EV Trailer Navigation for Suitable Charging Route Planning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Charging an electric vehicle with a trailer is challenging due to the trailer's impact on the vehicle's range and the difficulty in finding suitable charging stations that accommodate the extended dimensions, and existing systems fail to provide advance information on suitable charging opportunities.
Innovation Solution
A navigation system for electric vehicles with trailer detection capabilities that identifies suitable charging stations and routes by considering trailer and charging station configurations, allowing charging without decoupling the trailer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle tows a trailer, then the utility and carrying capacity of the vehicle is improved, but the electric range is reduced and charging becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The navigation system performs preliminary assessment of charging stations along the planned route before the vehicle reaches them. It identifies suitable charging stations that can accommodate vehicles with trailers and provides this information to the driver in advance, allowing proactive route planning and charging station selection rather than reactive problem-solving at the charging location.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle tows a trailer, then the carrying capacity is improved, but finding suitable charging stations becomes difficult due to extended dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback from multiple sources including official charging station data about slot dimensions, real-world charging reports from other users with trailers, and navigation data. This feedback loop allows the system to continuously improve its assessment of which charging stations are suitable for vehicles with trailers, providing increasingly accurate recommendations.
Solution Approach 2:
The navigation system acts as an intermediary between the vehicle with trailer and the charging infrastructure. It translates the vehicle's dimensions and trailer configuration into compatibility assessments with charging slots, and presents processed information about suitable charging stations to the driver, bridging the information gap between vehicle requirements and charging station capabilities.
3Quantity of substance
If the vehicle uses common charging stations, then charging availability is improved, but vehicles with trailers cannot be charged due to space constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality assessment by evaluating specific characteristics of individual charging slots rather than treating all charging stations uniformly. It considers local factors such as slot length, width, and surrounding obstacles to determine suitability for vehicles with trailers, allowing differentiation between charging slots at the same station or different stations along the route.
4Ease of operation
If the driver plans a route without considering charging stations, then route flexibility is improved, but the vehicle may reach insufficient charge levels
Solution Approach 1:
The navigation system performs preliminary calculation of energy consumption based on route characteristics, vehicle load, and trailer presence. It identifies mandatory charging stops along the route where the vehicle must charge to maintain adequate charge levels, integrating these requirements into route planning before the journey begins, thus ensuring reliability without sacrificing flexibility.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for navigation support of an electric vehicle (EV) towing a trailer comprises specifying a destination for a planned trip with the EV via a navigation system of the EV; detecting, by a trailer detection device of the EV, that a trailer is connected to the EV; assessing, by the navigation system, charging stations along potential routes for the specified destination that are suitable for recharging the EV while the trailer is connected to the EV; and at least one of: indicating the suitable charging stations via the navigation system; and determining candidate routes for the planned trip by the navigation system based on the specified destination and the suitable charging stations.