Autonomous Vehicle Speed Control via Adaptive Sensor Performance Levels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in safely increasing their maximum allowed speed while maintaining productivity, as existing technologies struggle to effectively manage sensor performance levels and false positive object detections.
Innovation Solution
The method involves utilizing at least two different sensor performance levels, where each level is associated with a maximum allowed speed. By monitoring the rate of false positive object detections, the system can switch to a less restrictive sensor performance level with a higher maximum allowed speed when false positives are below a certain threshold, thereby increasing the vehicle's speed safely.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a less restrictive sensor performance level is utilized to increase maximum allowed speed, then productivity is improved, but the rate of false positive object detections increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the sensor performance level based on monitored false positive rates. When the false positive rate remains below a threshold, the system transitions to a less restrictive sensor performance level to increase speed. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize productivity while maintaining safety through continuous monitoring and adjustment of sensor operation parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters of the sensor by switching between different sensor performance levels. Each performance level represents a different set of operational parameters that balance detection sensitivity with false positive rates. By adjusting these parameters based on monitored performance, the system can increase speed when conditions permit while maintaining reliability standards.
2Reliability
If a restrictive sensor performance level is utilized to reduce false positive detections, then safety is improved, but the maximum allowed speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic adjustment of sensor performance levels based on real-time monitoring of false positive rates. Rather than operating statically at a restrictive level, the system can transition to more permissive levels when monitoring indicates acceptable false positive rates, thereby recovering productivity while maintaining safety through active monitoring and adaptive control.
3Productivity
If the maximum allowed speed is increased to improve productivity, then output is improved, but the safety margin is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors the rate of false positive object detections and uses this information to determine whether increasing the maximum allowed speed is safe. The feedback loop ensures that speed increases are contingent upon demonstrated sensor reliability, thereby maintaining safety margins while enabling productivity improvements when conditions permit.
Solution Approach 2:
Before increasing the maximum allowed speed, the system performs preliminary evaluation by monitoring false positive rates at the current performance level. This preliminary action ensures that the sensor demonstrates acceptable reliability before transitioning to a higher-speed operational mode, thereby proactively maintaining safety margins while enabling productivity improvements.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for controlling a maximum allowed speed of an autonomous vehicle (100), wherein the autonomous vehicle (100) comprises at least one object detection sensor (120) which is configured to detect objects around the vehicle, such as ahead of the vehicle, when the vehicle is driving autonomously, and wherein the at least one object detection sensor (120) is configured to utilize at least two different sensor performance levels, wherein each sensor performance level is associated with a maximum allowed speed for the autonomous vehicle, the method comprising: - utilizing (S1) a first sensor performance level (PL1) during driving where the vehicle is allowed to drive with a first maximum allowed speed, - while utilizing the first sensor performance level (PL1), simultaneously evaluating (S2) at least a second sensor performance level (PL2) which is associated with a second maximum allowed speed which is higher than the first maximum allowed speed and which is a less restrictive sensor performance level, wherein a less restrictive sensor performance level is a sensor performance level with a higher probability of false positive object detections, wherein evaluating the second sensor performance level (PL2) comprises monitoring (S21) a rate of false positive object detections for the second sensor performance level (PL2), - when the rate of false positive object detections for the second sensor performance level (PL2) is below a first false positive error threshold, utilizing (S3) a less restrictive sensor performance level which is associated with a higher maximum allowed speed, thereby increasing the maximum allowed speed from the first maximum allowed speed to a speed which is equal to or below the second maximum allowed speed. The invention also relates to a control unit (110), an autonomous vehicle (100), a computer program and to a computer readable medium.