Abstract: A system includes a platform to support a vehicle on a first side of the platform and a passive motion device arranged on a second side of the platform, opposite the first side, to move upon actuation. A mechanical actuator actuates the passive motion device based on movement of one or more wheels of the vehicle to change a position of the vehicle. The position of the vehicle relative to the platform is unchanged and the passive motion device is actuated by only the movement of the one or more wheels of the vehicle to change the position of the vehicle.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a pair of electrical connectors for electrically connecting to one another to close an electric circuit. The assembly further includes a connection indicator attached to one or more of the electrical connectors. The connection indicator generates a feedback, in response to the electrical connectors being one of connected to one another and disconnected from one another. The connection indicator is separate from the electric circuit, and the feedback is at least one of a radio frequency signal (RF signal), an electronic signal, a visible light, and an acoustic signal.

Abstract: Systems and method are provided for notifying an operator of a vehicle of reverse operation of a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, by a processor, at least one of sensor data and vehicle message data, wherein the sensor data is generated by a sensor of an infrastructure system, and wherein the vehicle message data is generated by a remote vehicle; determining, by the processor, a reverse operation of the remote vehicle based on the at least one of the sensor data and the vehicle message data; and generating, by the processor, notification data based on the reverse operation of the remote vehicle.

Abstract: The present technology can detect potential labeling conflicts made during different labeling tasks when those tasks are checked in to ensure that a map database is free from conflicts that might interrupt publishing of a map. The present technology can determine whether a first labeled version of map portion is based on a most recent version for the map portion that is stored in the map database, and when it is determined that it is not, and there is an intervening version, the present technology can identify differences between the intervening version of the map portion and the first version of the map portion and identify differences between the second version of the map portion and the first version of the map portion. Based on the identified differences, the present technology can determine whether any of those differences are conflicting.

Abstract: A system for optimizing charging for a vehicle having a rechargeable energy storage unit and travelling on a route includes a controller. The controller has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which instructions are recorded. Execution of the instructions by the processor causes the controller to obtain details of the route, including surveying local charging infrastructure to determine availability of one or more charging stations within a predefined radius of the route. The controller is adapted to obtain respective station parameters pertaining to the one or more charging stations. Based on user input, at least one session goal is selected from a predefined set of goals. The controller is adapted to generate a recommended charging profile respectively for one or more stops along the route, based in part on the session goal and the respective station parameters.

Abstract: A battery charging system includes: an electric motor including stator coils; a battery; a charge port configured to receive power from charging stations by wire; first and second electrical conductors connected between the battery and the charge port; an inverter module including (a) inputs connected to receive power from the battery and (b) outputs connected to the electric motor; a third electrical conductor; and a switch configured to electrically connect and disconnect a first end of the third electrical conductor to and from the first electrical conductor, where the third electrical conductor includes a second end that is connected to at least one of the stator coils via one of the outputs of the inverter module.

Abstract: A holographic display system provides a maximum intensity value of an intermediate image to decrease a graphics speckle noise. The system includes an SLM having a display with a hologram generating unit and a plurality of pixels for modulating a beam of coherent light. The system further includes a beam splitter for splitting the beam into an object beam and an intermediate image beam that is associated with an intermediate image having the noise. The system further includes a camera for capturing the intermediate image, in response to the camera receiving the intermediate image beam. The system further includes a computer having a processor and a CRM. The processor is programmed to generate an actuation signal associated with a corrective holographic phase shift to decrease the noise. The SLM modifies in real-time a holographic phase of the beam per pixel, in response to the SLM receiving the actuation signal.

Abstract: A battery module includes first and second neighboring battery cells. The battery module also includes a cold-plate configured to remove thermal energy from the first and second battery cells. The cold-plate includes first and second sections configured to seat respective first and second cells. The first section defines a first vent arranged directly adjacent the first cell and configured to exhaust gases therefrom. The cold-plate additionally includes a first closure element arranged within and configured to block the first vent in a first mode to transfer thermal energy from the first cell to the cold-plate. The first closure element is additionally configured to open the first vent in a second mode when the first cell undergoes a thermal event to exhaust gases and transfer thermal energy from the first cell through the first vent and thereby control propagation of a thermal runaway in the battery module.

Abstract: A method of operating an autonomous racetrack driver coach and demonstrator in an autonomous vehicle employing operating systems for propulsion and maneuvering includes identifying a road course and mapping a velocity profile and a trajectory for the vehicle via a remote configurator. The trajectory defines a vehicle path around the road course and with the velocity profile minimizes the vehicle's lap time. The method also includes determining a presence of a human passenger/operator in the vehicle. The method additionally includes determining, via an electronic controller in communication with a remote detection source, localization of the vehicle on the road course. The method also includes determining vehicle velocity, acceleration, and heading relative to the mapped trajectory.

