Autonomous Route Planning for Driver Handover Prediction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles often cannot or should not operate in fully autonomous mode due to road conditions or environmental factors, requiring driver intervention without prior notification, leading to unexpected transitions between driving modes.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that generate proposed routes with corresponding control information indicating manual or autonomous mode sections based on probabilistic estimations of failures, allowing drivers to be informed and prepared for mode changes by comparing overall failure probabilities to threshold values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the vehicle operates in fully autonomous mode, then automation level is improved, but safety deteriorates due to inability to handle certain road conditions or environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically transitions between autonomous and manual driving modes based on real-time assessment of road conditions and environmental factors. The autonomous vehicle computer evaluates whether current conditions are suitable for autonomous operation and switches modes accordingly, allowing the vehicle to adapt its automation level to maintain safety across varying operational contexts.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a transition notification mechanism as an intermediary between autonomous and manual modes. Before switching from autonomous to manual mode, the system notifies the driver in advance, providing a buffer period for the driver to prepare for mode transition. This intermediary notification process reduces abruptness and improves safety during mode changes.
2Reliability
If the vehicle requires driver intervention, then safety is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to unexpected mode changes without prior notification
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by notifying the driver in advance before requiring manual intervention. The autonomous vehicle computer detects unsuitable road conditions or environmental factors and provides advance notification to the driver, allowing the driver to mentally prepare and physically position themselves to take control when the mode transition occurs, thereby maintaining ease of operation during safety-critical transitions.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to generating and providing route options for an autonomous vehicle. For example, a user may identify a destination, and in response the vehicle's computer may provide routing options to the user. The routing options may be based on typical navigating considerations such as the total travel time, travel distance, fuel economy, etc. Each routing option may include not only an estimated total time, but also information regarding whether and which portions of the route may be maneuvered under the control of the vehicle alone (fully autonomous), a combination of the vehicle and the driver (semiautonomous), or the driver alone. The time of the longest stretch of driving associated with the autonomous mode as well as map information indicating portions of the routes associated with the type of maneuvering control may also be provided.