Autonomous Vehicle Pickup Indicators for Fleet Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional autonomous vehicles are difficult to distinguish within a fleet, especially in high-traffic areas, due to their similar appearances and lack of a driver to communicate assignment to passengers, leading to potential incorrect vehicle entry and safety concerns during pickup.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous vehicle is equipped with a notification system that outputs perceivable external indicators, such as visual and audible signals, controlled by a computing system based on the passenger's identity and vehicle state, to identify the assigned vehicle and indicate safe entry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If autonomous vehicles in a fleet have similar appearances to maintain uniformity, then manufacturing cost and ease of manufacture are improved, but vehicle distinguishability and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by using different colored light sources (e.g., blue, green, red LEDs) emitted from the autonomous vehicles to create visual distinctions. The notification system can display different colors to indicate vehicle assignment status, allowing passengers to easily identify their assigned vehicle without modifying the vehicle's physical appearance or structure.
2Extent of automation
If autonomous vehicles lack a driver to communicate with passengers, then automation level and extent of automation are improved, but communication capability and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary communication system consisting of external notification devices (light sources, speakers) that mediate between the autonomous vehicle's control system and the passenger. These notification systems convey vehicle status, assignment information, and safety signals without requiring direct human-to-human communication, thus maintaining automation while enabling effective communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical communication methods (driver-passenger verbal interaction) with electronic and optical notification systems. The vehicle uses external light sources, speakers, and display devices to communicate with passengers, substituting the mechanical human driver's communication role with an automated electronic communication system.
3Productivity
If multiple autonomous vehicles are concurrently hailed in high traffic areas, then fleet productivity and service capacity are improved, but vehicle identification accuracy and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color changes and different light patterns emitted from notification systems on each autonomous vehicle to create unique visual identifiers. When multiple vehicles are present, each vehicle can display distinct colors or flashing patterns that correspond to their assignment status, allowing passengers to reliably identify their assigned vehicle even in high-traffic areas with concurrent hails.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic action through flashing or pulsing light patterns from the notification systems. The light sources can flash at different frequencies or patterns to indicate vehicle assignment status, creating temporal distinctions that help passengers identify their assigned vehicle among multiple concurrent vehicles in the fleet.
Data Source
AI summary
Various technologies described herein pertain to controlling an autonomous vehicle to provide indicators to distinguish the autonomous vehicle from other autonomous vehicles in a fleet. The autonomous vehicle includes a vehicle propulsion system, a braking system, a notification system, and a computing system. The notification system outputs an indicator that is perceivable external to the autonomous vehicle. The computing system receives data specifying an identity of a passenger to be picked up by the autonomous vehicle. Moreover, the computing system controls at least one of the vehicle propulsion system or the braking system to stop the autonomous vehicle for passenger pickup. Further, the computing system controls the notification system to output the indicator; a characteristic of the indicator outputted by the notification system is controlled based on the identity of the passenger to be picked up and whether the autonomous vehicle is stopped for passenger pickup.