Automotive Engineering Commons^™

Non-Destructive Terrain Evaluation And Modeling For Off-Road Autonomy, Howard Brand

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In recent years, there has been an increased interest in implementing intelligent robotic systems in outdoor environments. Paramount to accomplishing this objective is being able to conduct successful robotic navigation in unprepared outdoor environments. This presents unique challenges in that there is a risk of catastrophic immobilization in terrain regions which, though unoccupied, cannot provide traction support for vehicle mobility. Methods for providing prior knowledge and perception of traction support is therefore an interest and focus of research.

In the advent of ever advancing machine learning models, “learn-as-you-go” approaches have emerged as topics of interest for mobility prediction. These approaches, …

Multiple Heat Exchanger Cooling System For Automotive Applications – Design, Mathematical Modeling, And Experimental Observations, Zaker Syed

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The design of the automotive cooling systems has slowly evolved from engine-driven mechanical to computer-controlled electro-mechanical components. With the addition of computer-controlled variable speed actuators, cooling system architectures have been updated to maximize performance and efficiency. By switching from one large radiator to multiple smaller radiators with individual flow control valves, the heat rejection requirements may be precisely adjusted. The combination of computer regulated thermal management system should reduce power consumption while satisfying temperature control objectives. This research focuses on developing and analyzing a multi-radiator system architecture for implementation in ground transportation applications. The premise is to use a single …

Multi-Robot Symbolic Task And Motion Planning Leveraging Human Trust Models: Theory And Applications, Huanfei Zheng

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Multi-robot systems (MRS) can accomplish more complex tasks with two or more robots and have produced a broad set of applications. The presence of a human operator in an MRS can guarantee the safety of the task performing, but the human operators can be subject to heavier stress and cognitive workload in collaboration with the MRS than the single robot. It is significant for the MRS to have the provable correct task and motion planning solution for a complex task. That can reduce the human workload during supervising the task and improve the reliability of human-MRS collaboration. This dissertation relies …

Investigating Drivers’ Knowledge And Experience With The Anti-Lock Braking System (Abs) Which Led To The Development And Evaluation Of An Emergency Braking Training Exercise Using A Driving Simulator With Haptic Pedal Feedback, Lauren Mims

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The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the extent to which drivers do or do not have knowledge of and experience with the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and then to explore the development and evaluation of a driving simulator task specifically designed to address emergency braking with haptic brake pedal feedback. The anti-lock braking system (ABS) was created to help drivers in emergency braking situations by preventing skidding and loss of control due to locked wheels. Vehicles with conventional (pre-ABS) brakes required the driver to “pump” the brake pedal, or to rapidly press and release the brake pedal, during …

Modeling, Estimation, And Optimal Control Of Lithium-Ion Battery At Cell And System Level, Hamidreza Mirzaei

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Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been regarded as a crucial technology for electrifying a variety of applications, ranging from powering computers, phones, and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) to being a critical part of the modern centralized and distributed power grids. Battery systems performance is governed by embedded battery management systems (BMSs). The BMS includes battery state estimation algorithms and control rules, and it acts as the brain of battery-powered systems. The purpose of this research is to address unresolved difficulties associated with control algorithms in BMSs at all levels, from single battery cells to battery packs in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs).\\ …

A Novel Computationally Efficient Ai-Driven Generative Inverse Design Framework For Accelerating Topology Optimization And Designing Lattice-Infused Structures, Darshil Patel

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Multiscale topology optimization (TO) provides an inverse design computational framework for designing globally and locally optimized hierarchical structures. Triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS), a subclass of parametrically-driven lattice structures, exhibit unique properties such as large surface area, significant volume densities, and good strength-to-weight ratio, which makes them favorable for novel engineering applications. The recent advances in additive manufacturing and its ability to fabricate high-resolution structures have spurred interest in multiscale TO and TPMS for computationally designing finer and high-resolution designs. While multiscale TO and TPMS bring transformative opportunities in various applications, their potential for everyday use remains idle due to …

Improving The Human-Machine Interaction Of Ai Systems For System Health Monitoring, Ryan Nguyen

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System health monitoring aids in the longevity of fielded systems or products. Providing a fault diagnosis or a prognosis can evaluate a system's current health. A diagnosis is the type of issue that could lead to a system's end-of-life (EOL); a prognosis is the remaining useful life (RUL) between the current state and the EOL. Fault diagnosis and RUL prediction can be acquired through (1) physics-based methods (PbM), (2) data-driven methods (DDM), or (3) hybrid modeling methods. DDM accurately provide a fault diagnosis, but the amount of data required is significant. This study reduces the amount of required data by …

Control, Decision-Making, And Learning Approaches For Connected And Autonomous Driving Systems With Humans-In-The-Loop, Fangjian Li

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By virtue of vehicular connectivity and automation, the vehicle becomes increasingly intelligent and self-driving capable. However, no matter what automation level the vehicle can achieve, humans will still be in the loop despite their roles. First, considering the manual driving car as a disturbance to the connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs), a novel string stability is proposed for mixed traffic platoons consisting of both autonomous and manual driving cars to guarantee acceptable motion fluctuation and platoon safety. Furthermore, humans are naturally considered as the rider in the passenger vehicle. A human-centered cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) is designed to improve …

A Multi-Perspective Architecture Framework For Managing Multi-Fidelity Simulations Using Feature-Based Product Line Engineering, Ryan Colletti

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This dissertation aims to facilitate the process for generating system-level simulations using new and existing product line engineering practices within a SysML reference architecture of the simulation domain. The modern passenger vehicle is becoming increasingly complex with the addition of more software-oriented features, especially Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), leading to higher numbers of recalls. To mitigate this, the result of this research is the novel Vehicle Simulation Architecture Framework (VSAF). This dissertation presents the VSAF, its innovations, and a characterization of its scalability, applicability, and initial investment vs. incremental cost tradeoffs as compared to those of current simulation practices. …