Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for detecting a blind spot of a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, by a processor, head position data indicating a position of a head of a driver of the vehicle; determining, by the processor, pillar position data associated with at least one pillar of the vehicle; determining, by the processor, at least one angle based on the head position data and the pillar position data; determining, by the processor, at least one blind spot area based on the at least one angle; detecting, by the processor, at least one object within the at least one blind spot area; and generating at least one of notification data, decision data, and control data based on the at least one object.

Abstract: A power line communication (PLC) system for a vehicle is contemplated. The system may include a plurality of power lines configured to connect at least a first node and a second node to negative and positive terminals of a vehicle battery. The system may include a filter connected to the power lines. The filter may be configured to attract a first portion of a PLC signal to the negative terminal prior to the first portion reaching the second node and to permit a second portion of the PLC signal to continue transmission to the second node.

Abstract: An automated driving system includes an object detection system. A neural network image encoder generates image embeddings associated with an image including an object. A neural network text encoder generates concept embeddings associated with each of a plurality of concepts. Each of the plurality of concepts is associated with one of at least two object classes. A confidence score module generates a confidence score for each of the plurality of concepts based on the image embeddings and the concept embeddings associated with the concept. An object class prediction module generates a predicted object class of the object based on an association between a set of concepts of the plurality of concepts having at least two of the highest values of the generated confidence scores and the one of the at least two object classes associated with a majority of the set of concepts.

Abstract: A method for tempering steel for riveting includes positioning a first component having a first composition over a second component having a second composition, and resistance spot welding the first component to the second component using a resistance spot weld gun to form a spot weld. The method includes tempering at least one of the first component, the second component and the spot weld with the resistance spot weld gun, and coupling a third component having a third composition to the first component and the second component with a rivet, and the third composition is different than the first composition and the second composition.

Abstract: A lifting system includes a top plate, a bottom plate and N pairs of hinged plates. The N pairs of hinged plates are connected by 2N pairs of hinges to N sides of the top plate and the bottom plate, where N is an integer greater than 2. A bladder is arranged between the top plate and the bottom plate and between inner edges of the N pairs of hinged plates.

Abstract: An occupant detection system for an interior cabin area of a vehicle includes one or more signal conversion devices including conversion circuitry and a wireless control module including a multi-band transceiver having two or more transceivers. The wireless control module executes instructions to continuously send, by a first transceiver, signals on a first frequency band. The wireless control module executes instructions to receive, by a second transceiver, signals on a second frequency band from a signal conversion device. The wireless control module compares original training symbols from the signals on the first frequency band with training symbols from the signals on the second frequency band to determine a change in value of in one or more channel state information (CSI) parameters, and determines one or more occupants are present within the interior cabin area of the vehicle based on the change in one or more CSI parameters.

Abstract: A solid-state electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions includes a solid-state electrolyte that defines a first major surface and an electrode that defines a second major surface. The solid-state electrochemical cell also includes an interfacial layer disposed between the first major surface of the solid-state electrolyte and the second major surface of the electrode. The interfacial layer may include an ion-conductor disposed in an organic matrix.

Abstract: A system includes an in-cabin sensor, a seatbelt routing zone module, and a seatbelt routing classification module. The in-cabin sensor is operable to generate an image of an occupant in a vehicle seat. The seatbelt routing zone module is configured to generate a seatbelt routing zone based on at least one of a size of the occupant in the image and a shape of the occupant. The seatbelt routing classification module is configured to determine whether a seatbelt is routed properly around the occupant based on whether the seatbelt is at least partially within the seatbelt routing zone.

Abstract: A hood bumper for a vehicle having a hood including: a housing having a wall, a base, an internal chamber, and an opening to the internal chamber. The wall having an interior surface and an exterior surface. the interior surface defines the internal chamber. The hood bumper further including a biasing mechanism operably connected to the housing and a plunger operably connected to the biasing mechanism and configured to receive an exerted force from the hood. The hood bumper further including a bumper head operably connected to the housing and a support frame operably connecting the bumper head to the housing. The plunger is configured to first move into the bumper head to absorb an impact force to the hood, next the bumper head compresses to further absorb the impact force, and then the support frame collapses to even further absorb the impact force.

Abstract: A transmission system associated with a vehicle includes a shaft to rotate about an axis of rotation. The shaft is coupled to a gear set. The transmission system includes a target wheel to be coupled to the gear set and to rotate with the gear set. The target wheel includes at least one void. The transmission system includes a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensor spaced apart from the target wheel by a gap. The giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensor is configured to observe the at least one void of the target wheel to determine a rotation speed of the shaft based on a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect. The transmission system further includes a rotating shell located in the gap between the target wheel and the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensor.

