Dynamic Pickup Control for Autonomous Vehicle Stopping Areas
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In parking lots where vehicles gather in a stopping area for getting in or out, automated vehicles often arrive late and stay for a long time, potentially interfering with other vehicles, leading to traffic delays and inefficient use of space.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system that includes a recognizer to assess the surrounding situation, a driving control unit to manage steering and speed autonomously, and a communication unit to coordinate movements based on pickup requests, allowing the vehicle to adjust its presence in the stopping area according to recognized conditions, such as motorcade length and occupant availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the vehicle moves to the stopping area through automated driving, then the occupant can get into the vehicle conveniently, but the vehicle may stay in the stopping area for a long time and interfere with other vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The waiting time condition is made dynamic rather than fixed. The control unit adjusts the waiting time based on real-time surrounding situation recognized by the recognizer, such as presence of other vehicles, motorcade length, and number of vehicles. This allows the vehicle to adapt its staying duration in the stopping area to current traffic conditions, preventing prolonged occupation when unnecessary while ensuring sufficient waiting time when needed for occupant access.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the surrounding situation through the recognizer and using this information to adjust the vehicle's behavior. The control unit receives recognition results about other vehicles, motorcades, and traffic conditions, then determines whether to maintain or extend the waiting time condition. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures the vehicle responds appropriately to changing conditions in the stopping area.
2Ease of operation
If the vehicle waits for the occupant in the stopping area, then the occupant can get into the vehicle smoothly, but traffic flow may be delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The waiting time is dynamically adjusted based on recognized surrounding conditions. When the recognizer detects factors indicating the occupant may be delayed (such as long motorcades or many vehicles ahead), the control unit extends the waiting time condition. Conversely, when conditions suggest quick occupant access, the vehicle leaves promptly. This dynamic adjustment optimizes the balance between occupant convenience and traffic flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the time parameter (waiting duration) based on recognized conditions. The control unit modifies the waiting time condition from a fixed value to a variable that responds to surrounding situation parameters such as motorcade length, number of vehicles, and traffic density. This parameter change allows the system to adapt to different scenarios and minimize overall traffic delay.
3Reliability
If the vehicle stays in the stopping area for a long time, then the occupant can arrive late without issue, but the vehicle interferes with other vehicles and reduces parking lot efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle's staying duration is made dynamic rather than predetermined. The control unit continuously evaluates surrounding conditions through the recognizer and adjusts the waiting time condition accordingly. This ensures the vehicle stays long enough to reliably pick up the occupant when conditions suggest delay, but leaves promptly when conditions indicate the parking lot needs turnover, thus maintaining both reliability and efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The time parameter for vehicle staying is changed from a fixed value to a variable that responds to surrounding situation. The control unit modifies this parameter based on recognition results about traffic conditions, motorcades, and vehicle density, allowing the system to optimize the balance between pickup reliability and parking lot productivity under different conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control device includes a recognizer configured to recognize a surrounding situation of a vehicle; a driving control unit configured to control steering and a speed of the vehicle based on a recognition result of the recognizer irrespective of an operation by an occupant; and a communication unit configured to communicate with an external device. When the communication unit receives a pickup request for requesting the vehicle to move from a parking area and causing the occupant to get into the vehicle in a stopping area, the driving control unit causes the vehicle to move from the parking area to the stopping area and changes a condition for the vehicle to leave the stopping area based on the surrounding situation recognized by the recognizer near the stopping area.