Autonomous Vehicle Brake Failure Handling via Inter-Vehicle Docking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face safety issues due to unreliable brake systems, including primary and secondary brake failures, which can lead to accidents if not properly managed.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that enable cooperative control between adjacent autonomous vehicles through an autonomous driving control server to safely stop a vehicle with a failed brake system by detecting the failure, transmitting a rescue request, and performing speed and steering control to bring the vehicles into contact or dock, ensuring complete deceleration and prevention of accidents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a primary brake system is used in autonomous vehicles, then braking function is provided, but reliability deteriorates when the primary brake system fails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a secondary brake system that activates automatically when the primary brake system fails. This redundant system provides beforehand cushioning by preparing an alternative braking mechanism in advance, ensuring that braking capability is maintained even when the primary system malfunctions, thus preventing accidents caused by complete brake failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational state parameter of the brake system by switching from primary to secondary brake system when failure is detected. This parameter change enables the system to adapt to failure conditions by activating a different braking mechanism, maintaining reliability despite the failure of the original brake system.
2Reliability
If a secondary brake system is added as redundancy, then reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the primary and secondary brake systems into a unified brake system architecture with automatic switching capability. By combining both systems and their control logic into an integrated structure, the patent reduces the overall complexity that would otherwise result from having separate independent systems, while maintaining high reliability through redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The brake system is designed with multi-functionality, where the same brake system architecture can operate in both primary and secondary modes. This universal design allows a single integrated system to perform multiple functions (normal braking and emergency backup braking), reducing complexity compared to having completely separate systems for each function.
3Reliability
If both primary and secondary brake systems fail, then reliability deteriorates to zero, but the vehicle cannot stop safely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary rescue vehicle that physically contacts the failed autonomous vehicle to provide stopping force. When both primary and secondary brake systems fail, this external intermediary vehicle acts as a mediator to transfer kinetic energy and bring the failed vehicle to a safe stop, preventing accidents despite complete brake system failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from an internal braking mechanism (within the failed vehicle) to an external braking mechanism (using another vehicle). This dimensional change from self-contained to externally-assisted braking provides a solution when all internal braking systems fail, enabling safe stopping through inter-vehicle interaction rather than relying solely on onboard systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous vehicle brake failure handling method is provided. The method includes detecting a brake system failure of the autonomous vehicle and transmitting a rescue request signal to a control server when the failure is detected. A bumper of the autonomous vehicle is moved into contact with a preceding autonomous vehicle bumper or the autonomous vehicle is docked with the preceding autonomous vehicle through speed control and steering control. The autonomous vehicle having the failure-detected brake system is completely braked under deceleration control of the preceding autonomous vehicle when the autonomous vehicle bumper and the preceding autonomous vehicle bumper are in contact with each other or when the docking of the autonomous vehicle and the preceding autonomous vehicle has been completed.