Electronic Control Unit for Seamless Autonomous to Remote Vehicle Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for alternative electronic control units and methods that allow seamless transfer of vehicle control from autonomous driving mode to a remote operator without interrupting travel, especially when the driver is unavailable to take immediate control upon termination of autonomous driving mode.
Innovation Solution
An electronic control unit equipped with processors, network interface hardware, and memory modules that communicate with a remote server to determine when autonomous driving mode will terminate, transfer control to a remote operator if the driver is unavailable, and alert the driver to take manual control after a specified time period, allowing for a smooth transition between autonomous, remote, and manual control modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the driver takes control of the autonomous vehicle during handover, then the vehicle can be operated manually, but the vehicle's travel is interrupted when the driver is unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
A remote operator serves as an intermediary between the autonomous driving system and the driver. When the driver is unavailable to take control during handover, the remote operator remotely operates the vehicle through a communication system, ensuring continuous vehicle operation without interruption while bridging the gap between autonomous mode and manual driver control.
2Reliability
If the vehicle executes a fail-safe maneuver such as pulling over or stopping, then the vehicle safety is maintained, but the vehicle's travel is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The remote operator acts as a mediator that eliminates the need for fail-safe maneuvers like pulling over or stopping. By providing remote operational capability, the system maintains vehicle safety and continuous travel simultaneously, as the remote operator can take control without requiring the vehicle to change its position or stop its journey.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary assessment of driver availability before executing handover. By checking driver status in advance and having a remote operator ready to intervene, the system prevents the need for emergency fail-safe maneuvers, allowing smooth transition of control without interrupting the vehicle's travel or requiring unsafe stopping.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic control unit for a vehicle for switching vehicle control from an autonomous driving mode includes one or more processors, network interface hardware configured to communicate with a remote server over a network, and one or more memory modules that store logic. The electronic control unit executes logic to determine that the autonomous driving mode of the vehicle will terminate, determine that a driver is unavailable to take immediate control of the vehicle upon termination of the autonomous driving, transfer control of the vehicle to a remote operator over the network interface hardware for a first time period, generate an alert to the driver to take manual control of the vehicle, and transfer control of the vehicle to one of the driver and the autonomous driving mode after the first time period has elapsed.