Driver Assistance Alerts for Failed Automation Level Switching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current driving assistance systems for automated driving, such as lane departure assistants, may fail to ensure driver attention and safety when switching between different automation levels, leading to potential dangerous situations if the driver incorrectly assumes a higher level of automation is active.
Innovation Solution
A driving assistance system that includes a driver assistance module, an output module, and a user input module to issue timely driver instructions, such as a hands-on request, when switching from a lower to a higher degree of automation, ensuring the driver is alerted to an unsuccessful activation of the higher automation level by shortening the time span for outputting instructions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the system uses a standard first period of time for issuing driver instructions during automated driving with the first level of automation, then the driver is not overly disturbed during normal operation, but the driver may not be alerted quickly enough when switching to the second level of automation fails and the driver takes hands off the steering wheel
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the time period for issuing driver instructions based on the automation level switching state. When a switch from first to second level automation is attempted and fails, the system transitions from using the first period of time to the second period of time (which is shorter), thereby adaptively responding to the changed operational context and ensuring timely driver alertness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the time parameter (period of time for issuing driver instructions) based on the automation level switching condition. The output module is configured to use the second period of time (shorter than the first) specifically when the switch from first to second level automation is unsuccessful, thereby modifying the temporal parameter to match the safety requirements of the specific operational state.
2Ease of operation
If the system allows switching from the first level of automation to the second level of automation without additional safety checks, then the automation level can be changed conveniently, but the driver may incorrectly assume the higher level is active and take hands off the steering wheel
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides feedback to the driver about the actual automation level status by issuing driver instructions within the second period of time when the switch from first to second level automation is unsuccessful. This feedback mechanism ensures the driver is promptly informed that the higher level automation is not active, preventing incorrect assumptions and maintaining driver awareness of the true operational state.
Solution Approach 2:
The system takes preliminary action by monitoring the switching process and detecting unsuccessful switches before the driver can form incorrect assumptions. By issuing the driver instruction within the shortened second period of time upon detecting a failed switch, the system proactively prevents the dangerous situation of the driver taking hands off the steering wheel based on false assumptions about automation status.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a driving assistance system for the automated driving of a vehicle, more particularly of a motor vehicle. The driving assistance system comprises: a driving assistance module which is configured for automated driving with a first degree of automation and for automated driving with a second degree of automation, the second degree of automation being higher than the first degree of automation; an output module which is configured to output a driver instruction when a specified driver action is absent for a first period of time during automated driving with the first degree of automation; and a user input module which is configured to receive a user input for switching from the first degree of automation to the second degree of automation. The output module is further configured to output the driver instruction when: (i) the driving assistance system determines that the specified driver action is absent for a second period of time which is shorter than the first period of time, (ii) the user input for switching from the first degree of automation to the second degree of automation is received, and (iii) switching from the first degree of automation to the second degree of automation is unsuccessful.