Adapting Driver Support Safety Thresholds by Driving Zone

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing driver support systems in vehicles do not effectively tailor safety margin thresholds to specific driving zones, leading to suboptimal safety and convenience for vehicle occupants.

Innovation Solution

A driver support threshold adapting system that determines the geographical position of a vehicle, selects a relevant driving zone, derives statistical driving behavior data, and adjusts safety margin thresholds for driver support functions based on historical safety indicators such as acceleration, speed, distance, and lane keeping, to enhance safety and convenience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If driver support functions use fixed safety margin thresholds, then system simplicity is maintained, but safety and convenience are suboptimal for specific driving zones

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic adjustment of safety margin thresholds based on geographical position and historical driving data. The system transitions from fixed thresholds to dynamically adaptable thresholds that change according to the vehicle's location and zone characteristics, resolving the contradiction between safety and system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of safety margin thresholds from constant values to variable values that depend on geographical position and statistical driving behavior data. This parameter transformation enables the system to adapt safety levels to different driving zones while maintaining a manageable complexity through automated data processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If driver support functions are tailored to specific driving zones, then safety and convenience are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to driving zonesVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the driving environment into distinct geographical zones with unique safety characteristics. By segmenting the operational space into manageable zones with pre-collected statistical data, the system achieves high adaptability to different driving conditions while keeping the complexity of individual zone management relatively low

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-collecting and storing statistical driving behavior data for various geographical zones before the vehicle actually enters them. This advance preparation enables rapid adaptation when the vehicle reaches each zone without requiring complex real-time analysis, thus improving adaptability while controlling system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3260344B1Method and system for adjusting a safety margin threshold of a driver support function
Publication Date: 2021.10.06 VOLVO CAR CORP
  • EP3260344B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3260344B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3260344B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a method performed by a driver support threshold adapting system (1) for adjusting a safety margin threshold of one or more driver support functions (23) of a vehicle (2), to be suitable for a driving zone (4) in which the vehicle is - or is to be - positioned. The driver support threshold adapting system determines (1001) a geographical position (421) of the vehicle. The driver support threshold adapting system moreover determines (1002) a driving zone associated with the vehicle position, which driving zone is selected from one or more pre-defined geographical driving zones (5). Furthermore, the driver support threshold adapting system derives (1003) previous statistical driving behaviour data (8) indicative of one or more statistical driving style safety indicators (81) associated with the driving zone, and then adjusts (1004) a safety margin threshold of at least a first driver support function of the vehicle, based on the one or more statistical driving style safety indicators. The disclosure also relates to a driver support threshold adapting system in accordance with the foregoing, and a vehicle at least partly comprising such a driver support threshold adapting system.