Abstract: A component, e.g., a bumper assembly, of a vehicle includes a fascia spaced from a bumper beam, a structure defining gaps between the structure and the bumper beam and between the structure and the fascia, and a computer programmed to supply electrical current to vary a stiffness of the structure in response to a vehicle speed beyond a threshold.

Abstract: A seatbelt retractor includes a base, a spool, a cylinder, a transfer plate, and a cylinder lock. The spool is rotatably coupled to the base and has a piston portion. The cylinder is engaged with the piston portion and therewith defines a chamber. The piston portion is movable from a first position to a second position. The transfer plate is translateably disposed in the first chamber. The cylinder lock in a first condition rotatably fixes the cylinder to the base. Damping fluid is in the chamber.

Abstract: An instrument panel assembly includes a support beam and an exterior panel. The instrument panel assembly includes an energy absorbing device between the support beam and the exterior panel and having a variable crush resistance based on a temperature of the energy absorbing device. The instrument panel assembly includes a heater operatively coupled to the energy absorbing device.

Abstract: A seatbelt retractor includes a base, a spool, a cylinder, a sleeve and a cylinder lock. The spool is rotatably coupled to the base and has a piston portion. A smaller initialization piston extends from the piston portion. The cylinder is engaged with the piston portion and therewith defines a first chamber. The sleeve is within the cylinder and receives the initialization piston. The sleeve and the initialization piston define an initialization chamber. The cylinder lock in a first condition rotatably fixes the cylinder to the base. Damping fluid is disposed in the chamber.

Abstract: A vehicle component may include a crossbeam, a cylinder, a piston, a panel, and a heterogeneous mixture. The cylinder has a chamber and is fixed relative to the crossbeam. The piston is linearly movable in the chamber. The panel is fixed relative to the piston. The heterogeneous mixture is enclosed by the piston in the chamber. The heterogeneous mixture includes hydrophobic nanoporous particles and a liquid.

Abstract: A battery housing for a traction motor battery of a vehicle is disclosed that includes a plurality of elongated impact absorbing members attached to the walls of the enclosure. The impact absorbing members may be integrally formed with the walls of the enclosure. The impact absorbing members include an arcuate wall that is designed to be deformed in the event of an impact to absorb impact forces and protect the battery. The impact absorbing members may be oriented to extend either in a horizontal orientation or vertical orientation. The impact absorbing members may be retained by T-shaped guide on the outer surface of the walls of the enclosure or may be integrally formed in one piece on the outer surface of each of the walls of the enclosure.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a roof, a floor spaced from the roof, and sides spaced from each other in a cross-vehicle direction. The sides extend from the roof to the floor. Front seats and rear seats are supported by the floor. A beam is spaced from the roof and the floor and extends between the front and rear seats from one side to the other side in the cross-vehicle direction.

Abstract: A seat assembly includes a seat back and a headrest adjustably coupled to the seat back. The headrest defines a first guide passage and a second guide passage, each extending through the headrest. The seat assembly includes a retractor and a belt. The belt extends continuously from a first end to a second end. The first end is engaged with the retractor. The belt has a looped portion from the first guide passage to the second guide passage. The belt extends from the looped portion through the first guide passage to the first end, and extends from the looped portion through the second guide passage to the second end.

Abstract: A restraint system includes a housing, a spool rotatably coupled to the housing, a pinion fixed to the spool, a rack engaged with the pinion, and a piston attached to the rack and the housing. The piston is filled with a resilient material. The resilient material may be a heterogeneous mixture of a liquid and hydrophobic, nanoporous particles.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle including a body defining a door opening for a front door and a rear door. The doors are attached to the body a track that guides the doors between an open position and a closed position. A rocker assembly includes an outer rocker panel defining a slot, an inner rocker panel attached to the outer rocker panel, and an insert including an upper tube and a lower tube disposed between the outer rocker panel and the inner rocker panel. The tubes extend between a front end and a rear end of the rocker assembly, a track is assembled between the upper and lower tubes, and the slot in the outer rocker panel provides access to the track for brackets that have rollers that engage the track. The brackets are attached to the doors.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a floor having a front portion, a rear portion, and a middle portion between the front and rear portions. A partition is supported on the floor between the front and middle portions, extending in a cross-vehicle direction. An airbag housing supported by the partition has an airbag inflatable from the housing to an inflated position. In the inflated position, the airbag extends from the housing in a vehicle-rearward direction.

