A vehicle BIW sub-assembly comprising two or more structural members each having at least one engaging portion. The engaging portions of at least two of the structural members being connected to each other by a node unit formed of two or more shell members assembled with each other. The node unit having at least two designated sockets, each snugly receiving one engaging portion of one of the structural members, wherein at least one of said designated sockets is an interior socket formed between the two or more shell members.

A hollow structure for installation as cross member or longitudinal member in a motor vehicle includes a hollow member which is made of light metal and has at least one hollow chamber. The hollow member has a wall which is formed with a slot. A flange sized to extend through the slot has a leg configured to rest by a formfit against a side of an inner surface area of the hollow member and at least one area which is coupled to an outer surface area of the hollow member.

An automobile vehicle body and an automobile vehicle body manufacturing method is provided in which a metal joint is divided into an upper joint and a lower joint. The upper joint includes an upper wall which is fitted into a side member, a vehicle width direction inner wall and a vehicle width direction outer wall, and a lower joint includes a lower wall which is joined to a lower face and an outside face of a vehicle body floor, and the vehicle width direction outer wall, and therefore, the vehicle width direction outer wall of the upper joint is fastened to the vehicle width direction outer wall of the lower joint by a first bolt, and the vehicle width direction inner wall of the upper joint is fastened to an inside face of the side member by a second bolt.

A fastening structure that includes: a nut fabricated of metal that is screwed onto the threaded portion; a collar including a collar main body fabricated of metal that includes: a tubular portion through which the threaded portion penetrates, and a flange that is formed at an outer periphery portion of the tubular portion and that is disposed at the other plate thickness direction side of the resin member, the collar main body touching against the washer main body and the nut; and a base portion fabricated of resin that structures a portion of the collar and that is disposed between the flange and the resin member.

A method for producing a motor vehicle and a correspondingly produced motor vehicle having a modular construction, in which a substructure and at least one superstructure module are produced independently of one another and are subsequently permanently connected together.

At the inner side adhesion portion 28, a portion of the inner side vertical wall portion 22 is formed so as to be recessed to an inner side. An inclination angle θ2 of the inner side adhesion portion 28 with respect to a vehicle up-and-down direction is set to be greater than an inclination angle θ1 of the inner side vertical wall portion 22. At the outer side adhesion portion 38, a portion of the outer side vertical wall portion 32 is formed so as to be recessed to the inner side. An inclination angle θ4 of the outer side adhesion portion 38 with respect to the vehicle up-and-down direction is set to be greater than an inclination angle θ3 of the outer side vertical wall portion 32.

In one embodiment, a storage system includes one or more platforms to stow compute units of an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle in a storage compartment of the vehicle. The platform is configured to support a compute unit of the vehicle to avoid a crumple zone of the vehicle. The crumple zone of the vehicle is designed to crumple when colliding with an object. The storage system also includes one or more shear fasteners configured to fasten the compute unit to the platform. The one or more shear fasteners are configured to break in a predetermined direction in response to a predetermined amount of lateral force. The breakage of the one or more shear fasteners decouples the compute unit from the platform in a controlled direction.

The invention relates to a method of assembling two sheet metal elements (1, 1′), involving applying a bead of adhesive to a first element, assembling the second sheet metal element on the first and securing it by spot welds to hold the two sheet metal elements stationary before curing the adhesive. The invention consists in the fact that the bead of adhesive is applied discontinuously to the first sheet metal element (1) along an adhesive line and then, once the second sheet metal element (1′) has been pressed against the first, the two elements (1, 1′) are held fixed together by creating spot welds on sections of the discontinuous adhesive line that are devoid of adhesive.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to passenger or cargo vans. Features include the structure and assembly process using a framing structure which defines and supports a rearward compartment. In certain embodiments, the framing structure can be formed as modular subpanels which can be easily assembled while also providing superior strength and weight characteristics. In certain embodiments, specialized joints are arranged to connect the subpanels. Exterior shell portions and optionally windows can be mounted to the framing structure to form a rearward compartment.

A vehicle body includes a structural member having an inner surface defining an elongated cavity. The structural member includes an outer panel member joined to an inner panel member. A reinforcement member is positioned in the cavity wherein a gap is provided between the reinforcement member and the inner surface of the structural member. The reinforcement member includes an outer section, an inner section and a tension web interposed between and contacting the outer section and inner section. The outer section faces the outer panel member and the inner section faces the inner panel member. The tension web is secured to the outer panel member and inner panel member. An adhesive secured to the reinforcement member is activatable to expand toward the inner surface of the structural member to define a joint between the reinforcement member and the structural member and to at least partially fill the gap.