Active Driver Feedback System for Skill-Based Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to effectively engage drivers with vehicle operations and environmental awareness, particularly for those with insufficient skills or who are distracted, leading to safety concerns and increased anxiety from alerts.
Innovation Solution
A feedback system that assesses a driver's skill level and provides active, proportional feedback through input devices like the steering wheel and pedals, blending predicted controls with manual inputs to encourage engagement and improve driving skills without overwhelming the driver.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If audible alerts are provided to maintain driver vigilance and inform of risks, then driver awareness is improved, but driver engagement deteriorates (interpreted as annoyance and increased anxiety)
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements active feedback by comparing predicted controls (optimal controls) with actual manual control inputs in real-time. This feedback loop provides continuous information to the driver about their control actions, enabling them to self-correct and improve engagement without external alerts. The feedback is contextualized to the driver's skill level, making it useful rather than annoying.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the driver to self-monitor and self-correct their driving behavior by providing them with the information needed to evaluate their own control inputs. Instead of the system imposing alerts on the driver, the driver uses the feedback to autonomously adjust their actions, taking responsibility for their own engagement and safety.
2Ease of operation
If feedback is provided continuously to improve driver skill, then driver engagement is improved, but driver anxiety increases (overwhelming the driver)
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback is customized to the specific driver's skill level, which is assessed by analyzing their control input patterns. The system provides localized, targeted feedback focused on the driver's specific deficiencies rather than generic continuous alerts. This makes the feedback relevant and manageable rather than overwhelming.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback selectively based on the difference between predicted and actual controls, focusing only on meaningful deviations that require correction. Rather than providing constant feedback on all control actions, it applies feedback only when necessary to improve engagement, avoiding overstimulation of the driver.
3Productivity
If predicted controls are computed to be aggressive (optimal speed for racing), then vehicle performance is improved, but safety deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the predicted controls based on the driver's assessed skill level. For novice drivers, the predicted controls are more conservative and safety-oriented, while for experienced drivers, the system can allow more aggressive optimal controls. This dynamic adaptation ensures safety requirements are met while still providing performance optimization appropriate to the driver's capability.
Data Source
AI summary
System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to engaging a driver of a vehicle about driving behaviors. In one embodiment, a method includes computing predicted controls according to at least a defined skill level of the driver. The predicted controls indicate how to control the vehicle to maintain the vehicle along a driving path on a roadway. The method includes, in response to receiving manual control inputs from the driver, generating control feedback to the driver about the manual control inputs based, at least in part, on a difference between the manual control inputs and the predicted controls.