Dispatch Route Control Using Mode-Switch Avoidance Maps

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle travel route control systems prioritize roads with high traffic volume of autonomous driving vehicles, leading to a high probability of mode switching to manual driving, which complicates system monitoring for centrally managed dispatch vehicles, increasing the load on control operators.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle travel route control system that calculates routes avoiding driving mode switching positions by analyzing and marking ubiquitous and unexpected events, improving travel route completion reliability and reducing system monitoring load.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If routes are selected based on high traffic volume of autonomous driving vehicles, then route selection efficiency is improved, but the probability of mode switching to manual driving increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute selection efficiencyVSAvoidmode switching probability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the routing parameter from autonomous driving traffic volume to manual driving traffic volume. This parameter substitution identifies roads where manual driving is more common, thereby avoiding areas prone to mode switching and improving route reliability while maintaining selection efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-acquires and stores traffic volume data for both autonomous and manual driving vehicles. By preparing this data in advance and identifying manual driving hotspots before route selection, the system can efficiently avoid mode switching zones without compromising routing speed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Extent of automation

If autonomous driving vehicles are concentrated on specific high-traffic routes, then autonomous driving execution rate is improved, but system monitoring complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautonomous driving execution rateVSAvoidsystem monitoring complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes vehicles from high-risk zones by routing them away from areas with high manual driving traffic. This separation prevents concentration of autonomous vehicles in problematic areas, reducing monitoring complexity while maintaining autonomous driving execution rates in safer zones

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses manual driving traffic volume data as an intermediary indicator to identify risky areas. This mediator data allows the routing system to indirectly assess mode switching probability and avoid concentrating autonomous vehicles in zones where manual intervention is likely

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If control operators monitor all dispatch vehicles, then safety coverage is improved, but operator workload increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety coverageVSAvoidoperator workload
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-identifies and marks roads with high manual driving traffic volume before vehicle dispatch. By preparing this risk information in advance, the routing system can automatically avoid these zones, reducing the need for operator intervention and monitoring while maintaining safety coverage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The routing system automatically selects safe routes by avoiding manual driving hotspots without requiring operator input or monitoring. This self-service routing reduces operator workload while maintaining safety through automated avoidance of high-risk zones

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3951743B1Vehicle travel route control system, vehicle travel route control device, and vehicle travel route control method
Publication Date: 2025.09.24 NISSAN MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3951743B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3951743B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3951743B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

To reduce the system monitoring load by using route calculation that improves travel route completion reliability when a plurality of dispatch vehicles are centrally managed. A vehicle travel route control system that controls a plurality of vehicles having an autonomous driving function or a driving assist function, wherein a vehicle dispatch information data server 2 creates a travel route map M, in which driving mode switching position (O marks, • marks) at which vehicles have switched over during travel to the manual driving mode from the autonomous driving mode, have been added to a road map. Based on the travel route map M, a travel route that avoids the driving mode switching position is calculated from among a plurality of routes on which a dispatch vehicle candidate travels to a destination DP via user position UP. When a travel route that avoids the driving mode switching position is calculated, a dispatch vehicle candidate is set as a dispatch vehicle 7, and the calculated travel route information is transmitted to an on-board unit 3 mounted in the dispatch vehicle 7.