Autonomous Vehicle External Warning Signal Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles lack the ability to provide external warnings to other drivers and pedestrians, as they cannot make human gestures to signal upcoming actions, posing a challenge in communicating unexpected driving behaviors.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for an autonomous vehicle to receive sensor data, determine impending events, and selectively activate warning devices such as visual or audio signals to alert others outside the vehicle, using a processor to control the warning devices based on the detected objects and predicted events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If autonomous vehicles operate without human drivers, then automation level increases and operational efficiency improves, but the ability to communicate with external parties through gestures is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces human mechanical gestures with electronic warning devices (lights, sounds, displays) that can communicate vehicle intentions to external parties. The processor-controlled warning devices substitute the mechanical arm and hand gestures of a human driver, maintaining communication capability while preserving full automation.
2Loss of information
If warning devices are added to the autonomous vehicle, then external communication capability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple warning device functions (visual lights, audible alarms, display messages) into a single processor-controlled system. The processor selects and activates appropriate warning devices based on the detected situation, making the warning system multi-functional and reducing overall system complexity through centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous vehicle's processor automatically detects encroaching objects, determines impending events, and selects appropriate warning devices without human intervention. The system serves itself by autonomously managing the warning communication process, from detection to activation, reducing the need for external control and simplifying operation.
3Reliability
If the vehicle activates warning devices for all detected objects, then safety communication improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent activates warning devices selectively based on the level of risk presented by detected objects. The processor evaluates encroachment severity and impending events, activating warnings only when necessary to communicate specific hazards. This partial action approach maintains safety communication for critical situations while avoiding energy waste on low-risk objects.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and method are provided for generating warning signals for an autonomous vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving sensor data associated with an environment of the vehicle; determining, by a processor, an encroaching object based on the sensor data; determining, by the processor, an impending event based on the encroaching object; selecting, by the processor, at least one warning device coupled to the vehicle from a plurality of warning devices based on the impending event, wherein the at least one warning device generates warning signals that are perceived outside of the vehicle; and generating, by the processor, an activation signal to the at least one warning device to generate the warning signals based on the impending event.