Published Pending Patents
20080053739    Pre-Engineered Frame portion and method of use therfor
20060048994    Vehicle wheel system
20050161979    Vehicle body compartment lid having unitary inner panel and outer panel
20050067889    Brake-by-wire input device arrangement
20050049944    Vehicle body interchangeability
20050001455    Body and frame assembly for a vehicle and method of assembling a vehicle
20040194280    Rolling chassis and assembled bodies
20040189054    Vehicle body configurations
20040164577    Adjustable armrest
20040163859    Vehicle having systems responsive to non-mechanical control signals
20040149500    Pre-engineered frame portion and method of use therefor
20040129487    Reconfigurable by-wire foot pedals
20040099468    Driver control input device for drive-by-wire vehicle
20040069556    Chassis frame module and method of use for same
20040069545    Vehicle frame assembly and method for same
20040066025    Frontal impact energy dissipation zone
20040018632    Hydrogen processing unit for fuel cell storage systems
20030164255    Modular chassis with simplified body-attachment interface
20030132584    Wheel module
20030127261    Wheelchair mobility system and method
20030094320    Vehicle body interchangeability
20030094319    Vehicle body interchangeability
20030040979    Methods of conducting vehicle business transactions
20030040977    Methods of conducting vehicle business transactions
20030040933    Vehicle body business methods  
20030040828    Accelerated vehicle development process
20030040827    Vehicle development process characterized by market responsiveness
20030038470    Mobile chassis and interchangeable vehicle body with a hvac system
20030038442    Vehicle chassis having programmable operating characteristics and method for using same
20030037987    Vehicle having systems responsive to non-mechanical control signals
20030037975    Vehicle chassis having systems responsive to non-mechanical control signals
20030037973    Fuel cell powered chassis mobile electrical source and method of use thereof
20030037970    Vehicle chassis having systems responsive to non-mechanical control signalshttp://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=0&f=S&l=50&TERM1=Chernoff&FIELD1=IN&co1=AND&TERM2=Adrian&FIELD2=IN&d=PG01
40 United States Patents
7,281,600    Pre-engineered frame portion and method of use therefor
7,275,609    Vehicle body connection system
7,142,963    Driver control input device for drive-by-wire system
7,104,581    Vehicle body interchangeability
7,096,986    Mobile chassis and interchangeable vehicle body with ram air circulation system
7,083,016    Mobile chassis and interchangeable vehicle body with waste heat rejection system
7,036,848	Vehicle body configurations
7,032,958	Body and frame assembly for a vehicle and method of assembling a vehicle
7,028,791	Mobile chassis and interchangeable vehicle body with a hvac system
7,004,502	Frontal impact energy dissipation zone
7,000,318	Method of designing and manufacturing vehicles
6,997,281    Driver control input device for drive-by-wire vehicle
6,991,060    Vehicle having a movable driving position
6,986,401    Systems packaged within flat vehicle chassis
6,976,307    Accelerated vehicle development process
6,971,471    Multi-directional drive
6,968,918    Vehicle chassis having programmable operating characteristics and method for using same
6,959,475    Vehicle body business methods
6,948,740    Vehicle with multiple driver interfaces
6,948,226    Chassis frame packaging cavity loading method
6,938,712    Fuel cell powered chassis mobile electrical source and method of use thereof
6,935,658    Chassis frame module and method of use for same
6,935,449    Vehicle electrical distribution system and method of use therefor
6,923,282    Chassis subassembly module and method for using same
6,923,281    Full size vehicle remote control technology
6,905,138    Chassis with energy-absorption zones
6,899,194    Lower vehicle body structure and method of use therefor
6,898,496    Pivoting arm driver control input device
6,889,785    Vehicle chassis having systems responsive to non-mechanical control signals
6,880,856    Vehicle body configurations
6,880,855    Rotary driver control input device
6,857,498    Console with driver's interface
6,845,839    Vehicle body platform
6,843,336    Vehicle belly pan
6,836,943    Vehicle body manufacturing process
6,830,117    Vehicle chassis having systems responsive to non-mechanical control signals
6,827,174    Driver control input device having opposing movable posts for steering
6,766,873    Fuel cell vehicle with by-wire technology
6,726,438    Chassis stacking
6,712,164    Vehicle having systems responsive to non-mechanical control signalshttp://patft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=0&f=S&l=50&TERM1=chernoff&FIELD1=INNM&co1=AND&TERM2=adrian&FIELD2=INNM&d=PTXT

10 International Patents

 

in 2000 RIck Wagoner, CEO and Chairman of General Motors, asked and tasked the worlds largest automotive company “If we were reinventing the automobile today what would we do?


To answer Wagoner’s call to action, Adrian Chernoff was recruited from Albuquerque, New Mexico into GM’s Research & Development Center in Detroit, Michigan. After just eight weeks Adrian he helped answer the unresolved question of how to reinvent the automobile by combining an advanced propulsion system, electronic controls, and electric motors to yield an elegant skateboard plug and play chassis where the only moving parts are protons, electrons, and the wheels. Shortly thereafter he was appointed the Chief Architect of the program and was the project’s principal inventor. The program was named the Reinvention of the Automobile and has resulted in a series of fresh new vehicles all based on the new revolutionary skateboard architecture. The first unveiled concept, the GM AUTOnomy, was acclaimed as the biggest breakthrough in automotive transportation in the last 50 years and fueled the further development of the GM Hy-Wire, the GM Carousel, and the GM Sequel. 


