ADAS Sensor Fusion for Pothole and Road Debris Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle vision systems struggle to effectively detect and respond to obstacles such as potholes, road debris, and speed bumps in real-time, which can lead to potential accidents or discomfort for vehicle occupants.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle vision system that utilizes a plurality of sensors, including cameras, lidar, and radar, to capture and process sensor data through sensor fusion. This data is then processed by an electronic control unit (ECU) to detect objects in the vehicle's path and control vehicle systems such as braking, steering, and suspension to mitigate potential collisions or improve ride quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a plurality of sensors are used to detect objects in the path of travel, then detection reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensors (cameras, LIDAR, radar) into an integrated sensor system that captures data from different modalities. This merging approach improves detection reliability by providing redundant and complementary information sources, while the coordinated operation of these sensors addresses the complexity through unified system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system is designed to perform multiple functions: detecting various types of objects (potholes, debris, speed bumps, animals), operating under different lighting conditions, and providing both detection and classification capabilities. This multi-functionality justifies the use of multiple sensor types and improves overall system reliability.
2Loss of time
If sensor data is processed in real-time to detect objects, then response time is improved, but computational load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary processing of sensor data by generating candidate object detections before final classification. This staged approach allows real-time response by identifying potential objects quickly, while more computationally intensive classification is performed selectively on candidates that meet certain criteria.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies full computational processing only to sensor data regions where objects are detected, rather than processing the entire field of view at maximum resolution. This partial action approach maintains real-time performance by reducing the overall computational load while preserving detection accuracy for relevant areas.
3Reliability
If the system controls multiple vehicle systems (braking, steering, suspension), then safety and ride comfort are improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into separate control modules for braking, steering, and suspension systems. Each module independently processes control decisions for its specific function, which improves safety through specialized control logic while managing complexity by avoiding a monolithic control architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses an intermediary control unit that receives sensor data and generates control commands, which are then distributed to the appropriate vehicle systems. This intermediary layer coordinates the multiple control functions and manages the complexity of interfacing with different vehicle subsystems.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular control system includes a forward-viewing camera and a forward-sensing radar sensor disposed at a vehicle. Image data captured by the forward-viewing camera is processed at an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) and radar data captured by the forward-sensing radar sensor is processed at the ADAS ECU. As the vehicle travels along a road, and at least in part via processing at the ADAS ECU of (i) image data captured by the forward-viewing camera and (ii) radar data captured by the forward-sensing radar sensor, the ADAS ECU determines presence of a pothole or road debris or a speed bump ahead of the vehicle. Responsive to communication of the determined presence of the pothole or road debris or speed bump to another ECU of the vehicle, at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) the vehicle decelerates to mitigate impact and (ii) the vehicle is steered to avoid impact.