Abstract: A method for performing a plurality of vehicle computing tasks includes determining the plurality of vehicle computing tasks that need to be performed and monitoring a wireless connectivity between a vehicle and a remote computing system. Monitoring the wireless connectivity between the vehicle and the remote computing system includes measuring, in real time, at least one quality of service (QoS) measurement of the wireless connectivity between the vehicle and the remote computing system. The method further includes determining whether to perform at least one of the plurality of vehicle computing tasks in at least one of the remote computing system or a vehicle controller of the vehicle based on at least one QoS measurement.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, an interior heating system for occupant seats of a vehicle is provided. The interior heating system uses a weft co-knit fabric combined with at least one conductive electrode to heat selective regions of a vehicle seat. The interior heating system includes the weft co-knit fabric that contains a set of weft knit active or plated emitting yarn configured with at least one conductive electrode. The knit active or plated emitting yarn is co-knit with at least one parent yarn for enhanced uniformity of an electrical current applied to at least one conductive electrode from the weft co-knit fabric, and a plurality of conductive electrodes arranged in an interdigitated layout to combine together each conductive electrode with a set of a plurality of conductive co-knit active emitting yarns which attach to each electrode tine of the conductive electrode in a select region.

Abstract: A method for holographic display calibration using phase modulation includes projecting an initial graphic on a windshield of a vehicle, capturing an image of the initial graphic with a camera inside a vehicle, determining a loss function value between the image of the initial graphic captured by the camera and a target graphic, modulating a phase of a light beam generating the initial graphic using the loss function value to generate an updated graphic, and displaying the updated graphic on the windshield of the vehicle.

Abstract: An apparatus has a communication bus, a first circuit, and a second circuit. The first circuit is operational to generate a package, calculate a check value of payload data in the package with a particular cyclic redundance check variant and an obfuscation type, store an encrypted check value in a footer of the package, store an encrypted obfuscation code in a header of the package, and transmit the package on the communication bus. The second circuit is operational to receive the package from the communication bus, decrypt the encrypted check value to determine the check value calculated by the first circuit, determine an obfuscation type from the encrypted obfuscation code, perform a payload verification of the payload data with the particular cyclic redundancy check variant with the obfuscation type applied and the check value, and signal that the payload data is valid in response to passage of the payload verification.

Abstract: A rotor for an electric machine includes a heat pipe cooling system. A rotor core has a number of cavities internal to the rotor core. The cavities are surrounded by a wall defined by the rotor core. A magnetic element disposed in the at least one cavity leaving a void in the at least one cavity between the magnetic element and the wall. A heat pipe evaporator is disposed in the void and conforms to the available space, contacting the magnetic element and the wall to remove heat from the rotor core.

Abstract: Hybrid electrochemical cells and modules include an anode two-sided current collector a coated with host material in anode region(s) and a cathode two-sided current collector coated with active material in cathode region(s), and one or more of the anode current collector and the cathode current collector is coated with capacitor material in one or more distinct, non-overlapping capacitor regions. A hybrid anode and/or cathode can include gaps between capacitor regions and anode regions and cathode regions. The capacitor material applied to an electrode is different from the host or active material thereof. Active material includes lithium metal oxides and lithium metal phosphates such as LiFePO4, Li(NixMnyCoz)O2, and/or LiMn2O4; host material includes graphite, silicon, silicon-Li/Sn/Cu alloys, Si/Co/Fe/TiSn oxides, and low-surface area carbon; and capacitor material includes activated carbon, metal oxides, and metal sulfides.

Abstract: Presented are intelligent vehicle communications systems for cellular link monitoring and failure detection, methods for making/using such systems, and vehicles equipped with such systems. A method for operating a wireless-enabled vehicle component of a motor vehicle includes a cellular communications device of the vehicle component detecting an uplink (or downlink) network data packet transmitted by (or to) the vehicle. An electronic vehicle controller then establishes an observation period as a function of the time at which the network data packet was transmitted. The opposite downlink (or uplink) of the wireless-enabled vehicle component is monitored to determine if a downlink (or uplink) network data packet is received within the observation period, thereby indicating detection of a cellular link failure.

Abstract: Presented are intelligent vehicle systems for off-road driving incident prediction and assistance, methods for making/operating such systems, and vehicles networking with such systems. A method for operating a motor vehicle includes a system controller receiving geolocation data indicating the vehicle is in or entering off-road terrain. Responsive to the vehicle geolocation data, the controller receives, from vehicle-mounted cameras, camera-generated images each containing the vehicle's drive wheel(s) and/or the off-road terrain's surface. The controller receives, from a controller area network bus, vehicle operating characteristics data and vehicle dynamics data for the motor vehicle. The camera data, vehicle operating characteristics data, and vehicle dynamics data is processed via a convolutional neural network backbone to predict occurrence of a driving incident on the off-road terrain within a prediction time horizon.

Abstract: A gradient steel includes a first layer, a second layer near a first surface of the first layer, and a third layer near a second surface of the first layer. The first layer includes a first ferrite phase volume. The second and third layers include a second ferrite phase volume greater than the first ferrite phase volume. The gradient steel may also include a fourth layer near the second layer and a fifth layer near the third layer. The fourth and fifth layers may each include a third ferrite phase volume greater than the second ferrite phase volume. The gradient steel may also include a sixth layer near the fourth layer and a seventh layer near the fifth layer. The sixth and seventh layers may each include a fourth ferrite phase volume greater than the third ferrite phase volume.

