Multi-passenger Door Detection for Autonomous Vehicle Fare Calculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in accurately calculating vehicle occupancy and transport fares due to the absence of an operator, particularly in ride-sharing scenarios with intermediary stops, as they struggle to detect the number of occupants and adjust fares accordingly.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle door system equipped with an actuator and sensors that monitor passenger activity and occupancy data, allowing real-time calculation of transport fares based on dynamic vehicle occupancy, including initial and final occupancies and intermediate stops, using a controller to process data from sensors and adjust door positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If automated door mechanisms are used in autonomous vehicles, then door operation is automated, but accurate detection of vehicle occupancy and calculation of transport fares becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The automated door mechanism is enhanced with multiple sensors (optical, capacitive, inductive, acoustic, tactile) that enable the door system to perform both door operation and vehicle occupancy detection functions, eliminating the need for separate detection systems and resolving the contradiction between automation and measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
A controller acts as an intermediary that receives signals from multiple sensor types, processes the data, and determines vehicle occupancy status. This intermediary processing layer enables accurate occupancy detection while maintaining automated door operation, bridging the gap between automation and precision measurement
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are integrated into the door system for occupancy detection, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensor types (optical, capacitive, inductive, acoustic, tactile) are merged into a single integrated door system, allowing the door structure itself to serve as the detection platform. This consolidation improves measurement precision while managing complexity through unified system architecture controlled by a single controller
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle door system for a for-hire vehicle (FHV) and a method of calculating a transport fare includes providing a FHV having an actuator configured to adjust a position of a door relative to a door opening. An apparatus is configured to receive vehicle occupancy data. A controller is configured to process the vehicle occupancy data to determine the vehicle occupancy over the course of a passenger transport. The controller is further configured to calculate a transport fare as a function of the vehicle occupancy over the course of the passenger transport.