Abstract: A computing system that analyzes the network effects of avoidance areas on autonomous vehicle routing is described herein. The computing system includes a data store that comprises a set of avoidance areas through which the autonomous vehicle is prohibited from being routed. A routing system generates an initial route from a source location to a target location irrespective of avoidance areas included on the initial route. When a number of avoidance areas on the initial route exceed a predetermined threshold, one or more alternative routes are generated from the source location to the target location that respectively circumvent a corresponding identified avoidance area on the initial route. Metrics are evaluated for the one or more alternative routes and a subset of avoidance areas are outputted to desirably be removed from the set of avoidance areas.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to solid-state batteries and methods for forming solid-state batteries. The method includes contacting a polymeric precursor and an assembled battery including two or more electrodes defining a space therebetween, where the polymeric precursor fills the space defined between the two or more electrodes and any voids between the solid-state electroactive particles of each electrode; and reacting the polymeric precursor to form a polymeric gel electrolyte that forms a solid-state electrolyte layer in the space between the two or more electrodes and fills the voids between the solid-state electroactive particles of the electrodes. In other instances the method includes disposing the polymeric precursor on exposed surfaces of an electrode and reacting the polymeric precursor to form the solid-state electrolyte.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a driver in an autonomous vehicle includes monitoring, with a driver monitoring system, a driver of a vehicle, collecting, with a data processor, data from the driver monitoring system related to gaze behavior of the driver, classifying, with the data processor, the driver as one of a plurality of driver statuses based on the data from the driver monitoring system, and sending, with the data processor, instructions to at least one vehicle system based on the classification of the driver.

Abstract: An electrode including an electrode active material and a mesoporous film coating at least a portion of the electrode active material is provided. The mesoporous film coats at least a portion of the electrode active material and includes M2SiO3, MAlO2, M2O—Al2O3—SiO2, or combinations thereof, where M is lithium (Li), sodium (Na), or a combination thereof. Methods of fabricating the electrode are also provided.

Abstract: Presented are intelligent fuel cell systems (FCS) with logic for evacuating water from anode headers of a fuel cell stack, methods for making/using such systems, and vehicles equipped with such systems. A method of operating an FCS includes a system controller confirming the FCS is running and, once confirmed, receiving a bleed request to remove exhaust gas from exhaust output by the anode. Responsive to the bleed request, the controller determines a total bleed valve use (TBVU) indicating prior bleed requests completed by an anode bleed valve, and thereafter determines if the TBVU is less than a maximum bleed valve use (MBVU). If so, the controller responsively commands the bleed valve to bleed the exhaust gas from the anode exhaust. If TBVU is not less than MBVU, the controller commands a header drain valve to bleed the exhaust gas from the anode exhaust and drain water from the anode header.

Abstract: An apparatus for dilution of hydrogen concentration in a fuel cell exhaust system is provided. The apparatus includes a fuel cell exhaust line configured for receiving a flow of gas from a connected fuel cell and including a flow of hydrogen gas. The apparatus further includes a mixing chamber disposed to receive the flow of hydrogen gas and configured for mixing a flow of air with the flow of hydrogen gas. The mixing chamber includes a mixing mesh including at least one tab feature configured for altering a flow direction of at least a portion of one of the flow of hydrogen gas and for creating a turbulent flow region within the mixing chamber.

Abstract: A system for detecting one or more characteristics of an object within an automotive vehicle includes one or more sensors mounted within an interior of the vehicle or on an exterior of the vehicle, with each sensor being configured to detect a location, an orientation, a size and/or an object type of the object, and a controller operably connected with the one or more sensors and configured to assess whether the object is disposed in a predetermined alertworthy disposition. A method for detecting characteristics of the object within the vehicle includes determining the location, orientation, size and/or object type of the object using the one or more sensors, and assessing whether the object is disposed in a predetermined alertworthy disposition.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a vehicle are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving image data defining a plurality of images associated with an environment of the vehicle; receiving vehicle data indicating a velocity of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle data is associated with the image data; determining, by a processor, feature points within at least one image based on the vehicle data and a three dimensional projection method; selecting, by the processor, a subset of the feature points as ground points; determining, by the processor, a ground plane based on the subset of feature points; determining, by the processor, a ground normal vector from the ground plane; determining, by the processor, a camera to ground alignment value based on the ground normal vector; and generating, by the processor, second image data based on the camera to ground alignment value.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for distance calibration of an autonomous vehicle in a nominally short distance calibration environment. In particular, apparatus, methods and systems are provided using reflective materials to artificially augment a distance to a known target. In various implementations, reflective planes are disposed in pathway between the autonomous vehicle and target. Targets of known sizes can be used to calculated a distance from the autonomous vehicle to the target. Utilizing the known optical pathway, a calibration can be performed. With the aid of an Autonomous Vehicle Rotation Table, the autonomous vehicle is rotated such that a matrix of range-angle calibrations can be executed. Frequency spectra include LiDAR and radar, but any suitable bandwidth and/or detection protocol is not beyond the scope of the present disclosure.

