Abstract: An autonomous vehicle having a LIDAR system mounted thereon or incorporated therein is described. The LIDAR system has N channels, with each channel being a light emitter/light detector pair. A computing system identifies M channels that are to be active during a scan of the LIDAR system, wherein M is less than N. The computing system transmits a command signal to the LIDAR system, and the LIDAR system performs a scan with the M channels being active (and N-M channels being inactive). The LIDAR system constructs a point cloud based upon the scan, and the computing system controls the autonomous vehicle based upon the point cloud.

Abstract: Systems and methods for adapting various autonomous vehicle settings to protect personal information based on the composition of passengers in a vehicle. In particular, sensitive user information is intelligently parsed out or generalized based on user preference and the presence of unknown passengers. In some examples, sensitive user information is routed to more secure channels such as a mobile device application or a personalized display. In some implementations, the position of passengers within a vehicle is determined to identify which displays are in each passenger's field of view. Additionally, pick-up and drop-off locations can be scrambled to nearby destinations to obscure a home address, work address, or other identifiable address information.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for providing guidance when reversing a vehicle towing a trailer. In one embodiment, a method includes: determining, by the processor, a change in vehicle pitch angle based on stored vehicle pitch angle data and current pitch angle data; when the change in vehicle pitch angle is greater than a threshold, determining, by the processor, new mirror position data based on stored mirror position data, the stored vehicle pitch angle data, and the current pitch angle data; and generating, by the processor, control signals to control a position of the mirror based on the new mirror position data.

Abstract: A method of motor vehicle detection and identification through audio propagation includes generating source autometric signatures; broadcasting autometric signatures; detecting the autometric signatures; visualizing the autometric signatures; determining known autometric signatures; and evaluating and sending autometric signatures to the motor vehicle.

Abstract: A cargo box for a pickup truck having a divider system includes a first member selectively supported in the cargo box, and a second member selectively supported in the cargo box adjacent the first member. The first and second members are configured to establish one of a first configuration in which the cargo box is fully enclosed and a second configuration in which the cargo box includes a first portion that is fully exposed and a second portion that is fully enclosed.

Abstract: A belt drive system for an internal combustion engine rotatably coupled to a rotary motor is provided. The internal combustion engine includes at least three cylinders each having a piston operable to turn a crankshaft. The belt drive system includes a belt and a controller. The belt is coupled to crankshaft of the internal combustion engine and the rotary motor; and the controller is operatively connected to the rotary motor, wherein the controller causes data processing hardware to perform the following operations: apply a torque to the rotary motor; and change the torque of the rotary motor prior to a change in a rotary speed of the internal combustion engine to maintain a predetermined tension in the belt and reduce a rotary motor torsional response through the belt drive to the torsional vibration input from the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: Systems and methods related to adaptively select a scheduling strategy for vehicle software related jobs and/or tasks in an infrastructure environment are provided. A computer-implemented system, including one or more processing units; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units to receive a plurality of requests, each requesting execution of a task associated with a software for a vehicle operation; select, for an individual task based on an attribute of the individual task, a scheduler from among a plurality of schedulers of different scheduler types; determine, by the selected scheduler, a schedule to execute the individual task on an infrastructure computing system including a plurality of resources, where the determining comprises scheduling a resource from the plurality of resources; and transmit an instruction to execute the individual task using the scheduled resource.

Abstract: A heat transfer system regulates the flow of a coolant or heating fluid to the battery of an electric vehicle (EV). Heat transfer systems may be located at charging facilities for charging EVs in an EV fleet. A fleet manager may direct an EV to a particular charging facility to appropriately cool or heat the EV battery during charging; different charging facilities may have different heating or cooling capabilities. The fleet manager may oversee operation of the heat transfer systems, e.g., pre-heating or pre-cooling a heat transfer fluid based on predicted demand.

Abstract: A method includes performing object detection by a radar sensor system. The object detection includes generating and transmitting object-detection (OD) chirps on an OD channel of a plurality of radar channels employed by the radar sensor system. The method further includes monitoring unused radar channels for interference and determining that at least one of the unused radar channels is free of interference. The method still further includes performing object detection by generating and transmitting one or more OD chirps on the determined interference-free channel.

Abstract: A method for assembling a rechargeable energy storage system includes assembling a plurality of cell modules into an upper structure of an enclosure, wherein the plurality of cell modules are composed of a plurality of battery cells and a plurality of collectors, wherein the plurality of collectors are arranged to electrically connect the battery cells; inverting the enclosure including the plurality of cell modules assembled therein; filling the enclosure with a liquified potting compound; curing the liquified potting compound to form a solidified potting compound; and assembling a bottom structure onto the upper structure of the enclosure to form a plurality of longitudinal channels.

Abstract: Methods and systems automatically scale and set trailer brake gain without a need for vehicle driver input and without testing. Scaling a trailer brake gain of a trailer towed by a vehicle includes obtaining sensor data via one or more sensors of the vehicle. A processor computes a trailer weight of the trailer and a trailer resistance force of the trailer. The processor automatically updates the trailer brake gain based on both the trailer weight and the trailer resistance force and may use vehicle data and axle torque.