Abstract: A method for dynamically matching energy demand of a population of electric vehicles (EVs) with energy supply of a population of charging stations within a geofenced perimeter includes receiving, via a cloud-based server, EV information from each respective EV, and receiving charging station information from each respective charging station. The method includes generating an SoC map and a charging station power map from the EV information and the charging station information, respectively, and predicting the energy supply and demand using the maps. The server dynamically matches the EVs to at least one of the charging stations or vice versa using a reward function, the predicted energy supply, and the predicted energy demand, including generating a rank-ordered listing for each of the EVs and/or each of the charging stations in a manner that maximizes an expected discounted future reward.

Abstract: A system for in-situ mapping of electrode potential and thermal distribution is provided. The system includes a test device. The test device includes an anode, a cathode, a reference electrode, a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode, and a voltage potential sensor configured for monitoring a voltage potential at a first position upon one of the anode or the cathode as compared to a voltage potential of the reference electrode. The system further includes an infrared sensor device configured for collecting data describing temperature variation across a surface of one of the anode or the cathode.

Abstract: A method of providing an onboard assistant for a vehicle, comprising: receiving sensor data from sensors of the vehicle; transforming the sensor data using a trained machine learning model to provide transformed sensor data; inferring from the transformed sensor data that a special condition for the vehicle requires intervention; and contacting an operator of the vehicle to inform the operator of the special condition and receive instructions for handling the special condition.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling driver communication includes monitoring, via a plurality of on-vehicle subsystems, a vehicle state, an external environment state, and an in-cabin state via the plurality of on-vehicle subsystems; determining a driver workload score based upon the external environment state, the in-cabin state, and the vehicle state; receiving an incoming message; ranking the incoming message; determining a notification action for the incoming message based upon the driver workload score and the rank of the incoming message; and executing the notification action for the incoming message.

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 method of providing an onboard assistant for a vehicle, comprising: receiving sensor data from sensors of the vehicle; transforming the sensor data using a trained machine learning model to provide transformed sensor data; inferring from the transformed sensor data that a special condition for the vehicle requires intervention; and contacting an operator of the vehicle to inform the operator of the special condition and receive instructions for handling the special condition.

Abstract: Systems and methods for map simulation testing are provided. A method includes receiving, by a computer-implemented system, information associated with an operational design domain (ODD); generating, by the computer-implemented system based at least in part on the information associated with the ODD, a plurality of map test cases for a map representative of a geographical area in the ODD, where each map test case of the plurality of map test cases includes one of a plurality of paths in the geographical area; evaluating a vehicle planning process in navigating through one or more of the plurality of paths corresponding to one or more of the plurality of map test cases; and determining a metric for the map based on the evaluating.

Abstract: Presented are pressure burst covers with electrical interlocks for battery vents, methods for making/using such covers, and motor vehicles equipped with such covers for detecting thermal events in lithium-class batteries. A battery assembly includes an electrochemical battery cell housed inside a battery container. The battery container includes a fluid port that evacuates therethrough cell-generated gases. A pressure burst cap is movably attached to the battery container to selectively transition from a closed position, whereat the cap covers the port, to an open position, whereat the cap partially or fully uncovers the port. An electrical interlock circuit, which is connected to a controller, includes a circuit lead that is attached to the pressure burst cap and battery container. The circuit lead holds the cap in the closed position and fails at a preset rupture force to create an open circuit signal within the electrical interlock circuit indicative of a thermal event.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electrode for use in an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions. The electrode has a thickness greater than or equal to about 50 micrometers to less than or equal to about 500 micrometers and includes an electroactive material, a polytetrafluoroethylene-based binder, and a porous crystalline material additive. For example, the electrode may include greater than or equal to about 0.01 wt. % to less than or equal to about 20 wt. % of the porous crystalline material additive, and greater than or equal to about 0.01 wt. % to less than or equal to about 20 wt. % of the polytetrafluoroethylene-based binder. The porous crystalline material additive is selected from the group consisting of: metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent-organic frameworks (COFs), and combinations thereof.

Abstract: An automatic rain response system includes microphones of a vehicle, windshield wipers, and a controller. The microphones generate acoustic signals in response to rain. The controller is configured to receive a local weather condition, extract acoustic features from the acoustic signals, form feature vectors in response to the acoustic features and the local weather condition, classify the feature vectors to determine a current class among multiple classes, activate the windshield the wipers at a high speed in response to the current class being a heavy rain on a windshield class, activate the windshield wipers at a medium speed in response to the current class being a freezing rain on the windshield class, activate the windshield wipers at a low speed in response to the current class being a light rain on the windshield class, and deactivate the windshield wipers in response to the current class being a no rain class.

Abstract: A method of extending connectivity of a recipient vehicle, which may be executed by a non-transitory computer-readable medium, is provided. During an ignition off state of the recipient vehicle, disabling a recipient cellular network access device (NAD) of the recipient vehicle and connecting to a low power communications source. The method communicates with a centralized location over the low power communications source. The low power communications source may be a recipient Bluetooth low energy (BLE) within the recipient vehicle. The method may connect to a donor vehicle proximate the recipient vehicle. The donor vehicle includes a donor NAD and a donor BLE, such that the donor NAD of the donor vehicle to communicates with the centralized location on behalf of the recipient vehicle.