Foldable Brake Pedal Apparatus for Autonomous Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
In autonomous vehicles, the exposed brake pedals can disturb drivers' comfort during autonomous driving and pose a safety risk due to the possibility of erroneous operation during autonomous running modes.
Innovation Solution
A foldable brake pedal apparatus with guide grooves, a pedal shaft, an actuator, and a contactless pedal sensor that hides the brake pedal during autonomous running to prevent accidental operation, allowing exposure only during manual driving modes for driver convenience and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the brake pedal is exposed to the interior of the vehicle, then the driver can operate the brake pedal in manual driving mode, but the driver may unconsciously or erroneously operate the pedal in autonomous running situation
Solution Approach 1:
The brake pedal is designed to dynamically change its position between exposed and retracted states based on the driving mode. The pedal moves along guide grooves to transition between these positions, allowing the system to adapt to different operational requirements and prevent erroneous operations in autonomous mode
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor detects the driver's presence or foot position as an intermediary signal to control the pedal's position. This intermediary mechanism automatically adjusts the pedal visibility based on detected conditions, preventing direct manual operation when the driver is present in autonomous mode
2Ease of operation
If the brake pedal is exposed to the interior of the vehicle, then the driver can directly operate the vehicle in manual driving mode, but the pedal disturbs the driver's rest in autonomous running mode
Solution Approach 1:
The brake pedal transitions between exposed and retracted positions based on driving mode requirements. In autonomous mode, the pedal retracts to eliminate visual and physical disturbances to the driver's rest, while in manual mode it exposes the pedal for direct operation
3Reliability
If the brake pedal is retracted to prevent erroneous operation, then driver safety is improved in autonomous mode, but the driver cannot operate the brake pedal when needed in manual mode
Solution Approach 1:
The brake pedal system dynamically adjusts its position based on detected driving mode requirements. When manual operation is needed, the pedal moves to an exposed position for accessibility; when autonomous mode is active, it retracts to prevent erroneous operation
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor provides feedback about the driver's presence or foot position to the control system. This feedback mechanism enables automatic adjustment of the pedal position, ensuring it is accessible when needed and hidden when autonomous mode is active to prevent errors
Data Source
AI summary
A brake pedal apparatus of an autonomous vehicle may include a brake pedal, wherein a lower end portion of a brake pedal is popped-up to be exposed to the interior of the vehicle so that a driver may operate the brake pedal in a manual driving mode situation for the driver to directly drive the vehicle, and the brake pedal is in a hidden state so that the driver may not operate the brake pedal as the lower end portion of the brake pedal is rotated to move forward by operation of an actuator in an autonomous running mode situation in which the driver does not drive directly the vehicle.