Autonomous Vehicle Touchscreen Interface for Following Distance Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of autonomous vehicles face uncertainty with numeric or step-wise scales for modulating driving styles, as these do not cater to individual preferences, leading to a desire for customizable control over vehicle operations such as following distance, stopping distance, and turning speed.
Innovation Solution
A touchscreen interface system that allows users to interact with an image of the vehicle's exterior view, enabling them to adjust operation parameters like following distance and turning speed by manipulating the image, with the processor modifying these parameters and transmitting the changes to the vehicle's systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If numeric or step-wise scales are used for modulating driving styles, then the system provides a standardized control mechanism, but the user experience deteriorates due to uncertainty and lack of customization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual copies or representations of real-world driving scenarios (images showing vehicles at different distances) instead of abstract numeric scales. Users interact with these visual copies to select desired following distances, making the control mechanism intuitive and eliminating uncertainty about what each numeric value represents.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter representation from abstract numbers to visual spatial relationships. By displaying images where vehicle positions visually represent different following distances, the system transforms the parameter modulation from a numeric task to a visual selection task that users can intuitively understand and customize.
2Adaptability or versatility
If visual image manipulation interface is implemented, then user customization capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The touchscreen display serves multiple functions: it displays visual images for parameter selection, provides touch input reception, and potentially shows other vehicle information. By making the display universal, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated controls for each function, thereby managing device complexity while providing rich customization capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual image acts as an intermediary between the user's intent and the vehicle's operational parameters. Instead of directly inputting numeric values or using complex controls, users interact with the visual representation, which then translates their selection into the appropriate parameter settings, simplifying the overall system architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing operation data onboard a first vehicle with autonomous capabilities. The method presents an image of an exterior view from the first vehicle with autonomous capabilities, by a user interface touchscreen communicatively coupled to a processor and system memory element; receives user input data to manipulate the image, via the user interface touchscreen; adjusts the image, by the processor, based on the user input data; modifies an operation parameter of the first vehicle with autonomous capabilities, by the processor, based on the user input data, to generate a modified operation parameter, wherein the operation parameter comprises at least one of a following distance, a stopping distance, or a turning speed; and transmits the modified operation parameter, via a communication device communicatively coupled to the processor.