The subject disclosure relates to features for improving wheelchair accessibility in autonomous vehicles (AVs) and in particular, for enabling automatic ingress/egress of a wheelchair ramp to facilitate the loading and unloading of a passenger wheelchair. In some aspects, a process of the disclosed technology includes steps for identifying one or more visual reference features on at least one surface of an autonomous vehicle (AV), automatically deploying a ramp to facilitate ingress of a wheelchair, and tracking ingress of the wheelchair based on the one or more visual reference features. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

The subject disclosure relates to features for improving wheelchair accessibility in autonomous vehicles (AVs) and in particular, for enabling automatic ingress/egress of a wheelchair ramp to facilitate the loading and unloading of a passenger wheelchair. In some aspects, a process of the disclosed technology includes steps for identifying one or more visual reference features on at least one surface of an autonomous vehicle (AV), automatically deploying a ramp to facilitate ingress of a wheelchair, and tracking ingress of the wheelchair based on the one or more visual reference features. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

A modular robot system which may be configured to accommodate packages of varying sizes is provided. The modular robot may include a base have omni-directional wheels and cameras and sensors, one or more modular containers, and a lid, which may be releasably linked together to form a small, medium or larger units. The base, one or more modular containers, and the lid may be electrically linked to provide information to be used in a number of ways. For example, the electrical link may allow two or more modular robots to communicate with each other, enable external displays of multiple modules to act as one large unit, control the motion of the drawers, e.g., allowing them to open/close, and allow the processor(s) in the lid to communicate with the drive system of the omni-directional wheels. A set of alternating interlocking rails and tracks on corresponding surfaces enable the various layers of the modular robot to interlock with one another. Interlocking of multiple modular containers may be established by sliding one surface over the other. These sections may be used to create modular robots of varying sizes.

A modular robot system which may be configured to accommodate packages of varying sizes is provided. The modular robot may include a base have omni-directional wheels and cameras and sensors, one or more modular containers, and a lid, which may be releasably linked together to form a small, medium or larger units. The base, one or more modular containers, and the lid may be electrically linked to provide information to be used in a number of ways. For example, the electrical link may allow two or more modular robots to communicate with each other, enable external displays of multiple modules to act as one large unit, control the motion of the drawers, e.g., allowing them to open/close, and allow the processor(s) in the lid to communicate with the drive system of the omni-directional wheels. A set of alternating interlocking rails and tracks on corresponding surfaces enable the various layers of the modular robot to interlock with one another. Interlocking of multiple modular containers may be established by sliding one surface over the other. These sections may be used to create modular robots of varying sizes.

A low floor electric bus is provided. The bus includes a frame extending longitudinally from a front end to a rear end, the frame having two sidepieces and a plurality of crossmembers extending between and coupled to the sidepieces, wherein the frame has a central section positioned at a lower height relative to the front and/or rear sections. The bus further includes a battery pack mounted to the central portion of the frame; a powertrain having an electric motor and a driveshaft, wherein the electric motor is mounted to the rear section of the frame behind a rear axle coupled to the frame and the driveshaft extends from the electric motor to the rear axle; and a cradle coupled to the front section of the frame. A mixed-material cabin is also provided. The cabin includes a passenger cabin with a floor, sidewalls, and ceiling having steel, ceramic, and composite components.

A tailgate assembly is provided for a cargo bed having a bottom wall and a front, left and right side walls. An opening is defined between the left and right side walls, and the bottom wall. The tailgate assembly includes a first panel and a second panel. The first panel is pivotally connected to the bottom wall. The first panel is pivotable between a cargo-retaining position and an unfolded position with respect to the bottom wall. In the cargo-retaining position, the first panel closes the opening. The second panel is pivotally connected to the first panel. The second panel is pivotable between a folded position and a ramp position. In the folded position, the first panel and the second panel are substantially parallel to one another and in the ramp position the first and second panels extend from one another at an angle greater than ninety degrees.

An RV ramp door is hingedly connected near the vehicle floor for selective opening and closing by a user. A weather-resistant construction of a ramp door includes an inner foam body having an inner face and an outer face, a ramp door inner surface, a ramp door outer surface, a first layer of thermoplastic composite material disposed between the inner face of the foam body and the ramp door inner surface, and a second layer of thermoplastic composite material disposed between the outer face of the foam body and the ramp door outer surface. The ramp door inner surface may be a slip-resistant material, and the ramp door outer surface may be a fiberglass panel. The ramp door may include one or more weep holes for releasing any trapped liquid.

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle (100) comprising at least a towing vehicle (102), the towing vehicle comprising steerable wheels and is arranged to convey the vehicle in at least a major longitudinal forward direction (104) of the vehicle (100), wherein the vehicle further comprises a load handling arrangement (200) arranged to support transportation of material to or from the vehicle (100), the load handling arrangement (200) being configured to assume a material handling mode in which the load handling arrangement (200) is arranged to support transportation of the material between the vehicle (100) and a stationary ground portion (106) in the vicinity of the vehicle (100), wherein the load handling arrangement (200) extends substantially in the major longitudinal forward direction (104) of the vehicle over at least a portion of the towing vehicle (102) when assuming the material handling mode.

A lock mechanism is disclosed herein that can be used to lockingly secure and release sections of an apparatus relative to one another. The lock mechanism can lockingly secure the sections of the apparatus relative to one another in a plurality of different positions and, when released or unlocked, can allow the sections of the apparatus to rotate relative to one another and to different ones of the plurality of different positions.

A lock mechanism is disclosed herein that can be used to lockingly secure and release sections of an apparatus relative to one another. The lock mechanism can lockingly secure the sections of the apparatus relative to one another in a plurality of different positions and, when released or unlocked, can allow the sections of the apparatus to rotate relative to one another and to different ones of the plurality of different positions.