Abstract: A steering system clatter mitigation apparatus and method. The clatter mitigation apparatus excites the steering system at a frequency within a range of an existing engine noise. The excitation of the steering system at a different frequency than the clatter sound greatly reduces the clatter sound. The sound produced by the excitation of the steering system is masked by the existing sound of the engine.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a navigation system and a processing device. The navigation system is configured to identify a current location of the vehicle, a destination location, and a distance between the current location and the destination location. The processing device is configured to identify a task, associate the task to the destination location, and schedule the task according to the distance from the destination location.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a communication interface, a memory device, and a processing device. The communication interface is configured to communicate over a communication network. The memory device is configured to store a connectivity map associated with a geographic area. The connectivity map defines a communication quality at a plurality of locations in the geographic area. The processing device is configured to initiate a remote data transfer over the communication network in accordance with the connectivity map.

Abstract: A vehicle system includes at least one sensor and a processing device. The sensor is configured to output sensor signals representing infrastructure information collected in real time. The processing device is configured to predict a future road characteristic based on the infrastructure information, evaluate a prediction error, adjust a prediction horizon until the prediction error is within a predetermined accuracy range, and control at least one vehicle subsystem in accordance with the predicted future road characteristic. A method includes receiving infrastructure information collected in real time, predicting a future road characteristic based on the infrastructure information, evaluating a prediction error, adjusting a prediction horizon until the prediction error is within a predetermined accuracy range, and controlling at least one vehicle subsystem in accordance with the predicted future road characteristic.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for altering the drivability of a vehicle so as to alert a driver of the vehicle of a potentially hazardous condition. The vehicle has at least one sensor configured to detect the potentially hazardous potential. Additionally, the vehicle has a control system for directing a transmission of the vehicle to perform a transmission operation that catches the driver's attention by generating an acceleration or deceleration. The transmission operation is preferably an upshift, a downshift, an unlocking of a torque converter lockup clutch or a locking of the lockup clutch. In one embodiment, the control system directs the transmission to perform more than one transmission operation, the transmission operations defining a transmission operation cycle. In a preferred embodiment, more than one transmission operation cycle is performed.

Abstract: A vehicle's dynamic handling state, driver inputs to the vehicle, etc. may be examined to determine one or more measures of driver workload. Driver interface tasks may then be delayed and/or prevented from executing based on the driver workload so as to not increase the driver workload. Alternatively, driver interface tasks may be scheduled for execution based on the driver workload and caused to execute according to the schedule, for example, to minimize the impact the executing driver interface tasks have on driver workload.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for altering the drivability of a vehicle so as to alert a driver of the vehicle of a potentially hazardous condition. The vehicle has at least one sensor configured to detect the potentially hazardous potential. Additionally, the vehicle has a control system for directing a transmission of the vehicle to perform a transmission operation that catches the driver's attention by generating an acceleration or deceleration. The transmission operation is preferably an upshift, a downshift, an unlocking of a torque converter lockup clutch or a locking of the lockup clutch. In one embodiment, the control system directs the transmission to perform more than one transmission operation, the transmission operations defining a transmission operation cycle. In a preferred embodiment, more than one transmission operation cycle is performed.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for improving the frequency of attempting and successfully completing one or more on-board diagnostic routines. Engine operating conditions are predicted based on a vehicle operator's driving pattern and routines are initiated if the predicted conditions match the conditions required for performing the routine. If the conditions do not match, entry and/or execution conditions of the routine are adjusted to better match the predicted conditions, so as to enable the routine to be attempted.

Abstract: A system and methods for inferring a local engine temperature based on various engine conditions input to a dynamic model are disclosed. In the example system provided, an inferential temperature sensor uses a trainable model to estimate a local metal temperature in an exhaust valve bridge of a cylinder head which thereby allows closed loop control of a coolant flow device independent from engine speed, engine state, coolant flow state or system temperature. In response to estimated local metal temperatures, the methods described further allow thermal management of the engine system to be optimized.

