Autonomous Vehicle Pullover Relocation for Passenger Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles often pullover at inconvenient locations due to external obstacles, causing difficulty for passengers to enter or exit, and existing systems fail to consider passenger needs when changing pullover locations, leading to delays and inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows passengers to request a new pullover location through a computing device, with the vehicle's computing devices determining feasibility and selecting a new location based on factors like roadway features and potential pullover spots, and controlling the vehicle to move to the new location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the autonomous vehicle stops at the initially selected pullover location, then the vehicle follows the planned route efficiently, but the passenger may experience inconvenience due to external obstacles such as puddles, crowds, or objects blocking access
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the pullover location based on real-time conditions. The computing device monitors external obstacles and automatically determines whether to move the vehicle to an alternative location, making the pullover location flexible rather than fixed, thus resolving the contradiction between route efficiency and passenger convenience
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the environment around the pullover location using sensors and computing devices. When obstacles are detected, the system receives feedback about the inconvenient conditions and responds by selecting an alternative pullover location, thereby maintaining passenger convenience while minimizing disruption to the overall route
2Ease of operation
If the autonomous vehicle moves to a new pullover location due to external obstacles, then passenger convenience is improved, but the vehicle requires additional time for location changes and system processing
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by proactively monitoring for obstacles before the vehicle arrives at the pullover location. The computing device continuously assesses environmental conditions and prepares alternative locations in advance, so when obstacles are detected, the transition to a new location can occur quickly without significant delays
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters by adjusting the pullover location based on detected obstacles. By modifying the location parameters dynamically and selecting from pre-identified alternative locations, the system minimizes the time required for location changes while maintaining passenger convenience
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system provides real-time pullover location change capability, then passenger convenience and ridership are enhanced, but the system complexity increases due to additional sensors, computing requirements, and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves universality by integrating the obstacle detection and location change functionality into the existing autonomous vehicle control architecture. The computing device performs multiple functions including route planning, obstacle detection, and pullover location management, reducing the need for separate dedicated systems and thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by enabling the autonomous vehicle to automatically detect obstacles, determine inconvenient pullover locations, and select alternative locations without requiring constant human intervention. The computing device autonomously processes sensor data and makes decisions about location changes, reducing the operational complexity despite the enhanced adaptability
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure provide for pullover location changes for autonomous vehicles. For instance, an autonomous vehicle may be controlled in an autonomous driving mode to stop at a pullover location. Whether a passenger should be provided with an option to trigger the autonomous vehicle to move from the pullover location to a new pullover location may be determined. While the vehicle is stopped at the pullover location and based on the determination, a signal may be sent in order to provide the option to the passenger, and while the vehicle is stopped at the pullover location, an indication that the passenger has selected the option is received. In response to receiving the indication, the vehicle may be controlled in the autonomous driving mode to a new pullover location.