Abstract: A multi-cell rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) includes a plurality of battery cells organized into battery modules and a first enclosure configured to house the battery modules. The RESS also includes a first vent arranged on the first enclosure and configured to direct air from inside the first enclosure to an environment external to the first enclosure. The RESS additionally includes a second vent arranged on the first enclosure and configured to direct air into the first enclosure from the environment external to the first enclosure. The RESS further includes a phase-change material (PCM) device arranged on the second vent and configured to melt in response to at least one of the battery modules experiencing a thermal runaway event. In combination with the first vent, the PCM generates crossflow ventilation through the first enclosure to cool the battery modules therein and mitigate thermal runaway.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for preparing an electroactive material for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions. The method includes immersing a plurality of electroactive material particles in an aqueous solution and adding one or more fluorinated lithium salts to the aqueous solution to form a protective particle coating on each of the electroactive material particles of the plurality of electroactive material particles, where the plurality of electroactive material particles defines the electroactive material. The protective particle coatings are continuous coatings that cover greater than or equal to about 95% of a total exposed surface area of each electroactive material particle of the plurality of electroactive material particles.

Abstract: Particular embodiments described herein provide for a system and method to help prevent condensation inside an enclosure that includes an electronic system. The system and method can determine a current relative humidity of an environment inside an enclosure that houses the electronic system, use the current relative humidity and the current maximum temperature to determine a dew point for the environment inside the enclosure, activate one or more heating elements inside the enclosure when the current minimum temperature is the same or lower than the dew point for the environment inside the enclosure, activate one or more embedded fans, and open one or more vents to help purge moisture out of the system during heating. When the current minimum temperature is higher than the dew point for the environment inside the enclosure, the system and method can allow the electronic system to power on.

Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure provide an apparatus comprising: a wiper assembly and a sensor assembly. The wiper assembly may include: a linkage assembly; a wiper blade removably attached to the linkage assembly; and a actuator coupled to the linkage assembly and configured to enable rotation of the linkage assembly around a shaft. The sensor assembly may include: a plurality of optical sensors arranged along a linear axis; and a window between the plurality of optical sensors and the wiper assembly. The wiper blade is longitudinally oriented parallel to the linear axis, and the wiper blade is configured to translate in a direction perpendicular to the linear axis while maintaining contact with the window during translation.

Abstract: A control system for a vehicle using a forward-facing camera includes a look ahead module configured to determine a distance to a look ahead point. A lane center module determines a location of a lane center line. A vehicle center line module determines a location of a vehicle center line. A first lateral offset module determines a first lateral offset based on the look ahead point and the determined lane center line. A second lateral offset module determines a second lateral offset based on the determined lane center line and the vehicle center line. A yaw angle offset calculating module receives the first lateral offset, the second lateral offset and the distance to the look ahead point, calculates a yaw angle offset, and compensates a yaw angle error based on the yaw angle offset.

Abstract: A system for determining and presenting visual representations includes a receiving module configured to receive a set of coordinates representing one or more geographic locations of one or more features of interest, and an analysis module configured to define a region corresponding to the set of coordinates, the region having an extent based on a level of uncertainty associated with the one or more features of interest. The system also includes a visualization module configured to generate a visual representation of the defined region and present the visual representation on a map.

Abstract: A system in a vehicle includes a first winding section including first two or more windings and a second winding section including second two or more windings. Each of the second two or more windings corresponds to one of the first two or more windings of the first winding section. The system also includes an inverter including a high side switch and a low side switch corresponding to each of the first two or more windings. The inverter is coupled to a battery of the vehicle and boosts a voltage of a direct current (DC) charger during charging of the battery with the DC charger, converts alternating current (AC) from an AC grid to DC during charging of the battery with the AC grid, and converts DC to AC during supply of the AC grid by the battery.

Abstract: Systems and method are provided for controlling a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, by a controller onboard the vehicle, lidar data from the lidar device; receiving, by the controller, image data from the camera device; computing, by the controller, an edge map based on the lidar data; computing, by the controller, an inverse distance transformation (IDT) edge map based on the image data; aligning, by the controller, points of the IDT edge map with points of the lidar edge map to determine extrinsic parameters; storing, by the controller, extrinsic parameters as calibrations in a data storage device; and controlling, by the controller, the vehicle based on the stored calibrations.

Abstract: Systems and methods of making a cast steel alloy crankshaft for an internal combustion engine are provided. The method comprises providing a mold of the crankshaft. The mold has cavities to form the crankshaft. The method further comprises melting a first metallic material at between 1400 degrees Celsius (° C.) and 1600° C. to define a molten metallic material. In addition, the method further comprises feeding the molten metallic material at a riser connection angle of between 30° and 75° in the cavities of the negative sand cast mold. The method further comprises cooling the molten metallic material at a solidification time of between 5 seconds (sec) and 20 sec in the negative sand cast mold with at least one chill member to define a solidified metallic material having dimensions of the cast steel alloy crankshaft. Furthermore, the method comprises separating the solidified metallic material from the negative sand cast mold to define the cast steel alloy crankshaft.

Abstract: A system for analyzing images includes a processing device includes a receiving module configured to receive an image, and an analysis module configured to apply the received image to a machine learning network and classify one or more features in the received image, the machine learning network configured to propagate image data through a plurality of convolutional layers, each convolutional layer of the plurality of convolutional layers including a plurality of filter channels, the machine learning network including a bottleneck layer configured to recognize an image feature based on a shape of an image component, The system also includes an output module configured to output characterization data that includes a classification of the one or more features.

