Autonomous Vehicle Emergency Braking by Object Confidence

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous vehicles face challenges in safely and reliably avoiding detected objects, as low-confidence objects can lead to unnecessary hard braking, increasing collision risk and decreasing passenger comfort.

Innovation Solution

The vehicle's computing devices prioritize emergency braking based on high-confidence objects, applying a maximum braking level only when necessary, and flagging constraints that meet a priority threshold to ensure safe and comfortable travel.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the autonomous vehicle applies maximum braking level for all detected objects, then safety is improved, but passenger comfort deteriorates due to unnecessary hard braking

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidpassenger comfort

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different braking strategies to different objects based on their confidence values. High-confidence objects trigger maximum braking, while low-confidence objects use reduced braking or no braking, creating localized quality in the braking response that matches the reliability of each detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The braking level parameter is dynamically adjusted based on the confidence value parameter. When confidence is high, braking level is set to maximum; when confidence is low, braking level is reduced, creating a parameter transformation that resolves the contradiction between safety and comfort

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of time

If the autonomous vehicle uses low confidence objects for braking decisions, then response time is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to false detections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse timeVSAvoiddetection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system takes partial action by applying reduced braking level for low-confidence objects rather than no action. This allows the vehicle to respond to potential threats without committing to full braking, balancing response time needs with reliability concerns

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The braking response is made dynamic by continuously adjusting the braking level based on changing confidence values. As confidence increases, braking level increases; as confidence decreases, braking level decreases, creating a dynamic response that adapts to detection quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12351152B2Emergency braking for autonomous vehicles

Publication Date: 2025.07.08 WAYMO LLC

AI summary

Aspects of the disclosure provide for generation of trajectories for a vehicle driving in an autonomous driving mode. For instance, information identifying a plurality of objects in the vehicle's environment and a confidence value for each of the objects is received. A set of constraints may be generated. That one or more processors are unable to solve for a trajectory given the set of constraints and an acceptable braking limit may be determined. A first constraint is identified as a constraint for which could not be solved and a first confidence value. That the vehicle should apply a maximum braking level is determined based on the identified first confidence value, a threshold, and the determination that the one or more processors are unable to solve for a trajectory. Based on the determination that the vehicle should apply the maximum braking level, the maximum braking level is applied.