Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

David Michael Diamond

Stuart C Salter

Clayton Benjamin Ford

Annette Lynn Huebner

Kristopher Karl Brown

Paul Kenneth Dellock

David Brian Glickman

Brendan F Diamond

Aaron Bradley Johnson

Peter Phung

Arnav Wagh

Robert Vitali

Gabriella Jacobsen

Alexander Douglas Long

Daniel Heaton

Kevin King

A hitch receiver for an automotive vehicle includes a receiver tube defining an open end and a cavity therein. The hitch receiver also includes an electrical connector, having a plurality of electrical contacts on a spring-loaded face thereof, disposed within the receiver tube at an end thereof opposite the open end such that the electrical contacts are adjacent to the cavity.

Vehicle hitch integrated electrical connector

A system for a vehicle includes a human-machine interface, a microphone that detects sound, a sound source device that emits sound, and a controller that prompts pairing of the sound source device and the microphone, such that the sound source device emits sound corresponding to the sound detected by the microphone. The controller prompts pairing of the sound source device and the microphone in response to at least one of (i) the vehicle entering a reverse mode, and (ii) receiving a user input entered into the human-machine interface via selection of an input option by a user, wherein the input option is made accessible for selection by the user in response to the vehicle entering the reverse mode.

System for a vehicle operable to enter a reverse mode

A system for a vehicle includes a first closure panel of the vehicle operable between open and closed positions, a second closure panel of the vehicle operable between open and closed positions, at least one sensor that is coupled to the first closure panel and that detects precipitation, and a controller that prompts movement of the first closure panel from a first open position to a second open position based on the detected precipitation.

System for controlling a closure panel of a vehicle

A system for a vehicle having a trailer coupled thereto includes a rear gate assembly of the vehicle having a first closure panel operable between an open position and a closed position. The system also includes at least one sensor coupled to the first closure panel. The system further includes a controller that prompts execution of a security measure in response to the at least one sensor detecting a person within a predetermined proximity of at least a portion of the trailer.

System for a vehicle with a trailer coupled thereto

A system and method of controlling components of a vehicle are disclosed. The method includes the steps of sensing a current position of a rear closure panel with a closure panel position sensor, sensing a speed of the vehicle with a speed sensor, and sensing a current environmental condition with an environmental precipitation sensor. The method also includes adjusting a degree of openness of at least one window as a result of the closure panel position sensor indicating that the rear closure panel is in an open position, the speed sensor indicating that a speed of the vehicle is greater than zero kilometers per hour (kph), and the current environmental condition that is indicated by the environmental precipitation sensor.

Controlling vehicle components to adjust passenger compartment airflow

A liftgate lighting system for a vehicle includes a liftgate assembly having a first liftgate panel and a second liftgate panel. Each of the first liftgate panel and the second liftgate panel is operable between an opened position and a closed position. The second liftgate panel has a proximal end and a distal end. A sensor proximate to the proximal end of the second liftgate panel. The sensor defines a sensor field. A lamp assembly is coupled to the second liftgate panel. A controller is communicatively coupled to the lamp assembly. The controller activates the lamp assembly and the lamp assembly directs light to a ground area proximate to the second liftgate panel when the lower liftgate panel is in the opened position.

Liftgate lighting system

A system for providing access to a vehicle includes first and second closure panels of the vehicle that are operable between open and closed positions. The system also includes a sensing system of the vehicle that senses at least one characteristic of a user positioned in an exterior environment of the vehicle. The system further includes a controller that determines a load carrying condition of the user based on the at least one characteristic of the user sensed by the sensing system. The controller prompts movement of the first closure panel from the closed position to the open position based on a determination of a first load carrying condition of the user. The controller also prompts movement of the first and second closure panels from the closed positions to the open positions based on a determination of a second load carrying condition of the user.

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Canton, MI, United States of America

David Michael Diamond