Abstract: Method of using a vehicle to alert to potential risks includes determining that a user of the vehicle will be absent; determining an estimated absence time; and sending an alert to authorities, via a control system, if the user does not return within the estimated absence time. The method may include receiving the estimated absence time from the user, or the control system of the vehicle determines the absence and the estimated absence time. The user may define the absence and input the estimated absence time through a centralized location, such that the alert is sent from the centralized location. Following expiration of the estimated absence time, detecting a pedestrian near the vehicle, and then playing a pre-recorded emergency message through speakers, such that the pedestrian is made aware of the pre-recorded emergency message. Vehicle lights/horn may operate to guide the user, possibly in decaying fashion.

Abstract: A variable current gate driver for a transistor includes a first current control device having a first controllable output current. The first current control device is electrically connected between a first bus and an activator of the transistor, and a second current control device having a second controllable output current. The second current control device is electrically connected between the activator of the transistor and a second bus. A controller is operatively connected to the first and second current control devices to control the first and second controllable output currents to control the first and second current control devices to control activation of the transistor via the activator. The controller is operative to control the first and second current control devices to control a slew rate of the transistor.

Abstract: Presented are intelligent vehicle control systems enabling external control of vehicles using cues, methods for making/using such vehicle control systems, and vehicles equipped with such control systems. A method of controlling operation of a vehicle includes a vehicle controller receiving a signal indicating the vehicle is in particular operating mode and, responsive to receiving a cue, determine if a command is executable and, if so, executing the command.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a duct in fluid communication with a cabin of the vehicle and a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system including a housing and an outlet configured to expel conditioned air from the housing, the HVAC system movable relative to the vehicle between an engaged state having the outlet fluidly coupled with the duct and a disengaged state having the outlet decoupled from the duct.

Abstract: A panel assembly for a vehicle door includes an interior panel that has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface and the outer surface collectively define a body and a trim element that is integrally formed with the body with a living hinge disposed therebetween. The panel assembly also includes an exterior panel that has an inner surface that is coupled to the body at the inner surface of the interior panel and has an opposing outer surface that is coupled to the trim element in a folded position of the trim element.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a component having a porosity-controlled lithium metal coating includes setting up an aerosol spray apparatus having a material feeder and a confinement conduit in fluid communication therewith. The confinement conduit has an inlet end and a nozzle end. The method also includes setting up a substrate having an exposed surface on a moveable tooling plate and directing the nozzle end at the exposed surface. The method additionally includes loading a lithium metal into the material feeder. The method also includes feeding a high-pressure gas into the inlet end of the confinement conduit to thereby form an aerosol spray of lithium metal. The method further includes moving the tooling plate to regulate a thickness and a pattern of deposition of the lithium metal onto the exposed surface through the nozzle end to thereby generate a porous lithium metal coating on the substrate.

Abstract: An optical arrangement includes at least one pair of displays, each pair having a first display and a second display configured to generate light in a visible spectral range. For each pair of displays, the optical arrangement includes a first polarizer configured to polarize the light incident from the first display, a second polarizer configured to polarize the light incident from the second display. The optical arrangement also includes first and second polarizing beam splitters for each pair of displays. Each polarizing beam splitter is configured to receive the polarized light from the first and second polarizers. Each polarizing beam splitter is also configured to reflect one of an s-polarized component and a p-polarized component of the received polarized light into at least one field of view (FOV) and transmit the other of the s-polarized component and the p-polarized component of the received polarized light into the subject FOV(s).

Abstract: A method for end-to-end event flows includes storing a file associated with a source event at a source storage location in a source edge device, uploading the file to a cloud device, storing the file at a cloud storage location, generating a cloud event by changing a file path referenced in the source event to point to the cloud storage location of the file, and transferring the cloud event to the cloud device. The method includes transferring the cloud event to a destination edge device, downloading the file to the destination edge device, generating a destination event by changing the file path referenced in the cloud event to point to a destination storage location of the file, publishing an availability of the file in the destination edge device to multiple destination subscribers, and transferring the file from the destination storage location to one or more destination subscribers.

Abstract: An integrated electrified propulsion system for a vehicle includes a single electric machine, a mechanical geartrain, a rechargeable energy storage device, an integrated cooling system, and a power electronics system. The single electric machine, the mechanical geartrain, the integrated cooling system, the rechargeable energy storage device, and the power electronics system are arranged in a single housing. The single electric machine is rotatably coupled to the mechanical geartrain to transfer mechanical power therebetween.

Abstract: A system and method for limited rate context-based eye gaze encoding includes generating, based on an outward looking camera situated in a vehicle, a first video stream of a surrounding environment to a controller. The controller generates a scene description based on the first video stream and selects a corresponding scene from a predefined list of known scenes. Further, the controller, based on the selected corresponding scene, selects a codebook of encoding and decoding parameters from a plurality of predefined codebooks. Based on an inward looking camera situated in the vehicle, a second video stream of a face of a driver to an eye tracker controller is generated, where the eye tracker controller estimates a gaze direction of the driver. Encoded data comprising the estimated gaze direction of the driver is transmitted over a bandwidth limited channel to a decoder, based on the selected codebook, the encoded data.

