Abstract: An autonomous vehicle including a vehicle propulsion system, a braking system, a steering system, and a computing system that is in communication with the vehicle propulsion system, the braking system, and the steering system. The computing system includes a processor and memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts including setting as a destination for a trip of the autonomous vehicle. The destination for the trip of the autonomous vehicle being set as a location of a second autonomous vehicle at a specific time. The processor is further configured to select a route to the destination for the trip of the autonomous vehicle. The processor is yet further configured to control at least one of the vehicle propulsion system, the braking system, or the steering system to move the autonomous vehicle along the route as selected for the trip.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a cylinder block for an internal combustion engine having a first cylinder, a first cylinder sleeve, a second cylinder, and a second cylinder sleeve. The first cylinder defines a first cylindrical wall while the second cylinder defines a second cylindrical wall. The first cylinder sleeve lines the first cylindrical wall while the second cylinder sleeve lines the second cylindrical wall. Each of the first and the second cylinder sleeves define a thrust sleeve region, an anti-thrust sleeve region opposite the thrust sleeve region, and a pair of Siamese regions. The outer wall of each of the first and second cylinder sleeves progressively widens toward the top sleeve surface of each of the first and second cylinder sleeves.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating a DC battery in a vehicle including an electric motor. The apparatus comprises an AC generating module coupled to the battery and the electric motor that generates three AC phases. The first, second, and third AC phases are applied to first, second, and third windings of the electric motor, respectively. The first, second, and third AC phases create zero torque in the electric motor because the first AC phase amplitude is equal to the sum of the second and third AC phase amplitudes and the second and third AC phases are 180 degrees out of phase with the first AC phase. The AC generating module creates a heating alternating current in the DC battery.

Abstract: A self-calibration method of determining remaining useful life of an internal combustion engine's air filter includes establishing a pressure drop versus mass airflow rate relationship for a clean air filter using pressure drop, mass airflow rate, and temperature data captured at low and elevated engine speeds. The method also includes establishing a maximum clean air filter pressure drop at a preset maximum airflow using the clean filter relationship. The method additionally includes establishing a pressure drop versus mass airflow rate relationship for an in-service air filter using pressure drop, mass airflow rate, and temperature data captured at low and elevated engine speeds. The method also includes determining a maximum in-service air filter pressure drop at the preset maximum airflow using the in-service filter relationship. The method further includes comparing the maximum clean and in-service air filter pressure drops to determine the remaining useful life of the in-service air filter.

Abstract: A vehicle communication and control system includes a servicing host capable of exchanging data with a vehicle. The servicing host provides a vehicle service and includes a service identifier (ID) that indicates the vehicle service. The vehicle is configured to actively detect the service ID and to determine the vehicle service in response to detecting the service ID. The vehicle and the servicing host establish a wireless connection to exchange data and automatically initiate the vehicle service in response to detecting the service ID.

Abstract: In various embodiments, methods and systems for controlling a suspension system of a vehicle are provided. In one embodiment, a control system includes: one or more first sensors configured to measure a velocity of the vehicle; one or more second sensors configured to detecting one or more additional vehicles that ae moving in relation to the vehicle; and a processor that is coupled to the first sensors and the second sensors and that is configured to provide instructions for adjusting the suspension system of the vehicle, based on the measured velocity of the vehicle and the detected one or more additional vehicles that are moving in relation to the vehicle.

Abstract: A HUD calibration system is provided and includes a HUD, a reticle reference object, a target, and a control module. The HUD displays a virtual image including a first center feature and first features. The reticle reference object is physically fixed to a windshield of a vehicle. The target is physically disposed forward of the vehicle and includes a second center feature and second features. The control module: controls the HUD to display the virtual image superimposed over the target; perform a boresighting process to align a center of a cross-hair of the reticle reference object with the first and second center features and generate first reference values; perform an undistortion calibration process to rotate and undistort the virtual image relative to the target and generate second reference values; and adjust operation of the HUD based on the first and second reference values.

Abstract: A direct-retina holographic projection system includes first and second spatial light modulators (SLMs) and a control module. The first SLM receives a beam of light and dithers the beam of light at a predetermined frequency to provide multiple instances of the beam of light. The second SLM receives the instances of the beam of light, displays an encoded phase hologram of a graphic image to be projected, and diffracts the instances of the beam of light to provide instances of the encoded phase hologram with the same graphic image but multiplied with dithered wavefronts. The control module: iteratively adjusts a parameter of the first SLM to generate the instances of the beam of light; and controls operation of the second SLM to, based on the instances of the beam of light, display multiple instances of the graphic image on a retina of an eye of a viewer.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension system includes a damper top mount including a top mount body defining an interior cavity, a damper coupled to the top mount and including a damping member and a damper rod coupled to the damping member, and a jounce shock assembly including a jounce shock body coupled with the damper top mount and encircling the top mount body. The jounce shock body includes an exterior wall and a dividing wall generally parallel to and interior of the exterior wall, a first chamber defined by the top mount body and the dividing wall, a second chamber fluidly coupled with and parallel to the first chamber and defined by the dividing wall and the exterior wall, a floating piston movably disposed within the second chamber, and a piston configured to translate within the first chamber between an extended position and a compressed position.

Abstract: An energy absorber for interposition between a cover and a covered object includes a generally planar matrix of cells. Each of the cells includes a plurality of generally elongate micro-elements interconnected to form a cell micro-structure, with each cell having a respective energy absorption capacity such that an energy absorption capacity of the energy absorber varies across at least one direction. The cells are configured such that impulse of an object with the cover with the energy absorber sandwiched between the cover and the covered object causes a deceleration vs. time response in the object, beginning with a generally linear rise in the deceleration to a peak deceleration within 5 ms after the beginning of the impulse event, followed by a generally nonlinear decrease in the deceleration over a period of not greater than 15 ms to a final target deceleration of not greater than 10% of the peak deceleration.

