Driverless Vehicle Fly-By Pickup for Safe Low-Wait Boarding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in passenger pick-up due to changing environmental conditions and the absence of a human driver, leading to uncertainty about the vehicle's ability to wait safely and communicate effectively with passengers, which can result in confusion and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method that allows for real-time communication between the vehicle and passenger through computing devices, enabling 'fly-by pickups' where the passenger can safely enter the vehicle at a location outside the predetermined pickup area before the vehicle reaches it, using sensors, cameras, and user input to determine the feasibility and initiate the pickup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the vehicle waits at the predetermined pickup area for the passenger, then the passenger can enter safely at the designated location, but the vehicle loses time and efficiency due to fixed location constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static pickup location to a dynamic one by enabling the vehicle to deviate from the predetermined pickup area and perform fly-by pickups at alternative locations along its route, allowing adaptive response to passenger availability
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensor data and image processing to detect passenger presence and intent before the vehicle reaches the predetermined pickup area, enabling early initiation of pickup maneuvers and reducing waiting time
2Measurement precision
If the vehicle uses sensors and cameras to detect passenger location, then pickup accuracy improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system serves multiple functions: detecting passenger presence, determining passenger intent through image analysis, tracking vehicle position, and monitoring environmental conditions, thereby justifying the complexity through multi-purpose utility
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs an intermediate processing layer that analyzes sensor data and image information to infer passenger intent and availability, acting as a mediator between raw sensor inputs and vehicle control decisions
3Productivity
If the vehicle attempts fly-by pickup outside the predetermined area, then pickup efficiency increases, but safety risks may increase due to uncontrolled location
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors sensor data, passenger responses, and environmental conditions during fly-by pickup attempts, using real-time feedback to determine whether to proceed with or abort the pickup based on safety assessments
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary safety assessments using sensor data and image analysis before executing fly-by pickup maneuvers, preventing unsafe actions by evaluating conditions in advance
4Ease of operation
If the system communicates in real-time with the passenger's device, then coordination improves, but information processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic communication bursts triggered by specific events (passenger detection, vehicle arrival, pickup confirmation) rather than continuous communication, reducing energy consumption while maintaining effective coordination
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure relate to arranging a pickup between a driverless vehicle and a passenger. For instance, dispatch instructions dispatching the vehicle to a predetermined pickup area in order to pick up the passenger are received by the vehicle which begins maneuvering to the predetermined pickup area. While doing so, the vehicle receives from the passenger's client computing device the device's location. An indication that the passenger is interested in a fly-by pickup is identified. The fly-by pickup allows the passenger to safely enter the vehicle at a location outside of the predetermined pickup area and prior to the one or more processors have maneuvered the vehicle to the predetermined pickup area. The vehicle determines that the fly-by pickup is appropriate based on at least the location of the client computing device and the indication, and based on the determination, maneuvers itself in order to attempt the fly-by pickup.