Chrysler Corporation

Fca US LLC

Daimlerchrysler Corporation

Chrysler Group LLC

Jeffrey C Hendry

Michael Mashkevich

Laura Porrone

Eugene Karpinsky

James M Burcar

Mark S Vogel

Saviana Vasu-Demetriade

Stephen J Greene

Techniques are provided for deactivating or disabling one or more actuators of a steering wheel of a vehicle to prevent unintended actuation. In one example, the techniques include detecting, at a controller of the vehicle, a deactivation condition, which includes an operating condition of the vehicle indicative of a lack of interaction by a driver with the one or more actuators of the steering wheel. The one or more actuators are configured to receive an input from the driver to control or actuate one or more associated vehicle systems. In response to detecting the deactivation condition, the techniques include deactivating or disabling, by the controller, the one or more actuators of the steering wheel until the deactivation condition is no longer present.

Techniques for deactivating steering wheel actuators to prevent unintended actuation

Limp-home techniques for situations when an electronic shifter of a vehicle malfunctions include detecting, at a controller of the vehicle, a malfunction of the electronic shifter of the vehicle, the electronic shifter being configured to control shifting of a transmission of the vehicle in response to a gear control input provided by operation of the electronic shifter. The techniques include, in response to detecting the malfunction of the electronic shifter, receiving, at the controller, the gear control input from actuation of the one or more actuators of a steering wheel of the vehicle. The techniques also include controlling, by the controller, shifting of the transmission in response to the gear control input received from the one or more actuators of the steering wheel.

Electronic shifter limp-home techniques

A system for shifting a vehicle's transfer case into or out of the neutral position, using an electronic vehicle information center. The system comprises a transfer case control module connected to a transfer case and an electronic vehicle information center connected to the transfer case control module. The electronic vehicle information center instructs the transfer case control module to shift the transfer case into or out of the neutral position by detecting an input signal request from a control panel to shift the transfer case into or out of a neutral position, and sending an instruction signal to the transfer case control module to shift the transfer case into or out of the neutral position.

System and method for shifting the transfer case into and out of the neutral position using an electronic vehicle information center

An electrical switch assembly is provided for an electronically controlled transmission that allows user selection between a plurality of shift schedules for the transmission. The switch assembly provides a signal for selecting among the plurality of shift schedules and has a housing. A first set of electrical contacts are positioned within the housing, and selectively closable to cause the input signal to be indicative of a selection of a first shift schedule. A second set of electrical contacts are positioned within the housing and are selectively closable to cause input signal to be indicative of a selection of a second shift schedule.

Switch assembly for selecting among plurality of shift schedules on an electronically controlled transmission

A deactivation arrangement for a vehicle park assist system is provided. The deactivation arrangement includes a trailer hitch receiver affixed to the vehicle and arranged to receive a trailer hitch. A switch assembly is provided that is associated with the vehicle park assist system and includes a switch arranged to engage the trailer hitch when the trailer hitch is inserted into the trailer hitch receiver. The switch assembly is arranged to deactivate the vehicle park assist system when the trailer hitch is inserted into the trailer hitch receiver and engages the switch.

Deactivation arrangement for a vehicle park assist system

An electronic child safety lock system in which an electronic switch in the front seat area of the vehicle provides input signal to a body control module. The body control module determines whether the lockout switch is in a locked or an unlocked position. The body control module generates control signals to operate electronic actuators to lock and unlock the child door lockout device, thereby enabling and disabling the rear doors from being opened from the interior of the vehicle.

Growing community of inventors

Waterford, MI, United States of America

Jeffrey C Hendry