Abstract: A system includes a state of charge (SOC) calculation module configured to calculate an SOC of a battery cell based on a measured current of the battery cell and an overpotential calculation module configured to receive the measured current and output lagged currents based on the measured current and respective time constants, output a weighted measured current and weighted lagged currents based on a plurality of weighting factors, wherein a sum of the plurality of weighting factors is 1, calculate an equivalent constant current corresponding to the measured current based on the weighted measured current and the weighted lag currents, and calculate an overpotential of the battery cell based on the equivalent constant current. The system is configured to output a predicted voltage of the battery cell based on the calculated SOC and the calculated overpotential of the battery cell.

Abstract: An electric drive system, method and apparatus includes a rechargeable energy storage unit, a power inverter, and a rotary electric machine. Transfer of electrical power between the rechargeable energy storage unit and the rotary electric machine is governed by a pulse width modulation (PWM) switching frequency, which is one of a non-six-step switching mode or a six-step switching mode. Executable instructions determine a rotational speed, a torque command, a torque direction, a bus voltage, and a hysteresis band, determine a modulation index command in response to the rotational speed, the torque command, the torque direction, and the bus voltage, and command operation of the rotary electric machine in one of the non-six-step switching mode or the six-step switching mode employing the modulation index command.

Abstract: Air management systems are provided for optimizing airflow in laser welding with deflectors. A system for a welder includes a blower to generate an airflow stream. A plenum receives the airflow stream, directs it toward the workpiece, and defines an outlet facing the workpiece to expel the airflow stream toward the workpiece. A deflector adjacent the outlet is formed as a conical section converging from the plenum toward the workpiece, and is defined by an angled wall with an open center. The deflector concentrates the airflow stream to impart a velocity increase to the airflow stream after leaving the outlet and to impart a favorable directional component to the airflow stream toward a weld zone, as well as protecting the laser lens by increasing the downward momentum force of the air stream to eliminate the potential of spatter impinging the lens.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for temperature regulation in an autonomous vehicle. In particular, systems and methods are provided for regulating the interior temperature of a delivery container in an autonomous vehicle. In various implementations, the delivery container includes one or more compartments, and a thermal management system is provided for regulating the temperature of each of the compartments.

Abstract: A fleet management system implements a rewards-based feedback system to receive feedback from users of a rideshare service that provides rides using autonomous vehicles (AVs). The fleet management system maintains user accounts associated with each user and provides reward points to each user account. When the user is riding in an AV, the user can access a user interface to select a portion of the reward points and reward them to the AV. The fleet management system may analyze the point rewards to identify individual user preferences, to identify preferences across users, or to identify AVs for maintenance or other types of modification.

Abstract: An electric vehicle charging port includes a pair of charging pins each connected to a respective charging cable by a base. A pair of porous metallic cages surround the base of the pair of charging pins. A phase change material disposed in the pair of porous metallic cages and a vapor chamber is disposed between the base of the pair of charging pins and the pair of porous cage. The phase change material with an optional vapor chamber and high thermal conductivity (metal or graphite) foam or mesh to provide faster response of transient heat generation.

Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to techniques for providing augmented reality (AR) navigation assistance to users of an autonomous vehicle (AV) ride hailing service. In some aspects, a process for implementing the disclosed technology can include steps for navigating an autonomous vehicle (AV) along a route terminating in a drop-off location specified by a rider of the AV, detecting an arrival of the AV at the drop-off location, sending location information of the AV to a mobile device associated with the rider, and initializing augment reality (AR) guidance for the rider on the mobile device, wherein the AR guidance is configured to provide the rider with navigation information pertaining to the drop-off location. Systems and computer-readable media are also provided.

Abstract: A compound dowel for positioning a first component defining a first aperture relative to a second component defining a second aperture in a motor vehicle body structure in response to a determined misalignment between the first and second components includes a compensation pin. The compensation pin is selected in response to the determined misalignment and configured to be inserted into the second aperture. The compensation pin has a center axis and an indexing feature configured to orient and fix the compensation pin to the first component. The compound dowel also includes a nominal pin arranged parallel to the center axis and offset therefrom by a distance. The nominal pin is configured to be inserted through the first aperture, such that position of the first component is set relative to the second component. A method of positioning components in a vehicle body structure using a compound dowel is also considered.

Abstract: A system for controlling fluid temperature in a thermal system includes a heat source, a heat sink coupled to the heat source, a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, a first expansion valve configured to regulate the flow of coolant between the heat source and the first heat exchanger, a second expansion valve configured to regulate the flow of coolant between the heat source and the second heat exchanger, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine an operating condition of the thermal system and generate a first control signal to control the first and second expansion valves to direct the flow of coolant to the first and second heat exchangers. The first and second expansion valves are arranged in parallel to recover heat rejected from the coolant and distribute the recovered heat to the first and second heat exchangers.

Abstract: A passively activated flow control device including a valve body configured to be mounted in a vehicle. The valve body includes an inlet and an outlet. A valve member is arranged at the valve body for selectively opening and closing flow between the inlet and the outlet. The valve member is responsive to acceleration induced forces on the vehicle to shift from one of an open configuration and a closed configuration toward the other of the open configuration and the closed configuration.

