Dynamic Geofencing for Autonomous Vehicle Service Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicle service disruptions due to fragile portions of the serviceable road network lead to mass vehicle recovery events, causing negative public perception and operational challenges.
Innovation Solution
Implementing dynamic geofencing by actively monitoring chokepoints and avoidance areas within the operational design domain, using software tooling to create and adjust geofences in real-time, and instructing vehicles to self-evict from affected areas to prevent service disruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If static geofences are used to define service area coverage, then the service coverage is simple to manage and maintain, but the system cannot adapt to dynamic changes in the road network such as temporary closures or avoidance areas, leading to service disruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic geofencing by allowing geofence boundaries to change automatically in response to detected avoidance areas and road network conditions. The system transitions from static to dynamic geofence management, where geofences can expand or contract based on real-time data about chokepoints, temporary road closures, and other avoidance areas, enabling the system to adapt to changing conditions without manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where detected avoidance areas and chokepoint information are fed back into the geofence management system. This feedback loop enables automatic adjustment of geofence boundaries based on current road network conditions, ensuring that service coverage areas are continuously optimized according to actual operational constraints
2Area of stationary object
If the service area coverage is expanded to include more regions, then the service coverage area increases, but the fragility of the road network increases leading to higher probability of mass vehicle recovery events
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the service area into multiple geofences that can be independently managed and adjusted. By dividing the large service coverage area into smaller, manageable geofence regions, the system can isolate disruptions to specific areas without affecting the entire service network, thereby maintaining overall reliability while expanding coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by proactively detecting avoidance areas and chokepoints before they cause service disruptions. By monitoring road network conditions in advance and preemptively adjusting geofence boundaries, the system prevents mass vehicle recovery events before they occur, maintaining service reliability even as coverage area expands
Data Source
AI summary
Service disruption prevention through monitoring dynamic geofencing is disclosed. The present disclosure seeks to prevent (or drastically reduce the probability) mass vehicle recovery events due to fragile portions of the map. Tooling is used to actively monitor chokepoints and new avoidance areas. Comprised by the operational design domain (ODD), geofences are actively changed in response to the state of the chokepoints and avoidance areas. Varying states can be assigned to a plurality of geofences within the ODD, for example, if a geofence reaches a critical state, one or more areas can be cut off from the ODD.