electrical device includes an electrical conductor and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA). The PCBA includes a planar substrate having first and second primary surfaces. The second primary surface is adjacent to the electrical conductor. A point field detector is mounted to the first primary surface. A magnetic shielding array is constructed of a magnetic material, e.g., having a relative magnetic permeability of about 100-1000. The magnetic shielding array is mounted to or situated on the first and/or second primary surface of the planar substrate, and includes first and second flux shield portions flanking the point field detector. The point field detector and the magnetic shielding array are both located on the same side of the electrical conductor with respect to each other.

Abstract: A lap belt pretensioner for a lap belt configured to secure an occupant of a vehicle seat includes a pyrotechnic device. The pyrotechnic device is configured to generate a force directed to tension the lap belt around the occupant and emit an exhaust gas including particulates at high pressure and high temperature as a byproduct of the generated force. The lap belt pretensioner also includes a housing configured to retain the pyrotechnic device and defining an exhaust passage configured to expel the exhaust gas from the lap belt pretensioner. The lap belt pretensioner additionally includes a shield arranged over the exhaust passage and configured to collect and/or deflect the emitted particulates and dissipate heat energy thereof. A vehicle having the vehicle seat mounted to the vehicle structure and employing the seatbelt system is also provided.

Abstract: A method of operating a transportation service includes calculating a trip route for a trip request from a commuter, and transmitting a pick-up instruction to a transporting vehicle. A ride rebate option is communicated to the commuter, who may opt to execute it. The ride rebate option may include an option to purchase goods from a third-party provider, provide data to the third-party provider, complete a survey, or promote the third-party provider on social media. The third-party provider is notified when the commuter opts to execute the ride rebate option. Upon confirmation by the third-party provider that the commuter has executed the ride rebate option, a payment amount is transferred from the third-party provider to the transportation service. A fee charged to the commuter by the transportation service is reduced by the payment amount transferred to the transportation service from the third-party provider.

Abstract: A cell stack includes adjacent first and second battery cells respectively having a positive cell tab, a negative cell tab, and an outer surface. The outer surfaces are flush. The positive cell tab of the first battery cell protrudes from the outer surface of the first battery cell, and the negative cell tab of the second battery cell protrudes from the outer surface of the second battery cell. An isolative shield is positioned adjacent to the outer surfaces, and defines through-slots receiving therein a respective one of the cell tabs. A method includes providing the cell stack, inserting the cell tabs into the pair of through-slots of the isolative shield, positioning a primary surface of the isolative shield adjacent to the outer surfaces of the adjacent battery cells after inserting the cell tabs, and affixing the primary surface of the isolative shield to the cell stack.

Abstract: An optical device that is disposed to manage light transmittance therethrough includes a multi-layer photochromic sheet that is composed of a first layer, a second layer, and a photochromic layer interposed therebetween. The photochromic layer is composed of a mixture of dichroic dye and photo-isomerizable material that are disposed in a liquid crystal host, and the first and second layers are each fabricated from a clear polymer.

Abstract: Presented herein are adaptive power assist systems for manually-powered vehicles, methods for operating/constructing such systems, and motorized operator-powered vehicles with adaptive power assist systems. A method for regulating a power assist system of a manually powered vehicle includes a vehicle controller determining path plan data that includes a predicted route plan to traverse from a current vehicle location to a desired vehicle destination. A resident wireless communications device receives, from a remote computing node, an assist level power trace for operating the vehicle's tractive motor on the predicted route plan. The vehicle controller receives health level data specific to the vehicle user, determines a power assist delta based on the health level data, and modifies the assist level power trace based on this power assist delta. The vehicle controller transmits command signals to the tractive motor to output a selectively variable torque according to the modified assist level power trace.

Abstract: A method for controlling an operating vehicle includes: (a) determining, via a controller, a confidence level that the light of the other vehicle is ON based on images captured by a camera of the operating vehicle; and (b) controlling, via the controller, an alarm of the operating vehicle based on the confidence level that the light of the other vehicle is ON.

Abstract: A system and method of controlling operation of a host device in real-time, the host device operatively connected to an optical device and a radar device. The optical device is configured to obtain visual data of at least one object. The object is located at an incline, relative to the host device, the incline being characterized by an elevation angle (?) and an azimuth angle (?). The radar device is configured to obtain radar data, including a radial distance (r) of the object from the host device, the azimuth angle (?), and a range rate (dr/dt). The controller is programmed to determine a time-to-contact for the host device and the object based at least partially on a 3-D position and 3-D velocity vector. The operation of the host device is controlled based at least partially on the time-to-contact.

Abstract: A system controls opening/closing of a power swinging door, e.g., in a vehicle, and includes a rotary actuator, position sensor, and controller. In a controller-executed method, the actuator applies torque to the door in response to control signals. The controller uses a measured raw angular position from the sensor to determine wind- or grade-based external forces acting on the door during opening or closing, and adjusts the actuator torque in response to the external forces. The sensor may be a rotary encoder, with the actuator being an electric motor. Lookup tables contain data relating oscillation to the external forces. The controller may induce door oscillation and to relate oscillation decay to the external forces. An obstacle-based current threshold may be adjusted in response to the external forces.

Abstract: A solenoid assembly includes a solenoid having a coil, a current sensor configured to measure the coil current, and a controller. The controller estimates the coil current using a solenoid model, with output of the solenoid model being an estimated coil current, and receives the measured coil current from the current sensor. The controller also calculates an error value having an error sign by subtracting the estimated coil current from the measured coil current. Responsive to the error value exceeding a calibrated error threshold while the control voltage deviates from a nominal value, the controller diagnoses a solenoid fault condition. Responsive to diagnosing the solenoid fault condition, the controller isolates or identifies a particular solenoid fault condition from among a plurality of possible fault conditions, and records a diagnostic code indicative of the particular solenoid fault condition.

Abstract: A fuel injection control system is usable with an engine, e.g., a diesel engine of a mild hybrid electric vehicle. The control system includes an auxiliary battery, a high-voltage (HV) battery, e.g., 48 VDC, a switching circuit with first and second switching pairs, a controller, and a fuel injector system. The controller opens and closes the switches to command an electrical current from the auxiliary or HV battery according to a predetermined injector current profile. The fuel injector system has one or more control solenoids. Windings of the solenoids are electrically connectable to the HV battery during a boost phase of the profile via opening of the first switching pair and closing of the second switching pair, and to the auxiliary battery during peak, by-pass, hold, and end-of-injection phases of the profile via closing of the first switching pair and opening of the second switching pair.

Abstract: Disclosed are fuel cell architectures, thermal sub-systems, and control logic for regulating fuel cell stack temperature. A method is disclosed for regulating the temperature of a fuel cell stack. The method includes determining a pre-start temperature of the fuel cell stack, and determining, for this pre-start temperature, a target heating rate to heat the stack to a calibrated minimum operating temperature. The method then determines a hydrogen bleed percentage for the target heating rate, and executes a stack heating operation including activating the fuel cell stack and commanding a fluid control device to direct hydrogen to the cathode side at the hydrogen bleed percentage to generate waste heat. After a calibrated period of time, the method determines if an operating temperature of the stack exceeds the calibrated minimum stack operating temperature. Responsive to the operating temperature being at or above the minimum operating temperature, the stack heating operation is terminated.