Abstract: A vehicle is provided. The vehicle may include a first A-pillar, spanning between a roof rail and shotgun, and a frame assembly. The first A-pillar may carry a windshield. The frame assembly may include a second A-pillar, spanning between the roof rail and a hinge pillar, and a C-pillar. The frame assembly may define a side ingress/egress opening of a cabin having a rearward-facing front seat. The opening may span between the second A-pillar and C-pillar without a B-pillar.

Abstract: A restraint system includes a housing and a rotor engaged with the housing. The housing and the rotor define a cavity therebetween. A resilient material is disposed in the cavity. A helical interface is between the housing and the rotor. The rotor is moveable relative to the housing along the helical interface. A seat belt buckle is connected to and moveable relative to one of the housing and the rotor. During a vehicle impact, the seat belt buckle may cause the rotor to move along the helical interface towards the housing. In this situation, the resilient material may be compressed between the rotor and the housing.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle including a body defining a door opening for a front door and a rear door. The doors are attached to the body a track that guides the doors between an open position and a closed position. A rocker assembly includes an outer rocker panel defining a slot, an inner rocker panel attached to the outer rocker panel, and an insert including an upper tube and a lower tube disposed between the outer rocker panel and the inner rocker panel. The tubes extend between a front end and a rear end of the rocker assembly, a track is assembled between the upper and lower tubes, and the slot in the outer rocker panel provides access to the track for brackets that have rollers that engage the track. The brackets are attached to the doors.

Abstract: A vehicle is provided. The vehicle may include at least one crush can, a controller and a pump. The crush can may include front and rear chambers. The controller may receive a first signal indicative of a loading condition generated at the time of an impact, and the pump may displace a nano-porous liquid in response to a second signal from the controller into at least one of the front and rear chambers of the crush can.

Abstract: A seating assembly for a vehicle includes a base. A seatback having a lower portion is rotatably coupled to the base and an upper portion is pivotably coupled to the lower portion by at least one pivot joint. The at least one pivot joint is disposed on a front portion of the seatback. A guide bracket is disposed on a rear portion of the seatback and is configured to guide the upper portion of the seatback between a resting position and a deployed position. A resilient member provides a resistance to pivoting of the upper portion of the seatback and the resilient member is operably coupled to the upper portion of the seatback and the lower portion of the seatback. The upper portion of the seatback pivots from the resting position to the deployed position during a frontal collision of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle is provided. The vehicle may include a first A-pillar, spanning between a roof rail and shotgun, and a frame assembly. The first A-pillar may carry a windshield. The frame assembly may include a second A-pillar, spanning between the roof rail and a hinge pillar, and a C-pillar. The frame assembly may define a side ingress/egress opening of a cabin having a rearward-facing front seat. The opening may span between the second A-pillar and C-pillar without a B-pillar.

Abstract: A hood assembly for a vehicle includes an inner hood, an outer hood, and a plurality of deployable devices. The outer hood is fixed relative to the inner hood. The plurality of deployable devices are spaced apart from each other between the inner hood and the outer hood. The deployable devices each define an inflation chamber and are formed of thermoplastic elastomer. Upon detection of impact between the vehicle and a pedestrian, the deployable devices are deployed to separate the outer hood and the inner hood. As such, during impact of the pedestrian with the outer hood, the outer hood may deform and/or the outer hood may space the pedestrian from relatively hard components under the hood assembly.

Abstract: An assembly includes a hood. The assembly includes an airbag assembly secured to the hood. The airbag assembly includes inflatable members inflatable to an inflated position, and uninflatable panels in an alternating arrangement with the inflatable members.

Abstract: A seatbelt retractor includes a spool, a piston, a cylinder, a ring, and a valve. The spool is rotatably connected with a base by the piston and the cylinder. The piston is fixed to one of the base and the spool. The cylinder receives the piston and is fixed to the other of the base and the spool. The piston and the cylinder define a first chamber. The ring is sealed against the cylinder and defines a second chamber connected with the first chamber by an aperture. The valve is disposed across the aperture.