Abstract: Methods for ultrasonic welding of thermoplastic polymer workpieces and assemblies made therefrom are provided. The method may comprise disposing a first region of a first thermoplastic polymer workpiece and a second region of a second thermoplastic polymer workpiece between an ultrasonic horn and an anvil of an ultrasonic welding device. The first workpiece has a preformed deformation and at least one of the first and/or second workpieces has an adhesive precursor applied thereto. The ultrasonic horn or anvil seats within the preformed deformation. Ultrasonic energy is applied from the ultrasonic horn to create a weld nugget between the first and second workpieces. The assembly thus formed has a green strength sufficient to be further processed immediately. The methods provide a robust weld joint with controlled adhesive bondline thickness.

Abstract: An ego vehicle includes decider modules and a grader module coupled to a resolver module. The decider modules generate trajectory decisions at a current time, generate a current two-dimensional slice of a flat space around the ego vehicle, generate future two-dimensional slices of the flat space by projecting the current two-dimensional slice of the flat space forward in time, and generate a three-dimensional state space by stacking the current two-dimensional slice and the future two-dimensional slices. The grader module generates rewards for the trajectory decisions based on a recent behavior of an ego vehicle. The resolver module selects a final trajectory decision for the ego vehicle from the trajectory decisions based on the three-dimensional state space and the rewards. The current two-dimensional slice includes a current ego vehicle location and current neighboring vehicle locations. The future two-dimensional slices include future ego vehicle locations and future neighboring vehicle locations.

Abstract: A multi-view display device is provided for a collaborative co-pilot system (system) of a vehicle having a windshield. The system includes one or more input devices for generating an input signal associated with a road condition. The multi-view display device includes one or more single-user viewing devices, with each single-user viewing device including an Augmented Reality Head Up Display module (ARHUD) for generating a dedicated display associated with the road condition. The ARHUD projects the dedicated display onto an associated portion of the windshield that is visible to a corresponding single user and overlaying a road geometry associated with the road condition. The multi-view display device further includes an Extended View Display module (EV display module) for generating a common display that is visible to a plurality of users including each one of the single users.

Abstract: A display comprises a substrate. Sets of light emitting diodes (LEDs) are arranged on the substrate. Each of the sets of LEDs comprises a red LED, a green LED, a blue LED, and each of the sets of LEDs forming a pixel of the display. A sensor is embedded in each of the sets of LEDs. The sensor is arranged in a plane in which the red, green, and blue LEDs are arranged in each of the sets of LEDs. A cover including a dielectric material covers the sets of LEDs. The sensor is configured to sense at least one of ambient light and proximity of an object to the cover.

Abstract: An automobile vehicle engine includes multiple water jackets individually formed in a cast engine block proximate to successive ones of multiple cylinder bores. Multiple cast-in place transition regions are individually formed during a casting operation of the cast engine block at entrances to individual ones of the multiple water jackets. Individual ones of multiple sawcuts open into individual ones of the multiple cast-in place transition regions.

Abstract: A multi-assistant controller includes an audio recorder and a detector. The audio recorder is configured to receive a sampled audio from a microphone, store the sampled audio in a circular buffer, and transfer the sampled audio from the circular buffer to a particular voice-activated assistant. The detector is configured to store multiple wake-up phrases that are recognizable by multiple voice-activated assistants, search the sampled audio to determine multiple probabilities that the sampled audio includes the wake-up phrases, select a particular wake-up phrase that has a highest probability among the probabilities, and send a callback to the particular voice-activated assistant that the particular wake-up phrase has been detected. The sampled audio that is transferred to the particular voice-activated assistant includes the particular wake-up phrase that was detected.

Abstract: System and methods for estimating a centerline of a road that separates traffic moving in opposite directions include aggregating a data set from each of a plurality of vehicles traversing the road over a period of time as telemetry data. Each data set of the telemetry data indicates a location and a heading. The method includes clustering the data sets of the telemetry data based on the heading indicated by each data set, and identifying a separator to separate the data sets indicating a first heading from the data sets indicating a second heading, opposite to the first heading. The centerline is estimated based on applying a spatial smoothing to the separator.

Abstract: A rotor for an electric motor includes a rotor core defining a first face, a second face, and an opening extending from the first face to the second face. The rotor also includes an output shaft received by the opening of the rotor core and a valve disposed within a passageway of the output shaft. The valve controls a flowrate of the coolant and is actuated into a fully opened position at a maximum operating temperature of the rotor. The valve includes a stem having a first end portion and a second end portion, a plug disposed at the first end portion of the stem, a valve seat disposed opposite to the plug, and a shape memory alloy actuator that expands to urge the stem of the valve and the plug away from the valve seat and into the fully opened position at the maximum operating temperature.

Abstract: Composite reference electrode substrates and relating methods are provided. The composite reference electrode substrate includes a separator portion and a current collector portion adjacent to the separator portion. A method for forming the reference electrode substrate includes anodizing one or more surfaces of a first side of an aluminum foil so as to form a porous separator portion disposed adjacent to a porous current collector portion. The porous separator portion includes aluminum oxide, and the current collector portion includes the aluminum foil. The separator portion and the current collector portion each have a porosity of greater than or equal to about 10 vol. % to less than or equal to about 80 vol. %.