Augmented Reality Wayfinding for Autonomous Vehicle Pickups
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Solution Overview
Problem
Challenges in guiding riders to autonomous vehicles and providing necessary information during pickups and drop-offs, especially in complex environments, are exacerbated by the absence of a human driver, leading to inconveniences and difficulties for riders with disabilities or impairments.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing augmented reality (AR) elements on client devices to enhance wayfinding by generating interactive trip information, including live views and vehicle representations, which guide riders to pickup locations and provide vehicle control options.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional map information and turn-by-turn directions are used for wayfinding, then riders can receive navigation guidance, but riders with visual or hearing impairments or safety concerns cannot easily understand or interact with the guidance in complex environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates an augmented reality representation (copy) of the autonomous vehicle that overlays the real-world environment. This virtual replica includes visual indicators, icons, and annotations that copy and enhance the information about vehicle location, status, and interaction points, making it accessible to riders with various impairments without replacing the actual vehicle or its communication capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional 2D map-based navigation to a 3D augmented reality overlay that adds spatial depth and contextual information to the wayfinding experience. By projecting virtual vehicle representations and guidance elements onto the real-world view through the client device camera, riders gain enhanced spatial understanding and information accessibility in complex environments
2Extent of automation
If a human driver is present in the vehicle, then riders can receive direct information and assistance, but the vehicle cannot operate fully autonomously
Solution Approach 1:
The augmented reality representation serves as an intermediary between the autonomous vehicle system and the rider. It mediates communication by translating vehicle status, location, and control options into visual formats that riders can understand and interact with, effectively replacing the information exchange that would normally occur between rider and human driver
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables riders to self-serve by providing them with comprehensive trip information, vehicle control options, and wayfinding guidance through the augmented reality interface. Riders can independently understand vehicle status, navigate to pickup locations, and control vehicle functions without requiring direct human driver assistance
3Loss of information
If detailed map information is displayed on the user interface, then riders can see their location and route, but the interface becomes cluttered and harder to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the user interface into distinct functional regions: a first region for trip information (vehicle location, status, control options) and a second region for map information (route, navigation guidance). This segmentation allows comprehensive information display while maintaining interface organization and ease of use, preventing clutter by dedicating specific areas to specific types of information
Data Source
AI summary
The technology uses augmented reality (AR) elements for enhanced wayfinding with autonomous vehicle pickups and drop-offs. The approach includes generating, for presentation in a first region of a client device UI, trip information regarding a trip. Map information associated with the trip is generated for presentation in a second UI region, including at least one of a pickup location for a rider, a walking path from a current location of the rider to the pickup location, a planned route of the vehicle to the pickup location, or a current location of the vehicle. An AR indicator is generated for presentation in the second UI region. Upon selection of the indicator, the system modifies the second region into a first section to display at least a portion of the map information and a second section to display an augmented reality view, or replace the map information with the AR view.