Adrian’s role included inventing, creating, and managing the concept development, build, execution, and role out of the GM AUTOnomy, the creation, development and build of the GM Hy-Wire in and at Stile Bertone, Italy, the creation, concept development, and design development and build of the GM CARousel, and was a core team member in the creation and development of the GM Sequel in addition to managing innovation development with and at Design Continuum.

GM Sequel

2005

TOYOTA Copies the GM AUTOnomy and the GM Hy-Wire

In the highest form of flattery, a year after the unveiling of the GM AUTOnomy, Toyota showcases their version of the architecture with the copycat fuel cell, drive-by-wire and wheel motors concept with the Fine-N, and a year later it copies the passenger vehicle, GM Hy-Wire, with the same technology, but this time packaging the fuel cell below deck in the concept Fine-S.

Toyota Fine-N

2003

Toyota Fine-S

2004

Reinvention of the Automobile Patents authored by Adrian Chernoff

Below is a complete list of the awarded patents (50) and current pending patent applications (33) covering the Reinvention of the Automobile. They cover applications of using novel materials, business and manufacturing processes, and technologies such as electrical controls, by-wire systems, wheel hub motors, and fuel cells.

50

Awarded Patents

Worldwide

33

Patents

Pending

Worldwide

Initial Beginnings of the Reinvention of the AUTOmobile

When the call of reinventing the automobile was given, we began by calling the vehicle Firebird 5 after the historic Firebirds.  The Firebirds were the first true merging of technology and design at General Motors.  They brought in the history by combining the state of the art technology, Turbines, and futuristic design thinking. It was the first merging of two worlds, General Motors Research & Development and General Motors Design.  It was the last true collaboration in over 50 years.  The evolution of the GM AUTOnomy was within this historic integration and collaboration.  It should be no surprise than that the press and automobile experts claim the GM AUTOnomy to be the biggest thing in the last 50 years.  Imagine if we collaborated and integrated more often?

The Original Firebirds

Firebird I, II, & III

Proof of Concept Car

Drivable Concept Car

Showcase Concept Car

Production Intent Concept Car

SUZUKI creates the Mobile Terrace off the GM Hy-Wire skateboard

The Suzuki Mobile Terrace, showcased at the Tokyo Motor show in late 2003, was a Suzuki developed show car based off the GM Hy-Wire skateboard chassis inclusive of the fuel cell and drive, steer, and brake by-wire technology. The six seater mini-van type vehicle had extensive visibility, abundant interior spaciousness, and innovative driver controls and displays.  Innovations explored included a canopy created by opening the roof sides, quad opposing sliding doors, and a social pit stop by extending seat bases outside the vehicle and moving the flattening the 22-inch drivers display control panel into a social interactive table. The Mobile Terrace is in many cases is a living room on wheels; one moment it is for going to a destination and the next it is the destination.

Suzuki Mobile Terrace

2003

AUTOnomy Design Competitions

Over the years there have been many design venues and competitions based on the AUTOnomy skateboard as an enabler for design. One was specifically featured by Car Styling Magazine, and others have been done at design schools including Art Center College of Design, College for Creative Studies, and Strate Collège. GM has also hosted many summer interns over two different summers year with the primary focus around branding and creating innovative GM future vehicles off the skateboard chassis. In addition, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) also researched and looked at hydrogen distribution technologies streaming from the AUTOnomy to win a $5,000 prize.

The Italdesign Giugiaro VAD.HO leverages GM’s By-Wire and Hydrogen Technology

At the Geneva Autoshow in 2007 the VAD.HO showcased technology first integrated in the GM Hy-Wire with by-wire controls, hydrogen technology, and electrically controlled foot rests. Although VAD.HO does not leverage fuel cells it does feature driver controls with joysticks that move back and forth eliminating wrist twists and rotation with by-wire controls. The novelty of the VAD.HO patent applications may be a mood point considering that the GM CARousel demonstrated an armrest control fixed to a seat and the technology of sliding motion controls are patent protected by GM.

Chevy VOLT plug-in-hybrid is a direct descendant form the GM Hy-Wire technology platform

In January 2007 GM unveiled an architecture called E-Flex in the Chevrolet Volt concept vehicle featuring a plug-in battery electric propulsion system, which is a direct descendant from the GM AUTOnomy blood line. The concept showcases identical and available technologies demonstrated in the GM Hy-Wire and GM Sequel. These include the fuel cell propulsion system, hydrogen storage tanks, batteries, one electric motor for the front wheels, and electric motors mounted within each rear wheel. The only difference being the elimination of the skateboard and the use of a mechanical steering column. The ability of having a different propulsion systems such as a traditional gas, diesel, E-85 bio-fuel, or other electric powertrains was covered in the GM AUTOnomy program.  The good news is the Volt is targeted for production in 2010 and will most likely have a an internal combustion engine and a front electric motor.

Wheel Hub Motor

Lithium-Ion Battery

Front Electric Motor

Fuel Cell Stack

Hydrogen Storage Tanks

GM Chevy Sequel Skateboard

2005

Chevy Volt Chassis

2007

GM Chevy Volt

2007