Autonomous Driving Mode Launch Control for Mixed-Mode Vehicles

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for enabling autonomous driving modes in mixed-mode vehicles lack efficient and safe transition mechanisms, particularly in determining the absence of a vehicle user before initiating autonomous operations, which can lead to unsafe conditions.

Innovation Solution

A method that enables autonomous driving mode by determining if the vehicle is within a predetermined launch area and if no vehicle user is present, using geographical and user presence determination methods such as GPS and door lock status, ensuring safe and controlled transitions by initiating autonomous missions only when both conditions are met.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the vehicle enables autonomous driving mode without verifying user absence, then the transition to autonomous mode is simplified and faster, but safety is compromised due to risk of personal injury

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidtransition mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification of user absence and geographical position within the launch area before enabling autonomous driving mode. This preliminary action ensures safety conditions are met prior to mode transition, resolving the contradiction by preventing unsafe transitions while maintaining a structured process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors user presence status and geographical position, providing feedback to the mode transition control. This feedback mechanism ensures that autonomous mode is only enabled when safety conditions (user absence and valid geographical position) are confirmed, resolving the safety-complexity contradiction through intelligent control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the vehicle requires multiple condition checks (geographical position and user presence) before enabling autonomous mode, then safety is improved, but the transition process becomes more complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidmode transition time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification of user absence and geographical position within the launch area before enabling autonomous driving mode. This preliminary action ensures safety conditions are met prior to mode transition, resolving the contradiction by preventing unsafe transitions while maintaining a structured process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors user presence status and geographical position, providing feedback to the mode transition control. This feedback mechanism ensures that autonomous mode is only enabled when safety conditions (user absence and valid geographical position) are confirmed, resolving the safety-time contradiction through intelligent control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If the vehicle operates autonomously without user presence verification, then productivity is improved by allowing drivers to perform other tasks, but safety is compromised due to risk of personal injury

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedriver efficiencyVSAvoidpersonal injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification of user absence and geographical position within the launch area before enabling autonomous driving mode. This preliminary action ensures safety conditions are met prior to mode transition, resolving the contradiction by preventing unsafe transitions while maintaining a structured process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors user presence status and geographical position, providing feedback to the mode transition control. This feedback mechanism ensures that autonomous mode is only enabled when safety conditions (user absence and valid geographical position) are confirmed, resolving the safety-time contradiction through intelligent control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3969345B1A method for enabling an autonomous driving mode for a mixed-mode vehicle

Publication Date: 2022.12.28 VOLVO TRUCK CORP

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AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a method for enabling an autonomous driving mode for a mixed-mode vehicle (200) configured to switch between a manual driving mode and an autonomous driving mode, the method comprising: - (S1) determining if a geographical position of the vehicle is within a predetermined launch area (LA), characterized in that the method further comprises: - (S2) determining if a vehicle user is present aboard the vehicle or not, and - (S3) enabling the autonomous driving mode when at least the two following conditions are determined: the geographical position of the vehicle is within the predetermined launch area and a vehicle user is not present aboard the vehicle. The disclosure further relates to a control unit, to a mixed-mode vehicle, to a computer program and to a computer readable medium carrying a computer program.