Abstract: A shift system includes a shifter including a first switch, a second switch, and an interlock switch and being operable between a plurality of gear states. A controller is communicatively coupled with the shifter to receive signals that correspond to each of the first switch, the second switch, and the interlock switch. The controller includes a diagnostic counter that includes a passing criteria and a predetermined diagnostic threshold and is configured to adjust the diagnostic counter based on at least one of the signals received from the shifter being inconsistent with the others of the signals received.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a frame that defines an opening, and a structural panel assembly coupled to the opening. The structural panel assembly includes a first material, a second material opposite the first material, and a third material positioned between the first material and the second material. The third material has an undulating shape that includes a peak and a valley, and the first material is coupled to the peak and the second material is coupled to the valley.

Abstract: A control system for a vehicle having a vehicle drive system and a plurality of torque sources connected to the vehicle drive system instructs a first torque source of the plurality of torque sources to provide an instantaneous torque to the vehicle drive system. The data processing hardware further receives a vehicle drive requested torque output and obtains a first available torque source output of the first torque source. The data processing hardware calculates a first torque error based on the requested torque output and the first available torque source output for the first torque source. The data processing hardware determines whether the first torque error exceeds a torque error threshold, and, when the first torque error exceeds the torque error threshold, activates a first supplemental torque source of the plurality of the torque sources to provide a first supplemental torque output to the vehicle drive system.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a structural panel assembly includes providing at least a first material, a second material and a third material positioned between the first material and the second material. The method includes forming the third material to have an undulating shape, and observing, by a sensor, the undulating shape of the third material. The method includes controlling, by a processor, a movement of a welder relative to the first material or the second material based on the observing to weld the first material and the second material to the third material.

Abstract: Lithium ion cells and methods for producing such cells are provided. The lithium ion cells include a lithium metal anode that includes a current collector and a lithium metal layer, a cathode having a lithium intercalation material, and a solid-state electrolyte (SSE) having a lithiophilic layer on a surface of the SSE. The lithiophilic includes a metal oxide. In one example, the lithiophilic layer is formed by depositing a non-aqueous precursor solution on the surface of a solid-state electrolyte (SSE), wherein the precursor solution includes a metallic nitrate, and decomposing the precursor solution to form the lithiophilic layer.

Abstract: A torque converter management system includes a torque converter having a clutch and a torus. The torque converter management system includes memory hardware that stores instructions, that, when executed on data processing hardware of the system, cause the system to perform operations for protecting the torque converter. The operations include receiving torque converter temperature associated with the torque converter. The operations further include obtaining a torque converter protection schedule including one or more torque converter protective action initiation threshold temperatures each having an associated torque converter protective action and determining whether the torque converter temperature(s) exceeds a first one of the torque converter protective action initiation threshold temperatures.

Abstract: A method of predictively charging a vehicle including a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) includes providing a telematics system including a telematics module, at least one external data source, a utility data source, and at least one user interface. The telematics system receives weather forecast data from the at least one external data source; monitors the weather forecast data for a predicted weather event; compares the predicted weather event to historical weather events during which power disruptions occurred; determines whether the predicted weather event is indicative of a potential power disruption based upon the comparison; generates a power status report via the telematics system based upon a determination that the predicted weather event may be indicative of the potential power disruption; sends the power status report to the at least one user interface; and commands a charging of the vehicle based on the power status report.

Abstract: A method of optimizing energy consumption includes receiving vehicle route information, generating a baseline vehicle route profile including a baseline energy consumption and a baseline travel time, and processing the baseline vehicle route profile by detecting one or more changes in a road grade. For each detected change in the road grade, the method includes triggering a breakpoint to divide the baseline vehicle route profile into a plurality of segments, each segment in the plurality of segments having a baseline vehicle velocity, and for each segment in the plurality of segments, performing local optimization to generate a modified vehicle velocity. The method also includes generating an updated vehicle route profile and performing global optimization on the updated vehicle route profile to generate an optimized vehicle route profile, the optimized vehicle route profile having a different energy consumption than the baseline energy consumption.

