Abstract: A method of forming a component includes providing a work-piece blank from a formable material. The work-piece blank includes at least one section having a surface roughness greater than 1 ?m configured to facilitate efficient radiation of thermal energy therefrom when the work-piece blank is heated. The method also includes austenitizing the work-piece blank via heating the work-piece blank at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined amount of time to achieve an austenite microstructure in the at least one section and forestall oxidation of the work-piece blank. The method additionally includes transferring the austenitized work-piece blank into a forming press. The method also includes forming the component via the forming press from the austenitized work-piece blank. The method additionally includes quenching the component formed from the austenitized work-piece blank and cooling the formed component.

Abstract: A computing system that can receive an object search request from a user indicating a request to search for a specific object in an area traversed by one or more autonomous vehicle. The object search request can include a set of physical characteristics of the specific object. The computing system can then transmit a signal to an autonomous vehicle indicating a request for the autonomous vehicle to search for the specific object. The signal can cause the autonomous vehicle to transmit an image, selected based on a physical characteristic of the object, to the computing system. The computing system can then generate a score indicative of a difference between one or more physical characteristic of the object in the image and the specific object. The computing system can then selectively transmit the image to a mobile device operated by the user based on the score.

Abstract: A three-dimensional object may be manufactured using a powder bed fusion additive manufacturing technique. A layer of powder feed material may be distributed over a solid substrate and scanned with a high-energy laser beam to locally melt selective regions of the layer and form a pool of molten feed material. The pool of molten feed material may be exposed to gaseous nitrogen, carbon, or boron to respectively dissolve nitride, carbide, or boride ions into the pool of molten feed material to produce a molten nitrogen, carbon, or boron-containing solution. The molten nitrogen, carbon, or boron-containing solution may cool and solidify into a solid layer of fused nitride, carbide, or boride-containing material.

Abstract: Presented are hybrid metal and fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite wheels for vehicle wheel assemblies, methods for making/using such wheels, and motor vehicles equipped with such wheels. A wheel for a motor vehicle wheel assembly includes a wheel face with multiple spokes that are circumferentially spaced about and project radially outward from a central hub. The central hub rotatably attaches to the vehicle's body, e.g., via a corner module. The wheel face is fabricated, e.g., as a one-piece structure, from an FRP material. A wheel barrel, which circumscribes the wheel face, includes an annular rim that mounts thereon an inflatable tire. The wheel barrel is fabricated, e.g., as a one-piece structure, from a metallic material. Multiple overmold through holes and/or inset tabs are circumferentially spaced about the annular rim. The FRP material extends through and/or surrounds the overmold through holes/inset tabs and thereby mounts the wheel face to the wheel barrel.

Abstract: An electrolyte for a lithium metal battery including a nonaqueous aprotic organic solvent and a lithium salt dissolved or ionized in the nonaqueous aprotic organic solvent. The nonaqueous aprotic organic solvent includes a cyclic carbonate, an acyclic carbonate, and an acyclic fluorinated ether. The lithium salt includes an aliphatic fluorinated disulfonimide lithium salt.

Abstract: A method for detecting thermal runaway of a cell includes: positioning a battery pack having multiple cells in an automobile vehicle; measuring a cell voltage of the multiple cells at a predetermined sample rate; and identifying if the cell voltage decreases and modulates coincident with a cell surface temperature increase indicating initiation of a cell short.

Abstract: Systems and methods for vehicle motion control are provided. The method includes: calculating a correction factor using one of three different sets of operations when the vehicle is performing a limit handling maneuver, wherein the correction factor is calculated using a first set of operations when the vehicle is operating in an understeer state, calculated using a second set of operations when the vehicle is operating in an oversteer state, and calculated using a third set of operations when the vehicle is operating in a neutral steer state; adjusting a desired lateral acceleration and a desired yaw rate by applying the correction factor to account for a reduced level of friction experienced by the vehicle when traveling on a non-ideal friction surface; calculating optimal control actions based on the adjusted desired lateral acceleration and adjusted desired yaw rate; and applying the optimal control actions with vehicle actuators during vehicle operations.

Abstract: A reinforced composite assembly includes a first sheet made of carbon fiber and having a first perimeter, a second sheet made of a non-carbon fiber material and having a second perimeter, wherein the second sheet is disposed atop the first sheet within the first perimeter, and a metallic plate having a third perimeter, wherein the metallic plate is disposed atop the second sheet within the second perimeter. The metallic plate has a plurality of holes formed therein about a perimeter of the metallic plate and defining a plurality of respective bridge portions between each of the holes and an adjacent outer edge of the metallic plate, and/or a plurality of extensions extending outward from a main portion of the metallic plate. A first arrangement of thread stitching secures each of the bridge portions and extensions to the second sheet or to the first and second sheets.

Abstract: A method for controlling an electric drive unit (EDU) having a motor-driven torque converter includes receiving a request signal indicative of a requested output torque of the EDU, and operating the motor at a target motor speed using the requested output torque. The target motor speed minimizes system losses while achieving the requested output torque. When the requested output torque remains below a calibrated threshold and a turbine speed is less than a corner speed of the motor, a torque converter clutch (TCC) transitions to or remains in a locked state. The controller commands the TCC to transition to an unlocked state to reach the target motor speed, thereby selectively enabling torque multiplication. A powertrain system includes a driven load and the EDU. A computer readable storage medium may include executable instructions for performing the method.

