Autonomous Trailer Health Monitoring for Fault Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous tractor trailers face challenges in detecting and compensating for anomalies such as wheel misalignment, brake wear, and tire underinflation during operation, which can affect control performance and fuel efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that performs pre-trip health assessments and real-time trailer health monitoring using vehicle dynamics and image data to detect faults and adjust control parameters or travel plans, or cease movement if necessary, to maintain performance and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If real-time health monitoring and fault detection systems are implemented, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The trailer health monitoring system performs self-assessment through automated pre-trip maneuvers and real-time monitoring without requiring external inspection. The system autonomously detects faults, calculates health scores, and adjusts operational parameters, enabling the trailer to monitor its own condition continuously throughout operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs pre-trip health assessments before operation begins, executing a sequence of diagnostic maneuvers to detect potential issues in advance. This preliminary detection allows the system to identify faults such as wheel misalignment, brake wear, or tire underinflation before they affect operational reliability.
2Measurement precision
If pre-trip maneuvers and real-time monitoring are performed, then measurement precision is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs health assessments periodically through pre-trip maneuvers before operation and continues monitoring at scheduled intervals during operation. This periodic approach provides precise fault detection capability while managing energy consumption by not requiring continuous high-power sensor operation throughout the entire trip.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies monitoring intensity appropriate to the operational phase - performing comprehensive pre-trip maneuvers when stationary and energy is readily available, then transitioning to lighter real-time monitoring during operation. This partial action approach maintains measurement precision for critical fault detection while reducing energy consumption during the energy-constrained operational phase.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes an initial trailer health assessment and real-time trailer health monitoring. The initial trailer health assessment includes autonomous pre-trip maneuvers of the autonomous vehicle during a first time period, and detecting a pre-trip vehicle health condition. A vehicle health score is calculated based on the pre-trip vehicle health condition. If the vehicle health score is at least a threshold value, real-time trailer health monitoring is performed during a trip of the autonomous vehicle during a second time period, by actively monitoring vehicle dynamics data and/or image data associated with the autonomous vehicle, to determine a fault condition of the autonomous vehicle. If the fault condition meets a first criteria, a control parameter and/or a travel plan of the autonomous vehicle is adjusted. If the fault condition meets a second criteria different from the first criteria, a signal is sent to cause the autonomous vehicle to cease movement.