In an undercover structure according to the present invention, a first cover part that is a lowermost part of an undercover has a first rear end positioned ahead of a front wheel axle. Further, a curved part with a predetermined curvature is formed at the first rear end of the first cover part in a side view. This generates a strong negative pressure in a region ahead of the front wheel axle 21. Accordingly, the flow rate of air flowing to each wheelhouse 23 decreases (the flow rate of the airflow between a road and a vehicle generated along the bottom surface of the first cover part 15a of the undercover 15 increases). This causes an attraction force that attracts the vehicle to a road surface to act on a vehicle body of the vehicle, thereby making traveling stability more excellent.

In an undercover structure according to the present invention, a first cover part that is a lowermost part of an undercover has a first rear end positioned ahead of a front wheel axle. Further, a curved part with a predetermined curvature is formed at the first rear end of the first cover part in a side view. This generates a strong negative pressure in a region ahead of the front wheel axle 21. Accordingly, the flow rate of air flowing to each wheelhouse 23 decreases (the flow rate of the airflow between a road and a vehicle generated along the bottom surface of the first cover part 15a of the undercover 15 increases). This causes an attraction force that attracts the vehicle to a road surface to act on a vehicle body of the vehicle, thereby making traveling stability more excellent.

A vehicle rock slider having a removable cover and methods of using the same. The rock slider may be attachable to a rocker panel of the vehicle along a length of the rocker panel such that an edge of the rock slider extends below a rocker flange extending downward from a bottom of the rocker panel. The rock slider may have a cover removably attachable onto the rock slider. The cover may be shaped and sized to conceal the rock slider when the rock slider is not in use.

Aspects of the disclosure relate altering the rigidity of a vehicle's surface. More particularly, the vehicle may contain tension members that are arranged so that a change in tension across one or more of the tension members will alter the rigidity of the vehicle's surface. The vehicle may identify and respond to a potential collision by altering the tension that is applied to one or more tension members, thereby altering the rigidity of the vehicle's surface.

A bumper device for an automobile includes a bumper beam consisting of a fiber-reinforced resin and bumper extensions which consist of a fiber-reinforced resin. The bumper device for an automobile is characterized in that the bumper beam has a Θ-shaped cross-section and in that the bumper beam and the bumper extensions are molded integrally. The bumper device for an automobile has desirable strength and rigidity and is capable of exhibiting excellent energy absorption performance when a large load is inputted to the bumper beam.

A caster capable of removing a foreign substance includes a flange mounted to a carrier or a plate on which cargo is loaded so as to be spaced apart from a lower surface of the carrier or the plate, the flange having a plurality of coupling holes formed therein, a rotator rotatably mounted to a lower surface of the flange, lower support members mounted respectively to opposite sides of the rotator, each lower support member having a rotating shaft coupling hole formed in a lower portion thereof, a wheel located between the lower support members and supported by a rotating shaft, which penetrates the rotating shaft coupling hole, and a foreign substance removal device fixed to and supported by the rotating shaft, the foreign substance removal device serving to remove and collect the foreign substance attached to a surface of the wheel that is being rotated.

A system for managing wheel kinematics during a small overlap collision event includes a deflector apparatus. The deflector is configured to direct a wheel away from an occupant compartment of a vehicle. The deflector includes a first section arranged at an inside wall of a wheel well facing a wheel, near the base of a hinge-pillar. The first section includes a hollow structure configured to absorb energy from the collision event by plastically deforming. The deflector also includes a second section arranged at an angle to the wheel and configured to deflect the wheel laterally outwards from the vehicle away from an occupant compartment during the small overlap collision event. The deflector may be formed of extruded aluminum. The system may include an absorber arranged behind the first section and configured to further absorb energy from the collision event by plastically deforming.

A system for managing wheel kinematics during a small overlap collision event includes a deflector apparatus. The deflector is configured to direct a wheel away from an occupant compartment of a vehicle. The deflector includes a first section arranged at an inside wall of a wheel well facing a wheel, near the base of a hinge-pillar. The first section includes a hollow structure configured to absorb energy from the collision event by plastically deforming. The deflector also includes a second section arranged at an angle to the wheel and configured to deflect the wheel laterally outwards from the vehicle away from an occupant compartment during the small overlap collision event. The deflector may be formed of extruded aluminum. The system may include an absorber arranged behind the first section and configured to further absorb energy from the collision event by plastically deforming.

A driverless traffic management vehicle has a control system having a controller interfacing steering and drive interfaces for control of respective steering and drive subsystems of the vehicle. The vehicle also has an impact attenuator and actuator therefor for configuring the attenuator in deployed and stowed configurations. The control system comprises at least one driverless mode controller operably controlling the steering and drive interfaces for controlling the vehicle in at least one of follow mode, remote-control and autonomous driverless mode of operation. To control traffic, the vehicle may be driven to a roadside location and set in the at least one driverless mode of operation to control the steering and drive interfaces accordingly.

A driverless traffic management vehicle has a control system having a controller interfacing steering and drive interfaces for control of respective steering and drive subsystems of the vehicle. The vehicle also has an impact attenuator and actuator therefor for configuring the attenuator in deployed and stowed configurations. The control system comprises at least one driverless mode controller operably controlling the steering and drive interfaces for controlling the vehicle in at least one of follow mode, remote-control and autonomous driverless mode of operation. To control traffic, the vehicle may be driven to a roadside location and set in the at least one driverless mode of operation to control the steering and drive interfaces accordingly.