Abstract: A system and method for actuating a vehicle system tracks approach to the vehicle and determines propriety of system actuation based upon trajectory information and other conditions.

Abstract: Presented are Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) systems for vehicle powertrains, methods for making/operating such BTSI systems, and vehicles equipped with a BTSI system. A BTSI system for a motor vehicle includes a shifter solenoid with a solenoid body that mounts to the vehicle body, and a solenoid armature that is movably attached to the solenoid body to transition back-and-forth between locked and unlocked positions. The shifter solenoid is selectively operable via a brake control module to move the solenoid armature between the locked and unlocked positions to thereby block and unblock movement of a gear shifter from the park position, respectively. A position switch mounts to the vehicle body adjacent the shifter solenoid and detects the vehicle transmission being in a park mode. The position switch selectively mechanically engages with the shifter solenoid such that the solenoid armature, upon moving to the locked position, pushes closed the position switch.

Abstract: A system for controlling a fan of a vehicle engine. The system comprises: i) a fan configured to selectively cool the vehicle engine; and ii) an engine control module configured to: a) turn on the fan when the engine temperature exceeds a selected temperature threshold; b) determine when the vehicle engine is operating in an engine braking mode; and c) in response to the engine operating in the engine braking mode, turn on the fan when the engine temperature is below the selected temperature threshold. The engine control module turns the fan off as a means of hardware protection of the fan clutch even during engine braking modes.

Abstract: A plate includes a planar portion and a circular bead, or circular bead seal, that is offset from the planar portion. An axis is substantially perpendicular to the planar portion, and the circular bead arcs about the axis. The axis may be defined by a hole through the planar portion that is substantially surrounded by the circular bead. One or more displacement absorption tunnels is offset from the planar portion and extends radially relative to the axis. Each of the displacement absorption tunnels intersects the circular bead. In some configurations the displacement absorption tunnels may have an arcuate shape, and in some configurations the displacement absorption tunnels may have a trapezoidal shape. A plurality of plates having similar, though not identical, features may be stacked together.

Abstract: A light assembly and method of forming light assemblies includes a flexible light layer, a thermoplastic housing, and an IMC layer. The flexible light layer has a flexible substrate, a printed circuit, and a plurality of LEDs extending outward from the flexible substrate. The IMC layer is formed opposite the flexible light layer from the thermoplastic housing and covers the LEDs. Forming may include placing the flexible light layer within a mold cavity, injecting the thermoplastic structure on one side of the flexible light layer, and injecting the IMC layer on the opposite side of the flexible light layer from the thermoplastic structure. Injecting the thermoplastic structure into the mold cavity may change the shape of the flexible light layer. Datum features of the flexible light layer may align the thermoplastic structure relative to the datum features.

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: An electrolyte is provided. The electrolyte includes a solvent containing propylene carbonate (PC); a lithium salt dissolved in the solvent; a first additive dissolved in the solvent, the first additive being configured to stabilize an anode solid electrolyte interphase; a second additive dissolved in the solvent, the second additive being configured to stabilize at least one of an anode, a cathode, or the lithium salt; and a third additive dissolved in the solvent, the third additive being configured to stabilize at least one of an anode, a cathode, or the lithium salt. The first, second, and third additives are chemically distinct. Electrochemical cells including the electrolyte are also provided.

Abstract: A millimeter wave communication system for enhanced downlink beamforming and pairing is described. This includes a beamforming system for pairing with a mobile UE, using a base station with a MIMO antenna and a controller. The controller transmits first downlink beams from the MIMO antenna, including channel state information (CSI) reference signals. The mobile UE identifies a provisional downlink beam having a highest intensity CSI reference signal at the mobile UE. The controller receives a CSI reference signal resource indicator (CRI) feedback from the mobile UE that is responsive to the downlink beams and includes the provisional downlink beam, a present geographic position and trajectory of the mobile UE. A refined downlink beam is determined based upon the provisional downlink beam, the present geographic position, and trajectory of the mobile UE. The MIMO antenna transmits the refined downlink beam to execute a pairing with the mobile UE.

Abstract: An adhesive-reinforced rotor for a rotary electric machine includes rotor lamination layers (“rotor lams”) having axial inner surfaces collectively defining rotor openings through the rotor lams. The rotor also includes reinforcement blocks disposed within a respective one of the rotor openings. A polymer primer/adhesive layer of the rotor having a bond line thickness of less than 1 mm is disposed between the one or more reinforcement blocks and the axial inner surfaces of the rotor lams. The reinforcement blocks and the primer/adhesive layer each have a tensile strength of at least 50 MPa. A modulus of elasticity of the reinforcement blocks is at least three times greater than that of the materials of the polymer primer/adhesive layer. A method of constructing an adhesive-reinforced rotor is also described herein.

