Abstract: An airbag system includes a vehicle having a vehicle seat rotated between an upright position to a fully reclined position. An airbag is positioned forward of a passenger seated on the vehicle seat, the airbag positioned in a stowed condition and a fully inflated condition. A horizontal cushion of the airbag in the fully inflated condition extends from a main airbag section. The horizontal cushion is contacted by a head of the passenger and prevents rotation of the head into direct contact with one or both knees of the passenger.

Abstract: Methods and systems for additive manufacturing are provided. An exemplary method includes calculating a slice area distribution of a desired 3D design including slice areas of slices of the desired design, wherein the slices have an initial slice area differential. The method further includes obtaining a slice area distribution of a sacrificial 3D design comprising slice areas of slices of the sacrificial design. The method includes planning a 3D layout of the desired and sacrificial design, wherein at each respective parallel plane in the layout a total slice area includes a respective slice area of the desired design and a respective slice area of the sacrificial design, and wherein the layout has a total slice area differential that is less than the initial slice area differential. Also, the method includes generating instructions for printing slices of the desired design and the sacrificial design according to the layout.

Abstract: A charging system includes a scalable power source for powering a motor of a vehicle and telematics and battery management modules. The scalable power source includes: N battery packs, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 3; and multiple switches connected to the N battery packs including N?1 switches for serially connecting the N battery packs between supply and return lines and a multiple of N switches for parallel connecting the N battery packs to the supply and return lines. The telematics module requests capability of a charging station and receives a response signal from a device indicating the capability of the charging station. The battery management module: based on the capability of the charging station, selects one of the available arrangements in which to connect the N battery packs, sets states of the multiple switches; and then charges the N battery packs based on the states.

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: Vehicles and related systems and methods are provided for managing an electrical system. One method involves identifying a current condition associated with an energy source coupled to an electrical grid, identifying a current operating state associated with the vehicle electrical system, determining an adjusted control target for the energy source to increase availability of the energy source based at least in part on the current condition and the current operating state, identifying a control scheme for the energy source based at least in part on the current condition associated with the energy source, and autonomously operating the vehicle electrical system in a manner that is influenced by the adjusted control target in accordance with the identified control scheme.

Abstract: An electroactive material for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is provided. The electroactive material includes a plurality of atomic layers and a plurality of cations disposed between the atomic layers. The plurality of atomic layers includes an atom selected from the group consisting of: silicon, germanium, boron, and combinations thereof. The plurality of cations is selected from the group consisting of: calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, nickel, potassium, sodium, and combinations thereof. A ratio of the cations to atoms that define the atomic layer may be less than about 1:2.

Abstract: Misalignment of camera and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensors can impact operations performed by an autonomous vehicle (AV) stack. Misalignment, or deviation from initial alignment over time, can occur in pitch, yaw, and roll dimensions. To address alignment issues, AV sensors may be calibrated before the AV drives on roadways. Additionally, AV sensors may be routinely calibrated at a maintenance facility to detect deviations from initial alignment of the sensors. Offline calibration of AV sensors in maintenance facilities can be inefficient and can significantly increase overhead. Therefore, online calibration of AV sensor misalignment may alleviate some of these concerns. Additionally, online calibration of AV sensors enables efficient monitoring and effective calibration of AV sensor alignment for a whole fleet of AVs while the fleet is on the road.

Abstract: An object detection and predictive motion warning system for a vehicle. The system may include a plurality of weight sensors configured to generate weight values in response to pressure being applied thereto and an object detection and predictive motion controller configured to detect an object within the vehicle and to predict a motion assessment for the object as function thereof.

Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure provide a computer-implemented system, comprising instructions for performing operations including: retrieving real-world data comprising skeleton attributes of various skeletons; receiving instructions to generate a simulated skeleton for a scene in a simulation; generating the simulated skeleton according to the scene based on the skeleton attributes, the simulated skeleton comprising a generic skeleton modified by scaling factors according to the scene; building a simulation asset using the simulated skeleton; and determining a reaction of a vehicle to the simulation asset in the scene simulated, the reaction of the vehicle being a function of a configuration of the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for displaying a scene for a vehicle towing a trailer. A method includes: determining, by the processor, an angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle; determining, by the processor, a simulated trailer based on the angle of the trailer; determining, by the processor, a projection matrix based on the simulated trailer; generating, by the processor, scene data based on image data from a camera of the vehicle and image data from a camera of the trailer using the projection matrix; and generating, by the processor, display data to display the scene to an occupant of the vehicle based on the scene data.

