Automated Driving Visibility Control for Wipers and Defrosters
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Solution Overview
Problem
During automated driving, onboard devices like wipers and defrosters are often inoperable, hindering visibility and comfort for occupants who want to observe external conditions, such as rainfall or fog, as they are typically stopped or operated infrequently.
Innovation Solution
An outside information display control device that limits and releases the operation of onboard devices like wipers, electronic mirrors, and defrosters based on the occupant's interest, determined by their sight direction and actions, ensuring visibility and comfort during automated driving by dynamically adjusting their operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If onboard devices are stopped during automated driving, then comfort is improved, but visibility outside the vehicle deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the operation state of onboard devices based on real-time detection of occupant interest. When the interest determination unit detects that an occupant is interested in outside information, the limitation release unit activates to allow device operation. This dynamic switching between limited and released states resolves the contradiction by adapting device behavior to actual occupant needs rather than maintaining a fixed stopped state.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where the interest determination unit continuously monitors occupant behavior (sight direction, operations) and provides feedback to the limitation release unit. This feedback mechanism enables the system to respond to occupant needs in real-time, allowing device operation when visibility is needed while maintaining the comfort benefit of automatic limitation during normal automated driving.
2Loss of information
If onboard devices operate continuously during automated driving, then visibility outside the vehicle is improved, but comfort deteriorates due to unnecessary operation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous operation or complete cessation, the system applies partial action by operating onboard devices only when necessary. The interest determination unit detects specific occupant behaviors (looking outside, performing predetermined operations) that indicate need for visibility, triggering selective device operation. This partial activation approach provides visibility exactly when needed while avoiding unnecessary operation that would reduce comfort.
3Ease of operation
If the wiper is stopped during automated driving, then comfort is improved, but the ability to see outside during rainfall deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper operation state is dynamically controlled based on real-time detection of occupant interest in outside information. During automated driving, the wiper remains stopped to provide comfort unless the interest determination unit detects that an occupant is looking outside or performing operations indicating interest in external conditions. Upon detection, the limitation release unit activates the wiper to restore visibility, resolving the contradiction between comfort and rainfall visibility.
Data Source
AI summary
An outside information display control device limits operation of at least one of onboard devices including a wiper, an electronic mirror, and a defroster at the time of automated driving of a vehicle. An interest determining unit determines whether an occupant is interested in outside information. The limitation on operation of the onboard device is released when the interest determining unit determines that the occupant is interested in the outside information in a state in which the operation of the onboard device has been limited.