Autonomous Driving Prohibition Release via Vehicle Traveling State

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing autonomous driving systems struggle to appropriately release autonomous driving prohibition sections when the underlying conditions that led to their setting, such as temporary construction, bad weather, or low friction roads, are resolved, as determining the validity terms for these conditions can be challenging.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus that stores autonomous driving prohibition section locations on a map in association with specific release conditions, allowing it to determine whether the conditions for releasing these sections have been met based on the vehicle's traveling state, such as the number of vehicles passing through, onboard equipment activation, or travel system status.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If autonomous driving prohibition sections are set based on validity terms, then the system can automatically manage prohibition periods, but it cannot appropriately release sections when the underlying conditions (bad weather, low friction roads, frequent merging failures) are resolved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic management of prohibition periodsVSAvoidaccuracy of release determination
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors traveling states (vehicle speed, acceleration, steering angle, brake operation) and compares them against predetermined thresholds to dynamically determine whether prohibition sections should be released. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adapt to changing conditions in real-time, ensuring reliable release determination based on actual driving behavior rather than fixed validity terms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the vehicle's own traveling state data and operational parameters to automatically determine release conditions, eliminating the need for external validation or manual intervention. The control unit autonomously evaluates whether the vehicle can safely pass through prohibition sections based on its own performance characteristics and current operating conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If the system monitors multiple traveling state parameters to determine release conditions, then the accuracy of release determination improves, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of release condition assessmentVSAvoidnumber of monitored parameters
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The monitoring system is divided into functional modules, each responsible for specific traveling state parameters (speed monitoring, acceleration monitoring, steering angle monitoring, brake operation monitoring). The control unit integrates outputs from these segmented modules to make comprehensive release determinations, making the complex monitoring system more manageable and maintainable while preserving high measurement precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3287334B1Information processing apparatus and information processing method
Publication Date: 2022.06.08 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP3287334B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3287334B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3287334B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An information processing apparatus (10) capable of communicating with a vehicle (2) includes a storage unit (33) configured to store a location of an autonomous driving prohibition section on a map in association with a release condition set based on a traveling state of the vehicle (2); and a control unit (32) configured to acquire the traveling state of the vehicle (2) including the location of the vehicle (2) on the map from the vehicle (2) through communication, the control unit (32) being configured to determine whether or not to release the autonomous driving prohibition section based on the acquired traveling state of the vehicle (2), the location of the autonomous driving prohibition section and the release condition of the autonomous driving prohibition section, the location and the release condition being stored in the storage unit (33).