Vehicle Car Wash Mode Controller Logic
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems for car washes are complex, not intuitive, and can cause damage to vehicles due to moving parts, activate rain sensor wipers, or trigger unnecessary braking, especially when drivers leave the vehicle unattended.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system with a controller that initiates a car wash mode by determining predetermined conditions such as neutral gear, ignition button presses, and vehicle stability, disabling propulsion and parking brake, and monitoring conditions like grade and speed to ensure securement during the wash.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a car wash mode is implemented to prevent vehicle damage during washing, then vehicle safety is improved, but the system complexity increases due to multiple sensors and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The existing autonomous driving sensors and control systems are repurposed to serve dual functions: normal autonomous operation and car wash mode protection. The same sensors that detect obstacles for autonomous parking also detect the car wash environment, and the same control mechanisms that prevent collisions during normal operation also prevent damage during washing, eliminating the need for dedicated car wash hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle's existing sensor suite and control systems automatically detect when the vehicle is in a car wash environment and autonomously adjust their behavior to prevent damage, without requiring separate dedicated systems. The system self-manages the protection function by monitoring sensor inputs and automatically implementing appropriate control responses
2Productivity
If rain sensor wipers are activated during car wash to remove water, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but false activation occurs due to water spray from the car wash
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors sensor inputs including rain sensors and actively communicates with the car wash system about the vehicle's state. When the car wash system detects that water spray is triggering false rain sensor activation, it adjusts its water application strategy or timing to avoid activating the wipers, creating a feedback loop between the vehicle system and car wash system
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary between the car wash system and the rain sensor wiper system. It receives information about car wash operation status and intervenes to prevent false activation of the wipers by either blocking rain sensor signals during known car wash operations or communicating with the car wash system to adjust water application patterns
3Measurement precision
If proximity sensors are used to detect obstacles during autonomous parking, then parking accuracy is improved, but unnecessary braking and warnings occur during car wash due to water droplets
Solution Approach 1:
The system proactively identifies when the vehicle is entering or undergoing a car wash operation based on sensor patterns, location data, or communication with the car wash system. Before water droplets can interfere with proximity sensors, the system switches to an alternative monitoring mode or adjusts sensor sensitivity thresholds, preventing false obstacle detection and unnecessary braking actions
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts sensor parameters such as detection thresholds, sensitivity levels, or activation criteria based on the operational context. When car wash mode is detected, the system modifies proximity sensor parameters to ignore water droplet patterns that would otherwise trigger false obstacle warnings, while maintaining accurate detection of actual obstacles
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the driver exit securement function is disabled during car wash mode, then false securement is prevented, but vehicle security is reduced if the driver accidentally exits
Solution Approach 1:
The driver exit securement function operates dynamically with different behavior modes: during normal operation it automatically secures the vehicle when the driver exits, but during car wash mode it remains disabled to prevent false securement. The system continuously monitors operational context and adapts the securement function's activation state accordingly, switching between secure and non-secure modes based on the detected operational phase
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle system, for a vehicle that implements a car wash mode, includes a shifter configured to move the vehicle between Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive (PRND) positions, an ignition button, and a brake system including a parking brake. A controller is programmed to determine the shifter has been moved to the Neutral position, determine the ignition button has been pressed a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time, determine a grade of the vehicle is below a predetermined threshold grade indicating a substantially flat surface, determine a speed of the vehicle is below a predetermined car wash speed, and initiate a car wash mode based on the shifter being in the Neutral position, the ignition button being pressed the predetermined number of times, the determined grade being below the predetermined threshold grade, and the determined speed being below the predetermined car wash speed.