Abstract: An autonomous vehicle having a lidar sensor system is described. A computing system is configured to determine that the lidar sensor system is to update a code that is included in light signals emitted by the lidar sensor system. The computing system transmits a command signal to the lidar sensor system, wherein the command signal causes the lidar sensor system to transition from emitting light signals with a first code therein to emitting light signals with a second code therein, wherein the first code is different from the second code.

Abstract: Presented are high-voltage electrical systems, control logic, and electric-drive vehicles with optimized motor torque output. A method of operating an electric-drive vehicle includes a controller identifying the vehicle's operating mode and determining calibration settings corresponding to this operating mode. These calibration settings include low and high coolant temperature (CoolTemp) thresholds, and motor-calibrated torque limits as a function of CoolTemp. The controller determines if the present CoolTemp of the power inverter's coolant is greater than the low CoolTemp threshold and less than the high CoolTemp threshold. If so, the controller sets a motor torque limit of the vehicle's electric motor to a torque limit value selected from a fixed torque limit region within the torque limits data between the low and high CoolTemp thresholds.

Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle includes a vehicle controller receiving a driver acceleration/deceleration command for the vehicle's powertrain and determining a torque request corresponding to the driver's acceleration command. The controller shapes the torque request and determines compensated and uncompensated accelerations from the shaped torque request. The compensated acceleration is based on an estimated road grade and an estimated vehicle mass, whereas the uncompensated acceleration is based on a zero road grade and a nominal vehicle mass. A final speed horizon profile is calculated as: a speed-control speed profile based on the uncompensated acceleration if the vehicle's speed is below a preset low vehicle speed; or a torque-control speed profile based on a blend of the compensated and uncompensated accelerations if the vehicle speed exceeds the preset low vehicle speed. The controller commands the powertrain to output a requested axle torque based on the final speed horizon profile.

Abstract: A method of making a calendered electrode for a battery cell comprises introducing a coated electrode having a first surface extending thereover. The coated electrode has a predetermined density of active materials for ion transport. The method further comprises selectively modifying the coated electrode by patterning the first surface to define a patterned electrode having a first portion and a second portion. After the step of selectively modifying, the method further comprises compressing the patterned electrode by calendering the first surface to provide the first portion having a first density of active materials and the second portion having a second density of active materials. The second density is greater than the first density to define the calendered electrode having a spatial variation of active material density.

Abstract: A multi-module battery pack includes a battery tray defining multiple battery tray compartments, battery modules each disposed within a corresponding one of the compartments, and a thermal barrier arranged in a predefined heat transfer path through the tray between an adjacent pair of the battery modules. The thermal barrier has a thickness of at least about 1 mm and a thermal conductivity of less than about 4 W/m-K, such that the thermal barrier blocks the heat transfer path to mitigate a thermal runaway event of one of the adjacent pair of battery modules. An electric powertrain system includes a rotary electric machine having phase leads and an output member, a driven load coupled to the output member, and the multi-module battery pack. A method includes providing the tray, identifying the heat transfer path, and arranging the thermal barrier in the heat transfer path.

Abstract: A draw bar stowage apparatus includes an opening through the bed floor of the cargo box of a pickup truck for receiving the insertion end of a draw bar. The stowage apparatus may include an additional bracket beneath the bed floor, bed protection, a plug and adjustable tether for securing a stowed draw bar.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to electrolyte systems and/or separators for electrochemical cells that cycle lithium ions and which may have lithium metal electrodes. The electrochemical cell includes a liquid electrolyte system that fills voids and pores within the electrochemical cell. The electrolyte system includes two or more lithium salts and two or more solvents. The two or more lithium salts include bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiN(FSO2)2) (LIFSI) and lithium perchlorate (LiClO4). The two or more solvents include a first solvent and a second solvent. The first solvent may be a fluorinated cyclic carbonate. The second solvent may be a linear carbonate. A volumetric ratio of the first solvent to the second solvent may be 1:4. The electrochemical cell may include a surface-modified separator that has one or more coatings or fillers.

Abstract: A composite panel for a vehicle includes a plurality of layers bonded together by resin. A sensing assembly is arranged between at least two of the plurality of layers. The sensing assembly includes at least one of a piezoelectric layer to sense vibration of the composite panel when installed on the vehicle and a thermopile configured to sense changes in temperature of the composite panel when installed on the vehicle. The sensing assembly further includes a transmitter configured to transmit data to the vehicle based on an output of the at least one of the piezoelectric layer and the thermopile.

Abstract: A control system includes a refrigerant recovery module and at least one of a valve control module and a compressor control module. The refrigerant recovery module is configured to generate a refrigerant recovery signal to initiate a recovery of refrigerant from a first heat exchanger of a thermal system for an electric vehicle, and to stop the refrigerant recovery based on a temperature of refrigerant circulating through the first heat exchanger. The valve control module is configured to open a first valve to allow refrigerant to flow through the first heat exchanger in response to the refrigerant recovery signal. The compressor control module is configured to increase a speed of a compressor disposed upstream from the first heat exchanger in response to the refrigerant recovery signal.

Abstract: A rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) includes a battery controller and battery modules, each respective module having battery cells, a cell sense board, and a semiconductor switch. The switch is connected in parallel with the cells within the respective module, and configured to conduct an electrical current during a thermal runaway propagation (TRP) event in which one or more cells is in an open-circuit state. This action bypasses the module and enables electrical components to be powered by the RESS during the TRP event. A battery electric system includes a direct current (“DC”) voltage bus, an electrical component connected thereto, the battery controller, and the RESS. A method for constructing the RESS includes connecting a respective semiconductor switch in parallel with the at least one battery cell of each respective one of the multiple battery modules, and electrically connecting the multiple battery modules together to construct the RESS.