Abstract: Systems are provided for system for delivering plural materials to plural molding machines according to defined formulations. Material supply units each contains a unique material and is coupled with a set of manifolds that have a mixing chambers. Conduits couple the material supply units with the manifolds. A controller is configured to operate valves to admit select materials from the material supply units into the mixing chamber according to the defined formulations, and to supply the mixed materials to the molding machines.

Abstract: Presented are thermal management systems with cell-level internal cooling for multicell battery assemblies, methods for making/using such systems, and vehicles equipped with such systems. A battery assembly includes one or more battery cells located inside a battery housing. Each battery cell includes a cell case with a coolant tube located inside the cell case and opening through a case wall. A cold plate assembly, which is located inside the battery housing and attached to the battery cell(s), includes stacked first and second plates, a coolant intake shaft projecting from the first plate into the coolant tube, and a coolant exhaust shaft projecting from the second plate into the coolant intake shaft and coolant tube. The cold plate assembly circulates coolant between the stacked plates, into each cell case via the coolant tube and coolant intake shaft, and out of each cell case via the coolant tube and coolant exhaust shaft.

Abstract: A press-in-place reinforced seal for an interface between adjacent components, includes a cylindrical structure arranged along a longitudinal axis and characterized by a stepped-shape in a cross-sectional view. The seal is pressed into a first component and compressed by a second component when the seal is installed within the interface. The stepped-shape includes a compliant first section having a first width along the longitudinal axis and a first length orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. The first section is compressed by the second component and generates sealing pressure between the first and second components when the seal is installed. The stepped-shape also includes a rigid second section affixed to the first section along the first length for stabilizing the seal structure. The second section has a second width along the longitudinal axis and a second length orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and greater than the first length.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for managing transitions between operational modes of a vehicle. The system includes a controller configured to, by a processor: automatically transition between vehicular operational modes without initiation by the driver including a hands-off autonomous driving mode in which the processor controls lateral steering of the vehicle, a hands-on driving assistance mode in which the processor controls the lateral steering of the vehicle while the driver is holding the steering wheel, and a no control mode in which the driver controls the lateral steering of the vehicle. The transition between the operational modes is based on sensed data. The hands-off autonomous driving mode is prioritized over the hands-on driving assistance mode which is prioritized over the no control mode. The controller is further configured to display on a human-machine-interface a notification indicating that at least one of the operational modes is active or not available.

Abstract: Presented are thermal management systems using coolant flow distribution plates for immersion cooling of battery cells, methods for making/using such systems, and vehicles equipped with such systems for cooling the vehicles' battery packs. A battery assembly includes multiple battery cells arranged in adjacent, mutually parallel cell rows. The battery cells are stored inside a protective battery housing that includes inlet and outlet fluid ports for receiving and evacuating therethrough dielectric coolant fluid. A pair of (first and second) separator plates is located between each neighboring pair of cell rows. Each plate includes coolant channels that are arranged in mutually parallel channel bands. The separator plates are in face-to-face contact with each other such that each channel band of the first separator plate is aligned with a respective channel band of the second plate so the coolant channels cooperatively distribute coolant fluid onto and vertically upward between the battery cells.

Abstract: An electrode for a rechargeable battery cell includes an electrode substrate. The electrode also includes a current collector fixed to the electrode substrate and having a three-dimensional (3D) porous structure defining void spaces. The electrode additionally includes active material particles arranged within the void spaces. Charging the battery cell reversibly deposits transient ions onto the active material particles and expands the active material particles into the void spaces of the 3D porous structure and discharging the battery cell extracts the transient ions from the active material particles, such that the active material contracts out of the void spaces of the 3D porous structure. A method of manufacturing such an electrode for a rechargeable battery cell is also considered.

Abstract: Drone-based offroad vehicle routing systems and corresponding methods are proposed. In one aspect, a vehicle and uniquely assigned an aerial drone embedded with sensors, radar, lidar, etc. may establish a data link. The driver or occupant may input information into the user interface in the vehicle about a region or destination of interest. The vehicle's processor may instruct the drone to scout a target region and receive data about the topographic features of the terrain. The drone may scout the region, receive the data, and forward the data to the vehicle. The processor may compute optimal routes based on data from both the drone and the vehicle sensors. In some aspects, the drone performs calculations of the route and may communicate in or near real time with the vehicle. The system may take into account vehicle data, the skill level of the driver, or both.

Abstract: Methods and systems of controlling a vehicle. The methods and systems include switching to a second processor executed mode in response to determining that a range of perception information extends to a range end point that is closer to the vehicle than a first Look Ahead (LA) point. In the second processor executed mode: a motion planner requests a lateral controller to provide a closer LA point relative to the vehicle. The lateral controller determines the closer LA point and sends the closer LA point to the motion planner. The lateral controller generates control commands for an EPS system based on an error between a desired trajectory and an actual trajectory at the closer LA point. The motion planner generates the desired trajectory based on perception data and the closer LA point.