Abstract: A location assistance system includes a distress vehicle and multiple assistance vehicles. The distress vehicle broadcasts an emergency signal. The assistance vehicles are operable to receive the emergency signal, determine multiple distances to the distress vehicle, triangulate among the assistance vehicles to generate a spatial map of the distress vehicle relative to the assistance vehicles, determine one or more approximately horizontal lines in the spatial map that include the distress vehicle and at least one horizontally aligned assistance vehicle in response to the distress vehicle and the at least one horizontally aligned assistance vehicle being on a same vertical level in the spatial map, coordinate among the assistance vehicles to determine one or more horizontal sequences along the one or more approximately horizontal lines, and flash the of the assistance vehicles in the one or more horizontal sequences to lead toward the distress vehicle.

Abstract: A system for 5G MICO mode operation of a vehicle during an ignition off mode includes a telematics unit and a telematics communication mode controller. The controller monitors energy consumption by the telematics unit and estimates a total energy consumption of the telematics unit through a time period. The controller further compares the total energy consumption to a first threshold energy consumption and a second threshold energy consumption and, when the total energy consumption is less than the first threshold energy consumption, operates the telematics unit in a first mode including unrestricted communication. The telematics communication mode controller, when the total energy consumption is between the first threshold energy consumption and the second threshold energy consumption, operates the telematics unit in a second MICO mode and, when the total energy consumption is greater than the second threshold energy consumption, deactivates communications by the telematics unit.

Abstract: A system for modular dynamically adjustable capacity storage for a vehicle is provided. The system includes a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells, a negative terminal including a chassis ground connection, and a plurality of positive battery pack terminals. The negative terminal and the plurality of positive battery pack terminals are useful for connecting at least one electrical circuit through the battery pack. The system further includes a battery cell switching system, including a plurality of solid-state switches connected to each of the battery cells. The plurality of solid-state switches is operable to selectively connect a portion of the battery cells in parallel, selectively connect the portion of the battery cells in series, and selectively connect one of the plurality of battery cells to one of the plurality of positive battery pack terminals.

Abstract: Presented are active thermal management (ATM) systems with multi-purpose reservoirs for liquid-immersion cooled battery assemblies, methods for making/using such systems, and motor vehicles equipped with such systems. An ATM system for a battery assembly includes a coolant reservoir that stows a liquid immersion cooling (LIC) fluid, and an inlet manifold that fluidly connects the reservoir to the battery assembly's battery case to transfer LIC fluid into an immersion compartment within the battery case. An outlet manifold fluidly connects the battery case to the reservoir to transfer fluid out from the immersion compartment. An auxiliary vent manifold selectively fluidly connects the battery case to the reservoir responsive to a predefined thermal event to thereby transfer LIC fluid and battery cell vent gases from the immersion compartment to the reservoir. A gas valve, which is fluidly connected to the reservoir, selectively evacuates therefrom the vent gases at a predefined internal reservoir pressure.

Abstract: Presented are intelligent vehicle systems and control logic for adaptive vehicle sensing and automation for occupants with health conditions, methods for making/using such systems, and vehicles equipped with such systems. A method of operating a vehicle includes a resident or remote vehicle controller determining an existing health condition of an occupant in the vehicle's passenger compartment. The controller then retrieves, e.g., from a resident or remote memory device, predefined sets of calibration settings and condition symptoms customized to this existing health condition. A network of sensing devices is calibrated using the predefined calibration settings to detect one or more of the predefined condition symptoms. The calibrated sensing devices monitor the occupant to detect a health event based on the predefined condition symptoms. Upon detecting the health event, the controller commands one or more resident vehicle subsystems to execute one or more vehicle operations to mitigate the health event.

Abstract: A battery electric system includes a battery, sensor suite, and controller. The sensor suite includes a current sensor, voltage sensor, and temperature sensor. The controller is operable for determining an estimated open circuit voltage of the battery at different time points using a current signal and a voltage signal from the current and voltage sensors, and an equivalent circuit model (ECM). The controller determines an ECM-based state of charge (SOC) of the battery at the different time points, via a calibrated SOC map, using the open circuit voltage and temperature, and calculates a sensor gain value using the ECM-based SOC and a coulomb counting-based SOC, both at the different time points. A control action is executed with respect to the battery when the sensor gain value exceeds a predetermined gain fault threshold, including generating a fault notification signal indicative of a fault of the current sensor.

Abstract: A system for creating vehicle lighting atmosphere of a vehicle is provided. The system includes ambient lighting including a plurality of lights configured for illuminating an interior of the vehicle or an exterior of the vehicle with a selectable light color. The system further includes a computerized vehicle lighting controller, including programming to monitor an input useful to select an ambient lighting theme, select an ambient lighting theme based upon the input, and generate a command to control the ambient lighting based upon the ambient lighting theme.

Abstract: Wireless transmission of data packets between controllers is executed over a plurality of integrated hybrid wireless communication channels, with proportional allocation of communication links for guaranteed and best-effort communication links. Data packets may be communicated across a plurality of wireless communication channels to ensure delivery of on-demand performance.

Abstract: A system for unsupervised radar calibration of a vehicle is contemplated. The system may include a radar having a plurality of antennas configured to transmit radar signals and responsively receive reflected signals. The system may further include a calibration controller configured to determine a plurality of detections from the reflected signals corresponding with unsupervised objects in the vicinity of the vehicle, and based on the detections, to generate a calibration matrix sufficient for calibrating the radar.

Abstract: A method for performance tuning an electronic control unit (ECU). The performance tuning may include determining one or more tunable values stored on a tunable implementation memory of the ECU to specify tunable calibration data for one or more tunable calibration parameters selected for performance tuning and controlling an application software of the ECU to execute according to the tunable calibration data.