Autonomous Vehicle Speed Adjustment for Adjacent Lane Obstacles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous driving vehicles face challenges in navigating through lanes with moving obstacles, particularly when these obstacles are traveling at slower speeds due to traffic or road conditions, making it difficult to predict their unpredictable movements and avoid collisions.
Innovation Solution
The autonomous vehicle system determines the speed of moving obstacles in adjacent lanes and adjusts its own speed if the average speed is below a threshold, allowing it to avoid potential collisions and provide a smoother ride by maintaining a safer distance and reducing the likelihood of sudden stops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the autonomous vehicle maintains a constant speed along the path, then the vehicle can operate efficiently and meet productivity requirements, but the vehicle may collide with moving obstacles in adjacent lanes that are traveling at slower speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the vehicle speed variable rather than constant. The system dynamically adjusts the autonomous vehicle's speed based on the detected speeds of moving obstacles in adjacent lanes, allowing the vehicle to slow down when obstacles are present and resume normal speed when the path is clear, thus resolving the contradiction between collision avoidance and travel efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by continuously monitoring the speeds of moving obstacles in adjacent lanes and using this information to adjust the autonomous vehicle's speed. The feedback loop detects obstacle speeds, compares them with a threshold, and automatically adjusts the vehicle's speed accordingly, ensuring safety while minimizing disruption to productivity
2Reliability
If the autonomous vehicle reduces speed to avoid moving obstacles in adjacent lanes, then collision safety is improved, but the vehicle's travel time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by only reducing speed when necessary - specifically when moving obstacles are detected in adjacent lanes. The vehicle maintains its original speed when no obstacles are present, thus minimizing the loss of time while still providing adequate safety response when obstacles are detected
3Reliability
If the autonomous vehicle frequently adjusts speed to respond to moving obstacles, then collision avoidance is improved, but the ride quality deteriorates due to sudden stops and starts
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies beforehand cushioning by gradually reducing speed in advance when obstacles are detected, rather than making sudden stops. This gradual deceleration cushions the transition and maintains ride quality while still ensuring collision avoidance, addressing the contradiction between safety and ride comfort
Data Source
AI summary
In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes determining a path for an autonomous driving vehicle. The path is located within a first lane of an environment in which the autonomous driving vehicle is currently located. The method also includes obtaining sensor data. The sensor data indicates a set of speeds for a set of moving obstacles located in a second lane of the environment and wherein the second lane is adjacent to the first lane. The method further includes determining whether the set of speeds is lower than a threshold speed. The method further includes determining a new speed for the autonomous driving vehicle in response to determining that the set of speeds is lower than the threshold speed. The method further includes controlling the autonomous driving vehicle based on the path and the new speed.