Autonomous Vehicle Driver-Adaptive Hazard Intervention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing autonomous navigation systems in vehicles do not effectively react to a wide variety of situations that pose dangers to inexperienced drivers, nor do they provide educational components to help drivers improve their understanding of such situations, leading to potential collisions and property damage.

Innovation Solution

The system assesses a driver's experience level and the vehicle's operating environment to proactively warn the driver of potential dangers, take control in hazardous situations, and provide debriefing feedback to improve driving skills, while also considering the vehicle's safety features and the driver's familiarity with them to mitigate risks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If autonomous navigation systems are activated to protect inexperienced drivers, then safety and collision prevention are improved, but driver control and learning opportunities are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoiddriver control
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the level of autonomous navigation based on the driver's experience level and the detected situation. For inexperienced drivers or hazardous situations, the system provides greater automation support while gradually reducing it as driver competence improves, creating a dynamic balance between safety and driver control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of driver experience level and uses it to modulate the degree of autonomous intervention. By assessing driver competence and situational hazards, the system adjusts its level of control activation, allowing more intervention for novice drivers in dangerous situations and less for experienced drivers in safe conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If autonomous navigation systems take control in hazardous situations, then collision risk is reduced, but driver education and understanding of dangerous situations are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision preventionVSAvoiddriver education
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides feedback to the driver about dangerous situations detected and the actions taken by the autonomous system. This feedback loop educates the driver about hazard recognition and appropriate responses while maintaining safety through autonomous intervention when necessary

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies partial autonomous control rather than complete takeover, allowing the driver to remain engaged and learn from the situation while receiving sufficient support to prevent collisions. The autonomous system provides just enough intervention to ensure safety while preserving educational value

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If the system provides comprehensive safety features and autonomous intervention, then driver protection is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriver protectionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system combines multiple functions into a unified autonomous navigation platform that can assess driver experience, detect hazardous situations, provide educational feedback, and execute protective actions. This multi-functional approach achieves comprehensive driver protection without proportionally increasing system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3500465B1Autonomous vehicle and method
Publication Date: 2024.05.15 ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY
  • EP3500465B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3500465B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3500465B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method, medium, and apparatus for educating and reducing risk to inexperienced drivers using vehicles with autonomous navigation systems. Data regarding a driver's past experience with vehicles and operating environments may be used to proactively warn the driver about a potential danger detected or predicted by the vehicle. An autonomous vehicle may prevent the driver from operating the vehicle under unfamiliar circumstances or from causing a collision. Data regarding a driver's past experience with vehicles and the safety features thereof may be used to mitigate risk of injury or property damage by selectively activating safety features in a new vehicle which the driver has not previously driven. Data regarding a driver's past experience with vehicles and safety features thereof may be used to determine a decreased or increased rental rate for a particular vehicle.