Cruise Control Slippery Road Mode
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic cruise control systems for heavy-duty vehicles often require deactivation during slippery road conditions to ensure safety, leading to increased fuel consumption and reduced driving comfort.
Innovation Solution
An automatic cruise control system with a predefined slippery road condition driving mode that adjusts vehicle speed and acceleration limits, and restricts gear shifts to maintain safety and comfort by disabling speed-increasing functions and limiting braking force, thereby allowing the system to remain active in slippery conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cruise control is disabled in slippery road conditions to ensure safety, then the safety of vehicle operation is improved, but the fuel consumption increases and driving comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cruise control system dynamically adapts its behavior based on road conditions. In slippery conditions, the system remains active but modifies its control parameters to prevent wheel slip, whereas in normal conditions it operates with standard acceleration and speed profiles. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain safety while preserving fuel efficiency benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes control parameters specifically for slippery road conditions: reducing maximum acceleration rates, limiting speed increases, and modifying gear shift patterns. These parameter changes prevent loss of traction while allowing the cruise control to remain engaged, thus avoiding the fuel penalty of complete deactivation.
2Reliability
If the cruise control is disabled in slippery road conditions to prevent wheel slip, then the risk of slipping is reduced, but the driving comfort decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cruise control system provides adaptive comfort by remaining active in slippery conditions with modified parameters, eliminating the need for manual intervention and maintaining driving comfort. The system dynamically adjusts acceleration profiles and speed targets to match road conditions, ensuring smooth operation without driver workload.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the cruise control allows speed-increasing functions to gain momentum for fuel savings, then the fuel consumption is reduced, but the vehicle may lose traction on slippery surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The system modifies acceleration parameters and speed increase limits specifically for slippery conditions, preventing aggressive momentum building that would cause wheel slip. These parameter adjustments maintain sufficient fuel efficiency while ensuring traction is preserved through controlled, gradual acceleration profiles.
Solution Approach 2:
The cruise control system proactively prevents wheel slip by anticipating traction limits in slippery conditions. It applies preliminary restrictions on acceleration and speed increases before slip can occur, rather than reacting after loss of traction happens. This preventive approach maintains both safety and fuel efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
An automatic cruise control system (10) for controlling at least a powertrain (2) of a vehicle (1), the cruise control system being configured to automatically control a vehicle speed to a target speed determined based on a set speed and on information relating to a road topography along an expected travelling route of the vehicle. The automatic cruise control system is configured to: - while automatically controlling the vehicle speed to the target speed, receive an indication that a slippery road condition applies or is expected to apply, - in response to receiving said indication, activate a predefined slippery road condition driving mode in which predetermined restrictions apply, said restrictions relating to at least one of the vehicle speed, an allowable vehicle acceleration, and a gear selection of the powertrain, - control at least the powertrain in accordance with the slippery road condition driving mode.