Abstract: An electrode assembly includes a current collector, a lithium metal foil, and an alloyed interface that chemically binds the current collector and the lithium metal foil. In certain variations, the alloyed interface includes an intermediate layer disposed between the current collector and the lithium metal foil, a portion of the current collector adjacent to the intermediate layer is alloyed with the indium, gallium, or alloy of indium and gallium defining the intermediate layer, and a portion of the lithium metal foil adjacent to the intermediate layer is alloyed with the indium, gallium, or alloy of indium and gallium defining the intermediate layer. In other variations, the alloyed interface includes a copper-lithium alloy.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling alignment of a vehicle during parking that include obtaining sensor data via one or more sensors of a vehicle, as to passenger occupancy of the vehicle and as to a parking location for the vehicle; identifying, via a processor of the vehicle, which passenger seats of the vehicle are occupied, based on the sensor data; identifying, via the processor, the parking location based on the sensor data; and determining, via the processor, an offset for parking of the vehicle in the parking location, based at least in part on which passenger seats of the vehicle are occupied.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions includes a positive electrode that includes a positive electroactive material, a negative electrode that includes a negative electroactive material, and a free-standing separating layer disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The free-standing separating layer includes a gel membrane that includes a polymer host and a liquid electrolyte and an integrated structural component disposed within the gel membrane. The integrated structural component may be selected from the group consisting of: a plurality of solid-state electrolyte particles, a nonwoven material, and a combination thereof.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for vehicular computation management. The system includes, onboard a vehicle, electric control units (ECUs), a battery, a communication system, and a controller. The controller is configured to monitor energy consumption, operate the vehicle as a computational hub when the energy consumption is less than a threshold, including providing computational resources to an external node, determine whether the vehicle has excess energy and computational capacity when the energy consumption is equal to or greater than the threshold, including determining a usage of each of the ECUs and determining an energy consumption of tasks executing thereon, and operate the vehicle as a hybrid computational hub when the vehicle has excess energy and computational capacity, including providing excess computational capacity of the ECUs to the external node.

Abstract: Presented are hybrid fixture assemblies with integrated additive manufactured features, methods for making/using such fixtures, and manufacturing systems equipped with such fixtures. A manufacturing fixture assembly includes a fixture support frame formed, at least in part, from a first material, and a fixture support shell formed, at least in part, from a second material distinct from the first material. The support frame, which seats on/mounts to a work surface, includes a skeletal substructure with multiple male connectors projecting therefrom. The skeletal substructure contains multiple first frame walls that are removably intermeshed with multiple second frame walls in a collapsible format. The support shell includes a support surface that holds a workpiece, an interface surface that abuts the skeletal substructure, and multiple female connectors that project from the interface surface.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides electrode assemblies for safe nondestructive testing in ambient conditions. In certain variations, the electrode assembly includes a current collector and a non-reactive lithium mimic material disposed on or near one or more surfaces of the current collector or embedded in the current collector. In other variations, the electrode assembly includes include a current collector, a lithium metal material disposed on or near one or more surfaces of the current collector or embedded in the current collector to form an electrode assembly, and a non-conductive pouch holding the electrode assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus including a battery cell includes an electrode stack. The electrode stack includes an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and a separator disposed between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The apparatus further includes an enclosure configured for encasing and mechanically protecting the electrode stack. The apparatus further includes an electrolyte. The apparatus further includes a thermally conductive and electrically insulated inert fill material located between the electrode stack and the enclosure configured for providing a thermally conductive connection between the electrode stack and the enclosure.

Abstract: An anode-free electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions includes a positive electrode assembly having a positive current collector and a positive electroactive material layer, a negative current collector that includes a surface configured to receive a negative electroactive material after one or more formation cycles of the anode-free electrochemical cell, and a separating layer disposed between the positive electroactive material layer and the surface of the negative current collector. The separating layer includes an electrolyte that includes greater than or equal to about 20 wt. % to less than or equal to about 99.5 wt. % of a concentrated electrolyte having a lithium salt concentration greater than or equal to about 2 M to less than or equal to about 6 M, and greater than or equal to about 0.5 wt. % to less than or equal to about 80 wt. % of an ionic liquid.

Abstract: A method of forming a plurality of embossments in a sheet of metal includes: (i) placing the sheet onto a first surface of a die having a plurality of embossment cavities thereon, wherein the sheet has a bottom surface in contact with the first surface of the die and a top surface having an ablative coating formed thereon; and (ii) directing a laser beam at the ablative coating at one or more loci on the top surface of the sheet which correspond to the plurality of embossment cavities on the first surface of the die, so as to locally ablate the ablative coating at the one or more loci and turn the ablative coating at the one or more loci into plasma, thereby causing a plasma pressure shock wave at each of the one or more loci which presses the sheet into the embossment cavities to form the embossments.

Abstract: A coated polymer separator for a battery cell is provided. The coated polymer separator includes a polymer separator including a first primary surface and a second primary surface. The coated polymer separator further includes a ceramic-based composite coating disposed on the first primary surface and the second primary surface. The ceramic-based composite coating includes lithiated zeolite particles and particles of a second ceramic material including an oxide.