Abstract: Lithium-ion cells and methods for producing such cells are provided. The lithium-ion cells include a lithium metal anode (LMA), a cathode, and an electrolyte between the LMA and the cathode. The LMA includes a current collector and a deformable layer on a surface of the current collector. The deformable layer is lithium-ion conductive and includes a polymeric material. The cathode has a lithium intercalation material. In some examples, lithium metal is plated on the deformable layer during charge of the lithium-ion cell to define a plated lithium layer between the deformable layer and the electrolyte, and a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer forms on the plated lithium layer separating the plated lithium layer from the electrolyte.

Abstract: A modular multi-cell rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) includes a RESS enclosure surrounded by an external environment and having an enclosure tray and an enclosure cover. The RESS also includes a plurality of battery cell blocks arranged in the RESS enclosure. Each battery cell block includes a cell case including a cell vent and at least one electrically insulated structural connector configured to link the cell case with an adjacent battery cell block. Each battery cell block also includes a thermal mitigation barrier (TMB) segment fixed to the cell case and configured to contact the adjacent battery cell block. Each battery cell block additionally includes a thermal insulator configured to line the cell vent. Furthermore, each battery cell block includes a bus bar segment configured to interconnect with a bus bar segment of the adjacent battery cell block.

Abstract: A system for managing an energy storage device in an electric vehicle includes a battery pack having an energy module, and a power module connected in parallel to the energy module. The energy module is adapted to generate a first current. At least one DC-to-DC (direct current to direct current) converter is adapted to receive the first current from the energy module and transmit a current, referred to herein as “DC-DC current”, to the power module. The system includes a controller having a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which instructions are recorded for automated management of a set of parameters related to the battery pack, subject to a plurality of constraints. The power module is adapted to deliver a second current for powering a load in the electric vehicle. Operation of the electric vehicle is controlled based in part on the set of parameters.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods of the present disclosure provide a solution to quickly sort through and identify relevant data sets from large amounts of data collected by numerous vehicles. This process is a form of data mining where a processor executes instructions out of a memory to evaluate sensor data collected by vehicles over time. These vehicles may be driven by person's such that data collected by those sensors would be representative of how a person drives. After data has been acquired, it may be evaluated to identify portions of data where one vehicle encounters another vehicle along a roadway. Data may be classified as being associated with particular types of driving maneuvers and organized into data sets with labels consistent with the classification or driving maneuver. Classifications could correspond to different typed of driving maneuvers, “turning left across traffic,” “all way stop,” “merging onto a highway,” or “lane change”.

Abstract: In accordance with exemplary embodiments, methods and systems are provided for controlling regenerative braking of a vehicle is provided that include: obtaining, via one or more sensors of the vehicle, sensor data pertaining to a load on the vehicle during a particular vehicle drive; determining, via a processor of the vehicle, a maximum regenerative braking torque for the vehicle for the particular vehicle drive based on the load on the vehicle; and controlling the regenerative braking of the vehicle during the particular vehicle drive, via instructions provided by the processor, based on the maximum regenerative braking torque for the vehicle for the particular vehicle drive.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle (AV) is described herein. The AV is configured to identify an occluded region where a portion of a field of view of a sensor is occluded by an object. The AV is further configured to hypothesize that an object exists in the occluded region and is moving in the occluded region. The AV is still further configured to perform a driving maneuver based upon the hypothesized object existing in the occluded region.

Abstract: An apparatus for protecting a sensor device includes a cover mounted on the sensor device, the cover including a cover portion made from a transparent material that is transparent to sensor signals, the cover portion including an external surface having a wettability that varies according to a wettability gradient in a selected direction along the surface.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of forming an extruded billet from a coarse-grained magnesium alloy billet. The method includes extruding the coarse-grained magnesium alloy biller at temperatures greater than or equal to about 300° C. to less than or equal to about 360° C. to from the extruded billet. The coarse-grained magnesium alloy billet has an average grain size greater than or equal to about 800 ?m, and has a low aluminum content. The coarse-grained magnesium alloy billet includes greater than or equal to about 0.5 wt. % to less than or equal to about 3 wt. % of aluminum. The extruded billet may have a plurality of twins with lenticular morphology, which occupies an area fraction greater than or equal to about 20% of a total area of the extruded billet.

Abstract: The disclosed technology provides methods for training of a convolutional neural network (CNN) to identify or predict its own errors, and then those errors are used as inputs with feature visualization to generate images of scenes associated with those errors. This allows adjustment of a set of labeled training images, and then the adjusted set of labeled training images are used to retrain or further train the CNN. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.