Autonomous Vehicle Fluid Management for Sensor Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face operational limitations due to inadequate sensor cleaning, leading to degraded data quality and reduced safety and efficiency in navigation, as existing sensor cleaning systems are often neglected or unavailable.
Innovation Solution
A method is implemented to determine the fluid levels of cleaning fluids and fuel in vehicles, using a server to plan routes and actuate components for replenishment based on predicted conditions, including weather, road, and traffic, ensuring sufficient fluid levels for mission completion or directing the vehicle to a service location for replenishment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensor cleaning systems are provided to maintain clear field of view, then sensor data accuracy is improved, but system complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system monitors its own fluid levels and autonomously navigates to service locations for replenishment, eliminating the need for manual intervention and reducing operational complexity despite the added automation components
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors cleaning fluid levels and uses this feedback to autonomously determine when and where to replenish fluids, creating a closed-loop system that maintains sensor accuracy without constant human oversight
2Measurement precision
If cleaning fluid is continuously replenished to maintain sensor accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but fluid consumption and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle plans cleaning fluid replenishment routes in advance based on predicted consumption rates and sensor accuracy requirements, allowing optimization of fluid usage and scheduling of replenishment at convenient service locations rather than reactive top-ups
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts cleaning fluid consumption parameters based on environmental conditions, sensor dirtiness levels, and route characteristics, optimizing the balance between maintaining sensor accuracy and minimizing fluid usage
3Reliability
If the vehicle autonomously navigates to service locations for fluid replenishment, then operational reliability is improved, but travel time and mission duration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system proactively plans replenishment routes before fluid levels become critical, allowing the vehicle to schedule stops at service locations during natural breaks in the mission or combine replenishment with other necessary stops, minimizing disruption to the overall mission timeline
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous navigation system serves multiple functions: primary mission navigation, replenishment route planning, and optimal service location selection, allowing the same system to handle both mission objectives and maintenance needs efficiently
4Duration of action of moving object
If cleaning fluid levels are maintained at high levels to ensure continuous operation, then operational availability is improved, but vehicle weight and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous monitoring and replenishment system allows the vehicle to operate with lower fluid reserves, automatically seeking refills when needed, thereby reducing the weight penalty of carrying large fluid reserves while maintaining continuous operational availability
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains fluid levels at the minimum threshold required for safe operation rather than excessive reserves, using autonomous replenishment to ensure continuous availability, thus optimizing the balance between weight and operational continuity
Data Source
AI summary
A system, including a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions to be executed by the processor to determine a fluid level of a fluid in a vehicle determine a planned vehicle route; and after and in response to uploading the fluid level and the planned vehicle route to a server, actuating a vehicle component to replenish the fluid according to a command from the server.