Autonomous Delivery Vehicle Reversing Control for Side-Access Compartments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems for autonomous delivery vehicles struggle to efficiently position a package compartment on the side closest to the user during delivery or pickup, especially when the compartment's orientation does not align with the vehicle's advancing direction and the delivery/pickup destination.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control device and method that includes a processor and memory to acquire position information of both the user point and the package compartment, and outputs instructions to reverse the vehicle's advancing direction when necessary, ensuring the package compartment aligns with the user point by determining reversing points and adjusting the delivery/pickup route.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the vehicle travels directly to the target user point without reversing, then the traveling time is reduced, but the package compartment cannot be positioned on the side close to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle control device performs preliminary action by determining whether reversing is needed before the vehicle arrives at the target user point. If the package compartment is not on the same side as the user, the vehicle reverses in advance at a predetermined position, ensuring the package compartment is properly positioned before arrival, thus avoiding the need for additional maneuvers after arrival.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle control device dynamically adjusts the vehicle's traveling direction based on real-time conditions. By acquiring the vehicle's current advancing direction and comparing it with the required orientation for package delivery, the system determines whether reversing is necessary, making the vehicle's behavior adaptive rather than fixed.
2Ease of operation
If the vehicle reverses to align the package compartment with the user, then the package access convenience is improved, but the traveling time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs the reversing action preliminarily at a predetermined position before reaching the target user point. This timing optimization ensures that the vehicle completes the orientation adjustment in advance, minimizing the impact on overall delivery time while ensuring proper positioning for package access.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle control device autonomously determines whether reversing is necessary by comparing the vehicle's current advancing direction with the required orientation. The system self-adjusts the vehicle's direction without external intervention, efficiently deciding when reversing is needed to align the package compartment with the user's location.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle has package compartments on both sides, then the adaptability for different delivery scenarios is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle is designed with package compartments on both sides to achieve universality, allowing it to handle various delivery scenarios regardless of the user's position relative to the vehicle's advancing direction. This multi-functional configuration enables the vehicle to deliver packages to users on either the left or right side without requiring different vehicle types or extensive reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle control device dynamically selects which side's package compartment to use based on the user's position and the vehicle's advancing direction. By acquiring position information and comparing it with the vehicle's orientation, the system intelligently determines the optimal package compartment for delivery, maximizing the utility of the dual-side configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control device configured to perform control related to pickup and delivery by a vehicle. The vehicle is movable forward bi-directionally and includes package compartments on first and second sides. The vehicle control device is configured to perform operations including: acquiring position information of a target user point; acquiring position information of a target package compartment for storing a package to be delivered or picked up with respect to an advancing direction in which the vehicle travels toward the target user point; and outputting an instruction to reverse the advancing direction of the vehicle to a vehicle controller configured to perform traveling control of the vehicle in a case where a side of a side surface where the target package compartment is positioned and a side of the target user point with respect to the advancing direction of the vehicle do not coincide with each other.