Driver Assistance Display Cues for Handover Disable Timing

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Solution Overview

Problem

In driving assistance systems, drivers have difficulty recognizing the timing when driving assistance is disabled, leading to potential safety issues as they are only given advance notice of the shift from automatic to manual driving without clear indication of when the assistance is actually disabled.

Innovation Solution

A display device that provides both an advance notice image and a completion image on a first display unit, such as a head-up display, to inform the driver of the disabling of driving assistance, allowing for easy recognition of when the assistance is switched off, using a configuration that includes a driving assistance determination unit, a driving assistance unit, and an action detection unit to manage the display of these images based on the driver's actions and vehicle conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If only advance notice of disabling of driving assistance is given to the driver, then the driver is informed of upcoming mode change, but the driver cannot easily recognize the timing when driving assistance is actually disabled

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation about driving assistance statusVSAvoiddriver's recognition of assistance disabling timing
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The notification process is segmented into two distinct visual notifications: an advance notice notification displayed before disabling, and a completion notification displayed when disabling is completed. This segmentation allows the driver to distinguish between the timing of the advance notice and the actual disabling moment, solving the problem of unrecognized disabling timing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by displaying an advance notice notification before the actual disabling occurs. This allows the driver to prepare for the mode change while clearly understanding that the assistance is still active during this period, and then provides a completion notification to mark the exact moment of disabling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If multiple notifications are displayed to improve recognition of disabling timing, then the driver can recognize the timing better, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriver's recognition of assistance disabling timingVSAvoiddisplay system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The notification unit performs multiple functions using the same display mechanism: it displays both the advance notice notification and the completion notification, and can also display other driving assistance information. This multi-functionality approach adds notification capability without requiring separate dedicated display devices, thus managing complexity while improving driver recognition.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3437949B1Display device
Publication Date: 2023.12.27 NIPPON SEIKI CO LTD
  • EP3437949B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3437949B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(c)
  • EP3437949B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~4(d)

AI summary

The present invention contributes to safe driving by facilitating recognition of the timing at which driving assistance is switched. In the present invention, an advance notice display unit (15a, 25a) obtains information relating to vehicle driving assistance to be disabled and displays a advance notice image (110, 120, 130) for giving advance notice of disabling of the driving assistance on the basis of said information, and a completion display unit (15b, 26b) obtains information relating to the detection of a disabling operation required for disabling the driving assistance and/or the completion of disabling of the driving assistance and displays a completion image (210, 220) for giving notice of the completion of disabling of the driving assistance or the completion of the disabling operation on the basis of said information.