Autonomous Car Wash Navigation via Sensor Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drivers face discomfort and difficulty navigating motor vehicles through car washes, especially when required to precisely position and move the vehicle between washing and drying chambers, which can be challenging for many drivers.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for autonomously driving a motor vehicle in a car wash, utilizing detection of the car wash passageway and vehicle position/orientation, with automatic entry, stopping, and exit based on completion signals, leveraging existing sensor systems and mobile terminal control for fully automated operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the driver manually navigates the vehicle through the car wash, then the driver can control the vehicle position, but the driving becomes uncomfortable and difficult due to precise positioning requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle autonomously positions itself in the car wash using its own sensor systems and control units, without requiring manual driver operation. The vehicle detects the passageway, determines its own position and orientation, and automatically moves to the correct washing position, making the system self-serving and eliminating driver discomfort while maintaining efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical control by the driver is replaced with an automated control system consisting of detection devices, control units, and actuators. This substitution of mechanical driver control with an automated electromechanical system resolves the contradiction by providing precise positioning automatically without requiring driver skill or comfort
2Manufacturing precision
If rails are installed to limit lateral vehicle position, then positioning precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Physical rails that mechanically constrain the vehicle are replaced with a sensor-based detection system. The detection devices optically or electronically identify the passageway and guide the vehicle, eliminating the need for complex mechanical rail infrastructure while achieving the same positioning precision through software and sensor control
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes from mechanical physical constraints (rails) to optical/electronic parameter-based guidance. Detection devices measure parameters such as position, orientation, and passageway geometry to automatically guide the vehicle, replacing physical infrastructure with measurable parameters and computational control
3Adaptability or versatility
If the driver must navigate narrow passages between chambers, then the vehicle can be moved between washing and drying chambers, but the operation becomes difficult and uncomfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle independently navigates narrow passages and transitions between washing and drying chambers using its own detection and control systems. The vehicle serves itself by autonomously determining its position, planning the path through narrow passages, and executing the movement without driver intervention, thereby maintaining versatility while eliminating driver discomfort
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic, real-time detection and control to navigate the narrow passages. Rather than static mechanical guides, the vehicle continuously detects its environment and dynamically adjusts its position and orientation to pass through constrained spaces, providing adaptability without requiring the driver to manually maneuver through difficult geometries
Data Source
AI summary
A method for autonomously driving a motor vehicle in a car wash to enhance comfort and safety includes detecting a passageway of the car wash and determine with vehicle sensors the vehicle position and the vehicle orientation of the vehicle relative to the passageway. The vehicle is subsequently automatically driven into the car wash based on the vehicle position and the vehicle orientation, and automatically stopped in a washing position. After washing is complete, a completion signal signaling completion of a working step of the car wash is received or detected by the motor vehicle. Finally, the motor vehicle is automatically driven out of the car wash in response to the completion signal.