Abstract: A vehicle door control system includes a door assembly, which includes a side door and a liftgate. The door assembly includes an actuation assembly that adjusts each of the side door and the liftgate between opened and closed positions. A sensor assembly defines a rear sensor field, a first side sensor field, and a second side sensor field. A controller determines whether a person in at least one of the rear sensor field, the first side sensor field, and the second side sensor field is a recognized passenger, determines a speed of the recognized passenger, determines whether the recognized passenger is carrying an object, and activates the actuation assembly to open at least one of the liftgate and the side door based on whether the recognized passenger is carrying an object, where timing of activation of the actuation assembly is based on the speed of the recognized passenger.

Abstract: A vehicle tonneau cover for covering a bed of a pickup truck has a base frame, a connector assembly configured to couple the base frame to a bed rail, a top cover having a front end and a rear end and opposite side edges, and an actuator assembly operatively coupled to the front end of the cover to raise and lower the front end of the top cover. First and second side walls extend on opposite sides between the top cover and the base frame and between the front end and the rear end, each side wall having first and second panels and a first hinge coupled between the first and second panels. The first and second side walls at least partially fold when the cover is lowered.

Abstract: A method of providing vehicle guidance for traversal of rutted terrain may include employing a sensor network to determine characteristics of ruts in the rutted terrain, and determining a proximity value between a portion of a body of the vehicle and the rutted terrain based on the determined characteristics. The method may further include, responsive to the proximity value being below a proximity threshold, defining a strategy for positioning the vehicle at a point of increased ground clearance relative to the ruts, and providing a guidance instruction to the vehicle according to the defined strategy.

Abstract: A vehicle including a transceiver, a vehicle component and a processor is disclosed. The transceiver may receive an input associated with traffic management at a geographical area. The vehicle component may output a visual signal. The visual signal may facilitate in the traffic management at the geographical area. The processor may obtain the input from the transceiver, and determine a type of the visual signal to output based on the input. The processor may generate a command signal for the vehicle component based on the type, and actuate the vehicle component based on the command signal.

Abstract: A facility management system including a transceiver and a processor is disclosed. The transceiver may be configured to receive a real-time vehicle location and facility inputs from a facility sensor unit. The processor may be configured to determine that a vehicle may be within a predefined distance from a facility door based on the real-time vehicle location. The processor may further determine a parking spot in a facility closest to the real-time vehicle location, responsive to determining that the vehicle may be within the predefined distance from the facility door. The processor may further determine an availability status associated with the parking spot based on the facility inputs, and control a facility door operation based on the availability status.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture for vehicle turning in confined spaces are disclosed herein. An example apparatus is to operate a first brake of a first wheel of a vehicle, the first wheel corresponding to a first pivot point for a turn command, operate a first motor of a second wheel of the vehicle, the second wheel diagonally opposed to the first wheel, in response to the turn command including a pivot point after operation of the first brake and the first motor: operate a second brake of the second wheel or a third wheel of the vehicle, and in response to the second brake corresponding to the second wheel operate a second motor of the first wheel, and in response to the second brake corresponding to the third wheel, operate a third motor of a fourth wheel, the fourth wheel diagonally opposed to the third wheel.

Abstract: A system and method to manage charging priority for at least one accessory includes the steps of: providing one or more charging stations for the at least one accessory, monitoring vehicle power status, and monitoring accessory charging status. Additionally, the allocation of power supplied to the one or more charging stations is managed based on priority requirements as determined per each accessory.

Abstract: A vehicle assembly, includes, among other things, an accessory usable as a climbing ladder to access an area of a vehicle. The accessory is also configured to be used as a recovery board. A method of using a vehicle accessory includes, among other things, accessing a vertically upper area of a vehicle using an accessory as a climbing ladder, the accessory also usable as a recovery board.

Abstract: In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a passenger motor vehicle including a robotic arm configured for use in performing an additive manufacturing operation. In other aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method including performing an additive manufacturing operation using a robotic arm mounted to a passenger motor vehicle.

Abstract: While a state of charge of a supplemental battery, that provides power to an electrical bus via a first DC/DC converter, is greater than a predefined threshold and responsive to a magnitude of current associated with loads on the electrical bus exceeding a predefined value, a controller reduces a setpoint of the first DC/DC converter to equal that of a second DC/DC converter, that transfers power between the electrical bus and a traction battery, such that the loads are powered by the supplemental and traction batteries.