Abstract: A vehicle control system for automated driver-assistance includes a low-resolution color camera that captures a color image of a field of view at a first resolution. The vehicle control system further includes a high-resolution scanning camera that captures a plurality of grayscale images, each of the grayscale images at a second resolution. The second resolution is higher than the first resolution. The grayscale images encompass the same field of view as the color image. The vehicle control system further includes one or more processors that perform a method that includes overlaying the plurality of grayscale images over the color image. The method further includes correcting motion distortion of one or more objects in the grayscale images. The method further includes generating a high-resolution output image by assigning color values to one or more pixels in the grayscale images based on the color image using a trained neural network.

Abstract: A motor control system includes: a voltage command module configured to determine a target d-axis voltage for an electric motor and a target q-axis voltage for the electric motor; a target frequency module configured to: selectively set a target switching frequency to a first predetermined switching frequency; and selectively set the target switching frequency to a second predetermined switching frequency that is at least 2 kilohertz (kHz) greater than the first predetermined switching frequency; and a switching module configured to: based on the target d-axis voltage and the target q-axis voltage, determine target pulse width modulation (PWM) duty cycles for phases, respectively, of the electric motor; and switch switches of legs of an inverter module connected to the phases of the electric motor at the target PWM duty cycles, respectively, and the target switching frequency.

Abstract: A roof for a vehicle upper body structure includes a body extending between a first side and a second side, and between a front end and a back end. The front end is configured to be coupled to a header. The body includes a polymer and a plurality of fibers. At least a portion of the body has a transparency of greater than 0% to less than or equal to about 20%. A header for a vehicle upper body structure includes an elongated body extending between a first side and a second side, a front end that is configured to be coupled to a windshield, and a back end that is configured to be coupled to a roof. The body includes a polymer and a plurality of fibers. At least a portion of the body has a transparency of greater than 0% to less than or equal to about 20%.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for detecting road user frustration due to autonomous vehicle driving behavior. An autonomous vehicle fleet can leverage information about typical road user behavior to create an index measuring the frustration level of other road users and/or likeability of autonomous vehicle behavior by other road users. Additionally, perception algorithms associated with sound detection and tracking can define human characteristics associated with frustrated drivers or other road users.

Abstract: Presented are intelligent vehicle communications systems for cellular link monitoring and failure detection, methods for making/using such systems, and vehicles equipped with such systems. A method for operating a wireless-enabled vehicle component of a motor vehicle includes a cellular communications device of the vehicle component detecting an uplink (or downlink) network data packet transmitted by (or to) the vehicle. An electronic vehicle controller then establishes an observation period as a function of the time at which the network data packet was transmitted. The opposite downlink (or uplink) of the wireless-enabled vehicle component is monitored to determine if a downlink (or uplink) network data packet is received within the observation period, thereby indicating detection of a cellular link failure.

Abstract: A fleet management system dispatches autonomous electric vehicles (AEVs) as on-demand power sources. The fleet management system receives a request for a power source including a location and data describing the amount of power requested. The fleet management system selects an AEV of the fleet to service the request based on the relative locations of the AEVs to the requested location, and based on the amount of power requested. The fleet management system instructs the selected AEV to drive to the location and supply power. The fleet management system instructs the selected AEV to disconnect and return to the charging station, and may instruct another AEV to continue fulfilling the request if additional power is needed.

Abstract: By way of example, there is disclosed a method of a device communicating messages in a vehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle (AV), including: participating in mutual authentication with a key server located on the vehicle; receiving from the key server a cryptographic key; using the cryptographic key for symmetric cryptography, comprising signing messages sent to or verifying messages received from another device of the vehicle; and clearing the cryptographic key at reboot.

Abstract: A visual perception system includes a scanning camera, color sensor with color filter array (CFA), and a classifier node. The camera captures full color pixel images of a target object, e.g., a traffic light, and processes the pixel images through a narrow band pass filter (BPF), such that the narrow BPF outputs monochromatic images of the target object. The color sensor and CFA receive the monochromatic images. The color sensor has at least three color channels each corresponding to different colors of spectral data in the monochromatic images. The classifier node uses a predetermined classification decision tree to classify constituent pixels of the monochromatic images into different color bins as a corresponding color of interest. The color of interest may be used to perform a control action, e.g., via an automated driver assist system (ADAS) control unit or an indicator device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for autonomous vehicle (AV) simulation and code build scheduling are provided. A method includes receiving a first task specification for a first task associated with a first AV simulation and/or a first AV code build, receiving, a second task specification for a second task associated with a second AV simulation and/or a second AV code build, and executing a portion of the first task concurrently with a portion of the second task based on the portion of the first task and the portion of the second task have different resource requirements. The portion of the first task is associated with one of an AV asset download, an AV code execution, or an AV artifact upload. The portion of the second task is associated with a different one of the AV asset download, the AV code execution, or the AV artifact upload.

Abstract: A battery system includes a multi-cell rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) and an electronic controller configured to process RESS cell data. The controller is programmed with a battery cell open circuit voltage (OCV) versus state of charge (SOC) data table used to calculate a peak OCV movement for a representative battery cell at predetermined capacity and maximum discharge/charge rate. The controller is configured to acquire voltage data for one of the cells during active RESS cycling. The controller is also configured to pass the acquired voltage data through a first-order lag filter algorithm to generate an overpredicted OCV for the subject cell. The controller is additionally configured to determine an overpredicted SOC value for the subject cell in the data table using an OCV value from the overpredicted OCV. Furthermore, the controller is configured to regulate the RESS using the determined overpredicted SOC value for the subject cell.