Autonomous Vehicle Fleet Sharing for Idle Taxi and Delivery Use
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current autonomous driving technologies are limited in their ability to create a fleet of fully autonomous vehicles that can be used for money-making endeavors when not in use by owners, as they are typically idle during commuting, and there is a need for a system to register and manage these vehicles for taxi or delivery services without requiring the service provider to purchase a fleet.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for operating a taxi and delivery service using a fleet of autonomously driven vehicles owned by unassociated individuals, which includes a web-enabled registration GUI for owners, a customer GUI for requesting vehicle use, and a server-based system for selecting and managing vehicles, billing customers, and paying owners a rental fee, allowing for the deployment of vehicles for taxi or delivery services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If autonomous vehicles are used for commuting by owners, then personal transportation needs are met, but the vehicles remain idle during non-commuting periods and cannot generate income
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically allocates vehicle usage between personal commuting and commercial taxi/delivery services based on time, location, and demand. The autonomous vehicle transitions between different operational modes (personal use, taxi service, delivery service) optimizing utilization without human intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous vehicle autonomously registers itself with the taxi/delivery service system, self-manages its availability status, and automatically accepts and executes service requests without requiring manual owner input, enabling continuous operation during idle periods
2Reliability
If a service provider purchases a fleet of vehicles to provide taxi/delivery services, then service reliability is improved, but the capital investment and operational costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous vehicle serves multiple functions: personal transportation when owned by individuals, and commercial taxi/delivery service when deployed by the system. This multi-functionality allows the same vehicle population to serve both private and commercial needs, eliminating the requirement for separate commercial fleets
Solution Approach 2:
The system acts as an intermediary platform that connects autonomous vehicle owners with customers needing taxi or delivery services. The platform manages vehicle allocation, customer requests, and payments without owning the vehicles, enabling service provision with minimal capital investment
3Productivity
If autonomous vehicles are deployed for taxi/delivery services during idle periods, then income generation is enabled, but the complexity of managing fleet registration, scheduling, and payment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple management functions (vehicle registration, availability scheduling, service request handling, payment processing) into a single integrated platform. This consolidation simplifies operations by providing a unified interface for both vehicle owners and customers
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a system, method, and software for operating a taxi and delivery service using a fleet of autonomously driven vehicles amassed from a plurality of unassociated individuals and providing a graphical user interface for interested parties to register their vehicles for use and for customers to schedule services.