Abstract: A multiple particle reduced order model to adjust charging applied to a load based on accurately predicting lithium plating potential in real time during the life of a lithium battery cell. In the current multi-particle reduced order modeling system, the current density and the potential distributions are solved iteratively. Once the current distribution is solved, lithium concentration distribution is solved without involving any iterative process. By solving the lithium concentration distribution as a separate step after the iteratively determined current density and potential distributions, the computation time required by the model to generate an output is dramatically reduced by avoiding solving multiple partial derivative equations iteratively. Based on the potential distribution information provided by the output of the model, lithium plating potential can be determined, and actions can be taken, such as modified charging techniques and rates, to minimize future lithium plating.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle automatically implements a lane change in dense traffic condition. A minimum distance gap between the vehicle and a vehicle in front of the present vehicle is calculated for an autonomous vehicle, along with a best trajectory for changing lanes into a left adjacent lane or changing lanes into a right adjacent lane. The left or right lane change is triggered by the driver or the global planner that navigates the vehicle. During the next cycle, pre-calculated information is utilized by a planning module to determine the final speed of the trajectory to complete the final planning trajectory for the lane change.

Abstract: An automated vehicle (AV) which automatically interacts with objects in a surrounding environment based on the objects determined intention and predicted actions determined based on their intention. Data is collected from an external environment by cameras, sensors, and optionally other devices on an AV. The data is processed to identify objects and a state for each object, and an interaction scenario is identified. For objects within the interaction scenario, an intention for each object is determined, and the action of the object is predicted. The AV generates a decision to perform an action to communicate the AV's action to one or more objects. Commands are generated to execute the decision, and the intention of the AV is implemented by executing the commands using one or more output mechanisms (horn, turn signal, display, and/or other mechanisms) for the AV.

Abstract: An electrode for a lithium ion rechargeable battery, wherein the electrode is made from a slurry generated from a compound graphite active material. The compound graphite active material can include graphite particles of different sizes. In some instances, fifty percent or more of the graphite particles making up the active material can have a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the remainder of the graphite materials. The compound graphite active material is applied to a current conductor to form an electrode, and provides for a discharge capacity of significantly higher than lithium ion rechargeable battery having an electrode with a slurry generated from a single sized graphite active material.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle automatically implements a lane change in dense traffic condition. A minimum distance gap between the vehicle and a vehicle in front of the present vehicle is calculated for an autonomous vehicle, along with a best trajectory for changing lanes into a left adjacent lane or changing lanes into a right adjacent lane. The left or right lane change is triggered by the driver or the global planner that navigates the vehicle. During the next cycle, pre-calculated information is utilized by a planning module to determine the final speed of the trajectory to complete the final planning trajectory for the lane change.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle with adaptable cruise control in which a virtual vehicle object is generated to pace the autonomous vehicle for a smooth acceleration when transitioning between an ACC mode and a CC mode. An acceleration profile sets a virtual vehicle object acceleration as a function of a speed difference between the current road speed limit and the current autonomous vehicle speed, and the current autonomous vehicle acceleration. The perception data may be generated for the virtual vehicle object to simulate the existence of the virtual vehicle object on the road traveled by the autonomous vehicle. The generated perception data and acceleration data are provided to an ACC module to control the acceleration of the autonomous vehicle. The acceleration profile of the virtual vehicle object is tunable.

