AWD Disconnect Control via V2V Hazard Anticipation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing all-wheel drive (AWD) disconnect systems in vehicles fail to efficiently determine when to connect or disconnect the AWD driveline assembly based on real-time road conditions and hazards, leading to suboptimal fuel efficiency and traction performance.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle controller system that utilizes vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications to receive messages about road conditions and hazards, determining the AWD state by calculating the distance and time to potential hazards, and adjusting the AWD connection state accordingly to optimize traction and fuel efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the AWD system is connected continuously to ensure traction performance, then the vehicle's traction and handling are improved, but the fuel efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by using V2V and V2I communications to receive advance information about hazardous road conditions ahead of the vehicle. The controller calculates distance and time to potential hazards, and proactively connects the AWD system before the vehicle actually encounters the hazard, allowing the system to maintain fuel efficiency through disconnect while ensuring traction performance is available when needed.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the AWD system is disconnected to improve fuel efficiency, then the fuel consumption is reduced, but the response time to hazardous conditions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by using V2V and V2I communications to receive advance information about hazardous road conditions ahead of the vehicle. The controller calculates distance and time to potential hazards, and proactively connects the AWD system before the vehicle actually encounters the hazard, allowing the system to maintain fuel efficiency through disconnect while ensuring traction performance is available when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses V2V and V2I communication systems as intermediaries to transfer information about road conditions and hazards from other vehicles or infrastructure to the controller. This intermediary communication channel enables the controller to anticipate hazards and prepare the AWD system in advance, reducing the effective response time without requiring continuous AWD operation.
3Device complexity
If the AWD system uses traditional sensor-based methods to determine connection state, then the system complexity is reduced, but the accuracy of hazard detection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses V2V and V2I communication systems as intermediaries to transfer information about road conditions and hazards from other vehicles or infrastructure to the controller. This intermediary communication channel enables the controller to anticipate hazards and prepare the AWD system in advance, reducing the effective response time without requiring continuous AWD operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges multiple information sources including V2V communications, V2I communications, and traditional onboard sensors to comprehensively determine AWD connection state. This combination of communication-based hazard information with traditional sensor data improves detection accuracy while maintaining reasonable system complexity through integrated processing.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, devices and systems are provided for determining a connection state of an all wheel drive (AWD) assembly in a vehicle. The method includes receiving, by a vehicle, a message indicative of a hazard and a hazard location on the road and determining a distance to the hazard location from the vehicle. In response to the distance to the hazard location being below a first threshold distance, a state for an AWD assembly in the vehicle is set to a connect state. In response to the distance to the hazard location being above the first threshold, the time for the vehicle to reach the hazard location is determined. If the time to the hazard location is below a threshold AWD connection time, the state for the AWD assembly is set to the connect state.