Adaptive Vehicle Start Timing for Driver Attention Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing driving support systems may reduce driver attention during long waiting periods before starting to follow a preceding vehicle, potentially leading to delayed responses when the own vehicle is started.

Innovation Solution

A driving support method and device that calculates the elapsed time from when the own vehicle stops to when the preceding vehicle starts, and adjusts the timing to start the own vehicle based on this elapsed time, ensuring a longer delay for longer elapsed times to restore driver attention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the own vehicle automatically follows the preceding vehicle after a long waiting period, then the driver's attention may be reduced, but the automatic following function improves convenience

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic following functionVSAvoiddriver attention
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by detecting the driver's start requests during the waiting period and storing this information before the automatic following function is activated. This allows the system to prepare appropriate notifications or warnings in advance, ensuring the driver's attention is restored before the vehicle automatically starts following the preceding vehicle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the driver's start requests and using this information to adjust the behavior of the automatic following function. The detected number of start requests feeds back into the control logic, allowing the system to provide appropriate warnings or notifications to restore driver attention before executing the automatic following action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If the start permission period is extended to detect multiple start requests, then the system can better understand driver intent, but the waiting period increases and driver attention may be lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriver intent detectionVSAvoidwaiting period
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by detecting only the necessary number of start requests within a reasonable time frame rather than waiting for an indefinite period. The start permission period is set to a predetermined length that is sufficient to detect driver intent but not so long as to cause loss of driver attention, achieving a balance between detection precision and time efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If the own vehicle starts immediately when the preceding vehicle starts, then followability is improved, but the driver cannot respond quickly if attention was reduced during waiting

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovefollowabilityVSAvoiddriver response
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by detecting the driver's start requests during the waiting period and using this information to prevent premature automatic starting. The control unit adjusts the timing of the automatic following function based on the detected start requests, ensuring that the vehicle does not start until the driver's attention has been restored, thereby counteracting the potential harm of reduced driver responsiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP4206053B1Driving support method and driving support device
Publication Date: 2025.05.21 NISSAN MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP4206053B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4206053B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A driving support method and a driving support device set a timing to start an own vehicle based on an elapsed time from a stop of the own vehicle to a start of a preceding vehicle existing in front of the own vehicle, wherein the timing in case that the elapsed time is long is later than the timing in case that the elapsed time is short, and start the own vehicle at the set timing by following the preceding vehicle.