Abstract: A capacitor-assisted electrode for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is provided. The capacitor-assisted electrode may include at least two electroactive materials disposed on one or more surfaces of a current collector. A first electroactive material of the at least two electroactive materials may have a first reversible specific capacity and forms a first electroactive material having a first press density. A second electroactive material of the at least two electroactive materials has a second reversible specific capacity and forms a second electroactive material having a second press density. The second reversible specific capacity may be different from the first reversible specific capacity. The second press density may be different from the first press density. One or more capacitor materials may be disposed on or intermingled with one or more of the at least two electroactive materials.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode current collector spaced apart from the positive electrode, and an ionically conductive electrolyte disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode current collector. The negative electrode current collector is of unitary one-piece construction and has a three-dimensional porous structure that defines an interconnected network of open pores. During charging of the electrochemical cell, lithium metal is deposited within the open pores of the negative electrode current collector.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for monitoring the structural integrity of a vehicle. In particular, systems and methods are provided for using transducers positioned at various location in and on a vehicle to measure parameters related vehicle structural health. In various implementations, the integrity of the vehicle frame and the integrity of the vehicle body are monitored using a multi-axis accelerometer and/or microphone. The use of transducers for monitoring can replace time-consuming and expensive manual inspections.

Abstract: A system may include one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions, the instructions when executed to instruct one or more processors to: receive a platform-independent access binding data structure (a PIAB data structure), the PIAB data structure comprising a platform-independent representation of a subject class, a verb, an object, and a binding comprising a permission for the subject class to perform the verb on the object; convert the PIAB data structure to a first platform-specific binding for a first target platform; and cause the first platform-specific binding to be implemented on the first target platform.

Abstract: Presented are active thermal management (ATM) systems with multi-purpose reservoirs for liquid-immersion cooled battery assemblies, methods for making/using such systems, and motor vehicles equipped with such systems. An ATM system for a battery assembly includes a coolant reservoir that stows a liquid immersion cooling (LIC) fluid, and an inlet manifold that fluidly connects the reservoir to the battery assembly's battery case to transfer LIC fluid into an immersion compartment within the battery case. An outlet manifold fluidly connects the battery case to the reservoir to transfer fluid out from the immersion compartment. An auxiliary vent manifold selectively fluidly connects the battery case to the reservoir responsive to a predefined thermal event to thereby transfer LIC fluid and battery cell vent gases from the immersion compartment to the reservoir. A gas valve, which is fluidly connected to the reservoir, selectively evacuates therefrom the vent gases at a predefined internal reservoir pressure.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are provided for a vehicle tethered by a hitch to a trailer. The method includes generating sensor data from one or more sensors that are responsive to forces applied to the hitch by a vehicle mechanically coupled to the hitch; receiving sensor data to compute a direction for the guidance of the trailer; monitoring a set of parameters reflecting forces in a lateral and traverse direction derived from data generated by the sensors wherein the set of parameters include at least one parameter of a magnitude of force, and at least one parameter of the direction of force acting upon the hitch; and calculating at least a rate-of-change of the magnitude of force and direction over time to determine a trajectory for the trailer that enables the trailer to follow the lead vehicle without a tractive effort of the lead vehicle.

Abstract: Multi-sensor radar microDoppler holography is described. An example of a method includes performing a 2D Fourier transform calculation for multiple sets of raw Radar sensor data to generate Doppler spatial frequency map data, the raw sensor data including at least a first set of raw sensor data associated with a first Radar sensor at a first location and a second set of raw sensor data associated with a second Radar sensor at a second, different location; performing a DWT calculation of the Doppler spatial frequency map data; applying phase compensation to generate phase compensated data transforms; adding the phase compensated data transforms to generate a sum; performing an inverse 2D Fourier transform calculation to generate a transform result; and extracting microDoppler information and Doppler information extraction from the transform result.

Abstract: A method of operating a motor vehicle includes a vehicle controller receiving, from a first feedback sensor of an HV component, a first feedback signal indicative of an electrical characteristic of the HV component, and then detecting an HV system fault if the first feedback signal is less than a predefined electrical threshold. Upon detecting the system fault, the controller commands the HV component to operate at a commanded set-point; after sending the command, the controller receives, from a second feedback sensor of the HV component, a second feedback signal indicative of an operating characteristic of the HV component. An HV pathway failure is detected if the second feedback signal is not equal to or within a predefined operating range of the commanded set-point. Upon detecting the pathway failure in an HV electrical pathway of the HV component, the vehicle controller transmits a command signal to take a remedial action.

Abstract: An optical system, and method related thereto, includes a camera configured to capture images. The camera has an adaptive aperture plane configured to change both an aperture size and an aperture shape in response to an aperture signal. The camera also includes a first polarized surface and second polarized surface positioned relative to the adaptive aperture plane, such that light strikes the first polarized surface, the adaptive aperture plane, then the second polarized surface. First and second lenses may be located on opposite sides of the adaptive aperture plane. An image sensor is beyond the second polarized surface and configured to output image signals, and a processor is configured to execute image perception algorithms based on the image signals. The image perception algorithms alter the aperture size and the aperture shape by sending an aperture signal from the processor to the camera for subsequent captured images.