Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Benjamin Lee

Venkatesh Krishnan

Scott Cutler

Pete Christ Korovesis

Brandon Buckhalt

Jamie Joseph March

Vikas Bhatt

Amol Kurane

Eswar Timmavajjala

Ravikumar Ranganthan

Richard Edward Pietron, Jr

Peter Christ Korovesis

James Royse

A reinforcement assembly for a rear rail of a vehicle is disclosed that includes inner and outer bulwark brackets. The brackets include radially extending walls that are welded to inner and outer walls and a bottom wall of the rear rail. A barrel nut is assembled between the bulwark brackets and retained by the bulwark brackets at an intermediate location between the side walls of the rear rail.

Rear rail barrel nut reinforcement

A mechanism for attaching a bike rack to a vehicle including a support member located behind an exterior wall of the vehicle. An attachment assembly, including a receiver operative to move between the first, stowed position any second, use position is connected to the support member. The exterior wall includes a removable portion wherein upon removal provides access to the attachment assembly. Once the removable portion is removed, the attachment assembly, including the receiver is moved from the first, stowed position to the second, use position wherein the bike rack then connects to the receiver. Additionally, the removable portion may include a detachable license plate bracket, which upon being detached from the vehicle, can be mounted to the rear of a bike rack. Sensors are mounted on the license plate bracket to allow for a functional back-up or park assist when the bike rack is attached to rear of the vehicle.

Bike rack attachment for vehicle

A system includes a processor configured to detect push-to-start (PTS) button engagement. The processor is also configured to scan a finger positioned on a vehicle fingerprint scanner for a fingerprint. The processor is further configured to verify that the fingerprint corresponds to an authorized driver and engage a vehicle ignition when the fingerprint corresponds to an authorized driver.

Method and apparatus for biometric vehicle activation

An estimated fuel consumption may be determined for a route for a vehicle. At least in part based on the estimated fuel consumption, it may be determined that an amount of fuel in the vehicle is insufficient for the vehicle to traverse the route and/or one or more waypoints may be identified within a predetermined distance of the route, e.g., waypoints for refueling the vehicle. The estimated fuel consumption may be determined in a computer system included in the vehicle.

Vehicle fueling route planning

A tonneau cover for a vehicle includes a housing, a first cover having a cover tab, wherein the first cover selectively extends from an interior of the housing to engage a rear seat, a second cover selectively extendable from the interior of the housing opposite the first cover and a seatback of the rear seat having a seat tab that engages the cover tab when the seatback is placed in an upright position.

Growing community of inventors

Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Benjamin Lee