Autonomous Vehicle Lane Access Control via Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of autonomous and partially autonomous vehicles with non-autonomous vehicles poses safety and operational challenges, as there is a lack of effective systems to manage their interactions and access to dedicated lanes, leading to potential dangers and interference.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous vehicle lane access control system utilizing vehicle-to-infrastructure communications and sensors, such as radar, lidar, cameras, and inductive loop detectors, to monitor and manage the ingress and egress of autonomous vehicles from dedicated lanes, with a central server coordinating vehicle trajectories and safety protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If autonomous vehicles are integrated with non-autonomous vehicles in shared lanes, then vehicle utilization and road capacity are improved, but safety and operational reliability deteriorate due to lack of coordination and potential interference
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the roadway into dedicated autonomous vehicle lanes and shared lanes, creating distinct operational zones. This segmentation allows autonomous vehicles to operate in controlled environments while still providing high-capacity transit corridors, resolving the contradiction by spatially separating safety-critical operations from mixed-traffic areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces infrastructure-mediated communication systems as intermediaries between autonomous vehicles and non-autonomous vehicles. These intermediaries coordinate lane access, manage merging operations, and provide safety protocols, enabling high-capacity autonomous transit while maintaining safety through centralized control and coordination.
2Reliability
If dedicated autonomous vehicle lanes are created, then safety and operational efficiency are improved, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements worsen due to need for specialized lanes and coordination systems
Solution Approach 1:
The infrastructure system is designed with multi-functionality to handle diverse vehicle types and operational modes. The same communication infrastructure supports both dedicated lane management and shared lane coordination, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high safety standards through unified control protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts lane assignments and traffic flow based on real-time conditions, vehicle density, and operational requirements. This dynamic allocation allows the infrastructure to optimize safety and efficiency without requiring permanently dedicated lanes for all autonomous vehicles, reducing infrastructure complexity while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of operation
If mixed traffic flow is allowed between autonomous and non-autonomous vehicles, then ease of operation and traffic flow are improved, but measurement precision and detection accuracy worsen due to difficulty in distinguishing vehicle types and intentions
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs visual indicators such as illuminated lane markings and vehicle-mounted displays that change color or pattern to indicate autonomous vehicle presence, lane status, and operational mode. These visual cues enhance detection accuracy and communication between vehicle types, allowing smooth mixed traffic flow while maintaining precise identification of vehicle intentions and status.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This system ensures safe and efficient access to autonomous vehicle lanes by coordinating vehicle movements, preventing collisions, and optimizing traffic flow, thereby enhancing safety and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
sensors, such as radar, lidar, cameras, and inductive loop detectors
Implementation Method 2
sensors, such as radar, lidar, cameras, and inductive loop detectors
Data Source
AI summary
A system of one or more computers can be configured to perform particular operations or actions by virtue of having software, firmware, hardware, or a combination of them installed on the system that in operation causes or cause the system to perform the actions. One general aspect includes a system, including a server computer having a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor such that the computer is programmed to detect a first vehicle in a first lane adjacent to a second lane and plan a first vehicle trajectory for the first vehicle to be placed in a queue in the first lane and, from the queue, transition from the first lane to the second lane based upon at least one determined characteristic of the first vehicle and a second vehicle trajectory and control the first vehicle based upon the first vehicle trajectory.