Abstract: A system for controlling movement of a vehicle is provided and includes data processing hardware that performs operations comprising monitoring contextual events in a current, parked location of a vehicle, detection of a contextual event indicating an impending presence of a service vehicle requiring access to the parked location of the vehicle. The operations also comprise monitoring at least one vehicle sensor of the vehicle, the at least one vehicle sensor providing sensor data to the data processing hardware for use by the data processing hardware in determining the presence of a service vehicle in an area where the vehicle is parked and moving the vehicle from the current, parked location of the vehicle to a different location in response to detection of a contextual event or determination of the presence of a service vehicle in the area where the vehicle is parked.

Abstract: Presented are devices for measuring dimensions of tear seams, methods for making/using such devices, and handheld clamp calipers for gauging material thicknesses of tear seams in passenger airbag breakaway panels. A handheld or automated measurement tool for determining seam dimensions includes first and second jaws operatively attached to a calibrated scale. The calibrated scale displays a measurement value fora dimension of a seam. The first jaw includes a first jaw tip projecting from a first jaw mandible. The second jaw includes a second jaw tip projecting from a second jaw mandible, which is movably attached with the first jaw mandible. Each of the jaw tips contacts a respective surface of the seam. An interior edge of the second jaw tip is disposed at an oblique angle of less than 90 degrees from an interior edge of the second jaw mandible.

Abstract: A safety equipment monitoring system for a vehicle includes a vehicle processor for storing vehicle data including one or more of vehicle event data, vehicle occupant data, and restraint system data. The safety equipment monitoring system also includes a server communicatively coupled with the vehicle processor and configured to determine a baseline desired location of a restraint based on the vehicle occupant data and the restraint system data. The server is also configured to determine if any deviations to the desired location of the restraint have occurred based on one or more of vehicle event data and the restraint system data.

Abstract: A system includes a vehicle external to a back office portal. The back office portal is operational to generate a signed update mode record. The vehicle has multiple devices and a component. The component is in communication with the devices, and operational to receive the signed update mode record, verify that the signed update mode record is from the back office portal and was created for the component, erase credentials within the component that establish the component as valid to the plurality of devices in response to the verification of the signed update mode record, perform an irreversible action within the component, enter a software update mode, exit the software update mode, and reject each request from the plurality of devices to the component that relies on the credentials that were erased from the component.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body arranged along a first axis and first and second road wheels, each mounted on a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The vehicle also includes a stabilizer bar mounted to the vehicle body. The vehicle additionally includes respective first and second telescoping multiple-section links connecting the stabilizer bar to corresponding first and second road wheels. Each of the first and the second telescoping multiple-section links is configured to selectively operate in a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, telescoping of each of the first and the second multiple-section links is locked to operatively connect the first road wheel to the second road wheel via the stabilizer bar. In the second mode, the telescoping of each of the first and the second multiple-section links is unlocked to operatively disconnect the first and second road wheels from the stabilizer bar.

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: Presented are smart vehicle systems and control logic for battery thermal event detection and severity assessment, 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 detecting a thermal event in at least one battery cell in the vehicle's battery system and, upon detection, monitoring the vehicle's surrounding area to detect target objects near the vehicle. Responsive to detecting any target objects near the vehicle, the controller aggregates target object data, including a total number of detected target objects and respective proximities of the detected target objects to the vehicle. Using this target object data, a situational severity level is estimated for the thermal event; the controller determines if the severity level exceeds a maximum allowable severity level. If so, the controller responsively commands a vehicle subsystem to execute a control operation to mitigate the event.

Abstract: A system for fuel cell membrane edge protection includes a fuel cell including a fuel-cell membrane-subgasket assembly. The assembly includes an anode gas diffusion electrode and a cathode gas diffusion electrode configured for facilitating an electrochemical reaction. The reaction creates water as a by-product. The assembly further includes a proton exchange membrane disposed between the electrodes and a subgasket. The subgasket includes an interior aperture portion defined by a perimeter and is connected to the anode gas diffusion electrode and the membrane about the perimeter such that an area of overlap between the subgasket, the electrode, and the membrane exists around the perimeter. The assembly further includes a carbon paper layer spanning the interior aperture portion. The layer includes patterned wettability and is configured to move the water away from the area of overlap into a center portion of the layer.

Abstract: A method, system and vehicle that repetitively correct angle offsets in a synthetic aperture radar image of a vehicle while the vehicle is in motion by utilizing a radar system and a camera to determine accurate velocity of a measured object by matching angles of the object in the SAR image with angles of the object in the camera image, thereby reducing angle offsets of objects in the SAR image. The method includes obtaining an SAR image of another vehicle via a radar unit of the vehicle, obtaining a camera image of the other vehicle via a camera unit of the vehicle, determining an association between at least one object in the SAR image and a corresponding at least one object in the camera image, correcting a velocity estimation of the vehicle based on the determined association, and adjusting the SAR image based on the corrected velocity estimation.

