Autonomous Vehicle Contingency Control for Driver Non-Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
BASt level 3 autonomous vehicles face challenges in handling situations where the automated driving system's sensors are impaired or when the driver fails to respond to requests to switch to manual mode, requiring contingency plans that are responsive to the vehicle's driving situation.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that acquire vehicle data from surrounding secondary vehicles to determine a contingency action, allowing the primary vehicle to autonomously manage situations where the driver fails to accept control, using a combination of vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-cloud communications to minimize latency and maximize situational awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the automated driving system relies on vehicle sensors to sense surroundings, then the system can operate autonomously, but the sensors may be impaired by weather conditions, dirt or faults compromising sensing ability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a remote server as an intermediary that receives sensor data from the autonomous vehicle and surrounding vehicles, processes this data to identify obstacles and assess risks, and sends control commands back to the vehicle. This mediator compensates for sensor impairments by using multiple data sources including other vehicles' sensors to overcome individual sensor failures or impairments.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the automated driving system requests driver intervention, then control can be transferred to the driver, but the driver may fail to respond due to distraction, sleep or illness
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring driver state and pre-assessing contingency plans before driver failure occurs. When the driver fails to respond to a takeover request, the system has already prepared and can immediately execute pre-determined contingency actions such as safe stopping or maintaining current trajectory based on real-time environmental assessment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops where the automated driving system continuously monitors whether the driver has responded to takeover requests. If no response is detected within a predetermined time, the system receives feedback about the driver's non-response and automatically executes contingency plans. The system also receives feedback from the remote server about the vehicle's surroundings to adjust contingency actions appropriately.
3Reliability
If the vehicle stops gradually on quiet roads, then safety is improved, but stopping may be dangerous on motorways
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts contingency actions based on real-time assessment of the driving environment. The remote server receives data about surrounding vehicles, road type, traffic conditions, and obstacle positions, then determines the most appropriate action - whether gradual stopping, immediate stopping, maintaining trajectory, or other maneuvers. This dynamic adaptation ensures safety measures are appropriate for each specific situation rather than applying a fixed response.
4Loss of information
If vehicle data is acquired from surrounding secondary vehicles, then situational awareness is improved, but communication latency may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple data sources by receiving sensor data and vehicle state information from both the autonomous vehicle itself and surrounding secondary vehicles. This combined data is processed by the remote server to create a comprehensive view of the environment, including obstacles and traffic conditions that a single vehicle's sensors might miss. The system combines local sensor data with remote vehicle data to improve overall situational awareness.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling a primary vehicle (18) comprising an automated driving system (20) for driving the primary vehicle autonomously when the primary vehicle is in an autonomous mode, the primary vehicle also being operable manually by a driver when in a manual mode, the method comprising: determining failure of the driver to accept a request to switch the primary vehicle to the manual mode when the vehicle is in the autonomous mode; determining a primary vehicle driving state; acquiring vehicle data for one or more surrounding secondary vehicles (22); determining a contingency action to take with the primary vehicle based on the primary vehicle driving state and the vehicle data for the or each secondary vehicle; and outputting the contingency action to at least one system of the primary vehicle to drive the primary vehicle autonomously in accordance with the determined contingency action.