Autonomous Vehicle Pullover Maneuvers for Safer Passenger Pickup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in safely maneuvering for passenger pickup, particularly with parallel parking, which can be time-consuming and dangerous, and may not accurately detect social cues from other vehicles, leading to uncomfortable situations for passengers.
Innovation Solution
The method involves identifying a pullover location, determining context regarding the passenger's proximity and expected arrival time, and deciding whether to reverse before or after the passenger enters the vehicle, adjusting distance from other objects, and communicating with the passenger to wait for reversing maneuvers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the vehicle performs parallel parking maneuvers to pull over, then the vehicle can stop at standard parking locations, but the maneuver takes a long time and may be dangerous
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle pulls forward into the pullover location first, positioning itself before the passenger arrives. This preliminary positioning action eliminates the need for time-consuming parallel parking maneuvers, as the vehicle is already in place and can simply reverse later when the passenger is ready to enter.
2Productivity
If the vehicle reverses into the pullover location, then the vehicle can pull over efficiently, but the passenger may unknowingly attempt to enter during the maneuver creating a dangerous situation
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle completes the reverse maneuver into the pullover location before the passenger arrives. This preliminary completion of the reversing action ensures the vehicle is safely positioned and stationary before the passenger approaches, eliminating the danger of the passenger entering during an active reversing maneuver.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of reversing before the passenger arrives (which creates danger), the system inverts the sequence by having the passenger arrive first, then performing the reverse maneuver, and finally having the passenger enter. This inverted sequence eliminates the harmful interaction between reversing and passenger entry.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the vehicle always finds very long pullover locations to avoid reversing, then the vehicle avoids dangerous maneuvers, but the vehicle may need to make loops around the block before finding such locations
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter of pullover location length from 'very long' to 'shorter' by implementing a new strategy: pull forward into any suitable location, then reverse when the passenger arrives. This parameter change allows the vehicle to use shorter pullover locations without increasing danger, as the reversing is timed to occur after passenger arrival rather than during approach.
4Area of stationary object
If the vehicle pulls forward into the pullover location and waits for the passenger, then the vehicle can use smaller locations, but the vehicle may be blocked by other objects if pulled too close
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the vehicle's position and maneuvering strategy based on real-time conditions. The vehicle pulls forward into the pullover location, then reverses when the passenger arrives, creating dynamic space management that allows the vehicle to use smaller locations while maintaining the ability to pull out when needed.
Data Source
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AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure relate to parking behaviors and maneuvering a vehicle 100 in an autonomous driving mode accordingly. For instance, a pullover location for the vehicle to stop and wait for a passenger may be identified. The vehicle may be maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode in order to pull over by pulling forward into the pullover location. Whether to maneuver the vehicle in reverse in the pullover location before or after the passenger enters the vehicle may be determined based on context for the pull over with respect to the passenger. The vehicle may be maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode in reverse based on the determination of whether to maneuver the vehicle in reverse in the pullover location before or after the passenger enters the vehicle.