Abstract: A quarter panel is configured for use with a vehicle having a forward end, a wheel, and a vertical surface located forward of the wheel. The quarter fender assembly includes a quarter fender in the form of an arcuate panel. The quarter panel is sized and configured to be mounted to the vehicle between the wheel and the vertical surface. The quarter panel assembly further includes a flexible flap mounted to an upper portion of the quarter fender. The flap has an at least partially arcuate forward surface.

Abstract: In some embodiments, techniques are provided for autonomously backing a vehicle to a target object such as a loading dock, a loading bay, a dock level er, a garage door, a wall area, another vehicle, or an end of an alley. The target object is determined, and an autonomous backing module of the vehicle determines relevant distances and angles. Using this information, the autonomous backing module may determine a path to the target object, and transmit commands to components of the vehicle to autonomously control the vehicle along the determined path to the target object.

Abstract: Drag reducing systems for vehicles are provided. In one aspect, a drag reducing system generally includes an airfoil rotatably couplable to the vehicle and configured to provide a lift force to the vehicle as a result of differential airflow velocity over the upper surface with respect to the lower surface. The drag reducing system may further include a flow alignment vane to rotationally align the airfoil to the direction of airflow. In another aspect, a drag reducing system generally includes an air vane hingedly couplable to a surface of a vehicle and configured to rotate from a first stowed position to a second deployed position. The air vane includes a flared leading portion to provide a force to bias the air vane toward the first position and a flared lateral portion to provide a force to rotate the air vane to the second deployed position.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods for operating an EAS including a close coupled SCR unit, a downstream SCR unit, a diesel oxidation catalyst unit (DOC) and a diesel particulate filter (DPF). The methods utilize the close coupled SCR unit to manage NOx emissions from the EAS during regeneration of a diesel particulate filter (DPF).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an on-board diagnostic (OBD) limit part and a method of testing to evaluate an OBD system. The method of manufacturing the OBD limit part includes introducing a contaminant to an selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst and contacting the contaminant with the SCR catalyst for a selected period of time. The method of manufacturing utilizes a vessel, the contaminant, and the SCR catalyst. The OBD limit part is a combination of the contaminant and the SCR catalyst within the vessel. The method of testing to evaluate the OBD system includes collecting data related to an exhaust gas before and after the exhaust gas is exposed to the OBD limit part, collecting an indication provided by the OBD system, and comparing the data related to the exhaust gas and the indication provided by the OBD system. The method of testing to evaluate the OBD system utilizes a system that includes an exhaust gas source, a first and a second fluid path, the OBD limit part, and the OBD system.

Abstract: A tire comprising a plurality of tread blocks. At least one tread block includes one or more piers for stiffening the tread blocks while allowing normal lateral (tangential) or circumferential strain for normal braking and motive traction. The piers can extend the entire length dimension of the tread block or portions thereof.

Abstract: Aspects of systems, method, and computer-readable storage media are described herein that are configured to provide operator fleet performance benchmarking and analytics. A fleet analytics system may include user-friendly front end client application with which a non-technical user may interface, and a back end analytics and visualization system that is deployed on the cloud and offered as a service to determine a subset of ‘like operators’ to utilize as a baseline in a benchmark analysis, to benchmark a target operator's performance against the subset of like operators, determine analytics resulting from the benchmark analysis, and to generate visualizations of the analytics for display to the user/operator.

Abstract: Aspects are described herein that are capable of providing a vehicle configuration for a vehicle that is optimized to maximize the customer's performance priorities while additionally complying with regulatory emissions requirements and equipment regulations. A machine learning (ML) predictive model is trained based on simulations run on combinations of vehicle configurations and routes and on real-world telematics data, and used to determine a vehicle configuration optimized for a representative route.

Abstract: Aspects of systems, method, and computer-readable storage media are provided that determine a vehicle configuration based on operator use case-specific performance impacts. A fleet analytics system is deployed as a lightweight, easy-to-use cloud-based service to a non-technical audience.