Follow-up Start Control Device for Traffic Jam Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing follow-up start control systems for vehicles in traffic jams lack user-friendliness and versatility, particularly in accurately determining traffic jam conditions and setting appropriate follow-up start permissions based on road categories without relying on navigation systems or cameras.
Innovation Solution
A follow-up start control device equipped with a recognition unit, first and second determination units, a controller, an estimation unit, and a setting unit, which detects stop and start events of preceding vehicles, determines traffic jam presence, estimates road categories, and sets follow-up start permission times based on vehicle behavior parameters, enabling automatic start control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the follow-up start permission time is extended to save driver operation load, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of pedestrian or bicycle collision increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different permission time settings to different road locations. Permission time is extended in areas with low pedestrian/bicycle activity (such as highways or open roads) while maintaining shorter permission times in areas with high pedestrian/bicycle presence (such as urban streets or areas near crosswalks). This location-specific differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing extended operation ease only where it does not increase collision risk.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the follow-up start permission time is set short to ensure safety, then collision risk is reduced, but the number of automatic start opportunities decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The permission time is made dynamic rather than fixed. The system continuously adjusts the permission time based on real-time detection of pedestrian and bicycle presence, road type, and traffic conditions. When no vulnerable road users are detected, permission time is extended to maximize automatic start opportunities. When vulnerable road users are detected, permission time is shortened to ensure safety. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting the timing to actual conditions.
3Measurement precision
If navigation systems and cameras are used to determine road categories, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the vehicle's existing sensors (accelerometer, steering angle sensor, brake sensor) to infer road category and determine appropriate permission times. Instead of adding dedicated navigation systems or cameras, the system repurposes data from components already present in the vehicle. The control unit analyzes driving patterns and sensor data to automatically determine whether the vehicle is on a highway, urban road, or other road type, thereby resolving the contradiction by achieving accurate road category determination without increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A follow-up start control device for a vehicle includes a recognition unit, a first determination unit, a second determination unit, a controller, an estimation unit, and a setting unit. The recognition unit is configured to detect a stop and a start of a preceding vehicle. The first determination unit is configured to determine presence or absence of a traffic jam on a road. The second determination unit is configured to compare stop time with permission time. The controller is configured to execute a follow-up automatic start control when the second determination unit determines that the stop time is equal to or shorter than the permission time. The estimation unit is configured to estimate a category of the road, when the first determination unit determines the presence of the traffic jam. The setting unit is configured to set the permission time, in accordance with the category of the road.