A vehicle skeleton structure includes: a first front pillar portion provided at a first side portion of a vehicle body; a second front pillar portion provided at a second side portion of the vehicle body; a front upper cross portion coupled to upper portions of the first and second front pillar portions; a front lower cross portion coupled to lower portions of the first and second front pillar portions; a first rear pillar portion provided at the first side portion along a rear peripheral edge portion of the door opening portion; a second rear pillar portion provided at the second side portion; a rear upper cross portion coupled to upper portions of the first and second rear pillar portions; and a rear lower cross portion coupled to lower portions of the first and second rear pillar portions.

Described herein are aerodynamically enhanced sensor housings. An aerodynamically enhanced sensor housing has an asymmetrical lateral cross-section that includes a first portion having a substantially spherical curvature and a second portion having a non-spherical curvature. The second portion having the non-spherical curvature may be elongated in relation to the first portion. An aerodynamically enhanced housing can also include one or more indentations formed in an exterior surface thereof to further enhance drag reducing characteristics of the housing. In addition, air flow characteristics around the sensor housing during vehicle operation can be assessed and a drag reduction protocol can be generated and implemented to further enhanced the drag reducing characteristics of the sensor housing.

A glass roof arrangement, having a support frame fixedly connected to roof structure parts of a vehicle body. At least one transparent roof panel is fixedly arranged on the support frame, and a shading device is assigned to the underside of the roof panel and has a shading structure displaceable longitudinally in guide rails fastened to an underside of the roof panel. A guide profile cross-section of each guide rail is formed from an edge limb supported substantiall orthogonally on the underside of the roof panel, and a guide limb extends substantially parallel to the underside and is attached to the edge limb that a lateral guide channel for the shading structure is formed and delimited by the underside of the roof panel, the edge limb, and the guide limb.

A glass roof arrangement, having a support frame fixedly connected to roof structure parts of a vehicle body. At least one transparent roof panel is fixedly arranged on the support frame, and a shading device is assigned to the underside of the roof panel and has a shading structure displaceable longitudinally in guide rails fastened to an underside of the roof panel. A guide profile cross-section of each guide rail is formed from an edge limb supported substantiall orthogonally on the underside of the roof panel, and a guide limb extends substantially parallel to the underside and is attached to the edge limb that a lateral guide channel for the shading structure is formed and delimited by the underside of the roof panel, the edge limb, and the guide limb.

A vehicle may include a movable roof, a sensor supported by the roof, and an actuator for selectively raising and lowering the roof.

A roof module for forming a motor vehicle roof, the roof module having a panel component whose outer surface at least partially forms the roof skin of the vehicle roof, and an opening in which at least one environment sensor is disposed, the environment sensor being configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals for detecting the vehicle environment. The at least one environment sensor is displaceable between a retracted position and a deployed position. A weather strip is disposed circumferentially at the opening, and the at least one environment sensor may have a cover which is in contact with the weather strip when the at least one environment sensor is in the retracted position to seal the opening, and a contact surface which is in contact with the weather strip when the at least one environment sensor is in the deployed position to seal the opening.

A roof module for forming a motor vehicle roof, the roof module having a panel component whose outer surface at least partially forms the roof skin of the vehicle roof, and an opening in which at least one environment sensor is disposed, the environment sensor being configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals for detecting the vehicle environment. The at least one environment sensor is displaceable between a retracted position and a deployed position. A weather strip is disposed circumferentially at the opening, and the at least one environment sensor may have a cover which is in contact with the weather strip when the at least one environment sensor is in the retracted position to seal the opening, and a contact surface which is in contact with the weather strip when the at least one environment sensor is in the deployed position to seal the opening.

Presented are protective covers for weldable fasteners, methods for making/using such cover-protected weldable fasteners, and motor vehicles with such covered fasteners welded to load-bearing structural members. A weldable fastener assembly includes a fastener, such as a weld-on nut or clip retainer, that is fabricated with a shank and a flange. One end of the shank has a fastener hole that receives therethrough a mating fastener, such as a bolt, screw, stud, or clip. The flange is formed, in whole or in part, from a weldable material for welding to a load-bearing panel or other structural support member. The flange may be integrally formed with and project radially outward from the shank. A protective cover is attached to the flange and covers the fastener hole. The protective cover is frangible and formed, in whole or in part, from a material designed to withstand the temperature at which the weldable material melts.

Presented are protective covers for weldable fasteners, methods for making/using such cover-protected weldable fasteners, and motor vehicles with such covered fasteners welded to load-bearing structural members. A weldable fastener assembly includes a fastener, such as a weld-on nut or clip retainer, that is fabricated with a shank and a flange. One end of the shank has a fastener hole that receives therethrough a mating fastener, such as a bolt, screw, stud, or clip. The flange is formed, in whole or in part, from a weldable material for welding to a load-bearing panel or other structural support member. The flange may be integrally formed with and project radially outward from the shank. A protective cover is attached to the flange and covers the fastener hole. The protective cover is frangible and formed, in whole or in part, from a material designed to withstand the temperature at which the weldable material melts.

Disclosed is a press formed product which is formed from a single steel sheet. The press formed product includes two vertical wall portions, a top plate portion which connects two vertical wall portions with each other, and a projecting portion which projects from at least one boundary portion of two boundary portions each of which connects the vertical wall portion and the top plate portion with each other. In the projecting portion, a steel sheet extending from the vertical wall portion and a steel sheet extending from the top plate portion project from the boundary portion so as to overlap at an overlapping portion located at least at a distal end of the projecting portion. The projecting portion is present at least at a portion of the press formed product in a longitudinal direction. An angle formed between the top plate portion and the overlapping portion is larger than 180°.