Autonomous Vehicle Mode Switching in Unmapped Navigation Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in navigating environments where navigational information, such as semantic maps, is missing or incomplete, leading to difficulties in determining precise location and safe navigation.
Innovation Solution
The system provides an alert when an autonomous vehicle enters a region without available navigational information, allowing for transition to manual control or safe stopping, and uses a combination of sensors like GPS, LiDAR, and RADAR to determine location and navigate, switching between autonomous and operator-assisted modes as necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the autonomous vehicle operates in regions without navigational information, then the vehicle can access more areas, but the reliability of autonomous operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting the unavailability of navigational information before the vehicle fully enters such regions. The alert is triggered when the vehicle approaches or enters unmapped areas, allowing proactive transition to manual control before navigation reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 2:
An alert system serves as an intermediary between the autonomous navigation system and the operator. When navigational information becomes unavailable, the alert mediates the transition from autonomous to manual control, ensuring safe operation in regions where automated navigation cannot reliably function
2Reliability
If the vehicle transitions to manual control when navigational information is unavailable, then safety is improved, but the extent of automation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the extent of automation based on environmental conditions. When navigational information is available, the vehicle operates in autonomous mode with high automation. When such information becomes unavailable, the system dynamically transitions to manual control, adjusting the automation level to match the operational context and maintain safety
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures safe operation by transitioning to manual control when navigational information is unavailable, maintaining safety and efficiency by using sensor data to navigate through unmapped regions and updating maps for future reference.
Implementation Method 1
obtaining first data from a first sensor... determining a location based on the first data
Implementation Method 2
obtaining second data from a second sensor... to detect objects in the surroundings of the autonomous vehicle
Implementation Method 3
uses a combination of sensors like GPS, LiDAR, and RADAR to determine location and navigate
Data Source
AI summary
The subject matter described in this specification is directed to a computer system and techniques for operating an autonomous vehicle (AV) based on the availability of navigation information. In one example, while the AV is in an autonomous mode, first data is obtained from a first sensor and second data is obtained from a second sensor. A location of the AV is determined based on the first data and the second data. If navigational information is not available for the determined location, an alert is provided that the AV will exit the autonomous mode.