Autonomous Vehicle HVAC Control via Smartphone Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles often arrive at pickup locations with default or previously set HVAC and infotainment settings, not tailored to the preferences of the current passenger, lacking personalized control before and during the ride.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a smartphone to communicate with a server and an autonomous vehicle's controller to control HVAC and infotainment systems based on passenger input, adjusting settings such as temperature and media preferences before arrival, using wireless communication links and sensors to ensure optimal conditions when the passenger enters the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the HVAC and infotainment systems use default or previous passenger settings, then the system operation is simple and quick, but the passenger comfort and personalization are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by receiving and processing passenger preference commands from the smartphone application before the autonomous vehicle arrives at the pickup location. The controller pre-adjusts the HVAC system and infotainment system settings based on these commands, so that when the passenger enters the vehicle, the systems are already configured to their preferred settings, eliminating the need for post-arrival adjustment while maintaining personalization.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system adjusts HVAC and infotainment settings before arrival based on passenger input, then passenger comfort is improved, but the system complexity and communication requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a server as an intermediary between the smartphone application and the vehicle controller. The smartphone communicates with the server, which then transmits the passenger preference commands to the controller. This intermediary architecture distributes the communication load and simplifies the direct communication requirements between the smartphone and controller, while still enabling pre-arrival system adjustment based on passenger input.
3Device complexity
If the system waits until arrival to set HVAC and infotainment preferences, then the communication process is simpler, but the passenger waiting time with suboptimal conditions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs the HVAC and infotainment configuration actions preliminarily, during the time the autonomous vehicle is traveling to the pickup location. By receiving passenger input and transmitting commands through the server before arrival, the system ensures that the interior environment and entertainment systems are ready and optimized before the passenger enters, eliminating the waiting time with suboptimal conditions while the communication process occurs in the background during vehicle transit.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are provided and include a controller that controls at least one of an HVAC system and a window actuator system of an autonomous vehicle. The controller is in communication with a server and is configured to receive a request for transportation from a smartphone in communication with the server. The request for transportation includes a pickup location. The controller is configured to receive a command from the smartphone through communication with the server and to control at least one of the HVAC system and the window actuator system based on the received command prior to arrival of the autonomous vehicle at the pickup location.