Autonomous Vehicle Route Planning for Stall Factor Avoidance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional navigation systems for autonomous vehicles do not adequately address the potential for stalling during unoccupied trips, which can complicate rescue efforts due to the vehicle's inability to call for help in areas without wireless service.
Innovation Solution
A route planning system for autonomous vehicles that determines the presence of stall factors and selects alternate routes when the vehicle is unoccupied, ensuring it will not encounter such factors, and considers passenger capability to handle potential issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the autonomous vehicle takes the most direct route to destination, then travel time is reduced, but the risk of encountering stall factors increases when the vehicle is unoccupied
Solution Approach 1:
The navigation system performs preliminary analysis of the route to identify potential stall factors before the vehicle embarks on the journey. When stall factors are detected and the vehicle is unoccupied, the system proactively selects an alternate route in advance, preventing the stalling issue before it occurs rather than reacting after the problem arises.
2Reliability
If the navigation system selects alternate routes to avoid stall factors, then reliability is improved, but the route length and travel time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies stall factor avoidance selectively rather than universally. It only selects alternate routes when stall factors are present and the vehicle is unoccupied, allowing the vehicle to take the most direct route when no stall factors exist or when a passenger is present to handle potential issues, thus avoiding unnecessary detours.
3Reliability
If the system always avoids routes with stall factors, then the vehicle's ability to complete trips is improved, but the complexity of route planning increases
Solution Approach 1:
The route planning process is segmented into distinct evaluation stages: first identifying stall factors along potential routes, then determining vehicle occupancy status, and finally selecting appropriate routes based on this information. This segmented approach simplifies the overall decision-making process compared to evaluating all possible routes simultaneously for all vehicles.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for route planning for an autonomous vehicle includes receiving a request to autonomously navigate to a destination. The method also includes identifying a stall factor on a route to the destination prior to departing to the destination, the stall factor delaying a time for arriving at the destination. The method further includes determining whether an occupant of the autonomous vehicle is capable of manually operating the autonomous vehicle in a manual operating mode or a semi-manual operating mode. The method still further includes identifying an alternate route to the destination based on identifying the stall factor and the occupant being incapable of manually operating the autonomous vehicle. The method also includes controlling the autonomous vehicle to drive on the alternate route instead of the route.