Autonomous Vehicle Crossroads Stopping for Sensor Field of View
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automatically driving vehicles face challenges in accurately recording their surroundings at crossroads due to the elevation profile of the roadway surface, which limits the field of vision of their sensor systems, potentially leading to reduced safety and increased collision risks.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that predict and optimize the vehicle's stopping position at crossroads by determining future stopping candidates, maximizing the sensor system's field of vision using elevation profiles and map data, and adjusting the vehicle's orientation and position to enhance sensor coverage, allowing for improved surroundings recording and safe navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the vehicle drives directly into the crossroads without stopping, then the productivity of the vehicle is improved, but the measurement precision of the surroundings recording sensor system deteriorates due to limited field of vision caused by elevation profile
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle performs a preliminary stopping action before entering the crossroads to optimize sensor field of vision. The control unit determines an optimal stopping position where the sensor system can maximize its field of vision, allowing the vehicle to record surroundings more accurately before proceeding into the crossroads.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle dynamically adjusts its stopping position based on real-time sensor data and elevation profile analysis. The control unit continuously evaluates multiple candidate stopping positions and selects the optimal one that maximizes field of vision, making the stopping behavior adaptive rather than fixed.
2Measurement precision
If the vehicle stops at multiple positions to maximize field of vision, then the measurement precision of surroundings recording is improved, but the loss of time increases due to additional stopping and positioning actions
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle performs a single optimized stopping action rather than multiple stops, achieving sufficient surroundings recording accuracy with one well-chosen stopping position. The control unit evaluates multiple candidate positions but selects the single best position that provides adequate field of vision for safe crossroads navigation.
3Reliability
If the vehicle stops closer to the crossroads to maximize field of vision, then the reliability of surroundings recording is improved, but the safety decreases due to reduced reaction time for emerging traffic participants
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle dynamically determines the optimal stopping position by evaluating multiple candidate positions and selecting the one that maximizes field of vision while maintaining safe distance. The control unit continuously assesses both recording quality and safety margins, adapting the stopping position to balance these competing requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling an automatically driving vehicle in the region of a crossroads using data recorded by a surroundings recording sensor system is provided. Before reaching the crossroads along a roadway lying ahead of the vehicle until the crossroads are reached, several future vehicle positions are determined as stopping point candidates. For each of the stopping point candidates, a field of vision of the surroundings recording sensor system is predicted considering an elevation profile of a carriageway surface in the region of the crossroads. The stopping point candidate at which the surroundings recording sensor system has the greatest field of vision is selected as the stopping position of the vehicle. At the stopping position, the vehicle surroundings are recorded by the surroundings recording sensor system. Depending on a traffic situation ascertained from the data of the surroundings recording sensor system, the vehicle is automatically steered into the crossroads.