Abstract: A system of providing audio description in a vehicle includes one or more vehicle sensors configured to provide perception data. An audio unit is adapted to transmit an audio signal inside the vehicle. The system includes a controller having a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which instructions are recorded. The controller is adapted to identify elements in a scene in proximity to the vehicle based in part on input data from a plurality of source, including the perception data from the vehicle sensors. The controller is adapted to generate output data based in part on the elements identified in the scene. The output data is merged into one or more cohesive sentences for the audio description. The controller is adapted to determine an output sequence for the audio description based on a predefined list of priorities and transmit the audio description through the audio unit in the output sequence.

Abstract: A process and system to detect and provide notification of a potential effect of a thermal event related to a vehicle and a process for updating thermal event probability of a specific area based on an effect of a vehicle are provided. Identifying potential vehicle thermal events and determining their potential effect in order to provide information related to the risk to both vehicle occupants and the proper authorities facilitates providing alerts and possible evacuation routes, and facilitates authorities providing the proper response. A vehicle is identified and information related to the identified vehicle, as well as information related to an area and an existing thermal event, are obtained and probability of a thermal event starting or potential spread of an existing thermal event is determined based on the obtained information and the potential is addressed before a thermal event starts or an existing thermal event spreads.

Abstract: Systems and methods for evaluating schedulers that schedule jobs(s) and/or tasks(s) related to vehicle software builds and/or vehicle simulations are provided. A computer-implemented system, including one or more processing units; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units to perform operations including receiving a configuration including a simulated request for executing a task associated with at least one of a vehicle software build or a vehicle simulation of a vehicle; executing a simulation of operations of a scheduler and task execution, wherein the executing includes determining, by the scheduler, a schedule for executing the task based on the configuration and at least one of a driving scenario or a vehicle compute framework associated with the task; and calculating a metric for the scheduler based on an output of the simulation.

Abstract: A method, system, and host vehicle mitigate an encounter with a vulnerable road user (VRU) by performing pedestrian protection countermeasures when the VRU encounter is detected and an event with the VRU encounter is anticipated. The method includes determining, via a primary detection process using the controller, if the VRU encounter is probable, and determining, via a secondary detection process using the controller, if the VRU encounter has occurred. The method includes performing one or more pedestrian protection countermeasures based on a respective result of the primary and secondary detection processes. The primary detection process may utilize a passive sensing device and the secondary detection process may utilize an ADAS sensor, or vice versa.

Abstract: A method of reducing non-uniform degradation in a battery cell comprising: determining a likely temperature distribution for the battery cell; determining a temperature profile of the battery cell; calculating an electrochemical reaction rate in the battery cell; determining at least one non-uniformity in the electrochemical reaction rate; inducing a non-uniformity in at least one electrode design characteristic to counteract the at least one non-uniformity in the electrochemical reaction rate; and including at least one electrode having the non-uniformity in at least one electrode design characteristic in the battery cell to drive a more uniform electrochemical reaction rate through the battery cell, which could result in decreased fatigue life, particle stress and degradation of the battery cell during, for example, but not limited to high rate operation.

Abstract: A semi-solid-state electrolyte system for use in a battery cell is provided. The semi-solid-state electrolyte system includes an oxysulfide solid-state electrolyte and a secondary electrolyte including a solvate ionic liquid. The semi-solid-state electrolyte system is configured for providing excellent ionic conductivity, supporting high current densities at a low stack pressure, and including excellent chemical stability.

Abstract: A system and method for limited rate context-based eye gaze encoding includes generating, based on an outward looking camera situated in a vehicle, a first video stream of a surrounding environment to a controller. The controller generates a scene description based on the first video stream and selects a corresponding scene from a predefined list of known scenes. Further, the controller, based on the selected corresponding scene, selects a codebook of encoding and decoding parameters from a plurality of predefined codebooks. Based on an inward looking camera situated in the vehicle, a second video stream of a face of a driver to an eye tracker controller is generated, where the eye tracker controller estimates a gaze direction of the driver. Encoded data comprising the estimated gaze direction of the driver is transmitted over a bandwidth limited channel to a decoder, based on the selected codebook, the encoded data.

Abstract: Methods and systems automatically scale and set trailer brake gain without a need for vehicle driver input and without testing. Scaling a trailer brake gain of a trailer towed by a vehicle includes obtaining sensor data via one or more sensors of the vehicle, including from a hitch load sensor. A processor computes a trailer resistance force of the trailer based on the sensor data. The processor automatically updates the trailer brake gain based on both the sensor data and the trailer resistance force.

Abstract: The disclosed technology provides solutions for implementing dynamic autonomous vehicle (AV) dispatch services. A process of the disclosed technology can include steps for receiving a dispatch request from a mobile device associated with a user, wherein the dispatch request comprises a first pick-up location associated with the user, dispatching a first autonomous vehicle (AV) to the first pick-up location in response to the dispatch request, and automatically receiving an updated location of the mobile device associated with the user. In some aspects, the process can further include steps for determining a second pick-up location based on a change between the first pick-up location and the updated location, and transmitting an updated dispatch request based on the updated location of the mobile device. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.