Abstract: Systems and methods of detecting and validating a turn light indicator in a vehicle include receiving optical perception data from an optical perception system. The optical perception data includes data describing a detected turn indicator light of another vehicle perceived by the optical perception system including a status of the detected turn indicator light. A turn indicator light signal is generated in the form of a time varying waveform based on the status of the detected turn indicator light. A duty cycle and frequency of the turn indicator light signal is obtained. An assessment is made whether the detected turn indicator light is a valid detection by comparing the duty cycle and frequency with predetermined bounds. When the detected turn indicator light is assessed to be a valid detection, then an automated feature of the vehicle is controlled based on the data describing the detected turn indicator light.

Abstract: In various embodiments, methods, systems, and vehicle apparatuses are provided. A method for determining a trusted context of operation by an in-vehicle Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) for learning of a vehicle platform, including executing the NIDS to monitor a set of Electronic Control Units (ECUs) and vehicle state elements by receiving a set of vehicle derived inputs about a vehicle's operating state; in response to a determination about the vehicle's operating state, identifying the trusted window during which learning about network topology and whitelisted messages contained in a vehicle platform is allowable; creating a vehicle-specific configuration containing a list of networks of topologies and whitelisted messages in use by the ECUs in the vehicle platform, and preventing misconfiguring of at least one network in the list of network topologies and whitelisted messages of the vehicle-specific configuration in the vehicle platform outside the trusted window.

Abstract: Hollow automotive parts, methods for fabricating hollow automotive parts, and methods for fabricating hollow castings are provided. An exemplary method for fabricating a hollow casting includes casting at least a first casting section and a second casting section from a slurry using a semi-solid casting process, and welding the casting sections together at interfaces therebetween.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for detecting one or more three-dimensional structures in a proximity of a vehicle at runtime includes generating, by a processor, a birds-eye-view (BEV) camera image of the proximity of the vehicle, the BEV camera image comprising two-dimensional coordinates of one or more structures in the proximity. The method further includes generating, by the processor, a BEV height image of the proximity of the vehicle, the BEV height image providing height of the one or more structures in the proximity. The method further includes detecting one or more edges of the three-dimensional structures based on the BEV camera image and the BEV height image. The method further includes generating models of the three-dimensional structures by plane-fitting based on the edges of the one or more three-dimensional structures. The method further includes reconfiguring a navigation system receiver based on the models of the three-dimensional structures.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a modified binder for use in an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions. The modified binder includes one or more agglomerates of polytetrafluoroethylene nanoparticles, where each of the polytetrafluoroethylene nanoparticles includes a polytetrafluoroethylene core and a polymeric shell that is disposed on exposed surfaces of the core. The polymeric shell can include a polymer selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene oxide, polyglycidyl methacrylate, polyvinylidene difluoride, fluoride-hexafluoropropylene, polypropylene oxide, polyacrylonitrile, polymethacrylonitrile, polymethyl methacrylate, derivatives and co-polymers, and combinations thereof, and in certain instances, also a humidity tolerant lithium salt.

Abstract: A communication augmentation system includes a camera, a transceiver and a computer. The camera is operation to record an image of users. The transceiver is operational to receive inbound messages from wireless devices. The inbound messages include an input content. The computer is operational to store registrations of the users, determine user locations where the users are located in response to facial profiles relative to the image, determine device locations where the wireless devices are located based on the inbound messages, associate the wireless devices with the users based on the user locations and the device locations, determine destinations of the inbound messages based on a comparison of input content to the identifiers, and transfer the input content and the destinations to the transceiver. The transceiver is further operational to transmit the input content in a plurality of outbound messages to the wireless devices based on the destinations.

Abstract: Presented are intelligent vehicle systems for thermal event mitigation for enclosed vehicles, methods for making/using such systems, and vehicles equipped with such intelligent control systems. A method of operating a host vehicle includes a resident or remote vehicle controller verifying the host vehicle is stationary; if stationary, the controller detects a predicted onset or occurrence of a thermal event in at least one cell in the vehicle's battery system. Responsive to the detected thermal event, the controller calculates a vehicle parked in enclosed space (VPES) confidence value predictive of the host vehicle being at least partially enclosed, and determines if this VPES confidence value is greater than a preset minimum confidence level. Responsive to the detected thermal event and the VPES confidence value exceeding the minimum confidence level, the controller transmits a command signal to a resident vehicle subsystem to execute a vehicle control operation that mitigates the thermal event.

Abstract: Presented are silicon and other anodes and methods for producing same. In one aspect of the disclosure, a pristine anode material is prelithiated to produce a prelithiated anode substrate. Precursors are combined, such as using a flow into a deposition chamber, to produce a target chemical formulation formed as a hydrophobic and hermetic protective coating over the prelithiated Si-anode substrate. The result is a protected anode substrate. A laser may thereafter be used for further processing of the protected the protected anode substrate to form an anode. In other embodiments, a silicon oxide anode, a graphite anode, or a silicon-graphite blended anode is used.