Abstract: A battery electrode includes an electrically conductive sheet and two or more coating layers of an ion transport medium stacked thereon. Each coating layer has a respective two-dimensional array of low porosity regions formed therein, with a remainder of each coating layer that is not the two-dimensional array of low porosity regions defining a respective network of interconnected high porosity regions. Each of the high porosity regions has a feature size D, and an intralayer pitch P is defined between adjacent ones of the high porosity regions of each coating layer, with each pair of adjacent two-dimensional arrays having a respective alignment error E therebetween. A respective first electrically conductive path is formed thereacross via the networks of high porosity regions when D?E?P, with a second electrically conductive path being formed across all of the coating layers via the networks of high porosity regions.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a preform is provided. The method includes disposing a veil over a first mold portion having a three-dimensional shape, the veil including a thermoplastic material and magnetic particles; disposing a fiber tow onto the veil; heating at least a portion of the veil by induction so that the fiber tow becomes coupled to the veil; compressing the fiber tow and the veil toward each other with a second mold portion that has a negative contour relative to the first mold portion; and removing the preform from the first and second mold portions. The preform has the three-dimensional shape and includes the fiber tow coupled to the veil. Preforms prepared by the method are also provided.

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 system for active roll control for a vehicle body is provided and includes a sensor operable to monitor a tilt of the body and a suspension system. The suspension system includes an active sway bar including a first bar portion, a second bar portion, and an active roll control motor disposed between the first bar portion and the second bar portion. The active roll control motor is operable to turn the first bar portion in relation to the second bar portion. The system further includes a computerized active roll control controller which is operative to monitor a driving mode including one of straight-line driving and rounding a curve on a road, monitor an output of the sensor, determine a desired roll moment based upon the driving mode and the output of the sensor, and control the active roll control motor based upon the desired roll moment.

Abstract: A negative electrode is provided herein as well as methods for preparing negative electrodes and electrochemical cells including the negative electrode. The negative electrode includes a first electroactive material, an electrically conductive material, and a polymeric binder. The first electroactive material includes silicon-containing particles having an average particle diameter of at least about 1 ?m, and the electrically conductive material includes graphene nanoplatelets.

Abstract: A battery system includes a rechargeable energy storage system and a battery controller. The rechargeable energy storage system has a rapid charging mode and a discharging mode. The battery controller is electrically coupled to the rechargeable energy storage system and is configured to store multiple charging tables that contain multiple charge current limit entries, where each charging table corresponds to a unique one of multiple initial state-of-charge values, determine a starting state-of-charge value of the rechargeable energy storage system in response to entering the rapid charging mode, select up to two charging tables in response to the starting state-of-charge value of the rechargeable energy storage system being adjacent to up to two of the initial state-of-charge values, and control a charging current provided to the rechargeable energy storage system based on the charge current limit entries in the up to two charging tables as selected.

Abstract: A method for gel curing a varnish of a stator assembly includes: applying an electrically-insulating material to a plurality of electrical conductors of a stator assembly; monitoring a temperature of the stator assembly using at least one temperature sensor; determining whether the temperature of the stator assembly has reached a target temperature; in response to determining that the temperature of the stator assembly is equal to the target temperature, heating the stator assembly using the induction heating element to maintain the temperature of the stator assembly at the target temperature for a predetermined amount of time; determining whether the temperature of the stator assembly is equal to the final target temperature; in response to determining that the target temperature is not equal to the final target temperature, increasing the target temperature by a predetermined amount of degrees.

Abstract: An apparatus for a vehicle body including a rocker insert is provided. The apparatus includes a vehicle body including a plurality of metallic structure members and a lower portion operable to provide support to a floor surface within a passenger compartment of a vehicle and a rocker insert mounted to an in-vehicle side portion of the lower portion. The rocker insert includes an elongated bar portion including a hollow center portion including internal reinforcing web features. The rocker insert is oriented with respect to the vehicle body such that a longitudinal axis of the elongated bar portion of the rocker insert is parallel to an in-vehicle forward direction of the vehicle body.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method comprising receiving a rideshare request from a user, the rideshare request including a destination; transporting the passenger to the destination using an autonomous vehicle (AV) having a plurality of windows comprising electrically switchable smart glass; during the transporting, monitoring a metric related to arrival of the AV at the destination; and untinting the windows when the monitored metric has a prescribed relationship to a threshold value.

Abstract: A solid-state electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is provide, where the electrochemical cell has an electrolyte layer in a solid-state or semi-solid state defining a first surface. A solid electrode having an electroactive material that defines a second surface is present. A hybrid capacitor material including a metal organic framework intermingled with solid-state electrolyte particles is disposed in at least one of the following: the solid electrode, an interfacial layer disposed between the first surface of the electrolyte and the second surface of the solid electrode, or both in the solid electrode and the interfacial layer.