Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Prashant Dubey

Venkatesh Krishnan

Segundo Baldovino

LaRon Michelle Brown

Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam

Sami A Alkharabsheh

Stuart C Salter

Paul Kenneth Dellock

David Brian Glickman

Aaron Peter Klop

Andre Sykula

Irfan Sharif

Jose Garcia Crespo

Matthew Dennis Smith Boswell

Mohan Kamath

Flondezi Godette

Ahmad Soufan

Lucas Apandi Phan

Vincent S Carnes

An applique is mounted over one or both B-pillars of an autonomous vehicle and includes a display, speaker, touch input, and microphone. The applique may include a curved cover mounted over a printed circuit board (PCB) having LED arrays mounted thereto. A diffuser defines windows for the LED arrays and has a planar surface interfacing with the PCB and a curved surface interfacing with the curved cover. A controller of the vehicle detects proximity to a passenger to be picked up and displays the passenger's name at a first proximity, outputs a spoken message at a second, closer, proximity, and outputs a visible and audible prompt to enter an access code at a third proximity closer than the second proximity.

Display for an autonomous taxi

A sensor is disclosed. The sensor may comprise: a housing, comprising a transmitting coil; and an optic assembly, comprising a body supporting at least one receiving coil and a conductive film that is in electrical contact with the at least one receiving coil, wherein, when the transmitting coil is energized, the at least one receiving coil is wirelessly energized causing a temperature of the film to increase.

Sensor having a wireless heating system

An apparatus includes an exterior surface including an aperture, a sensor defining a field of view oriented through the aperture, a nozzle shell on the exterior surface and including a nozzle panel facing the aperture, and a heating element disposed in or on the nozzle panel. The nozzle panel includes a nozzle.

Sensor heating

A vehicle storage assembly of the vehicle is provided. The vehicle storage assembly if the vehicle includes a storage compartment comprising an opening to permit access to the compartment, a door proximate the opening and movable between an open position and a closed position, a latching mechanism comprising a residual magnet for latching a door in the closed position in a first magnetic state and for releasing the door to open to the open position in a second magnetic state, and a proximity switch for activating the latching mechanism to allow the door to move to the open position.

Vehicle storage assembly having residual magnetic latching mechanism

This disclosure relates to a motor vehicle with a portable signature light assembly, and a corresponding method. In an example, a signature light assembly configured to promote brand recognition of the motor vehicle is operable in a first mode in which the signature light assembly is connected to the motor vehicle and a second mode in which the signature light assembly is removed from the motor vehicle.

Vehicle with portable signature light assembly

A sensor apparatus includes an upper chamber, a lower chamber adjacent the upper chamber, a sensor contacting and below the lower chamber, and a valve in communication with the upper and lower chambers and openable in response to a temperature at the valve being above a threshold. The upper chamber may include a dome-shaped upper panel.

Sensor apparatus with cooling structure

An apparatus includes a first chamber, a sensor disposed in the first chamber, a second chamber adjacent the first chamber, a filter permitting airflow between the first and second chambers, a chimney connected to the filter and disposed in the second chamber, and a fan positioned to circulate air from the first chamber to the second chamber.

Cooling sensor apparatus

A vehicle grille assembly is provided herein. The grille assembly includes a panel sealingly coupled to a substrate and defining a cavity therebetween. A light source is disposed within the cavity. A diffuser is disposed between the light source and a portion of the panel.

Vehicle grille assembly

A sensor and a system using the sensor are described. The sensor may comprise: a cover; and a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) shroud located at a periphery of the cover. The system may include one or more such sensors in a passage of a housing. The system further may comprise a blower that moves air through the passage and across at least a portion of the sensor(s).

Imaging system

A sensor having a positive temperature coefficient shroud is described, as well as a computing system to control actuation of the positive temperature coefficient shroud. According to one example, the computing system executes a method that actuates the positive temperature coefficient shroud of the sensor based on a transmittance parameter of the sensor.

A B-pillar vehicle warning system includes a plurality of regions that can be illuminated to provide green, yellow, and red light. The warning system may be configured to utilize inputs from an autonomous driving sensing system to determine a location of a pedestrian, cyclist, vehicle, etc. relative to the vehicle. The system may be configured to illuminate specific lights in a predefined sequence based on a position of a pedestrian to alert/warn a pedestrian approaching the vehicle.

Autonomous vehicle B-pillar proximity warning system

A sensor assembly includes an elongated tubular beam, a chamber positioned to receive air from the beam, and a sensor thermally connected to the chamber. The chamber has a plurality of outlet holes. A plurality of fins may be disposed in the beam and/or the chamber. The sensor may be supported by the beam.

Sensor assembly with cooling

An air flow optimization device is provided for motor vehicle heat exchangers. The device includes a body having a first air flow opening with an inlet side and an outlet side. A series of fixed vanes are provided across the opening and divide the opening into a plurality of air flow channels.

Aerodynamic device to optimize air flow through heat exchangers

An attachment system for connecting a vehicle fascia birds beak element to a vehicle front end module bolster includes a bracket having a fascia-engaging portion and a bolster-engaging portion. The bolster-engaging portion includes one or more bracket locator structures configured for engaging cooperating structures disposed on the bolster to self-orient the bracket in a predetermined orientation. The system further includes a vehicle front end module bolster having a bracket-engaging portion that includes one or more bolster locator structures configured for engaging cooperating structures disposed on the bracket to self-orient the bracket in the predetermined orientation.

Growing community of inventors

Canton, MI, United States of America

Prashant Dubey