Abstract: An electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) tracking device includes a communication device attached to a first EVSE configured to receive and transmit data. The EVSE tracking device also includes a computing device configured to store a shipment roaster including EVSE data that uniquely identifies the first EVSE and at least one other EVSE packaged with the first EVSE; transmit, via the communication device, the EVSE data associated with the first EVSE as part of an EVSE check-in process that is periodically executed; detect an EVSE check-in total based on the EVSE data received via the communication device; and execute an EVSE misplacement operation in response to the EVSE check-in total indicating a missing EVSE based on the shipment roaster.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a body, an access aperture that is defined by the body, a closure panel, a load ramp, and a moisture sensor. The access aperture provides access to an interior of the vehicle. The closure panel selectively covers at least a portion of the access aperture. The closure panel is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the access aperture. The load ramp is deployably coupled to the closure panel. The load ramp includes a coupled end and a free end. The load ramp is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The moisture sensor is positioned proximate to the free end of the load ramp. Methods of controlling the vehicle are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method includes the generation of a chosen route to be followed by a plurality of vehicles based on a developed baseline route, the transmission of one or more commands instructing each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles to traverse a marshaling environment based on the chosen route, the determination of whether the traverse of each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles exceeds a tolerance-related threshold associated with the chosen route, and the initiation of a dynamic path routing process in response to determining that a traverse of a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles exceeds the tolerance-related threshold.

Abstract: A caravan is performed of a plurality of vehicles by an ego vehicle. An ego vehicle receives, in caravan messages via a wireless transceiver of the ego vehicle, capability information indicative of capabilities of the vehicles to traverse an obstacle along a route. Performance rankings that indicate relative capabilities of the vehicles per type of obstacle are determined based on the capability information. One or more ordering strategies are utilized to define a vehicle ordering for traversal of the obstacle along the route, the vehicle ordering being based on the performance rankings of the vehicles and the obstacle. The obstacle is traversed, by the caravan, according to the vehicle ordering.

Abstract: An electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) tracking device includes a communication device attached to a first EVSE configured to receive and transmit data,. The EVSE tracking device also includes a computing device configured to store a shipment roaster including EVSE data that uniquely identifies the first EVSE and at least one other EVSE packaged with the first EVSE; transmit, via the communication device, the EVSE data associated with the first EVSE as part of an EVSE check-in process that is periodically executed; detect an EVSE check-in total based on the EVSE data received via the communication device; and execute an EVSE misplacement operation in response to the EVSE check-in total indicating a missing EVSE based on the shipment roaster.

Abstract: A vehicle load indicator method includes, under first operating conditions, activating a step lamp of a vehicle to illuminate a step surface of a vehicle with a step lamp and, under second operating conditions, adjusting an activating of the step lamp to provide information about a load within the vehicle.

Abstract: A clamp that includes a body, a first protrusion, and a tab. The body is configured to be disposed about a conduit and includes a first end and a second opposing end. The first protrusion extends from the first end of the body. The tab is proximate the second opposing end of the body. The first protrusion is hidden by the tab in response to the body being in the open position and the first protrusion is exposed from the tab in response to the body being in the closed position.

Abstract: A vehicle including a sensor unit and a processor is disclosed. The sensor unit may detect a presence of a user and predetermined items in the vehicle. The processor may determine that the user has entered the vehicle based on inputs obtained from the sensor unit. Responsive to determining that the user has entered the vehicle, the processor may determine that a predefined condition is met based on the inputs obtained from the sensor unit. The processor may determine that the predefined condition is met when one or more first items present in the vehicle do not match a user's predefined authorized item list or one or more second items that are preferred by the user are absent from the vehicle. The processor may further disable the vehicle from being shifted out of a park mode responsive to determining that the predefined condition is met.

Abstract: A computer of a vehicle includes a processor and memory storing instructions by the processor to: identify a mass distribution of the occupant; identify position settings for interior components of the vehicle based on the mass distribution of the occupant; initiate automated position adjustment of the interior components toward the position settings; abort automated position adjustment in response to detection of occupant discomfort, the occupant discomfort being audible and/or visual.

Abstract: Device locations of access devices are tracked using a wireless transceiver of a vehicle, the wireless transceiver being configured to support wireless communication with the access devices. User locations of users are tracked using a sensor suite of the vehicle, the sensor suite being configured to track the users in proximity to the vehicle. The access devices are correlated with the users, using an access controller, based on correspondence of the device locations to the user locations. Responsive to a single correlated access device being detected, a wireless connection is established with the correlated access device. Responsive to a plurality of correlated access devices being detected, refraining from establishing the wireless connection is performed until one or more of the users enter the vehicle.