Autonomous Driving System Driver Overconfidence Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

In autonomous driving systems, drivers often exhibit delayed responses due to overconfidence, which can be hazardous during emergency situations, as they rely on the system without adequately monitoring the surroundings.

Innovation Solution

An autonomous driving system that includes an anxiety elicitation situation determination unit, a driver situation recognition unit, and an overconfidence determination unit to assess the driver's reaction delay times and system confidence levels, providing warnings through a human-machine interface to mitigate overconfidence by alerting the driver during anxiety elicitation situations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If autonomous driving control is implemented, then driving automation is improved, but driver responsiveness in emergency situations deteriorates due to overconfidence

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautonomous driving controlVSAvoiddriver responsiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors driver reaction delay times and compares them against threshold values to detect overconfidence states. This feedback mechanism triggers warnings to the driver, creating a closed-loop system that addresses the responsiveness deterioration by actively communicating system-detected issues back to the driver.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary assessment of driver state by measuring reaction delays before critical emergencies occur. By detecting overconfidence tendencies in advance and issuing preventive warnings, the system prepares the driver for potential emergencies, mitigating the responsiveness issue before it becomes critical.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If driver monitoring and warning systems are added, then driver overconfidence is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriver overconfidence eliminationVSAvoidsystem structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The autonomous driving control unit performs multiple functions: it controls vehicle operation, monitors driver reaction times, assesses overconfidence states, and issues warnings. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single control unit, the system reduces overall device complexity while maintaining the capability to eliminate driver overconfidence.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges the driver monitoring function with the existing autonomous driving control infrastructure. Rather than adding completely separate monitoring hardware, the system utilizes the control unit's existing capabilities to also perform driver state assessment, thereby reducing the need for additional complex components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3663155B1Autonomous driving system
Publication Date: 2021.07.21 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP3663155B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3663155B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3663155B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An autonomous driving system is configured to include a normal driving situation determination unit configured to determine whether or not an autonomous driving is in a normal driving situation, a driver situation recognition unit configured to recognize at least one of a reaction delay time of a driver against the changes in an external environment of a vehicle, a warning reaction delay time of the driver against the warning, and a driver's non-driving action time, an overconfidence determination unit configured to determine whether or not the driver is in a system overconfidence state, and a warning control unit configured to output an alert if it is determined by the normal driving situation determination unit that the autonomous driving is in the normal driving situation and if it is determined by the overconfidence determination unit that the driver is in the system overconfidence state.