Autonomous Vehicle Echelon Parking Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in safely managing subsystem faults and human driver unresponsiveness, which can lead to collisions with other vehicles, as existing systems lack effective mechanisms for prompt and safe parking strategies.
Innovation Solution
The system employs an electronic control unit (ECU) with sensors and actuators to identify roadside parking locations and orient the vehicle at a perceptible acute angle to adjacent traffic lanes, utilizing a CAN bus for communication and data processing to execute autonomous parking maneuvers, including echelon parking, to minimize collision risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the autonomous vehicle parks parallel to the traffic lane, then it minimizes the space occupied, but it reduces visibility to approaching drivers and increases collision risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the parking orientation from a one-dimensional parallel alignment to a two-dimensional angled position (echelon parking at 30-60 degrees). This dimensional change in orientation simultaneously achieves both goals: the vehicle occupies more lateral space but dramatically improves visibility to approaching traffic while maintaining efficient use of longitudinal road space.
2Reliability
If the autonomous vehicle responds to take over requests by human drivers, then it maintains normal operation, but it fails to address scenarios where drivers fail to respond
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary safety actions by automatically initiating echelon parking maneuvers when driver unresponsiveness is detected. Instead of waiting for driver response, the system proactively executes pre-programmed safe parking sequences, ensuring vehicle safety even when human drivers fail to respond to takeover requests.
3Device complexity
If the vehicle uses traditional parking maneuvers, then it maintains simple control logic, but it lacks effective mechanisms for safe parking when subsystem faults occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control logic that adapts parking maneuvers based on real-time fault conditions and environmental sensors. The system transitions from static traditional parking to dynamic echelon parking, adjusting steering angles, speeds, and maneuver sequences based on detected subsystem faults and surrounding traffic conditions, thereby enhancing safety without requiring overly complex predetermined logic.
Data Source
AI summary
Upon determining that one of a driver condition and a subsystem fault preventing continued operation has occurred, certain actions are taken by an autonomously operating vehicle. An appropriate road-side location for parking is identified. The vehicle is maneuvered to the appropriate road side location. The vehicle is oriented to a specified acute angle to an adjacent traffic lane.