Abstract: Systems and methods for improving the brightness of a transparent display are disclosed herein. One embodiment collects ambient light using an array of Fresnel lenses disposed on an external surface of a vehicle; collects internal light from the vehicle's headlights; filters the ambient light and the internal light to produce filtered ambient light and filtered internal light; generates primary-source light using a light-emitting-diode (LED) light source; and injects, into a transparent edge-lit liquid crystal waveguide display deployed in at least a portion of a window of the vehicle, the primary-source light, the filtered ambient light, and the filtered internal light in a color-synchronized manner. The filtered ambient light and the filtered internal light improve the brightness of the transparent edge-lit liquid crystal waveguide display.

Abstract: A method is provided including receiving a planned route of a vehicle and a request to download content from a cloud server, the planned route traveling through an area covered by a plurality of edge servers, determining a state comprising possible connections between the vehicle and each of the plurality of edge servers at a plurality of time steps during the planned route, inputting the state to a trained model, the model being trained to output an action comprising a partition of the content across the plurality of edge servers that minimizes latency of transmission of the content from the cloud server to the vehicle via the plurality of edge servers, based on the state, and partitioning the content across the plurality of edge servers based on the action out by the trained mode.

Abstract: A kinetic seat cushion assembly that rotates based on a force applied on an occupant seated therein is provided. The kinetic seat cushion assembly includes a primary seat cushion frame, a secondary seat cushion frame, a seat cushion tilt mechanism coupling the secondary seat cushion frame to the primary seat cushion frame such that the secondary seat cushion frame is movable with respect to the primary seat cushion frame, and a front pivot mechanism that pivotally couples a front portion of the primary seat cushion frame to a front portion of the secondary seat cushion frame.

Abstract: A vehicle seat can be configured to provide support to a vehicle occupant in conditions when lateral acceleration is experienced. Shape memory material members can be operatively positioned with respect to a seat portion of the vehicle seat. The shape memory material members can be selectively activated by an activation input. When activated, the shape memory material members can engage a seat pan so as to cause the seat pan to tilt in a respective lateral direction. As a result, a seat cushion supported by the seat pan can also tilt in the respective lateral direction. The seat cushion can be tilted in a lateral direction that is opposite to the direction of the lateral acceleration. Thus, the effects of lateral acceleration felt by a seat occupant can be reduced. The shape memory material members can be selectively activated based on vehicle speed, steering angle, and/or lateral acceleration.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for cooling an electric aircraft. The system comprises an electronic device, a casing, at least one fin, and at least one PHP. The electronic device can generate heat. The electronic device can be housed within the casing. The fin can be attached to the outer wall of the casing. The PHP can be embedded within the fin, such that an evaporator section of the PHP is closest to the heat source and the condenser section of the PHP is furthest from the heat source. The PHP can also be placed within the casing. In some embodiments, the casing can have a plurality of slots. The fin can be shaped such that a single fin may slide into a pair of slots and come to rest adjacent to the casing, wherein a PHP can be embedded within the fin.

Abstract: A back door assembly includes a door; a pair of hinges that rotatably couple the door to a frame of the vehicle, the pair of hinges define an axis of rotation about which the door is rotatable; and a pair of latching mechanisms configured to secure the door to the frame, the pair of latching mechanisms are spaced apart from the pair of hinges in a vehicle vertical direction when the door is in a closed position, the pair of latching mechanisms are aligned with the pair of hinges in the vehicle vertical direction when the door is in the closed position such that an axis extending through the pair of latching mechanisms is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the pair of hinges.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing panel assemblies is provided. The method includes, placing an outer surface of a panel on a mold. The panel includes a carbon fiber. The method further includes placing a channel on an inner surface of the panel. The channel includes a resin. The inner surface opposes the outer surface. The method further includes welding the channel onto the panel by heating the carbon fiber of the panel and placing a rib in the channel. The rib includes a carbon fiber. The method further include welding the rib onto the channel by heating the carbon fiber of the rib.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a seat assembly includes a seat portion and a back portion connected to the seat portion. The back portion has an opening sized to receive a backpack that extends through both a front-facing surface and a rear-facing surface. A backpack is located in the opening in a stowed configuration. The backpack is accessible at the front-facing surface and the rear-facing surface and is removable from the opening.

Abstract: A vehicle tailgate assembly includes a tailgate and a switch assembly operably connected to the tailgate. The switch assembly includes a switch structured to be actuatable by application of a load exceeding a predetermined threshold to the tailgate. The switch assembly is operably connected to a tailgate automatic opening/closing mechanism such that actuation of the switch controls operation of the mechanism to prevent execution of a command to automatically open the tailgate when the tailgate is in a fully closed condition.