Abstract: Provided is a scalable battery module. In once example embodiment, the module includes a plurality of submodules. Each plurality of submodules is configured to hold one or more cell batteries. The module further includes one or more of a first connector, a second connector, or a third connector. The first connector may secure an alignment of two or more adjacent submodules of the plurality of submodules along a first dimensional axis by using at least one of two slots and two projections of the first connector. The second connector secures the alignment of two adjacent submodules of the plurality of submodules along a second dimensional axis by using at least two further slots of the second connector. The third connector secures the alignment of two adjacent submodules of the plurality of submodules along a third dimensional axis by using at least two further projections of the third connector.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle that automatically responds to an emergency service vehicle. Perception data is captured or received by the autonomous vehicle (AV) cameras, sensors, and microphones. The perception data is used to detect lanes in a road, generate a list of objects, classify one or more of the objects, and determine a state for the classified objects. In response to detecting an emergency service vehicle such as a law enforcement vehicle, a responsive action may be planned by the AV. The responsive action may include sending an acknowledgement signal, notifying passengers of the AV, generating a planned trajectory based on the emergency service vehicle location, an emergency service vehicle detected intention, and other information. A safety check may be performed, and commands may be generated by a control module to navigate the AV along the planned trajectory. The commands may then be executed by a DBW module.

Abstract: Systems and methods for manufacturing an electrode is provided. An example method may comprise disposing, by a blade, a slurry onto a surface of a current collector, the slurry including an active material and a solvent, applying, by an electric field source, an electric field between the blade and the current collector, and drying the slurry applied to the surface of the current collector to remove the solvent. The electric field is applied continuously while the slurry is disposed onto the surface of the current blade. The electric field affects the structure of portions of the slurry by causing a Van der Waals interaction and a polarization attraction between the active material and the current collector. The slurry may include of 95% graphite, 3% of a binder, and 5% of reduced graphene oxide. The solvent may include 4 to 1 mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle automatically implements an intention aware lane change with a safety guaranteed lane biased strategy. To make a lane change, the autonomous vehicle first navigates within the current lane to near the edge of the current lane, to a position offset by a bias. By navigating to the edge of the lane, the autonomous vehicle provides a physical and virtual notification, in addition to a turn signal, that it is the intention of the vehicle to change into the lane adjacent to the edge of the lane in which the vehicle has navigated to. After performing a safety check and waiting for a minimum period of time during which vehicles in the adjacent lane can be assumed to have been warned or been put on notice of the lane change, the autonomous vehicle navigates into the adjacent lane.

Abstract: An automatically generated and customized fast charging process results in reduced degradation in the battery cell. An algorithm for a particular battery cell profile is automatically generated and customized to minimize degradation due to fast charging for that particular batch. To generate the custom algorithm, battery cell information is retrieved for a profile of a battery, wherein each battery profile may have a particular manufacturer, model, type, electrode batch, and potentially other specific identification information. Each battery cell is charged from a particular SOC level and at a selected C-rate, and then discharged. During discharge, the battery cell is monitored for detection of lithium plating or other undesirable effects. A lookup table is automatically generated from the battery cell information, and can be provided to devices and/or battery management systems. The BMS then uses the lookup table to apply a charging process that is customized to the on-board battery.

Abstract: A multiple particle reduced order model accurately predicts lithium plating potential in real time during the life of a lithium battery cell. In the current multi-particle reduced order modeling system, the current density and the potential distributions are solved iteratively. Once the current distribution is solved, lithium concentration distribution is solved without involving any iterative process. By solving the lithium concentration distribution as a separate step after the iteratively determined current density and potential distributions, the computation time required by the model to generate an output is dramatically reduced by avoiding solving multiple partial derivative equations iteratively. Based on the potential distribution information provided by the output of the model, lithium plating potential can be determined and actions can be taken, such as modified charging techniques and rates, to minimize future lithium plating.

Abstract: External forces are applied to a slurry mixture to achieve a more organized slurry structure in the manufacturing of an electrode. A slurry is generated with paramagnetic materials that exhibit magnetic properties when a magnetic field is applied to the slurry. The slurry with the paramagnetic materials is applied to a current conductor, and then a magnetic field is applied to the slurry, for example during an electrode drying process. By applying a magnetic field, the paramagnetic material orientation can be aligned into a more organized structure. In some instances, the alignment creates a porous structure or gap between pillars that form within the dried slurry material. The dried, porous slurry structure allows for electrolyte wetting and ionic accessibility that is greatly improved over electrodes manufactured using typical techniques.

