Autonomous Vehicle Exit Maneuver Decision Logic
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in determining appropriate driving actions when approaching an exit event, particularly when there are forward vehicles present, as existing systems struggle to assess the availability of passing opportunities and sufficient distance for safe maneuvering.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize sensors and processors to detect forward vehicles and determine suitable driving actions based on the availability of passing and the sufficiency of distance to an exit event, allowing the autonomous vehicle to either pass or remain behind the forward vehicles, thereby minimizing driver input and improving performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the autonomous vehicle attempts to pass forward vehicles near an exit event, then navigation efficiency is improved, but safety is compromised due to insufficient distance and unavailable passing opportunities
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of exit events and forward vehicles before making passing decisions. By identifying the exit event location and detecting forward vehicles in advance, the system can assess passing opportunities and distances beforehand, ensuring safety conditions are met before attempting to pass, thus resolving the contradiction between navigation efficiency and safety
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the positions of forward vehicles, the location of exit events, and calculates distances in real-time. This feedback mechanism allows the autonomous vehicle to adjust its passing decisions based on current conditions, maintaining safety while optimizing navigation efficiency by passing only when sufficient distance and appropriate conditions are confirmed
2Reliability
If the autonomous vehicle maintains a safe distance from forward vehicles near exit events, then safety is improved, but navigation efficiency deteriorates due to missed passing opportunities
Solution Approach 1:
The system proactively identifies exit events and detects forward vehicles at early stages, allowing sufficient time to assess whether passing is feasible while maintaining safety margins. This preliminary detection enables the vehicle to plan optimal passing points that balance safety distance requirements with navigation efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the safe distance parameter based on detected conditions such as the location of exit events, speed of forward vehicles, and road geometry. By adaptively changing the safety distance parameter rather than maintaining a fixed conservative distance, the system can improve navigation efficiency while preserving adequate safety margins
3Measurement precision
If the autonomous vehicle system increases detection and analysis capabilities to assess passing opportunities accurately, then decision accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and focuses on critical parameters for passing decisions, such as the distance to forward vehicles, location of exit events, and relative speeds. By concentrating on these essential measurements rather than processing all possible environmental data, the system achieves high decision accuracy while keeping the processing system relatively simple
Solution Approach 2:
The decision-making process is segmented into distinct stages: detecting exit events, detecting forward vehicles, calculating distances, assessing passing opportunities, and making passing decisions. This segmentation allows each function to be implemented with appropriate simplicity while collectively achieving high overall decision accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
Arrangements relate to determining a driving action for an autonomous vehicle. An exit event along a current road of a travel route of the autonomous vehicle can be identified. At least one forward vehicle between the autonomous vehicle and the exit event can be detected. A driving action to take relative to the at least one forward vehicle can be determined based on one or more inputs. Such inputs can include a determined availability or unavailability of passing the at least one forward vehicle and/or a determined sufficiency or insufficiency of distance between the at least one forward vehicle and the exit event. The autonomous vehicle can be caused to implement the determined driving action. The driving action can be, for example, remaining behind the at least one forward vehicle, passing the at least one forward vehicle or prompting an occupant of the autonomous vehicle to select a driving action.