Abstract: A method for finding an optimum trailer gain, comprising: applying trailer brake pulses to a trailer while a vehicle is coasting using a trailer brake of a trailer, wherein the trailer is coupled to the vehicle; monitoring an average deceleration of the vehicle and the trailer brake gain of the trailer brake pulses applied to the trailer while the vehicle is coasting; generating a graph of the average deceleration of the vehicle versus the trailer brake gain, wherein the graph includes a curve that illustrates a relationship between the average deceleration of the vehicle and the trailer brake gain of the trailer brake pulses applied to the trailer while the vehicle is coasting; and finding a bend point of the curve in the graph to determine an optimum trailer brake gain.

Abstract: A computer is provided for a fuel cell propulsion system of a motor vehicle. The computer includes one or more processors receiving a temperature signal from one or more temperature sensors and a pressure signal from one or more pressure sensors. The computer further includes a non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions, such that the processor is programmed to determine a feedback correction based on the temperature of the coolant and the pressure drop of the coolant across the fuel cell stack. The processor is further programmed to generate a pump command signal based on the feedback correction and a nominal pump command, with the pump command signal actuating a pump to pump coolant at a target pump speed.

Abstract: A blind spot warning system is provided for a motor vehicle having a longitudinal axis and a steering shaft. The system includes a steering angle sensor (SAS), which is coupled to the steering shaft and generates a steering signal associated with a wheel angle in response to the steering shaft rotating. The system further includes a computer having one or more processors and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions. The processor is programmed to determine a blind spot region extending from a sideview mirror of the motor vehicle and based on the wheel angle. The processor is further programmed to generate an actuation signal associated with the blind spot region. The system further includes one or more light projectors that project a light onto a roadway adjacent to the motor vehicle to indicate a current size and a current location of the blind spot region.

Abstract: An antimicrobial interior component for a vehicle includes an interior component body having a contoured surface. The interior component also includes an antimicrobial jacket assembly having a first piece and a second piece coupled together and disposed over the contoured surface. The antimicrobial jacket assembly defines at least one touch surface disposed over the contoured surface of the interior component body. The first piece and the second piece each includes an antimicrobial metal material configured to prevent or minimize microbes from accumulating on the at least one touch surface.

Abstract: An under hood storage system of a vehicle includes an under hood storage compartment located in an under hood area of a vehicle, and a hood assembly that, when in a closed position closes the under hood storage compartment. The hood assembly includes an under hood panel having a first portion formed from a first material, and a second portion surrounding the first portion defining an outer perimeter of the under hood panel. The second portion is formed from a second material softer than the first material. One or more attachment features secure the under hood panel to the hood assembly. The under hood panel interacts with the under hood storage compartment to close the under hood storage compartment.

Abstract: A vehicle and a system and method of operating the vehicle based on a gesture made by a traffic director. The system includes a camera and at least one neural network. The camera obtains an image of a flag operator. The at least one neural network is to generates an encoded hand vector based on a configuration of a hand of the traffic director from the image, combines a skeleton of the traffic director generated from the image and the encoded hand vector to generate a representation vector, and predicts a gesture of the traffic director from the representation vector.

Abstract: A system is provided for mitigating a road network congestion. The system includes a plurality of motor vehicles positioned in associated locations in a road network. Each vehicle has one or more sensors generating an input and a Telematics Control Unit (TCU) for generating at least one location signal for a location of the associated motor vehicle and at least one event signal for an event related to the associated motor vehicle, with the location signal and the event signal corresponding to a High Speed Vehicle Telemetry Data (HSVT data) based on the input from the sensors. The system further includes a computer, which communicates with a display device and the TCUs. The computer includes a processor and a computer readable medium including instructions, such that the processor is programmed to identify the congestion and determine that the congestion is a recurring or a non-recurring congestion.

Abstract: An optically transparent coplanar microwave slot antenna is provided including a conductive mesh and a feedline connectively coupled to the conductive mesh wherein the conductive mesh includes a plurality of Christmas tree shaped slots arranged in a dipole configuration wherein each of the plurality of Christmas tree shaped slots is formed from a triangular slot, a trapezoidal slot and a rectangular slot.

Abstract: A method of making a die cast part having high wear resistance is provided. The method comprises providing a mold and an insert pin. The mold comprises an interior surface defining a cavity. The mold comprises a bore formed through the interior surface. The insert pin has a magnetic core having a magnetic field and a barrier disposed about the magnetic core. The insert pin is disposed in the bore and extends into the cavity. The method comprises filling the mold with metallic material such that the metallic material is in contact with the insert pin to define a contact layer. The method comprises modifying iron content within the contact layer with the magnetic field to define an outer layer and an inner layer formed between the outer layer and the insert pin. The inner layer has 3-5 wt % Fe and the outer layer has 0.01-0.5 wt % Fe.

Abstract: A system for context-based adaptive virtual experience control in a vehicle is provided. The system includes an output device configured for providing a sensory output to a user of the vehicle and a computerized virtual experience control module configured for controlling the output device based upon a virtual experience mode. The system further includes a computerized context-based adaptive control module configured for monitoring contextual data related to one of the user of the vehicle or operation of the vehicle, monitoring feedback from the user related to one of favor or disfavor related to the virtual experience mode, and utilizing the contextual data and the feedback from the user to selectively, automatically command activation of the virtual experience mode.