Automated Driving Automation Level Adjustment at Branching Points
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems fail to change the driving state of a host vehicle at an appropriate time when encountering a branching point, particularly in scenarios involving path selection by the occupant, leading to inefficiencies and increased burden on the driver.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control device equipped with a recognition unit, driving control unit, and reception unit that adjusts the automation level of the vehicle's speed and steering by recognizing surrounding conditions and receiving occupant inputs, allowing for controlled transitions between different automation modes before and after a branching point, with delayed automation level decreases based on path selection and vehicle state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the automation level is decreased early before the branching point, then the occupant has more time to prepare for path selection, but the occupant's burden increases and convenience decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The automation level is dynamically adjusted based on the occupant's operation status. When path selection operation is detected, the automation level decrease is delayed; when no operation is detected, the automation level decreases earlier. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting the timing to actual occupant needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system monitors occupant operations (such as steering input or path selection commands) and uses this feedback to adjust the automation level timing. If the occupant shows selection intent, the system maintains higher automation level longer, otherwise it reduces earlier, optimizing both preparation time and burden.
2Ease of operation
If the automation level is decreased late before the branching point, then the occupant's burden is reduced and convenience is improved, but the occupant has insufficient time to prepare for path selection
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically determines the automation level decrease timing based on real-time detection of occupant operations. This allows the system to push the automation level decrease as late as possible while still providing adequate preparation time when needed, thereby reducing burden without sacrificing preparation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary monitoring of occupant operations and prepares to adjust automation level timing accordingly. By detecting operation intent in advance, the system can maintain optimal automation level longer, reducing burden while ensuring preparation time is adequate when the occupant needs it.
3Device complexity
If the automation level is decreased at a fixed point before the branching point, then the control logic is simple, but it cannot adapt to different path selection scenarios and traffic conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The automation level decrease point is made dynamic rather than fixed. The system adjusts the decrease timing based on detected occupant operations and path selection scenarios, enabling adaptation to different situations while adding only moderate complexity through operation detection and conditional timing adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The timing parameter for automation level decrease is changed based on operational conditions. Instead of a fixed spatial or temporal parameter, the system modifies this parameter dynamically according to detected operations and scenario characteristics, achieving versatility with manageable complexity.
4Productivity
If the automation level is delayed when path selection operation is received, then the host vehicle can maintain optimal automation level longer, but the system complexity increases due to operation monitoring and conditional timing
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the occupant's own operations (steering input, path selection commands) as the trigger for automation level adjustment. This self-service approach allows the system to monitor only necessary operations that naturally occur during normal driving, minimizing additional monitoring complexity while achieving optimal automation maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The operation detection mechanism serves multiple functions: it detects path selection intent, triggers automation level adjustment, and provides scenario classification. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate monitoring systems, achieving productivity improvement with limited complexity increase.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control device includes a recognition unit configured to recognize surrounding conditions of a vehicle, a driving control unit configured to control a speed and a steering of the vehicle on the basis of a result of recognition from the recognition unit, and a reception unit configured to receive an operation of an occupant of the vehicle of selecting on which of a first path and a second path the vehicle is to travel at a branching point through which the vehicle passes. The driving control unit is configured to control the speed and the steering of the vehicle in a plurality of modes with different automation levels, to decrease the automation level at a point before the branching point, and to delay a time at which the automation level is decreased when the operation of selecting one of the first path and the second path is received by the reception unit in comparison with when the operation is not received.