Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Anthony J Maraldo

Brendan F Diamond

Keith Weston

Stuart C Salter

Andrew Denis Lewandowski

John Robert Van Wiemeersch

Jordan Barrett

Ryan J O'Gorman

David Michael Russell

Michael Bryan Vanbelle

Anthony Nicholas Aquilina

Roman Atilla Koch

Solomon Lin

Courtney Wright

Kyle Cendrowski

Michael A McNees

Andrew Brown

A vehicle includes one or more actuatable mudflap portions provided to the vehicle, capable of deployment and retraction to respectively increase and decrease deflection of wheel-spray and receives vehicle sensor information indicating driving conditions. The vehicle examines the sensor information to determine the presence of a first condition predefined as suitable for deployment of at least one of the mudflap portions. Further, the vehicle examines the sensor information to determine that no one or more of second conditions predefined as blocking deployment are met and, responsive to the presence of the first condition and the absence of the second conditions, automatically deploys the at least one mudflap portion.

Dynamically deployable adaptive mud flaps

A server includes an interface configured to communicate with a vehicle and a charger, and a processor configured to responsive to receiving, from the vehicle, vehicle data indicative of an energy transfer amount from the vehicle to one or more receiving entities above a transfer threshold, impose a limitation on the charger to charge the vehicle by sending a message to the charger.

Electric vehicle energy management system

A vehicle includes one or more sensors configured to generate sensor data; and a controller programmed to: responsive to receiving the sensor data indicative of rocks being propelled off the ground, perform a vehicle operation to protect the vehicle from the propelled rocks.

Rock kick up recognition system

A vehicle including a detection unit and a processor is disclosed. The detection unit may be configured to capture inputs associated with an external light being illuminated in proximity to the vehicle. The processor may be configured to obtain the inputs from the detection unit, and determine an illumination characteristic associated with the external light based on the inputs obtained from the detection unit. The processor may further actuate a vehicle light to illuminate based on the illumination characteristic.

Systems and methods for actuating vehicle lights based on external light show

A computer is programmed to, in response to a navigation feature being active for a route, prompt an operator of the vehicle to activate a driver-assist feature of the vehicle. For example, the computer can output a message via a user interface indicating that the driver-assist feature is available to be used. The computer is further programmed to receive an input indicating a destination, determine the route for the vehicle from a current location of the vehicle to the destination, and activate the navigation feature to output guidance instructing the operator to follow the route.

Activating adaptive cruise control

A system examines a current route to determine if one or more instances of off-road travel exist providing an alternative path for reaching a route destination. The system determines that characteristics of a vehicle meet parameters associated with at least one of the instances of off-road travel. Also, the system, responsive to the determining that the characteristics meet the parameters, provides a driver with indication of an alternative route across the instance of off-road travel, including any payment necessary to use the instance of off-road travel. The system, responsive to driver selection of the instance of off-road travel, negotiates payment for usage of the instance of off-road travel and, responsive to negotiating payment, changes the current route to include the instance of off-road travel. The system also provides digital permissions for the vehicle to travel on the instance of off-road travel.

Vehicle permission handling for dynamic private land usage

A fleet management system is disclosed. The system may include a transceiver configured to receive parking facility attributes associated with a parking facility and vehicle information associated with each vehicle in a vehicle fleet. The parking facility attributes may include parking resource locations in the parking facility and a parking resource availability information. The vehicle information may include a vehicle operational status and a future expected vehicle usage information. The system may further include a processor configured to determine a parking resource for each vehicle based on the parking facility attributes and the vehicle information. The transceiver may transmit a notification to each vehicle including a location of the determined parking resource and associated time period for parking resource usage.

Fleet storage management system

A plurality of light sources are mounted in a vehicular passenger cabin. Each light source illuminates a respective illumination zone with a midpoint. Each light source is configured to illuminate at a plurality of brightness levels up to a full brightness. A gaze tracker monitors an occupant cabin to detect a gaze point. A controller responds to an illumination request from the occupant to actuate at least two light sources to illuminate the passenger cabin at the gaze point. The controller uses the gaze point to select a respective brightness level for each light source based on a proximity of the gaze point to respective midpoints of the illumination zones. At least a first one of the actuated light sources with a midpoint closer to the gaze point provides a higher brightness level than a second one of the actuated light sources with a midpoint farther from the gaze point.

Vehicle interior light active focus

A vehicle cargo area lighting system includes, among other things, a cover assembly and at least one cargo area light. The cover assembly is movable back and forth between a closed position and an open position. The cover assembly covers a cargo area of a vehicle when the cover assembly is in the closed position. The cover assembly has a top portion and a wall portion. The wall portion extends vertically downward from the top portion when the cover assembly is in the closed position. The cargo area light is secured to an interior side of the wall portion. The cargo area light is configured to illuminate the cargo area when the cover assembly is in the open position.

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Southgate, MI, United States of America

Anthony J Maraldo