Abstract: Embodiments for an engine exhaust are provided. In one example, a method comprises adjusting a fuel injection amount based on a fractional oxidation state of a catalyst, the fractional oxidation state based on reaction rates of a plurality of exhaust gas species throughout a catalyst longitudinal axis and a set of axially-averaged mass balance and energy balance equations for a fluid phase and a washcoat of the catalyst, and further based on feedback from a downstream air-fuel ratio sensor. In this way, a simplified catalyst model may be used to control air-fuel ratio.

Abstract: A driver interface system includes a processor programmed to receive driver interface tasks to be executed and to selectively delay or prevent at least some of the driver interface tasks from being executed based on a driver workload. The driver workload is derived from a variability of an activity level of a driver relative to a mean value of the activity level as represented by a recursively computed determinant of a covariance of the activity level.

Abstract: A method for an engine, comprising: sealing a fuel tank; and indicating fuel system degradation based on a comparison of a first correlation coefficient, determined based on a change in fuel tank pressure and a change in fuel tank temperature, to a second correlation coefficient determined based on a change in ambient pressure and a change in ambient temperature. In this way, leak tests, such as engine-off natural vacuum tests, may be performed without knowledge of the properties of the fuel stored in the fuel tank.

Abstract: A system for generating power for an electric sub-assembly of a motor vehicle may include at least one reverse electrowetting energy harvesting element coupled to a tire of the motor vehicle. The system may further include at least one controller configured to accumulate electric energy generated by the at least one reverse electrowetting energy harvesting element and supply the accumulated electric energy to at least one sub-assembly mounted on the tire.

Abstract: A method of monitoring catalyst performance may comprise applying a set of parameter readings for a given sample to a support vector machine to generate a classification output, clustering the set of parameter readings to reduce a number of support vectors, computing a total fuel mass following a deceleration fuel shut-off event and an exhaust gas oxygen sensor switch and indicating catalyst degradation based on the total fuel mass.

Abstract: A rule-based vehicle cruise-control system includes a computer in a vehicle, the computer including a processor and a memory, and the computer is configured to control a vehicle speed within a first speed threshold according to a set point inputted to the cruise control system. The computer is configured to determine a current grade value is within a first grade threshold and adjust the set point to control the vehicle speed within a second speed threshold outside the first speed threshold. The computer is further configured to determine the current grade value is within a second grade threshold and adjust the set point to recover the vehicle speed to within the first speed threshold.

Abstract: A vehicle system includes a computer in a vehicle, and the computer includes a processor and a memory. The computer is configured to determine an operational state of a vehicle, calculate a road grade value from data from a first sensor, calculate an effective road grade value from a torque demand value, update modeling variables to map the road grade value substantially to the effective grade value when the operation state is determined to be a steady-state condition, and calculate a road grade characteristic with the road grade value and the modeling variables.

Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to project monitoring needs for a road segment. The processor is further configured to contact one or more vehicles traveling on the road segment during a time of monitoring need. The processor is additionally configured to instruct a first number, determined based on a projected monitoring need, of contacted vehicles to being monitoring and reporting traffic data for the road segment.

Abstract: A method for tuning a vehicle's performance may include measuring a plurality of parameters representing the vehicle's current handling condition and the vehicle's limit handling condition, determining a margin between the vehicle's current handling condition and limit handling condition, characterizing the driver's dynamic control of the vehicle based on the margin, and altering at least one tunable vehicle performance parameter based on the characterization.

Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to project monitoring needs for a road segment. The processor is further configured to contact one or more vehicles traveling on the road segment during a time of monitoring need. The processor is additionally configured to instruct a first number, determined based on a projected monitoring need, of contacted vehicles to being monitoring and reporting traffic data for the road segment.

Abstract: A computer implemented trip-planning method includes accessing one or more destination elements of a matrix of driver information, the accessing based at least in part on a trip start time and day of week. Each accessed element has a probability associated therewith, indicating the likelihood of the element being the destination at which a vehicle trip will end, based at least the start time and day of week. The method also includes selecting, from the one or more elements, a destination having the highest probability of being the destination at which the vehicle trip will end. Further, the method includes utilizing the selected destination as an end destination for the purposes of trip planning.