The technology relates to articulated autonomous vehicles that can potentially jackknife. To avoid or mitigate such hazardous conditions, the current state of the vehicle is evaluated against the vehicle's planned trajectory, for instance as it drives along a freeway or surface streets. When the evaluation indicates a likelihood of jackknifing, an automated braking approach is implemented using elective braking to stabilize the vehicle. The braking approach can depend on whether the situation involves tractor jackknifing or trailer jackknifing, and one or more different braking mechanisms can be employed for a selective modulation of the braking profile to address actual jackknifing or to prevent the vehicle from entering a jackknifing situation.

A trailer can be configured to selectively provide powered wheels, energy recovery, and/or parasitic power source charging. A trailer-related trigger (drive activation trigger, an energy recovery trigger, or a parasitic charging trigger) can be detected. When a drive activation trigger is detected, one or more motors can be activated to power one or more wheels of the trailer, thereby providing extra pushing power. When an energy recovery trigger is detected, one or more power sources of the trailer can be charged by recovering energy from the trailer. When a parasitic charging trigger is detected, one or more power sources of the trailer can be charged using a portion of the power generated by a main vehicle operatively connected to the trailer.

An electric axle for a vehicle including a first support member having a first end, a second end and an intermediate portion supporting a first axle receiver, and a second support member including a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate section supporting a second axle receiver. A torsion member extends between the first support member and the second support member. A first drive unit including a first transmission is mounted to the first support member, and a first electric motor is operatively connected to the first transmission. A second drive unit including a second transmission mounted to the second support member, and a second electric motor is operatively connected to the second transmission.

Systems and methods for an autonomous vehicle are provided. In one aspect, an autonomous vehicle includes a perception sensor and a processor configured to: receive detected roadway conditions data including roadway grade data from the perception sensor, retrieve mapped data having grade data, and determine that the roadway has a grade based on the detected roadway grade data and the retrieved roadway grade data. The processor can be further configured to, in response to determining that the roadway has a grade, determine that the grade of the roadway is greater than or equal to a predetermined high grade value and less than a predetermined grade limit, and in response to determining that the grade of the roadway is greater than or equal to the predetermined high grade value and less than the predetermined grade limit, operate the autonomous vehicle to change lane to a right-most lane.

The present invention relates to a motor vehicle trailer with at least one rigid axle with at least one tubular element. The motor vehicle trailer is characterized in that the tubular element has a yield strength Rp0.2 of at least 600 MPa, a tensile strength Rm of at least 850 MPa, a breaking elongation A5 of at least 14% and the tubular element (10) consists of an air-hardening, mainly bainitic material. In addition, a chassis axle as well as the use of a material for a chassis axle is disclosed.

An awning arm assembly is provided that includes inner and outer arms. A joint is provided that has an axle, e.g., any structure about which rotation can be provided coupled with one of the inner arm and the outer arm and a hollow body disposed about the axle. The hollow-body is coupled with the other of the inner arm and the outer arm. The hollow body is coupled with the axle such that when the outer arm moves relative to the inner arm the angle between the hollow body and the axle (and thereby the inner and outer arms) is adjusted.

CNG and/or other types of fuel can be placed in the space between the tractor and the front of the trailer or internal to the cargo volume of the trailer. The tanks can be mounted permanently on the front of the trailer or they could reside on the tractor and be transferred to the front of the trailer after hook up. After the tractor hooks up to a trailer, the tanks are lifted up via two jacks operating at two lift points near the top at each end of the tank module framework, the tanks are then translated backward by a single actuator operating on the midpoint of the horizontal jack support beam which is riding on the tractor frame rails. Then the tanks are lowered to rest on detachable cantilevers attached to the steel understructure near the front of the trailer.

A method for providing a warning that a trailer being towed by a vehicle will cross out of a travel lane when in a curve for the current vehicle path prior to the vehicle entering the curve. The method determines that the vehicle is approaching the curve, determines a radius of curvature of the curve, determines a lane width of the travel lane, and identifying a length of the trailer. The method also determines a predicted steering angle of the vehicle necessary to follow the radius of curvature of the curve, a turn radius of the vehicle for traveling through the curve using the predicted steering angle, and a turn radius of the trailer using the turn radius of the vehicle. The method then determines whether the trailer will cross out of the travel lane based on the curvature of the curve and the turn radius of the trailer.

A trailer configured to lower an overall center of gravity. The trailer comprises a tank, a wheel assembly, an upper body height and a trailer length. The tank comprises a cavity contained within a lower body, an upper body, a transitioning body, a front end and a rear end when the cavity within the trailer is filled with a liquid fluid, the liquid fluid is evenly distributed along the trailer length of the trailer since a diameter of the lower body, the upper body and the transitioning body are equal.

An expandable vehicle comprising a vehicle chassis and an expandable structure that is fixed to, carried by, and supported by the vehicle chassis. The expandable structure is expanded when the expandable vehicle is stationary for the stationary purpose of the expandable vehicle and is contracted when the expandable vehicle is being moved. The expandable structure comprises an expandable frame and an expandable body. The expandable body is fixed to, carried by, and supported by the expandable frame while the expandable frame is fixed to, carried by, and supported by the vehicle chassis. As the expandable frame is expanded and contracted, the expandable body is correspondingly expanded and contracted.