Exterior Vehicle Display for User Feedback and Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles lack effective mechanisms for users to provide feedback on vehicle conditions, leading to inefficiencies in maintenance and trip management, particularly in on-demand and ridesharing applications.
Innovation Solution
A system with exterior human-machine interfaces on autonomous vehicles that allow users to input undesired vehicle conditions, enabling prompts for trip cancellation, maintenance requests, and service adjustments, while associating user inputs with their history for verification and prioritization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If autonomous vehicles operate without exterior feedback mechanisms, then device complexity is reduced, but loss of information occurs regarding vehicle conditions and user needs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary feedback system consisting of exterior displays and input mechanisms that mediate between the autonomous vehicle and users. This intermediary layer captures user feedback about vehicle conditions, maintenance needs, and trip preferences without requiring complex internal sensing systems, thus reducing information loss while adding controlled complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where users can provide information about vehicle conditions (e.g., cleanliness, damage, mechanical issues) through exterior interfaces. This feedback loop enables the vehicle to learn from user observations and improve its operation, directly addressing the information loss problem while maintaining manageable system complexity.
2Reliability
If users can provide detailed feedback on vehicle conditions, then reliability of maintenance scheduling improves, but device complexity of the feedback system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables users to self-report vehicle conditions through simple exterior interfaces. Users can independently indicate issues such as cleanliness problems, mechanical concerns, or damage without requiring complex diagnostic systems in the vehicle. This self-service approach improves maintenance reliability by capturing real-world conditions while keeping the feedback system simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback system that captures essential maintenance information through simplified user inputs rather than requiring comprehensive diagnostic data. By accepting partial information (e.g., basic condition reports rather than detailed technical diagnostics), the system achieves sufficient reliability for maintenance scheduling without excessive complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the vehicle holds for extended periods based on user request, then user convenience improves, but loss of time for vehicle utilization increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic holding system where the vehicle's availability status can be adjusted based on user requests. The exterior interface allows users to request extended holding periods when needed, while the system dynamically manages vehicle allocation to minimize overall utilization loss. This dynamic approach balances user convenience with fleet efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to a method and system for an exterior display of a vehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle, configured to issue feedback prompts. An example method includes issuing a prompt via a human-machine interface on an exterior of a vehicle permitting an input indicative of an undesired condition of the vehicle.