Driver Seat Repositioning for Autonomous-to-Manual Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drivers in autonomous driving mode may take longer than the control transition time to adjust their seat position for manual control, leading to potential safety issues when the system requests control transfer due to unsafe driving conditions.
Innovation Solution
A position displacement device that rapidly adjusts the driver's seat from an automatic control position to a manually controllable position by determining the driver's contribution level and displacing the seat to an intermediate or manual control position within a predetermined time, using a processor to control the seat displacement based on physical condition data and navigation information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the seat position is set to allow the driver to take a relaxed posture during autonomous driving, then the driver's comfort is improved, but the time required to displace the seat position to a manual control position increases beyond the control transition time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by monitoring the driver's state continuously and predicting potential drowsiness before it becomes critical. When drowsiness is detected, the system proactively adjusts the seat position to an intermediate position that maintains some comfort while reducing displacement time to manual control position, rather than waiting until control transition is actually requested.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat control system dynamically adjusts the seat position based on real-time driver state monitoring. The system transitions between different seat positions (relaxed position for autonomous driving, intermediate position when drowsiness is detected, and manual control position when control transition is requested) to optimize both comfort and responsiveness to control transitions.
2Ease of operation
If the seat position is adjusted to a relaxed position for autonomous driving, then the driver can maintain comfort, but the driver's level of contribution to driving decreases leading to potential drowsiness
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback by monitoring the driver's physical state through sensors (heart rate, body movement, eye opening) and using this information to adjust seat position. When the driver's contribution level drops below a threshold indicating drowsiness, the system provides feedback by adjusting the seat to a more alert position, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains driver reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system takes preliminary action by detecting early signs of drowsiness and adjusting the seat position before the driver becomes fully drowsy. This preventive approach maintains driver alertness by proactively responding to changes in the driver's physical state.
3Loss of time
If the seat position is rapidly displaced to the manual control position when control transition is requested, then the driver can begin manual control within the control transition time, but the driver may not have adequate time to adjust to the new position if already in a relaxed posture
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by adjusting the seat to an intermediate position when drowsiness is detected, which serves as a preparatory step between the relaxed autonomous driving position and the manual control position. This intermediate positioning reduces the displacement distance and time required when control transition is subsequently requested, allowing the driver to both meet the control transition time requirement and have adequate adaptation time.
4Reliability
If the driver is monitored continuously to detect drowsiness, then the driver's safety can be improved, but the system complexity increases due to additional sensors and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves multi-functionality by using sensors that serve multiple purposes: monitoring driver state for drowsiness detection, monitoring for control transition requests, and providing data for seat position optimization. This universal approach improves driver safety without proportionally increasing system complexity, as the same sensor infrastructure supports multiple safety functions.
Data Source
AI summary
A position displacing device has a processor configured to set a recommendation range of the seat position, capable of displacing the seat position to a manual control position representing the seat position when a driver is operating a vehicle manually within a predetermined time, based on the manual control position, set an intermediate position between the manual control position and an automatic control position set within the recommendation range, and determine whether a level to which the driver is contributing to driving is equal to or below a predetermined reference threshold based on information that describes physical condition of the driver, wherein the seat position is displaced from the automatic control position to the intermediate position when the seat position is at the automatic control position and it is determined that the level to which the driver is contributing to driving is equal to or below the reference threshold.