Abstract: Presented are shock-force mitigation systems for fuel cell stacks, methods for making/using such systems, and electric-drive vehicles equipped with such systems. A fuel cell system includes multiple electrochemical fuel cells that are stacked face-to-face along a stack axis to define a fuel cell stack. A push plate abuts each longitudinal end of the fuel cell stack; these push plates translate rectilinearly along the stack axis inside a fuel cell stack housing. An end plate is located in facing spaced relation to each push plate to define a plate pair at each end of the stack. An active or passive force-modifying device is interposed between the two plates in each plate pair; these devices modify stack forces experienced by the fuel cell stack. For an active shock-force mitigation system, each force-modifying device may include a bladder system, spring, and/or linear actuator; an electronic system controller controls activation of the bladders/actuators.

Abstract: Aspects of a synchronous electric motor, including a synchronous interior permanent magnet or a synchronous reluctance motor, are disclosed. The outer edges of pockets and magnet pockets, including flux barriers, selectively include one or more notches at the front of the pockets. The use of these notches may redirect flow of the magnetic flux such that overall torque ripple may be reduced without significantly adversely affecting the average torque output of the motor. In some embodiments, various characteristics of the notches may be changed to achieve optimal performance including number, geometry, and location of the notches on select outer edges of the pockets. Another characteristic includes symmetry of the notches or asymmetry, whether in the radial and longitudinal directions of the rotor.

Abstract: A system for assisting a vehicle having a trailer includes a drone having at least one sensor adapted to collect sensor data. The drone is selectively attachable to the vehicle. A controller is in communication with the drone. The controller is adapted to selectively execute an assessment mode, an operational mode, and a delivery mode, the operational mode being executed after the assessment mode is completed. The drone is adapted to conduct a set of initial checks during the assessment mode, the drone being adapted to fly around the trailer and/or the vehicle during the assessment mode. The drone is attached to the vehicle during the operational mode. The delivery mode is executed upon arrival of the vehicle at a predefined destination, the drone being adapted to be in flight during the delivery mode.

Abstract: A vehicle system includes a vehicle processor for storing data including vehicle location and vehicle data. The vehicle system also includes a server communicatively coupled to the vehicle processor and configured to transfer energy from a vehicle battery to a transfer station based on the vehicle location and the vehicle data.

Abstract: A system including a part including a top surface defining a top slot and a bottom surface defining a bottom slot, the top slot and the bottom slot each permitting access from opposite directions to a first central cavity passing through the entire part, and a compression limiter over-molded to the part, the compression limiter including an upper portion defining an upper slot that coincides with the top slot and a lower portion defining a lower slot that coincides with the bottom slot, the upper slot and the lower slot each permitting access from opposite directions to a second central cavity that coincides with the first central cavity.

Abstract: A vehicle system for a vehicle includes a vehicle processor for storing vehicle data including vehicle location, vehicle event data, and vehicle mode. The vehicle system also includes a server communicatively coupled to the vehicle processor. The server is configured to determine if a transport mode has been selected based on one or more of the vehicle mode or the vehicle location. The server is also configured to determine if a current battery change is above a state-of-charge limitation based on the vehicle event data. Additionally, the server is configured to activate the transport mode if the current battery charge is below the state-of-charge limitation.

Abstract: A vehicle system includes a vehicle processor for storing data including vehicle location and vehicle data. The vehicle system also includes a server communicatively coupled to the vehicle processor. The server is configured to determine when the vehicle is being stored based on vehicle location and vehicle data and activate a storage mode when it is determined that the vehicle is being stored.

Abstract: A radial flux electric motor includes a stator having a radially inner stator surface and stator windings arranged thereon. The motor also includes a rotor mounted inside the stator and configured to rotate relative thereto about an axis. The rotor has a rotor core constructed from a ferromagnetic material having relatively high magnetic permeability and defined by a rotor outer surface establishing an airgap between the rotor and the stator. The rotor also has a plurality of magnetic poles set in the rotor core and configured to generate magnetic flux. The rotor additionally has inserts constructed from a material having relatively low magnetic permeability in at least one geometric direction. Each insert is mechanically fixed to the rotor core to thereby control magnetic flux distribution and minimize flux leakage inside the rotor.

Abstract: A system may include data processing hardware and memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware. The memory hardware may store instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations. The operations include requesting, via a boot manager of a host module, a hardware security module (HSM) to verify an application software of the host module and configuring, via the verified application software, a memory protection unit (MPU) to at least one of no execute and no write for at least one area of a memory of the host module. The operations further include executing the application software with the HSM enabled.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method that, when executed by data processing hardware, causes data processing hardware to perform operations comprising receiving a service request associated with a service request button of a vehicle, receiving one or more service button engagement scoring inputs each associated with a corresponding vehicle status, calculating a service request confidence score based on the one or more service button engagement scoring inputs, assigning a service request cancellation period based on the one or more service button engagement scoring inputs, determining whether a cancellation request is received within the service request cancellation period, and either cancelling the service request when the cancellation request is received within the service request cancellation period, or transmitting the service request to a service provider when the cancellation request is not received within the service request cancellation period.

Abstract: A vehicle includes ignition controls operable between an active state and an inactive state and a storage compartment operable between a locked state and an unlocked state. An electronic control unit (ECU) is configured to detect one of the active state and the inactive state of the ignition controls and includes data processing hardware and memory hardware that stores a security monitoring system. The security monitoring system includes an alarm and a security monitoring application that is configured to execute a delay mode including a tiered proactive measure. The delay mode is configured to delay translation of the storage compartment from the locked state to the unlocked state in response to a security event.