Autonomous Vehicle Control System for Hazard Response

Solution Overview

Problem

Current autonomous driving systems require operator input and are limited by the operator's awareness and reaction time, leading to potential late or incorrect responses to changing situations.

Innovation Solution

A motor vehicle equipped with sensors, a wireless communication unit, and a control device that processes environmental, mechanical, and health-related data to identify known conditions and automatically select and execute driving maneuvers without user input, transitioning to an automatic autonomous driving mode when specific conditions are detected.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If operator-based autonomous driving systems are used, then the vehicle can autonomously travel to an operator-defined destination, but the system still requires operator input and monitoring which limits response time and awareness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautonomous driving capabilityVSAvoidoperator reaction time

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle system performs self-monitoring and self-response by automatically detecting known conditions through sensors and executing predetermined driving maneuvers without operator input. The control device compares sensor data against stored known conditions and autonomously responds to matches, enabling the system to serve itself in hazard detection and response scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-stores multiple known conditions and corresponding predetermined driving maneuvers in the control device. When sensor data matches a stored known condition, the pre-programmed response is automatically executed, eliminating the need for real-time operator decision-making and reducing response time for recognized hazards.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If operator-based autonomous driving systems are used, then the vehicle can maneuver to destination without additional operator input, but the system is limited by operator's awareness and potentially incorrect responses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperator input requirementVSAvoidresponse accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle system performs self-monitoring and self-response by automatically detecting known conditions through sensors and executing predetermined driving maneuvers without operator input. The control device compares sensor data against stored known conditions and autonomously responds to matches, enabling the system to serve itself in hazard detection and response scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors sensor data and compares it against stored known conditions, creating a closed-loop feedback system. When a match is detected, the predetermined maneuver is executed and the system continues monitoring to ensure the response was appropriate, providing automated feedback-based decision making that eliminates operator error.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of time

If the system automatically executes predetermined maneuvers without operator input, then the response time is reduced, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse timeVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-stores multiple known conditions and corresponding predetermined driving maneuvers in the control device. When sensor data matches a stored known condition, the pre-programmed response is automatically executed, eliminating the need for real-time operator decision-making and reducing response time for recognized hazards.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control system segments the autonomous driving function into distinct modules: sensor data acquisition, data formatting, condition comparison against stored patterns, and execution of predetermined maneuvers. This modular segmentation manages system complexity by dividing the control function into discrete, manageable components that can be independently developed and tested.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11262754B2Automatic autonomous driving of a vehicle

Publication Date: 2022.03.01 BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG

AI summary

A motor vehicle includes a plurality of sensors, a wireless communication unit, and a control device that is configured to receive data from the plurality of sensors and via the wireless communication unit relating to at least one of an environmental condition, a mechanical condition and a health-rated condition. The control unit formats the received data into a predetermined format corresponding to at least one detected condition, and compares the at least one detected condition to a plurality of known conditions. The control unit is further configured to identify a detected known condition when the at least one detected condition matches at least one of the plurality of known conditions, to select, in response to identifying the detected known condition, an automatic autonomous driving mode of the vehicle, and then to execute a predetermined driving maneuver corresponding to the detected known condition.