Abstract: A system performs a method of manufacturing a vehicle. The system includes a camera, a transport device, and a processor. The camera obtains an image of a part that is to be assembled to the vehicle. The transport device orients the part with respect to a surface and drops the part onto the surface. The processor creates a first model representing the part and a second model representing the surface from the image, places the first model at a selected drop orientation and a selected drop height with respect to the second model, simulates a drop of the first model onto the second model, and determines a change in a dimension of the first model resulting from the simulated drop. The part is dropped onto the surface at the selected drop orientation and the selected drop height when the change in the dimension of the first model meets a criterion.

Abstract: A trim assembly of a vehicle includes a first component, a second component, and one or more primary retention elements attaching the first component to the second component. A secondary retention element is located at the first component. The secondary retention element is configured to engage the second component only in the event that the first component begins to move away from the second component to prevent release of the first component.

Abstract: Vehicles and related systems and methods are provided for controlling a vehicle in an autonomous operating mode. One method involves obtaining navigation information for a route for the vehicle from a navigation system, transforming the navigation information into data points defining an upcoming trajectory of the route, mapping the data points to a corresponding mapped set of lane segments encompassing one or more of the data points, assigning lane preference indicia to the mapped set of lane segments, and autonomously operating one or more actuators onboard the vehicle to laterally maneuver the vehicle into one or more lanes at respective longitudinal positions along the route corresponding to one or more lane segments of the mapped set of lane segments in a manner that is influenced by the lane preference indicia assigned to the lane segments.

Abstract: A current sensing apparatus may include a common mode core surrounding two or more current conductors and a current sensing element proximate the common mode core.

Abstract: A method of soliciting an occupant intervention for a simultaneous localization and mapping-based navigation system. A vehicle path plan and a motion control instruction are created and a suspected obstacle in a drive path is identified, wherein the drive path provides a portion of the vehicle path plan. The method further includes providing an indication on a first display that an intervention by an occupant is requested and determining if the occupant is paying attention to the indication on the first display. A system of performing the method includes a controller configured to execute instructions executing the method.

Abstract: A mobile locker includes one or more dispensing units. Each dispensing unit consists of an accessible product space where each product space also includes a temperature monitor. A passible environmental control incudes a multiple of containers located around the perimeter of each accessible product space. Further, each of the containers incorporates a phase change material (PCM) that is used to temperature condition each accessible product space.

Abstract: A partition assembly configured to be mounted in a tire cavity defined between a wheel and a tire to divide the tire cavity into a plurality of segments, the partition assembly including at least one air line and a plurality of baffles. Each one of the plurality of baffles including: a base configured to be mounted to the wheel, the base defining an air passageway in fluid communication with the at least one air line; and an expandable body connected to the base and in fluid communication with the air passageway of the base, the expandable body configured to be filled with air from the at least one air line. Each one of the plurality of baffles is configured to receive air from the at least one air line to expand the plurality of baffles from a deflated configuration to an inflated configuration in which the plurality of baffles are configured to contact an inner wall of the tire coupled to the wheel to divide the tire cavity into the plurality of segments.

Abstract: A delivery and assembly system includes a plurality of storage locations including assembly materials and one or more vehicle transports including a controller. The vehicle transports are configured to transport the assembly materials. A control server is communicatively coupled with the controller of the one or more vehicle transports. The control server is configured to identify an available vehicle transport from the one or more vehicle transports and is configured to determine a fitness of the available vehicle transport to receive the assembly materials. An assembly station is configured to receive the available vehicle transport including the assembly materials.

Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments for facilitating restarting operations for recovery processes in autonomous systems. In some aspects, an embodiment includes determining that an autonomous vehicle (AV) is experiencing a failure condition; identifying a plurality of restart operations to apply to one or more components of the AV contributing to the failure condition; prior to applying a restart operation of the plurality of restart operations, determining that safety conditions corresponding to the restart operation are satisfied; and applying the plurality of restart operations to the AV in accordance with an increasing order of disruptiveness of each of the restart operations to operations of the AV.

Abstract: A magnet-free electric machine. The electric machine may include a stator including a first stator winding set and a second stator winding set and a rotor including a first rotor winding set and a second rotor winding set. The electric machine may include a power transfer circuit configured for controlling a polarity and/or a phase sequence of excitation currents used in exciting the first and second stator and rotor windings, and thereby, respectively generated stator and rotor poles.

Abstract: A spring plate assembly. The assembly includes spring plates with each of the spring plates having a perimeter section extending in a first plane, at least one bridge section extending from a first portion of the perimeter section to a second portion of the perimeter section, and spring elements that extend from the at least one bridge section. A first pair of adjacent spring plates are configured to engage a corresponding one of the perimeter sections when stacked in a first configuration and the first pair of adjacent spring plates are configured to engage a corresponding one of the plurality of spring elements when stacked in a second configuration.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a battery cell includes providing a battery cell container. The method also includes generating a first battery monocell having a respective anode, cathode, first separator arranged therebetween, and a second separator arranged adjacent to the corresponding anode. The method additionally includes generating a second battery monocell having a respective anode, cathode, first separator arranged therebetween, and a second separator arranged adjacent to the corresponding anode. The method also includes stacking the first battery monocell and the second battery monocell such that the second separator of the first battery monocell is adjacent to the cathode of the second battery monocell. The method further includes arranging the stacked first and second battery monocells in the battery cell container.

Abstract: A language detection system includes data processing hardware and memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware. The memory hardware stores instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations. The operations include issuing a vehicle prompt and determining responsiveness to the issued vehicle prompt, the responsiveness including an execution response and anon-responsive response. A language monitoring module is activated in response to the non-responsive response of the determined responsiveness and a spoken language is monitored within an interior cabin of a vehicle. A driver state is estimated based on the determined language, and a translation function is executed using a translation module in response to the estimated driver state.

Abstract: A battery casing includes a first portion including a first planar portion and a bottom portion and a second portion having a second planar portion, a first side portion, and a second side portion, the first portion and the second portion configured to be welded together at (i) a first butt joint extending along the first side portion to join the first side portion to the first planar portion and to the bottom portion at the first side portion, (ii) a second butt joint extending along the second planar portion to join the second planar portion to the bottom portion at the second planar portion, and (iii) a third butt joint extending along the second side portion to join the second side portion to the first planar portion and to the bottom portion at the second side portion.

Abstract: A fluid applicator system for applying fluid to a workpiece includes an arm movable relative to the workpiece and a proportional valve attached to the arm and movable with the arm relative to the workpiece, the proportional valve configured to dispense fluid onto the workpiece at predetermined locations when the arm is moved relative to the workpiece.

Abstract: A mood improvement system for a vehicle includes a vehicle processor storing data including vehicle location, vehicle event data, and current driver mood information. The mood improvement system also includes a server communicatively coupled to the vehicle processor and configured to determine whether a mood intervention should be activated. The determination of whether a mood intervention should be activated is based on a driver mood profile including the current driver mood information, and one or more of contextual vehicle information including vehicle event data and vehicle location, and crowdsourced data including current driver mood information from nearby vehicles.

Abstract: A weldment assembly includes a first component and a second component configured to be coupled to the first component. Additionally, the first component and the second component are coupled through a first linear stitch and a second linear stitch disposed parallel to the first linear stitch.