Abstract: Autonomous vehicle operational management including blocking monitoring may include traversing, by an autonomous vehicle, a vehicle transportation network. Traversing the vehicle transportation network may include operating a blocking monitor instance, which may include identifying operational environment information including information corresponding to a first external object within a defined distance of the autonomous vehicle, determining a first area of the vehicle transportation network based on a current geospatial location of the autonomous vehicle in the vehicle transportation network and an identified route for the autonomous vehicle, and determining a probability of availability for the first area based on the operational environment information. Traversing the vehicle transportation network may include traversing a portion of the vehicle transportation network based on the probability of availability.

Abstract: A conductive polymer material is provided that includes an electrically conducting monomer and a zwitterionic sulfate chemically attached to the monomer. The electrically conducting monomer is at least one of acetylene, pyrrole, thiophene, phenylenevinylene, paraphenylene and aniline. The zwitterionic sulfonate includes an imidazolium group or an ammonium group. A solid-state battery is also provided that includes the conductive polymer material in an electrode. The solid-state battery includes an anode, a cathode and a solid electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode. At least one of the anode and the cathode includes the conductive polymer material.

Abstract: A muffler brace assembly for a vehicle includes a muffler and a pipe connected to an inlet of the muffler. A brace member has a first end and a second end. The first end of is connected to the pipe and the second end is connected to the muffler. A lowermost portion of the brace member is disposed lower than lowermost portions of the pipe and the muffler.

Abstract: A system for determining the number of remote vehicles following a host vehicle includes a receiver and an electronic controller. The receiver receives information related to a plurality of remote vehicles, including, for each remote vehicle, a vehicle location and a vehicle travel path. The electronic controller determines a location and a travel path of the host vehicle, compares the location of the host vehicle with the vehicle location of each of the remote vehicles, compares the travel path of the host vehicle with the vehicle travel path of each of the remote vehicles, and causes the host vehicle to perform a mitigation operation when the electronic controller determines that a predetermined number of the remote vehicles are disposed behind the host vehicle, and the travel path of the host vehicle and the vehicle travel path of each of the predetermined number of the remote vehicles is the same.

Abstract: A keyfob has an electronic controller, a plurality of command inputs, a keyfob antenna and a feedback device. The plurality of command inputs, the keyfob antenna and the feedback device are in electronic communication with the controller. The controller is configured to send signals to a vehicle door lock system in response to operation one or more of the plurality of command inputs that instruct the vehicle door lock system to switch at least one door between a locked state and an unlocked state. The controller is further configured to enter a diagnostic mode in response to a predetermined operation of the plurality of command inputs such that in the diagnostic mode the keyfob operates as a diagnostic tool that detects an operating state of at least one of the keyfob and the vehicle door lock system.

Abstract: A vehicle body structure includes a vehicle structure, and an off-center impact structure. The vehicle structure has a front side member with a front end and a front-section extending rearward from the front end. The front side member extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The off-center impact structure includes a leaf-spring assembly with a plurality of leaf-springs attached to one another. The off-center impact structure is attached to the front side member at the front-section such that the leaf-spring assembly extends in a lateral outboard direction from the front side member.

Abstract: Traversing, by an autonomous vehicle, a vehicle transportation network, may include operating a scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance, wherein the scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance includes an instance of a scenario-specific operational control evaluation model of a vehicle operational scenario wherein the vehicle operational scenario is a merge vehicle operational scenario or a pass-obstruction vehicle operational scenario, receiving a candidate vehicle control action from the scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance, and traversing a portion of the vehicle transportation network in accordance with the candidate vehicle control action.

Abstract: A front fascia for a vehicle includes an upper fascia member, a lower fascia member, a connection member, and a temporary connection member. The connection member extends between the upper fascia member and the lower fascia member. The temporary connection member extends between the upper fascia member and the lower fascia member. The temporary connection member is configured to be removable prior to installation of the front fascia to the vehicle.

Abstract: An evaporative emission control system for a vehicle includes an engine, a fuel tank connected to the engine and a reversible purge pump connected between the fuel tank and the engine. Fuel vapor generated in the fuel tank is supplied to the engine. The purge pump is operable in a first direction to supply the fuel vapor from the fuel tank to the engine and a second direction to supply air to the fuel tank. A purge control valve is connected between the reversible purge pump and the engine to control a flow of the fuel vapor to the engine.

Abstract: A vehicle body structure that includes a storage structure, at least one fixed cover and at least on sliding cover. The storage structure defines at least one opening and at least one storage space, the at least one opening exposing the at least one storage space. The fixed cover is non-movably fitted to the storage structure covering a first portion of the opening. The sliding cover is installed to the storage structure for sliding movement along the opening such that in a closed orientation, the sliding cover covers a second portion of storage space such that the fixed cover and the sliding cover completely conceal the storage space, and, in an open orientation the sliding cover exposes the second portion of the storage space. The storage structure is dimensioned and contoured to removably install to a rear interior cargo area of a passenger vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle door structure includes an inner panel, an outer panel, a guard beam and a reinforcing member. The guard beam extends laterally in a cavity between the inner and outer panels. The reinforcing member disposed in the cavity and being positioned on a floor of the vehicle door structure below the guard beam.

