Fold-Away Front Seating for Second-Row Legroom in Autonomous Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles require adaptable seating configurations to accommodate passengers and ensure safety by preventing interference with manual controls, while maintaining legroom and comfort.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle features a first row of seating that can transition from a passenger use configuration to a folded configuration, allowing additional legroom in the second row, with a partition to prevent access to manual controls and a console that moves to accommodate the priority passenger, enabling secure and comfortable travel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the first row of seating is folded into a second configuration to provide additional legroom, then passenger comfort and legroom are improved, but the passenger cannot access manual controls creating a safety risk
Solution Approach 1:
A partition is introduced as an intermediary element between the first row seating and the manual controls. The partition includes a base portion and a top portion that can pivot about the base portion. When the first row is in the second configuration, the partition prevents access to manual controls while allowing the passenger to remain comfortable in the second row seating.
2Ease of operation
If the first row of seating is folded into the dashboard to maximize legroom, then passenger comfort is improved, but the device complexity increases due to integration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The first row of seating is merged with the dashboard structure when in the second configuration. The seat back portion folds into a recess in the dashboard, and the headrest folds into the dashboard structure. This integration maximizes legroom while the partition provides the necessary control access prevention.
3Reliability
If a partition is added to prevent access to manual controls, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The partition is designed with dynamic characteristics, where the top portion can pivot about the base portion. This allows the partition to adapt its position based on the seating configuration - providing protection when needed while maintaining accessibility when appropriate. The partition works in conjunction with the movable console that can be positioned at different locations.
Data Source
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AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure relate to vehicles capable of autonomous driving. These vehicles, such as vehicles 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1700 may include seats for accommodating different numbers of passengers. In some cases, the seats may be reconfigurable. For instance, a vehicle may include a first row 210, 310, 410, 510, 610, 710, 810, 910, 1010, 1212 and 1214, 1310, 1410, 1710 of seating having a first, passenger use configuration. The first row may allow a passenger to sit in a seat of the first row of seating and access user input controls for the vehicle. The first row of seating may also have a second, folded configuration where the first row is in a folded configuration and no longer usable for passenger seating. The vehicle may also have a second row of seating 220, 320, 420, 520, 620, 720, 820, 920, 1020, 1220, 1320, 1420, 1720. When the first row of seating is in the second, folded configuration, the second row of seating may still be usable for seating and may include additional legroom for the passenger as compared to when the first row of seating is in the first passenger use configuration.