An object of the disclosure is to provide a technique for identifying an arc position between an overhead line and a pantograph mounted on an electric vehicle. A system according to the disclosure includes: a magnetic field detector configured to detects a magnetic field generated by an arc; and a first processor disposed in an electric vehicle and configured to determine a horizontal position of the arc on a pantograph by using the magnetic field detected by the detector.

A mechanical stabilization system for a battery assembly is disclosed. The system includes an actuator and a stabilizer that are configured to work in concert. The actuator and stabilizer are disposed in a housing of the battery assembly. The system may be implemented by depression of the actuator disposed in the housing, which causes the stabilizer to retract a support post into the housing. The depression can occur during a docking operation of the battery assembly with a lift mechanism for an electric vehicle. When the actuator is released, the support post automatically reverts to its previous, deployed state. The support post is configured to maintain the battery assembly in a stable configuration when the battery assembly is separated from the electric vehicle.

According to one embodiment, provisioning an amount of power for one or more vehicles can comprise receiving a request indicating a requirement for an amount of power for the one or more vehicles. The request can indicate the requirement for the amount of power for the one or more vehicles individually or in total. A set of management rules can be read from one or more databases. A set of service configuration information and a set of vehicle specific information for the one or more vehicles can also be read from one or more databases. One or more power sources to meet the requirement for the amount of power for the one or more vehicles can be determined based on applying the management rules and using the set of service configuration information and the set of vehicle information and an indication of the determined power sources can be provided.

A propulsion system includes plural inverters configured to be onboard a vehicle and to convert direct current into an alternating current, and plural motors configured to receive the alternating current from the inverters. The motors also are configured to be operably coupled with axles of the vehicle to rotate the axles. The inverters are configured to be coupled with and control the motors that rotate non-neighboring axles of the axles in the vehicle.

A vehicle provided with an electric propulsion system and a method for controlling the electric propulsion system are provided. The system includes a first Electrical Motor (EM1) connected via first Electrical Connections (EC1) to an on-board Energy Storage System (ESS1) and drivingly connected to wheels. The system further includes a second Electrical Motor (EM2) connected via second Electrical Connections (EC2) to one or several electrical energy sources and drivingly connected to wheels. The system is controlled by an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and the Electrical Motors (EM1, EM2) are used in dependence of the State Of Charge (SOC) level in the first Energy Storage System (ESS1) and the availability of electrical energy for the second Electrical Motor (EM2). The ECU is programmed to include an energy transfer mode in which the use of the second Electric Motor (EM2) for propulsive force is increased and the use of the first Electric Motor (EM1) for regenerative breaking is increased when the State Of Charge (SOC) level in the first electrical Energy Storage System (ESS1) is below a defined level and it is estimated that there is more electrical energy available for the second Electrical Motor (EM2) than for the first Electrical Motor (EM1).

According to one embodiment, provisioning an amount of power for one or more vehicles can comprise receiving a request indicating a requirement for an amount of power for the one or more vehicles. The request can indicate the requirement for the amount of power for the one or more vehicles individually or in total. A set of management rules can be read from one or more databases. A set of service configuration information and a set of vehicle specific information for the one or more vehicles can also be read from one or more databases. One or more power sources to meet the requirement for the amount of power for the one or more vehicles can be determined based on applying the management rules and using the set of service configuration information and the set of vehicle information and an indication of the determined power sources can be provided.

Systems of a vehicle and the operations thereof are provided. The vehicle can associate sensitive information for a user of the vehicle. Then, the vehicle can automatically provide the sensitive information for either the driver and/or passenger to a third party in an interaction with the third party. As such, user employ the automated systems of the vehicle for interactions with third parties.

A method and system are provided for detecting a driver and passenger in a vehicle. The vehicle processor stores first and second sensitive information for the driver and passenger, respectively. In response to detecting the second presence of the passenger, provides a user interface for the passenger to enter the second sensitive information, receives and associates the second sensitive information with the vehicle and, while the vehicle is in motion, communicates with an external third party positioned along a selected route of the vehicle to perform a transaction on behalf of the passenger using the second sensitive information.

The vehicle includes a powertrain having an axle having a first drive wheel and a second drive wheel. A first gearbox may couple a first power source to the first drive wheel, and a second gearbox may independently couple a second power source to the second drive wheel. And, a controller may be configured to initiate a gear shift in the first gearbox and the second gearbox at different times.

A vehicle is provided that comprises two or more radio frequency (RF) antennas and two or more RF transceivers to communicate wirelessly sensitive information associated with a user of the vehicle (the two or more RF antennas being at different physical locations on an exterior of the vehicle). The vehicle determines which one of the two or more RF antennas is receiving a strongest signal from a common signal source, selects a first RF transceiver associated with the RF antenna with the strongest signal to send the sensitive information associated with the user to the common signal source, and sends the sensitive information associated with the user to the first RF transceiver for transmission to the common signal source.