Driver Assistance Braking Stages for Early Obstacle Response

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional driving assistance systems are not always reliable in detecting obstacles and may cause uncomfortable or unnecessary braking interventions, which can be distracting and unsafe, especially in non-emergency situations.

Innovation Solution

A driving assistance system that uses environmental sensors to detect obstacles and initiates a weakened longitudinal guidance intervention, such as a gradual deceleration, before an emergency braking intervention is necessary, to alert the driver and reduce the risk of collision while maintaining passenger comfort and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If emergency braking intervention is initiated to avoid collision with detected obstacle, then road safety is improved, but driver comfort deteriorates due to strong and uncomfortable automatic interventions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision avoidance reliabilityVSAvoiddriver comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by initiating a first braking stage with reduced braking intervention before the emergency braking situation becomes critical. This preliminary weak braking serves as an early warning to the driver, allowing them to react naturally while still preventing collision in many cases, thereby maintaining both safety and comfort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The braking intervention is segmented into two distinct stages: a first stage with weak braking force for early warning and a second stage with strong braking force for emergency collision avoidance. This segmentation allows the system to adapt the braking intensity to the actual danger level, avoiding unnecessary strong interventions that compromise comfort while maintaining reliability when truly needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If emergency braking intervention is used for all detected obstacles, then collision risk is reduced, but false braking actions increase causing distraction and safety issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision avoidanceVSAvoidfalse braking distraction
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter of braking force intensity based on the detection confidence and obstacle characteristics. By adjusting the braking intervention strength (weak vs. strong) according to the situation, the system can respond to high-confidence threats with appropriate force while using gentler interventions for lower-confidence detections, thereby reducing false braking distractions while maintaining collision avoidance capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies preliminary weak braking as a test or warning intervention before committing to full emergency braking. This preliminary action allows the system to verify the legitimacy of the detected obstacle and gives the driver a chance to react, reducing the likelihood of harmful false braking actions while maintaining the capability to prevent collisions with genuine threats.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If strong automatic braking intervention is applied, then collision avoidance is ensured, but driver control and reaction time are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision preventionVSAvoiddriver reaction time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system gives the driver time to react by implementing preliminary weak braking intervention before applying strong emergency braking. This time-sequence approach allows the driver to perceive the early warning, process the situation, and potentially take natural control actions, thereby preserving driver reaction time and control while still ensuring collision prevention through the staged intervention approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3643576B1Driving assistance system for a motor vehicle and method for operating a driving assistance system or motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2024.12.11 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP3643576B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3643576B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a driver assistance system (6) for a motor vehicle (3), a corresponding motor vehicle (3), and a corresponding operating method (12). The driver assistance system (3) for supporting longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle (3) is configured to detect an obstacle (8, 9) located in front of the motor vehicle (3) based on environmental data. According to a first functionality, the driver assistance system (3) can initiate an emergency braking intervention to bring the motor vehicle (3) to a standstill to avoid a collision. The invention provides that, according to a second functionality, the driver assistance system (3) can initiate a longitudinal guidance intervention, less severe than the emergency braking intervention, to slow down the motor vehicle (3) as soon as the obstacle (8, 9) is detected and before the motor vehicle (3) has approached the obstacle (8, 9) to such an extent that a collision can only be prevented by the emergency braking intervention.