Driver-Based Drive Mode Access for Safe Vehicle Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Advanced vehicle systems with multiple driving modes pose a risk when used by inexperienced drivers, as owners are concerned about the vehicle being operated in unfavorable conditions, leading to potential damage or safety issues.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a processor to determine driver identity and associate permissible driving modes, allowing selective enablement or denial of modes based on predefined profiles, with optional override conditions for authorized users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple driving modes are made available to all drivers, then vehicle versatility and performance capability are improved, but safety and reliability deteriorate when used by inexperienced drivers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by associating different driving mode permissions with specific driver identities. Each driver profile has customized permissions that grant access to specific subsets of driving modes based on their skill level and experience. This resolves the contradiction by making driving mode availability locally adapted to each driver rather than uniformly available to all, thereby maintaining versatility for experienced drivers while ensuring safety for inexperienced ones.
2Reliability
If driving mode restrictions are imposed based on driver identity, then safety and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases due to profile management systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring driver profiles with specific driving mode permissions before the drivers actually use the vehicle. The system anticipates the need for restricted access by establishing identity-based permission sets in advance, so that when a driver identifies themselves, the appropriate restrictions are automatically applied without requiring complex real-time decision-making. This reduces operational complexity while maintaining safety.
3Ease of operation
If all driving modes are enabled for experienced drivers, then ease of operation is improved, but risk of misuse increases for unskilled drivers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism - the driver identity recognition and profile matching system - that stands between the driver and the driving mode selection. This intermediary automatically determines which driving modes are appropriate for the identified driver and enables or disables corresponding modes. This resolves the contradiction by mediating access control, allowing experienced drivers full freedom while preventing unskilled drivers from accessing potentially harmful modes, without requiring manual intervention from the drivers.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a processor configured to determine a driver identity. The processor is also configured to receive a request for a change to a driving mode and responsive to the request, enable or deny the driving mode based on mode-correlation to one of a predefined set of permissible driving modes pre-associated with the driver identity.