Lane-Keeping Assist Mode Switching for Speed Limit Exceedance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional driving assist systems face challenges in encouraging appropriate driving assistance as they advance, as simple alarms may not be sufficient to alert drivers to changing travel conditions, particularly in lane-keeping scenarios with raised assistance levels.
Innovation Solution
A driving assist method that includes a mode-switching controller to assess and switch between 'hands-off' and 'hands-on' modes based on actual vehicle speed exceeding the speed limit, requiring drivers to engage with the steering wheel when conditions demand attention, thereby lowering the assistance level and ensuring driver engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple alarm notification is used to alert drivers when speed limit is exceeded, then the device complexity is reduced, but the effectiveness of encouraging appropriate driving assistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system is segmented into multiple independent notification channels: visual notification (display device), auditory notification (speaker), and tactile notification (vibration device). This segmentation allows the system to use simple individual components while achieving reliable multi-modal notification through their combination.
Solution Approach 2:
The vibration notification device acts as an intermediary between the speed limit exceedance condition and the driver's awareness. The tactile feedback provides direct physical stimulation to the driver's hand on the steering wheel, creating a reliable alert that complements visual and auditory notifications.
2Ease of operation
If the driving assistance level is raised to allow hands-off operation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety deteriorates when traveling conditions require driver alertness
Solution Approach 1:
The lane-keeping assist system dynamically adjusts its operational mode based on real-time assessment of traveling conditions. When speed limit exceedance is detected, the system transitions from hands-off mode to hands-on mode, making the assistance level adaptive rather than static. This allows the system to provide high ease of operation under normal conditions while ensuring driver engagement when safety concerns arise.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors traveling conditions including actual speed, speed limit, and driver hand position on the steering wheel. This feedback loop enables the system to detect when speed limit exceedance occurs and automatically adjust the driving assistance level by requiring hands-on operation, thereby maintaining safety while preserving ease of operation during normal conditions.
3Reliability
If the notification speed is lowered to increase driver awareness, then the driver alertness is improved, but the productivity deteriorates due to more frequent interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system applies different notification intensities and types based on the specific traveling condition. Instead of using a single low notification speed threshold that would cause frequent interruptions, the system uses multi-modal notifications (visual, auditory, tactile) activated only when specific conditions are met (speed limit exceedance during hands-off operation), providing targeted awareness without unnecessary interruptions.
Data Source
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AI summary
The purpose of the present disclosure is to encourage travel based on appropriate driving assistance by lowering a driving assistance level when alerting a driver is necessary in a lane-keeping travel scenario with a raised driving assistance level. A vehicle speed/headway control function and a lane-keeping function are provided as driving assist functions to assist driving operations by a driver, and a mode-switching controller (47) is provided for switching between lane-keeping assist modes that assist a host vehicle to remain within a lane during travel. In the lane-keeping assist mode, it is assessed whether or not a traveling condition has been met that an actual vehicle speed VR of the host vehicle exceeds a speed limit VL(n) of a roadway on which the host vehicle is traveling during lane-keeping travel in which "hands-off mode M1," which allows the driver to remove their hands from the steering wheel (23), has been selected. The mode is switched from "hands-off mode M1" to "hands-on mode M2," which has as a condition that the driver has their hands on the steering wheel (23), if it is assessed that the traveling condition that the actual vehicle speed VR exceeds the speed limit VL(n) has been met.