Adaptive Vehicle Speed Control for Smooth Following Distance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle control systems face issues with sudden decelerations and unexpected acceleration that can lead to unsafe driving situations, causing discomfort for the driver and forcing rear vehicles to react unexpectedly.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle control apparatus that acquires factor information to set maximum deceleration and acceleration limits, using these as upper limits for control to prevent sudden changes and maintain safe driving conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If acceleration/deceleration control tracks a target preceding vehicle's speed, then the own vehicle can maintain a safe distance from the target vehicle, but sudden deceleration or acceleration may occur causing unexpected situations for rear vehicles or drivers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafe distance maintenanceVSAvoidsudden deceleration/acceleration effects

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically adjusts acceleration and deceleration parameters (maximum acceleration a_max and maximum deceleration b_max) based on vehicle speed, time-to-collision, and distance to target vehicle. By changing these parameters adaptively rather than using fixed values, the system maintains safe following distances while preventing sudden speed changes that could harm rear vehicles or cause driver discomfort

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The control system continuously monitors multiple parameters including own vehicle speed, distance to target vehicle, time-to-collision, and acceleration demands. This feedback loop allows the system to adjust acceleration/deceleration commands in real-time, ensuring safe distance maintenance while avoiding abrupt speed changes that would create harmful effects for surrounding vehicles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If the own vehicle decelerates during lane changes or due to traffic conditions, then the vehicle can adapt to changing environments, but rear vehicles may be forced to perform sudden deceleration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental adaptationVSAvoidforced sudden deceleration of rear vehicle

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system calculates time-to-collision and predicts future collision risk before actual deceleration occurs. By taking preliminary anti-action through gradual deceleration within controlled limits, the system adapts to changing traffic conditions while preventing the need for sudden braking that would force rear vehicles to react abruptly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic adjustment of deceleration parameter b_max based on vehicle speed and environmental conditions. This parameter change ensures the own vehicle can adapt to lane changes and traffic conditions while maintaining deceleration rates that do not force rear vehicles into sudden braking situations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If the own vehicle accelerates to track a target preceding vehicle, then the vehicle can respond to traffic flow changes, but unexpected acceleration may cause driver safety concerns

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse to traffic flowVSAvoiddriver safety risk from unexpected acceleration

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the maximum acceleration parameter a_max based on current vehicle speed and distance to target vehicle. This parameter change allows the own vehicle to respond effectively to traffic flow changes while preventing unexpected acceleration that would create safety concerns for the driver

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The control system uses feedback from speed sensors, distance measurements, and acceleration demands to continuously adjust acceleration commands. This feedback mechanism ensures productive response to traffic flow while maintaining acceleration levels that do not create driver safety concerns

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12606165B2Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle control program product

Publication Date: 2026.04.21 DENSO CORP

AI summary

In a vehicle control apparatus, an acquiring unit acquires factor information that causes acceleration or deceleration of the own vehicle while the own vehicle is subjected to the acceleration/deceleration control. A setting unit sets, based on the factor information, a maximum level of deceleration and/or a maximum level of acceleration. The maximum level of deceleration represents a maximum rate of reduction in a speed of the own vehicle during deceleration of the own vehicle. The maximum level of acceleration represents a maximum rate of increase in the speed of the own vehicle during acceleration of the own vehicle. A control unit is operative to perform (i) deceleration control of the own vehicle using the maximum level of deceleration as an upper limit for the deceleration control, and/or (ii) acceleration control of the own vehicle using the maximum level of acceleration as an upper limit for the acceleration control.