Driver State Monitoring for Safety-Zone Lane Changes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous driving systems face challenges in ensuring driver safety by effectively managing lane changes and transitions to safety zones when the driver's state is compromised.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that includes sensors to monitor driver state, an output device for notifications, and a control circuit to automatically change lanes to adjacent safety zones and issue transition demands when the driver's condition is unsuitable, ensuring a safe transition to a rest area, shelter, or shoulder.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the autonomous system provides minimum risk maneuver (MRM) when driver state is compromised, then driver safety is improved, but the system complexity increases due to multiple control functions
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous driving system is divided into multiple functional modules: driver state monitoring module, safety zone determination module, lane change control module, and MRM execution module. Each module independently handles specific aspects of driver safety, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive safety coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-determining safety zones and planning lane change trajectories before actually executing the MRM. The control circuit identifies suitable safety zones in advance and prepares lane change maneuvers, reducing the complexity of real-time decision-making during critical situations.
2Reliability
If the system automatically changes lanes to safety zones, then driver safety is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates as driver control is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the level of automated lane change intervention based on the assessed driver state. When the driver is fully capable, the system provides minimal intervention. When the driver state deteriorates, the system progressively increases automation, taking full control only when necessary for safety, thus balancing driver control with safety requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors driver state and provides feedback through notifications to the output device. The control circuit adjusts lane change automation based on real-time driver capability assessment, maintaining driver control when possible while ensuring safety when driver state compromises operation.
3Reliability
If the system monitors driver state continuously, then driver safety is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The driver state monitoring operates periodically rather than continuously at full capacity. The control circuit assesses driver state at regular intervals and adjusts monitoring intensity based on the current safety risk level, reducing energy consumption while maintaining adequate safety monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes monitoring parameters dynamically based on driving conditions and detected driver state. When the driver appears alert, monitoring intensity is reduced. When signs of impairment are detected, the system increases monitoring frequency and sensitivity, optimizing energy consumption relative to actual safety needs.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a sensor configured to obtain information about a driver of the vehicle, an output device configured to output a notification to the driver, and a control circuit configured to be electrically connected with the sensor and the output device. The control circuit is configured to recognize a state of the driver based on the information obtained by the sensor, set a route toward a safety zone, when the state of the driver meets a specified condition, and control the vehicle to change a lane where the vehicle is traveling to a lane adjacent to the safety zone.