Abstract: An artificial muscle device includes a plurality of intermuscular boards and a plurality of artificial muscles disposed between the intermuscular boards in an alternating pattern and communicatively coupled to a controller. Each of the one or more artificial muscles includes a housing comprising an electrode region and an expandable fluid region, a dielectric fluid housed within the housing, and an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region of the housing, the electrode pair including a first electrode and a second electrode. The electrode pair is actuatable between a non-actuated state and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state directs the dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region, expanding the expandable fluid region, thereby applying pressure to the intermuscular boards.

Abstract: A system for controlling a trailer brake output circuit includes an electronic control unit having one or more processors and one or more memory modules. The trailer brake output circuit is configured to output a trailer brake output signal. Machine readable instructions cause the electronic control unit to: receive a signal from a vehicle stability control system indicating that a vehicle stability control flag is set, generate the trailer brake output signal in response to the vehicle stability control flag being set such that the trailer brake output signal ramps up to a target value over a predefined period of time, maintain the trailer brake output signal at the target value while the vehicle stability control flag is set, and output the trailer brake output signal such that the trailer brake output signal ramps down from the target value when the vehicle stability control flag changes from set to not set.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a mud guard control system including a speed sensor configured to provide a signal indicative of speed to a controller. The controller is configured to instruct an actuator to move a mud guard from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration based on the signal from the speed sensor when the speed of the vehicle is below a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: Systems and methods for fast vehicular micro cloud formation are disclosed herein. In one example, a system includes a processor and a memory in communication with the processor and having instructions. When executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to receive an identifier of the vehicle and determine if the identifier matches the information in stored metadata. If the identifier matches the information in the stored metadata, the vehicle is allowed to join the vehicular micro cloud without performing a standard onboarding procedure. Otherwise, a standard onboarding procedure is performed to allow the vehicle to join the vehicular micro cloud.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a first fuel cell; a second fuel cell; a cathode configured to receive a positive charge from the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell; an anode disposed apart from the cathode and configured to receive a negative charge from the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell; a manifold enclosing the anode and the cathode; coolant disposed within the manifold and surrounding the cathode and the anode; and a seal disposed between the cathode and the anode so as to prevent the coolant from leaking into the first fuel cell, wherein the cathode includes a seal portion disposed adjacent to the seal and a remaining portion separated from the seal by the seal portion, and wherein the remaining portion of the cathode is configured to be non-parallel with the anode so as to reduce shunt current at the seal portion.

Abstract: A dual side view display includes a waveguide with an inside transparent layer and an outside transparent layer spaced apart from and parallel to the inside transparent layer, and a plurality of inside view liquid crystal (LC) pixels and a plurality of outside view LC pixels disposed within the waveguide. The plurality of outside view LC pixels are disposed within the waveguide parallel to and in-plane with the plurality of inside view LC pixels. The plurality of inside LC pixels includes a plurality of outside blocking layers configured to block light scattered in the plurality of inside view LC pixels from propagating through the outside transparent layer. Also, the plurality of outside view LC pixels includes a plurality of inside blocking layers configured to block light scattered in the plurality of outside view LC pixels from propagating through the inside transparent layer.

Abstract: Power electronics device assemblies, circuit board assemblies, and power electronics assemblies are disclosed. In one embodiment, a power electronics device assembly includes an S-cell including a first metal layer, a first graphite layer bonded to the first metal layer, an electrically insulating layer bonded to the first graphite layer, a second graphite layer bonded to the electrically insulating layer and a second metal layer bonded to the second graphite layer, the second metal layer comprising a surface and a recess provided within the surface. The power electronics device assembly further includes a power electronics device disposed within the recess of the surface.

Abstract: A system includes a processor and a memory in communication with the processor. The memory has instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate, based on an image of a roof of a multi-level parking structure, a roof map having at least one road segment and at least one parking space of the roof. The instructions further cause the processor to predict, based on the roof map, a lower level map having at least one road segment and at least one parking space of a lower level of the parking structure.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatus for a system includes a main vehicle and a secondary vehicle configured to couple to the main vehicle. The secondary vehicle includes a wheel configured to move the secondary vehicle and a body coupled to the wheel. The body includes a first set of retractable bars. The first set of retractable bars are configured to extend into receivers of the main vehicle in a deactivated state. The first set of retractable bars are further configured to be disposed in the body in a retracted state. The first set of retractable bars are further configured to extend into a pod and lift the pod in an attached state.

Abstract: An edge device for providing an HD map to a vehicle is provided. The edge device includes a controller programmed to: obtain a head pose of an occupant of a vehicle; obtain a location of the vehicle following an original route; analyze the head pose and the location of the vehicle to determine a potential route for the vehicle, the potential route being different from the original route, and transmit HD map information corresponding to the potential route to the vehicle in response to determining the potential route.

Abstract: A fuel cell (FC) assembly having a stack that includes a bipolar plate and a gas diffusion layer (GDL) composed of a microporous metal foam having embedded therein a plurality of discrete microchannels or a plurality of discrete microstructures.