Abstract: A system for disinfecting an autonomous vehicle includes a light assembly having LEDs configured to emit UVC light into a passenger compartment of the autonomous vehicle. The light assembly includes a heat sink to dissipate heat generated by the LEDs. In examples, the heat sink is disposed in the path of forced air associated with a climate control system of the vehicle. The climate control system may be controlled based on a temperature proximate the LEDs and/or the heat sink. In some examples, the light assembly is integrated into the ceiling of the vehicle and can further include visible light emitters and/or other features.

Abstract: Methods and system for disinfecting an autonomous vehicle includes one or more LEDs coupled to the autonomous vehicle to emit UVC light into a passenger compartment of the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle can include sensors to confirm that the passenger compartment is empty and can be configured to prevent ingress of passengers into the passenger compartment while the UVC light is being emitted. Moreover, visible light indicators in the vehicle can be controlled to provide different visual indicators during the disinfecting cycle and when the vehicle is available to a passenger. In examples, the disinfecting cycle can be performed while the autonomous vehicle is in use, e.g., while the autonomous vehicle is traversing to a location to retrieve a passenger. The methods and systems can provide improved cleaning and disinfection of autonomous vehicles without the need to take the vehicles out of operation.

Abstract: A sealing system for a vehicle is configured to separate a vehicle cabin between a dry area and a wet area and to channel a spilled fluid or waste material inside the wet area to a collection area for cleaning. The sealing system may include one or more sealing members that can be extrusion molded to fill one or more gaps between two or more vehicle components.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant protection expandable bladder may comprise an initial expandable chamber, an occupant restraining expandable chamber and a releasable connection that is configured to connect the occupant restraining expandable chamber to the initial expandable chamber or to a vehicle. The vehicle occupant protection expandable bladder may be configured to be expanded from a stowed state to a deployed state in a vehicle. The deployed state may comprise a first phase in which gas flow from the initial expandable chamber to the occupant restraining expandable chamber is at least substantially restricted and a second phase in which gas flow from the initial expandable chamber to the occupant restraining chamber is unrestricted. The releasable connection may be configured to release the connection in the deployed state.

Abstract: A vehicle floor area may include a body and a floor. The floor may be attached to and positioned at least partially above the body. The floor may comprise floor perforations. A collection receptacle may be supported by the body and positioned at least partially below the floor so that solid waste or liquid waste can fall through the floor perforations onto the collection receptacle. The waste that has fallen onto the collection receptacle may be removed from the collection receptacle.

Abstract: A component tray assembly for a vehicle. For example, the component tray assembly may be installed between a body of the vehicle and a seat bulkhead of the vehicle. The component tray assembly may include at least a component shelf, a cover disposed over the component shelf, and one or more components. In some examples, the component shelf includes three openings and the one or more components include three speakers respectively disposed within the openings. The component shelf may further include notches located proximate to the side of the component shelf where the component shelf attaches to the seat bulkhead. The positions and shapes of the openings and the notches may create a weakened region of the component shelf that is configured to deform the component tray assembly during a collision. By deforming, the component tray assembly is configured to minimize the amount of force that is imparted to the seat.

Abstract: A heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system may effectively provide and/or substantially maintain adjacent thermal zones that have different temperatures and/or humidities from one another. The HVAC system may include a duct network including zonal ducts each having a zonal duct exit configured to create aerodynamic profiles that result in a thermal zone. A thermal zone may be characterized by a volume having a temperature and/or humidity which may differ from an adjacent thermal zone, such that a temperature and/or humidity gradient exists at a thermal zone boundary between adjacent thermal zones, and such that diffusion of the temperature and/or humidity between the adjacent thermal zones is aerodynamically inhibited, or otherwise minimized.

Abstract: An occupant protection system for a vehicle may include an expandable curtain and/or an expandable bladder configured to be expanded from a stowed state to a deployed state. The system may also include a transverse ceiling trim panel and one or more side ceiling trim panels configured to be coupled to a ceiling of the vehicle, with the transverse ceiling trim panel extending substantially transversely with respect to the one or more side ceiling trim panels. Portions of the ceiling trim panels may be configured to deflect and allow expansion of the expandable curtain and/or the expandable bladder to the deployed state. The system may also include a deployment controller and one or more inflators configured to cause deployment of the expandable curtain at a first time and deployment of the expandable bladder at a second time after the first time.

Abstract: An occupant protection system for a vehicle may include an expandable curtain and/or an expandable bladder configured to be expanded from a stowed state to a deployed state. The system may also include a transverse ceiling trim panel and one or more side ceiling trim panels configured to be coupled to a ceiling of the vehicle, with the transverse ceiling trim panel extending substantially transversely with respect to the one or more side ceiling trim panels. Portions of the ceiling trim panels may be configured to deflect and allow expansion of the expandable curtain and/or the expandable bladder to the deployed state. The system may also include a deployment controller and one or more inflators configured to cause deployment of the expandable curtain at a first time and deployment of the expandable bladder at a second time after the first time.