Autonomous Vehicle Speed Control Near Shoulder Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges when encountering vehicles on the shoulder of the road, such as reduced lateral clearance with larger vehicles like semi-trucks, which can lead to accidents due to factors like people opening doors or vehicles moving back onto the road, and existing safety systems do not adequately address these issues.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a speed limiter function in autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles using a piecewise linear control system that slows down and then speeds up when approaching a vehicle on the shoulder, while also determining whether to perform a lane change based on sensor data and various cost factors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the autonomous vehicle maintains its current speed when approaching a vehicle on the shoulder, then productivity is maintained, but safety deteriorates due to reduced lateral clearance and potential hazards from the shoulder vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the vehicle's speed based on the detected presence and position of a vehicle on the shoulder. The speed limiter function modifies the speed profile in real-time, reducing speed when a shoulder vehicle is detected and maintaining normal speed when the shoulder is clear, thus resolving the contradiction between safety and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensor feedback to continuously monitor the presence of vehicles on the shoulder and adjusts the speed accordingly. The feedback loop detects VOS position and communicates this information to the speed control system, enabling adaptive speed adjustment that balances safety and productivity
2Reliability
If the autonomous vehicle slows down significantly when approaching a vehicle on the shoulder, then safety is improved, but loss of time increases due to reduced speed
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial speed reduction rather than complete stopping when a shoulder vehicle is detected. The speed limiter function reduces speed to a safe level (but not to zero) and maintains this reduced speed only for the duration necessary to pass the shoulder vehicle, thus achieving safety while minimizing time loss
Solution Approach 2:
The system begins slowing down in advance when a shoulder vehicle is detected at a distance, allowing for smooth deceleration before reaching the hazard. This preliminary action prevents abrupt stops and allows the vehicle to maintain higher speeds sooner, reducing overall time loss while ensuring safety
3Reliability
If the autonomous vehicle performs a lane change to avoid a vehicle on the shoulder, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional decision-making algorithms
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into distinct functional modules: a detection module that identifies shoulder vehicles, a decision module that evaluates lane change conditions, and an execution module that performs the lane change. This segmentation makes the complex control system more manageable and maintainable while achieving safety through coordinated module operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary optimization algorithm that mediates between the desire to avoid shoulder vehicles (safety) and the complexity of implementing lane change decisions. The algorithm evaluates multiple factors (longitudinal distance, lateral distance, traffic conditions) and produces a simplified decision output that guides the lane change execution
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a system and method that can control a speed of an autonomous vehicle when approaching a vehicle on a shoulder based on a piecewise linear function. Further, the system and method may determine whether to perform a lane change based on various factors. In one example, the method may include storing a piecewise linear function, detecting a vehicle on a shoulder (VOS) of a road based on sensor data sensed by one or more sensors of an ego vehicle approaching the VOS, determining that the VOS is within a predefined distance of the ego vehicle, and in response to the determination, controlling the ego vehicle to slow down and then speed up based on the piecewise linear function.