Vehicle Cruise Control Variable Deceleration for Mode Shift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cruise control devices face challenges in adjusting the duration of interim cruise control to allow drivers to respond effectively to mode shifts from automatic to manual steering, while minimizing discomfort and abrupt changes in vehicle behavior, especially when image pickup devices fail to acquire information due to low visibility or other issues.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle cruise control device estimates interim travel time and sets variable target deceleration based on this time, increasing deceleration for shorter travel times or higher speeds to prevent excessively short control durations and reduce driver discomfort, and adjusts rudder angle gains according to vehicle speed during normal cruise control but not during interim cruise control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the degree of deceleration of the vehicle is set higher so that the driver is allowed to easily respond to shift of the steering mode, then the driver's response time is improved, but the occupant of the vehicle tends to easily feel discomfort caused by the deceleration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the deceleration degree variable rather than fixed. The control device adjusts the deceleration degree based on vehicle speed and travel distance conditions: when vehicle speed is high or travel distance is short, a higher deceleration degree is applied to ensure driver response; when vehicle speed is low or travel distance is long, a lower deceleration degree is applied to reduce occupant discomfort. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between ensuring driver response time and minimizing occupant discomfort.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the degree of deceleration of the vehicle is set lower so that an occupant of the vehicle hardly feels discomfort, then the occupant comfort is improved, but the decrease of the vehicle speed is insufficient, which not only causes the driver unable to respond to shift of the steering mode well, but also increases a risk that a sharp change would occur in the traveling behavior of the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamic adjustment of deceleration degree based on real-time vehicle conditions. When vehicle speed is high or the distance to be traveled during interim cruise control is short, the system applies higher deceleration to ensure the driver has adequate time to respond to the steering mode shift. When vehicle speed is low or the distance is long, lower deceleration is applied to maintain comfort while still ensuring sufficient response time. This dynamic approach ensures driver response reliability without causing excessive discomfort.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the degree of deceleration of the vehicle is set lower, then the duration time of interim cruise control is extended, but when the distance for which the vehicle travels during the interim cruise control is short or the vehicle speed is high, the decrease of the vehicle speed is insufficient and the duration time of the interim cruise control is short, which makes the driver unable to respond well
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting the deceleration degree parameter based on vehicle speed and travel distance conditions. When vehicle speed is high or the distance to be traveled is short, the system increases the deceleration degree parameter to ensure the vehicle speed decreases sufficiently within the available time, extending the interim cruise control duration to allow proper driver response. When vehicle speed is low or distance is long, the deceleration degree parameter is reduced to maintain comfort while still ensuring adequate response time.
4Speed
If the degree of deceleration of the vehicle is set higher, then the vehicle speed decreases fast, but in the case where the distance for which a vehicle travels during interim cruise control is long or the vehicle speed is low, the duration time of interim cruise control tends to be too long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the deceleration degree based on vehicle speed and travel distance. When vehicle speed is high or the distance is short, a higher deceleration degree is applied to achieve faster speed decrease, preventing the interim cruise control duration from becoming excessively short. When vehicle speed is low or the distance is long, a lower deceleration degree is applied to avoid making the interim cruise control duration too long, which would unnecessarily extend the period of limited driver control.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle cruise control device is provided that sets a traveling road that the vehicle is to travel from then based on acquired information of surroundings, and executes normal cruise control for causing the vehicle to travel along the set traveling road (S300), and when normally acquiring information of surroundings becomes impossible, the vehicle cruise control device executes interim cruise control for causing the vehicle to travel along the set traveling road (S500). The vehicle cruise control device estimates an interim travel time from when the interim cruise control starts until the vehicle completes the traveling along the set traveling road, sets a target deceleration variably so that, when the interim travel time is short, the target deceleration is higher as compared to where the interim travel time is long, and decelerates the vehicle so that a deceleration of the vehicle coincides with the target deceleration (S600).