Abstract: An electrolyte structure for use in a solid oxide electrochemical device includes a first solid electrolyte and a metal support embedded in the first solid electrolyte such that the first solid electrolyte forms an anode-facing layer that covers an anode-facing surface of the metal support, a cathode-facing layer that covers a cathode-facing surface of the metal support, and two opposing side layers that cover side surfaces of the metal support to form a continuous path around the metal support.

Abstract: A vehicle bumper assembly (12) that includes a first energy absorbing member (22), a second energy absorbing member (24) and a vehicle facia member (26). The first energy absorbing member (22) is made of non-expanded polypropylene and is configured to directly attach to a vehicle body structure (14). The second energy absorbing member (24) is made of expanded polypropylene and is directly attached to a portion of the first energy absorbing member (22) spaced apart from the vehicle body structure (14). The vehicle facia member (26) is shaped and contoured for a predetermined vehicle body style. Further, the vehicle facia member (26) is configured to attach to the vehicle body structure (14). The vehicle facia member (26) covers and at least partially conceals the first energy absorbing member (22) and the second energy absorbing member (24).

Abstract: A vehicle body structure includes a rear pillar assembly, an attachment panel and a reinforcement panel. The rear pillar assembly has an upper end, a lower end and a mid-section and partially defines a rear corner area of a passenger compartment. The rear pillar assembly includes an inner panel that has a first upright edge that at least partially defines one side of a rear window opening and a second upright edge that at least partially defines a door opening. The attachment panel is fixedly attached to the inner panel along the mid-section of the rear pillar assembly. The reinforcement panel overlays the inner panel and the attachment panel and has a curved portion that extends from the attachment panel along the inner panel and curves downward along the inner panel. The curved portion is welded to the mid-section of the inner panel.

Abstract: A method for world objects tracking and prediction by an autonomous vehicle includes receiving, from sensors of the AV, a first observation data; associating the first observation data with a first world object; determining hypotheses for the first world object; determining a respective hypothesis likelihood of each of the hypotheses indicating a likelihood that the first world object follows the intention; determining, for at least one hypothesis of the hypotheses, a respective state; and in response to a query, providing a hypothesis of the hypotheses based on the respective hypothesis likelihood of each of the hypotheses. A hypothesis corresponds to an intention of the first world object and the respective state includes predicted positions of the first world object.

Abstract: A vehicle system for providing a service to a mobile device includes a WiFi emitter configured to emit a plurality of WiFi signals, each of the plurality of WiFi signals corresponding to a respective zone within the vehicle, and a WiFi control module that selectively controls the WiFi emitter to emit one or more signals to respective zones. Each zone corresponds to a particular occupant area within the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and vehicles may be configured to gain experience in the form of state-action and/or action-observation histories for an operational scenario as the vehicle traverses a vehicle transportation network. The histories may be incorporated into a model in the form of learning to improve the model over time. The learning may be used to improve integration with human behavior. Driver feedback may be used in the learning examples to improve future performance and to integrate with human behavior. The learning may be used to create customized scenario solutions. The learning may be used to transfer a learned solution and apply the learned solution to a similar scenario.

Abstract: Exception handing, such as of obstruction situations, by an autonomous vehicle (AV) is disclosed. A method includes identifying an exception situation; identifying a risk associated with autonomously resolving the exception situation; and in response to the risk exceeding a risk threshold, initiating a request for assistance from a tele-operator, and halting for the tele-operator to respond to the request; and receiving a response from the tele-operator.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant warning system includes a receiver, an electronic controller and a mitigation device. The receiver is disposed onboard a host vehicle and is configured to receive remote vehicle information representing a travel condition of a remote vehicle. The electronic is controller configured to determine whether the remote vehicle will pass adjacent a side of the host based on the remote vehicle information. The mitigation device is configured to perform a mitigation operation to prevent an occupant of the host vehicle from exiting the host vehicle when instructed by the electronic controller.

Abstract: According to some implementations of the present disclosure, a method for controlling an autonomous vehicle is disclosed. The method includes traversing the transportation network in accordance with a route and receiving vehicle sensor data from one or more vehicle sensors of the autonomous vehicle. The method also includes determining that the autonomous vehicle has encountered an occlusion scenario based on the vehicle sensor data. In response to determining that the autonomous vehicle has encountered the occlusion scenario, the method includes transmitting a request for infrastructure data to an external resource via a communication network, receiving infrastructure data from the external resource, determining a control action for the autonomous vehicle to perform based on the infrastructure data and the vehicle sensor data, and controlling the autonomous vehicle based on the control action.