Autonomous Trailer Sensor Rails for Clearance and Brake Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous tractors lack visibility of trailer conditions, making it difficult to react to dangerous situations or navigate obstacles, such as low-clearance overpasses, without physical contact.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising trailer sensors and a computer system in the tractor that receives and processes sensor data from the trailer and road conditions to identify and modify physical conditions of the trailer, such as suspension height or brake pressure, to ensure safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an autonomous tractor pulls a conventional trailer without trailer sensors, then the system is simple and cost-effective, but the tractor lacks visibility of trailer conditions and cannot react to dangerous situations or navigate obstacles safely
Solution Approach 1:
The trailer monitoring system is segmented into multiple independent sensor units distributed across the trailer body, each detecting specific local conditions (wheel position, suspension state, obstacles). This segmentation allows comprehensive coverage while keeping individual sensor units simple and modular, resolving the contradiction between comprehensive monitoring and system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Wireless communication modules act as intermediaries between the distributed trailer sensors and the tractor's control system. These intermediaries transmit sensor data without physical connections, enabling reliable trailer condition monitoring while avoiding the complexity of wired sensor integration across the articulated vehicle
2Adaptability or versatility
If trailer sensors are installed permanently on the trailer, then continuous monitoring is achieved, but the system lacks flexibility for different trailer configurations and sensor relocation needs
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor mounting system transitions from static permanent installation to dynamic reconfigurable mounting. Sensors can be relocated along the trailer structure or removed entirely based on operational needs, while wireless communication ensures continuous monitoring capability is maintained regardless of sensor position, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and continuous monitoring reliability
3Speed
If the tractor processes all sensor data locally, then real-time response is achieved, but the tractor's computing resources are overwhelmed by the volume of trailer sensor data
Solution Approach 1:
Data processing is segmented and distributed across multiple nodes: trailer sensors perform local data filtering and preprocessing, wireless communication modules handle data transmission optimization, and the tractor's control system focuses on high-level decision-making. This segmentation reduces the processing burden on the tractor while maintaining real-time response capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
Non-critical processing functions are extracted from the tractor system and implemented at the trailer sensor level or through edge computing devices. This extraction removes excessive data processing load from the tractor while preserving the real-time response capability for critical safety decisions
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and articulated vehicles which use sensor rails attached to trailers to provide improved control for autonomous articulated vehicles. An example vehicle can receive, at a computer system of a tractor operating in an autonomous mode, trailer sensor data from a plurality of trailer sensors located on at least one trailer, the at least one trailer being coupled to the tractor. The computer system can also receive road condition data from at least one sensor, the at least one sensor being located on at least one of the tractor and the at least one trailer. The computer system can then identify, based on the trailer sensor data and the road condition data, a physical condition of the at least one trailer to be modified, and modify, via an electrical signal transmitted from the computer system, the physical condition.