Abstract: An electric powertrain includes a sensor-controller interface, an inverter-controller electrically connected to the battery pack, and an electric machine connected to the inverter-controller and having a rotor with an angular position. The rotor powers a driven load at a torque and/or speed level controlled by the inverter-controller in response to position signals indicative of the angular position. A rotary position sensor is operatively connected to the rotor to generate and output the position signals. The sensor derives the position signals from unmodulated sine and cosine signals, and communicates the position signals and a binary sensor state of health (SOH) to the inverter-controller over the interface. The inverter-controller also decodes the position signals and the binary sensor SOH to generate decoded control data, and controls the torque and/or speed level using the decoded control data.

Abstract: An electric machine may include a substantially annular stator stack having a plurality of laminations which include mounting ears. A fraction of the laminations may be oriented such that the mounting ears are angularly offset from the others. The stator may be secured to a housing at both mounting ear locations thus improving structural rigidity and enhancing performance.

Abstract: Methods of making a composite article are provided herein. The method can include an unwinding step including unwinding a fiber substrate material from a creel at an unwinding velocity and an impregnation step including applying an uncured resin composition to the fiber substrate material to form a resin-fiber material. The method further includes a winding step comprising applying the resin-fiber material onto a shaped surface at a winding velocity and a solidifying step comprising applying heat to the resin-fiber material to initiate an exothermic reaction comprising polymerization, cross-linking, or both of the uncured resin composition. Temperature of the resin-fiber material can be monitored during operation of the method and a polymerization front velocity set point (vpfs) and an operating polymerization front velocity (vpfo) can be determined. Parameters can be adjusted to maintain a vpfo that is substantially the same as the vpfs. Systems for performing said methods are also provided.

Abstract: A vehicle analysis environment includes one or more display screens, such as a display screen wall or an array of display screens. While a vehicle is in the vehicle analysis environment, a vehicle analysis system renders and displays one or more vehicle sensor calibration targets and/or one or more simulated events on the one or more display screens. Vehicle sensors of the vehicle capture sensor data while in the vehicle analysis environment. The sensor data depict the vehicle sensor calibration targets and/or the simulated events that are displayed on the one or more display screens. The vehicle can output actions based on the simulated event and/or can calibrate its vehicle sensors based on the vehicle sensor calibration targets.

Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to techniques for selecting points of an image for processing with LiDAR data. A process of the disclosed technology can include steps for receiving an image comprising a first image object and a second image object, processing the image to place a bounding box around the first image object and the second image object, and processing an image area within the bounding box to identify a first image mask corresponding with a first pixel region of the first image object and a second image mask corresponding with a second pixel region of the second image object. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle including a sensor system configured to detect an environment in a field of view of the autonomous vehicle and to output data of the detected environment. A computing system of the autonomous vehicle can detect that a portion of a roadway along a route of the autonomous vehicle in the field of view of the autonomous vehicle is obscured. Responsive to the detection of the obscured portion of the roadway, the computing system can transmit a request for a second autonomous vehicle to view the portion of the roadway. The computing system can receive fill data representative of an output of a second sensor system of the second autonomous vehicle detecting the portion of the roadway in a field of view of the second autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: Lithium-based and sodium-based batteries and capacitors using metal foil current collectors, coated with porous layers of particles of active electrode materials for producing an electric current, may adapted to produce heat for enhancing output when the cells are required to periodically operate during low ambient temperatures. A self-heating cell may be placed in heat transfer contact with a working cell that is temporarily in a cold environment. Or one or both of the anode current collector and cathode current collectors of a heating cell may be formed with shaped extended portions, uncoated with electrode materials, through which cell current may be passed for resistance heating of the extended current collector areas. These extended current collector areas may be used to heat the working area of the cell in which they are incorporated, or to contact and heat an adjacent working cell.

Abstract: A sensor lens assembly includes a cylindrical sensor body including a lower surface, a sensor lens surface, and a side surface extending between the lower surface and an outer edge of the sensor lens surface, a sensor enclosed within the cylindrical sensor body and adjacent to the sensor lens surface, and a nozzle configured to deliver a fluid near a center point of the sensor lens surface. The sensor lens surface is concave and rotates relative to the side surface of the cylindrical sensor body such that centrifugal force causes the fluid to form a film on the sensor lens surface that acts as a barrier, cushion, and particle collecting medium on the sensor lens surface.

Abstract: A method for restoring a solid-state electrolyte layer having passivation layers formed on one or more surfaces thereof is provided. The method includes exposing one or more surface regions of the solid-state electrolyte layer by removing the passivation layers using a surface treatment process. The surface treatment process may include heating at least one portion of the passivation layers or an interface between the solid-state electrolyte layer and the passivation layers to a temperature that is at least 5% greater than a decomposition temperature of the passivation layers. The surface treatment process may use be a laser surface treatment process or a plasma surface treatment process. In each instance, the surface treatment process may be a thermal vaporization process and/or may cause volumetric expansion of the passivation layers and/or may cause thermal stress at an interface between the solid-state electrolyte layer and the passivation layers.

Abstract: A combined stackup apparatus with a perforated interlayer for resistance spot welding is provided. The apparatus comprises a first metal sheet of a first material and a second metal sheet of a second material. The apparatus further comprising a perforated interlayer disposed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. The perforated interlayer is made of one of the first and second materials. The perforated interlayer has a plurality of perforations formed therethrough. Each perforation has a perforation size of between about 0.1 mm and about 3 mm.