Foldable Steering Manipulator for Autonomous-Manual Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional integrated control apparatuses for autonomous driving vehicles are cumbersome and prone to misoperation when transitioning from autonomous to manual driving mode, with limited user interface displacement and complex operation mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A portable, foldable steering wheel integrated with a movable manipulator that includes a housing with a gripper, shift slide switch, acceleration trigger switch, and brake button switch, allowing for large operation displacement and intuitive operation by hanging the manipulator on a vehicle holder, enhancing user convenience and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a joystick with multiple switches is used for manual driving operation, then the vehicle can be controlled in autonomous mode, but the operation becomes difficult and inconvenient with high risk of misoperation
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is segmented into two distinct parts: a movable manipulator for primary vehicle control (steering, shifting, accelerating, braking) and a fixed display device for secondary functions. This segmentation allows the most frequently used controls to be positioned and shaped for optimal ergonomics while separating less frequently used functions to a display interface, thereby improving ease of operation without sacrificing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The manipulator is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be repositioned to the most convenient location for the user. The manipulator can be moved along the dashboard and positioned at optimal angles, enabling dynamic adaptation to different user preferences and driving conditions, thus improving ease of operation.
2Ease of operation
If a conventional integrated control apparatus with small steering displacement is used, then the device structure is compact, but the operation is not easy due to limited displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The steering wheel is designed with a folding mechanism that allows it to extend to a larger diameter during operation. When folded, it occupies minimal space; when unfolded, it provides the large circumference needed for comfortable hand placement and substantial rotational displacement, thereby improving ease of steering operation without permanently increasing the device's compact footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The steering wheel can be folded into a compact configuration that nests within or alongside the manipulator body when not in use. This nesting capability allows the steering function to provide large operational displacement when needed while maintaining a compact overall device structure, resolving the contradiction between operational ease and compactness.
3Volume of moving object
If the steering wheel is made foldable to save space, then the device structure is more compact, but the operation may become less convenient
Solution Approach 1:
The folding steering wheel incorporates a mechanism that allows smooth transition between folded and unfolded states. The wheel can be quickly deployed to full size for operation and then folded back when not needed, making the compromise between compactness and operational convenience dynamic rather than static. This dynamic capability allows the device to optimize its volume based on actual usage requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated control apparatus for an autonomous driving vehicle is configured to perform steering, shifting, accelerating, and braking of the vehicle by a user operating a foldable steering wheel, a shift slide switch, an acceleration trigger switch, and a brake button switch that are provided in a movable manipulator when the vehicle is turned from an autonomous driving mode to a manual driving mode.