Adaptive Cruise Control Dynamic Time Distance Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current adaptive cruise control systems do not effectively optimize fuel efficiency by adapting to velocity changes of lead vehicles, leading to suboptimal fuel-saving driving strategies.
Innovation Solution
A method that adjusts the predetermined time distance between a host vehicle and a lead vehicle based on parameters characterizing velocity changes, using a control unit to act on the acceleration and retardation devices to maintain optimized fuel-saving distances, with the ability to increase or decrease the distance depending on the lead vehicle's velocity stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a constant predetermined time distance is maintained between host vehicle and lead vehicle, then the cruise control system is simple to operate, but fuel efficiency cannot be optimized based on lead vehicle velocity changes
Solution Approach 1:
The predetermined time distance is changed from a static constant value to a dynamic variable that adapts based on lead vehicle velocity changes. The control unit continuously monitors velocity changes and adjusts the time distance accordingly, allowing the system to optimize fuel efficiency while responding to changing driving conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of time distance based on detected velocity changes of the lead vehicle. When velocity changes exceed a threshold, the time distance is increased to provide safety margin; when velocity is stable, the time distance is reduced to optimize fuel efficiency by utilizing draft effects.
2Reliability
If the predetermined time distance is increased to provide safety margin, then safety is improved, but fuel efficiency deteriorates due to increased distance from lead vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The time distance dynamically adjusts between a shorter value for fuel efficiency and a longer value for safety. The control unit switches between these states based on real-time velocity change detection, ensuring safety is maintained when needed while optimizing fuel consumption during stable following conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system periodically monitors velocity changes and adjusts the time distance accordingly. This periodic adjustment allows the system to alternate between fuel-efficient short distances and safe long distances based on the periodic nature of traffic conditions and lead vehicle behavior.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the predetermined time distance is decreased to optimize fuel efficiency, then fuel usage is reduced, but safety margin is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The time distance parameter is reduced from a conservative constant value to a smaller optimized value when fuel efficiency is the priority. The control unit implements this parameter change only when velocity changes are within acceptable thresholds, ensuring safety is not compromised during the fuel-efficient following mode.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for adaptive cruise control of a host vehicle (2): A host vehicle (2) includes at least one acceleration device (8), at least one retardation device (10), a control unit (14) for acting upon the acceleration device (8) and the retardation device (10), a calculating unit (16) for determining at least one parameter related to a lead vehicle (6) and a distance sensor (12) for determining a distance from the host vehicle to the lead vehicle (6). The method includes the steps of: setting a first predetermined time distance between the host vehicle (2) and the lead vehicle (6), maintaining the first predetermined time distance, evaluating a parameter that characterizes velocity changes of the lead vehicle in order to optimize a time distance between the host vehicle (2) and the lead vehicle (6), changing the first predetermined time distance to a second predetermined time distance if the parameter that characterizes velocity changes reaches a threshold value, and maintaining the second predetermined time distance. A system, a vehicle, a computer program product and a computer program for the method are further described herein.