Automated Driving Mode Switching With Availability-Based Activation Delay

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing driver assistance systems in vehicles often result in error messages when selecting or switching between automated driving modes due to the unavailability of the selected mode, causing inconvenience to the driver.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a driver assistance system with a user interface that allows selection and switching between automated driving modes, accompanied by a processor that waits for predetermined time periods before activating the selected mode, with shorter times if available and longer if not, reducing the likelihood of error messages.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the driver assistance system immediately activates the selected automated driving mode upon user input, then the system response speed is improved, but error messages occur when the selected mode is not available

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem response speedVSAvoidactivation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs a preliminary availability check of the selected automated driving mode before activation. If the mode is not available, the system waits for a predetermined time period to allow conditions to change before attempting activation again, preventing immediate error messages while maintaining responsive operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the driver assistance system waits for a long time before activating the selected mode, then activation reliability is improved, but the system response time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveactivation reliabilityVSAvoidsystem response time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the waiting time parameter based on mode availability status. When a mode is unavailable, the system waits for a predetermined time period before re-attempting activation. This time parameter can be configured to balance between responsiveness and reliability, ensuring the mode activates as soon as conditions permit without unnecessary delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4396058B1Driving assistance system and driving assistance method for a vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.10.22 BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG
  • EP4396058B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4396058B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP4396058B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a driving assistance system (100) for a vehicle (10). The driving assistance system comprises at least one user interface (110), which is designed to receive a user input for selecting an automated driving mode from among two or more different automated driving modes (310), and at least one processor unit (120), which is designed to wait, after a user input for selecting an automated driving mode, for a first time period before activating the selected automated driving mode (330), if the selected automated driving mode is available upon selection by means of the user input (320), and to wait, after a user input for selecting an automated driving mode, for a second time period before attempting to activate the selected automated driving mode (340), if the selected automated driving mode is not available upon selection by means of the user input (320), the second time period being longer than the first time period.