Vehicle Controller for Driver Re-Engagement After Auto Stop

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle control systems that intervene when a driver is unable to drive properly can lead to excessive trust in automated driving, causing the driver to neglect their surroundings, and may unnecessarily restrict automated driving control.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle controller that includes a satisfaction determining unit to assess the driver's behavior, ensuring automated driving is only resumed when the driver is looking ahead and holding the steering wheel, with a removal determining unit to lift restrictions after a certain period or distance, preventing excessive reliance on automated systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If automated driving control is implemented to assist drivers or perform automated driving, then driving safety is improved and driver burden is reduced, but drivers may put too much trust in the vehicle control and neglect to look around the vehicle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriving safetyVSAvoiddriver negligence
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by proactively restricting automated driving control when driver abnormality is detected, preventing the harmful effect of driver negligence before it occurs. The controller limits automated driving functionality and requires manual intervention, counteracting the potential over-trust and neglect of surrounding environment monitoring

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring driver state through imaging units and sensing units, and adjusting automated driving control based on detected abnormalities. When driver neglect or abnormality is detected, the system provides feedback by restricting automated functions and requiring driver engagement, creating a closed-loop control that prevents harmful negligence

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If vehicle controller automatically controls motion to avoid danger when driver abnormality is detected, then damage to driver and vehicle is reduced, but automated driving control is excessively restricted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamage avoidanceVSAvoidautomated driving availability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies dynamics by making automated driving control adjustable rather than fixed. The controller dynamically switches between automated and manual control modes based on real-time driver state monitoring. When abnormality is detected, automated functions are temporarily restricted; when driver state normalizes, automated control is restored, creating a flexible system that adapts to changing conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by detecting driver abnormalities early through imaging and sensing units, and proactively restricting automated control before dangerous situations develop. This early intervention prevents damage while maintaining automated driving availability for normal conditions, resolving the contradiction between safety intervention and operational freedom

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3875330B1Vehicle controller
Publication Date: 2025.07.02 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP3875330B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3875330B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3875330B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The vehicle controller includes a satisfaction determining unit (32) configured to determine whether a behavior of a driver of the vehicle (10) satisfies a predetermined enabling condition after execution of a function of automatically stopping the vehicle (10). The function is executed due to not satisfying a driver-related condition for continuing the automated driving control of the vehicle (10). The enabling condition relates to driving control of the vehicle (10) and is not imposed before the execution of the function. The vehicle controller also includes a vehicle control unit (34) configured to perform the automated driving control of the vehicle (10) only when the behavior of the driver satisfies the enabling condition.