Autonomous Vehicle Sunshade Control for Visibility and Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicles' sunshades obstruct the driver's view and are limited to rear windows due to safety concerns, while autonomous vehicles can benefit from sunshade control across all windows to improve passenger comfort and visibility during different operation modes.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for controlling sunshades in autonomous vehicles based on predicted operation modes and current conditions, using sensors to determine activation conditions and deactivate or activate sunshades accordingly, distinguishing between 'limited' and 'anytime' sunshades to ensure safe manual operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If sunshades are installed on the windshield and front side windows of an autonomous vehicle, then passenger comfort is improved, but driver visibility is obstructed when manual mode is enabled
Solution Approach 1:
The sunshade system is designed to dynamically adjust its state based on the vehicle's operation mode. When autonomous mode is detected, sunshades are activated to improve passenger comfort. When manual mode is detected or predicted, sunshades are deactivated to ensure driver visibility. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the system's behavior context-dependent rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the vehicle's operation mode through feedback from the control system. This feedback mechanism allows the sunshade controller to detect mode transitions and respond accordingly, activating or deactivating sunshades to maintain both passenger comfort and driver visibility as appropriate for the current operation mode.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If sunshades are constrained to rear windows only, then driver visibility is maintained, but passenger comfort in autonomous mode is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically determines which sunshades to activate based on the detected operation mode. In autonomous mode, the system extends sunshade activation to include windshield and front side windows to maximize passenger comfort. In manual mode, the system restricts activation to maintain driver visibility. This dynamic configuration allows the system to optimize for different operational contexts.
3Adaptability or versatility
If sunshades are activated based on current conditions, then passenger comfort is improved, but driver safety may be compromised if manual mode is enabled
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of the operation mode before activating sunshades. By checking the current operation mode in advance, the system prevents sunshade activation that would compromise driver safety. This preliminary action ensures that safety-critical decisions are made before the actual sunshade deployment occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the operation mode detection to control sunshade activation. This feedback loop ensures that sunshades are only activated when the vehicle is in autonomous mode, thereby maintaining driver safety while still providing passenger comfort benefits when appropriate.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling a sunshade of an autonomous vehicle is presented. The method includes determining that current conditions satisfy an activation condition. The method also includes predicting whether a driver will enable a manual mode during the current conditions. The method further includes activating a first sunshade in response to the satisfied activation condition regardless of whether the driver will enable the manual mode. The method still further includes activating a second sunshade in response to the satisfied activation condition when the driver will not enable the manual mode.