Vehicle having reinforcement patch

A vehicle comprising:

• a vehicle body component including an outer panel and an inner panel that collectively define a cavity therebetween, the outer panel having an interior surface that faces the cavity and the inner panel, and the outer panel being formed of a material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion that permits the outer panel to expand and contract;
• and
• a reinforcing patch disposed within and attached to the interior surface of the outer panel, the reinforcing patch including a substrate formed of an adhesive material that adheres the reinforcing patch to the interior surface of the outer panel, and a reinforcing body attached to the substrate that faces the cavity,
• wherein the reinforcing body is formed of a material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion that is less than the first coefficient of thermal expansion that permits the reinforcing body to expand and contract to a lesser extent than the outer panel;
• wherein the reinforcing body includes a first end and an opposite second end, the first end and the opposite second end being connected by a first edge extending between the first end and the opposite second end and an opposite second edge extending between the first end and the opposite second end;
• wherein a plurality of elongated slits are formed in the reinforcing body that extend between the first edge and the opposite second edge, the material of the reinforcing body located on opposing sides of a respective elongated slit defining a first tab and a second tab with the respective elongated slit therebetween;
• and
• wherein the first tab and the second tab are configured to move in opposite directions when the outer panel expands due to the material of the reinforcing body having the second coefficient of thermal expansion that is less than the first coefficient of thermal expansion of the material of the outer panel.