Abstract: A structural battery pack includes a bottom cover, a bottom cell carrier, multiple battery cells, a cooling ribbon, a top cell carrier, and a top cover. The bottom cover has a rectangular shape that defines a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction. The bottom cell carrier is coupled to the bottom cover, and defines multiple bottom holders. The bottom holders are arranged in a hexagon pattern that defines multiple rows in the longitudinal direction and multiple columns in the lateral direction. The top cell carrier is coupled to the top cover, defines multiple top holders, and includes an interconnect board that interconnects the battery cells. The top holders are arranged in the hexagon pattern. The battery cells are installed in the bottom cell carrier and the top cell carrier. Each battery cell has a cylindrical shape. The cooling ribbon is installed between the battery cells along the rows.

Abstract: An electrode including an electrochemical layer defining a surface having a plurality of dimples formed thereon is provided. The dimples have an average lateral size greater than or equal to about 100 nm to less than or equal to about 100 ?m, and an average depth greater than or equal to about 100 nm to less than or equal to about 50 ?m. In certain variations, the dimples are formed in situ by applying a current to the electrochemical layer. In other variations, the dimples are formed by moving a roller having a plurality of shapes defined thereon along one or more surfaces of the electrochemical layer. In still other variations, the dimples are formed by contacting one or more surfaces of the electrochemical layer with a chemical etchant.

Abstract: A thick cathode is provided. The thick cathode includes a current collector and a coating disposed on the current collector and formed from an electrode composition. The electrode composition includes an active material, a conductive carbon filler, and a binder including carboxylic acid groups on a polymer backbone. The thick cathode has a surface and an energy density of at least 4 milliamp hours per square centimeter of the surface.

Abstract: A solid-state battery system including a graphite anode is provided. The system includes a battery cell. The battery cell includes the graphite anode, a cathode, and a solid electrolyte layer. The graphite anode includes a plurality of graphite particles, wherein the plurality of graphite particles includes a first portion of the plurality of graphite particles including a plurality of relatively high specific surface area graphite particles and a second portion of the plurality of graphite particles including a plurality of relatively low specific surface area graphite particles. The solid electrolyte layer is disposed between the graphite anode and the cathode and is operable to provide lithium-ion conduction path between the graphite anode and the cathode.

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 sensor target to be coupled to the gear set and to rotate with the gear set. The sensor target includes at least one target. The transmission system includes a sensor spaced apart from the sensor target by a gap. The sensor is configured to observe the at least one target of the sensor target to determine a rotation speed of the shaft.

Abstract: Presented are motor control systems, vehicles, and methods for generating motor heat while holding an offset motor torque during stationary vehicle operation. A method of operating an AC motor includes a resident or remote vehicle controller receiving a mode request to operate a vehicle in a stationary mode, and a temperature request including the AC motor generating motor heat during the stationary operating mode. The controller determines an offset motor torque to generate the motor heat and hold the AC motor's output member at a select position when operating the vehicle in the stationary mode. Using a DQ transform model of the AC motor, the controller selects multiple dq current trajectories located in respective dq operating quadrants of the DQ transform model based on the offset motor torque. The controller then commands a power inverter to transmit electrical current to the AC motor based on the select dq current trajectories.

Abstract: A spatial monitoring system employs a partial dimension iterative closest point analysis to provide improved accuracy for point cloud registration. The partial dimension iterative closest point analysis improves registration accuracy by performing optimization in accordance with an error magnitude of each dimension, wherein dimensions having large initial errors are significantly improved, and dimensions having high initial accuracy are further improved. The registration separately optimizes each dimension using surfaces with contributing information for the optimized dimension.

Abstract: A system for adaptive in-drive updating, for a vehicle travelling on a route, includes a controller adapted to obtain a pre-drive energy consumption prediction for the route, via an energy consumption predictor. An in-drive updating module is selectively executable by the controller at a timepoint during the route at which a completed portion of the route has been traversed and a remaining portion remains untraversed. The controller is adapted to obtain an actual energy consumption for segments in the completed portion of the route. The controller is adapted to obtain at least one modification factor based on a comparison of the actual energy consumption and the pre-drive energy consumption prediction for the segments in the completed portion of the route. The pre-drive energy consumption prediction for the remaining portion of the route is adjusted based on the modification factor.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a vehicle are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes: receiving image data defining a plurality of images associated with an environment of the vehicle; determining, by a processor, feature points within at least one image of the plurality of images; selecting, by the processor, a subset of the feature points as ground points; determining, by the processor, a ground plane based on the subset of feature points; determining, by the processor, a ground normal vector from the ground plane; determining, by the processor, the ground normal vector based on a sliding widow method; determining, by the processor, a camera to ground alignment value based on the ground normal vector; and generating, by the processor, second image data based on the camera to ground alignment value.

Abstract: A map database stores data describing a set of connected roadways, each having one or more lanes. A coverage system selects lanes from the map database along which AVs can stop, such as parking lanes. The coverage system generates buffer regions for each of the stopping lanes, where each buffer region includes an area within a given distance of the respective lane. The coverage system combines the buffer regions to generate a coverage area, and provides a display of the coverage area overlayed over a map of roads corresponding to the coverage area.

Abstract: Architectures and techniques for assessing relative vehicle performance utilizing data gathered by monitoring other vehicles are disclosed. Operational information is gathered for a host platform and for at least one other platform that shares an operating environment with the host platform. Multiple evaluations are performed on the operational information for the host platform and on the operational information for at least one other platform. Host platform performance is evaluated based on results from the evaluations on the operational information from the host platform and on results from the operational information from at least one other platform. One or more operational parameters corresponding to the host platform are adjusted based on the evaluation.