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: 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: 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: A computer-implemented method for scheduling pre-departure charging for electric vehicles includes predicting a user-departure time based on a first machine learning prediction model. The method further includes determining a cabin temperature to be set for the user at the user-departure time based on a second machine learning prediction model. The method further includes determining a battery-temperature to be set at the user-departure time based on a third machine learning prediction model. The method further includes determining a present charge level of a battery of the electric vehicle. The method further includes computing a charging start-time to start charging the battery based on one or more attributes of a charging station to which the electric vehicle is coupled, and based on the user-departure time, the cabin temperature, and the battery-temperature. The method further includes initiating charging the battery at the charging start-time.

Abstract: A fuel tank system includes a fuel tank and a fuel pump assembly arranged in the fuel tank and including a fuel pump and a vacuum source. A fuel tank venting system includes a first vent valve arranged in the fuel tank. A storage vessel is arranged in the fuel tank and in fluid communication with the first vent valve. A first fluid line arranged in the fuel tank connecting the storage vessel to the vacuum source of the fuel pump assembly. A second fluid line connects the storage vessel to an evaporative emission system.

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: 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: For one embodiment, an autonomous vehicle system interacts with a chassis control system to provide enhanced driving modes based on current sensor signals. A computer-implemented method of selecting a driver mode of an autonomous vehicle is described. The computer-implemented method includes initializing, with a chassis control system, driving operations in a conservative driver mode of an autonomous vehicle. The computer-implemented further includes receiving, with a computing system, sensor signals from a sensor system of the autonomous vehicle and determining whether the sensor signals are received periodically. For periodically received sensor signals, the computer-implemented determines a capability level of a plurality of capability levels for the autonomous vehicle and switches from the conservative driver mode to a permissive driver mode when the capability level indicates full capability of the autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: For one embodiment of the present invention, a computer implemented method for determining force disturbance signals for a vehicle is described. The computer implemented method includes obtaining sensor signals from a sensor system of the vehicle to monitor driving operations and to determine localization of the vehicle. The computer implemented method further includes determining a set of parameters including vehicle pose estimation, velocity, acceleration, roll, pitch, yaw rate based on the localization and the sensor signals and determining force disturbance signals including lateral force disturbances for front and rear axle lateral accelerations and a total longitudinal force disturbance based on the localization and the sensor signals.

Abstract: Systems and methods of controlling an active safety feature of a vehicle are provided. The systems and methods receive radar data from a radar device of the vehicle and image data from a camera of the vehicle. Object detection and tracking processes are performed on the radar data and the image data to identify and track objects in an environment of the vehicle. Conditions are assessed with respect to identified objects to ascertain whether a radar track is erroneously reported as a separate object to a camera track. When the conditions are assessed to be true, an object corresponding to the camera track is used as an input for controlling an active safety feature of the vehicle and an object corresponding to the radar track is discounted for controlling the active safety feature of the vehicle.

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.

Abstract: A low phase noise radar system is disclosed. The system has a signal generator having a stable oscillator that outputs a first lower-frequency signal, a direct digital synthesis circuit that outputs an analog waveform, and a mixer to receive the first lower-frequency signal, and the analog waveform, the mixer to mix the first lower-frequency signal and the analog waveform to generate a signal generator output signal. The system further includes an up converter coupled with the signal generator to filter and to increase frequencies of the signal generator output signal to generate a filtered and frequency multiplied signal to be transmitted.

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: 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: 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: Architectures and techniques for initializing a simulation architecture are described. A platform model and an environment model are run on recorded data during a first period of time. The platform model and the environment model provide information to control modules. The platform model is run on a blended combination of recorded data and data from the set of control modules and the environment model is run on processed output data from the platform model during a second period of time. The platform model is run on data from the set of control modules and the environment model is run on output from the platform model from a previous period of time during a third period of time. Output signals from the platform model can be adjusted based on a subset of the recorded data during the first, second and/or third period of time.

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: 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.