Abstract: A combined virtual and real environment for autonomous vehicle planning and control testing. An autonomous vehicle is operated in a real environment where a planning module and control module operate to plan and execute vehicle navigation. Simulated environment elements, including simulated image and video detected objects, simulated radar detected objects, simulated lane lines, and other simulated elements detectable by radar, lidar, camera, and any other vehicle perception systems, are received along with real-world detected elements. The simulated and real-world elements are combined and processed to by the autonomous vehicle data processing system. Once processed, the autonomous vehicle plans and executes navigation based on mixed real-world and simulated data in the same way. By adding simulated data to real data, the autonomous vehicle systems may be tested in hypothetical situations in a real-world environment and conditions.

Abstract: Provided herein are battery packs for electric vehicles. A battery pack can include a housing having cavities. The battery pack can include electrode structures having a first tab terminal and a second tab terminal. A cover can be disposed over the housing. The cover can include first junction connectors extending between a first surface of the cover and a second surface of the cover. The first tab terminal of each electrode structure can be welded to respective first junction connectors.

Abstract: A battery cell includes a cathode layer and an anode layer. The anode layer includes anode particles, and a plurality of the anode particles have non-spanning cracks induced in the anode particles from cyclic tension applied to the anode layer prior to the anode layer being combined with the cathode layer in the battery cell. The battery cell also includes a case, where the cathode layer and the anode layer are housed within the case.

Abstract: Provided herein is a power converter component to power a drive unit of an electric vehicle drive system. The power converter component includes an inverter module formed having three half-bridge modules arranged in a triplet configuration for electric vehicle drive systems. Positive inputs, negative inputs, and output terminals of the different half-bridge inverter modules are aligned with each other. The inverter module includes a positive bus-bar coupled with the positive inputs and a negative bus-bar coupled with the negative inputs of the half-bridge inverter modules. The positive bus-bar is positioned adjacent to and parallel with the negative bus-bar. The inverter module can be coupled with a drive train unit of the electric vehicle and provide three phase voltages to the drive train unit. Each of the half bridge modules can generate a single phase voltage and three half-bridge modules arranged in a triplet configuration can provide three phase voltages.

Abstract: Battery health is determined by estimating a battery anode capacity, battery cathode capacity, and cyclable lithium capacity. Determining electrode and lithium capacity may include determining anode and cathode open cell voltages (OCV) at the beginning of battery life, and estimating the full cell OCV from the individual (half-cell) OCV values. Once the beginning of battery life information is known, the state of charge (SOC) for a battery is measured during battery life. The SOC measurements may be captured at a plurality of different levels. The cathode capacity, anode capacity, and cycle mobile lithium capacity are then determined from the beginning of life OCV data and plurality of SOC data. The capacities can be used to detect degradation, and a battery management system can take steps to reduce further degradation based on the capacity values.

Abstract: A battery management system that uses a multiple particle reduced order model to manage battery performance of a vehicle, such as an electric vehicle or hybrid electric vehicle is provided. The system can receive a value of a current output and determine, via a multi-particle model, a local current distribution that converges. The system can determine, via the multi-particle model and subsequent to determination of the local current distribution that converges, a concentration distribution. The system can determine, based on the local current distribution, a value of a voltage of the battery. The system can determine, based on the value of the voltage of the battery and the concentration distribution, a temperature of the battery. The system can generate, based on the value of the voltage of the battery or the temperature of the battery, a command to manage a performance of the battery.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods related to an inverter module of a drivetrain system of an electric vehicle. The inverter module can include multiple power modules to form a three phase inverter module to power an electric vehicle. The power modules can be arranged or organized within the inverter module to reduce a footprint of the inverter module and reduce an inductance of the inverter module. The power modules can be arranged within the inverter module in a row like or queue like formation such that a first row of power modules is disposed along a first side of the inverter module and a second row of power modules is disposed along a second side of the inverter module. The positioning of the power modules can reduce an inductance value of the paralleled power loop formed by the multiple power modules, reducing an inductance of the inverter module.