Automated Driving Indicator Lamp Transition Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated driving enabled vehicles face challenges in ensuring safety transitions when switching from automated driving to manual driving, as the automated driving indicator lamp's simple switch-off may not adequately inform surrounding vehicles and pedestrians of the change in driving state, leading to potential safety issues and reduced predictability.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a lamp controller that switches the automated driving indicator lamp from a continuous illumination state to a flickering state during the transition from automated driving to manual driving, and maintains this flickering state for a certain period to ensure that the change in driving state is perceptibly communicated to others.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the automated driving indicator lamp is simply switched off when transitioning from automated to manual driving, then the device complexity is reduced, but the visibility and predictability of the driving state change is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by making the automated driving indicator lamp flicker (turn on and off periodically) during the transition from automated to manual driving. This flickering pattern creates a more noticeable visual signal compared to a simple switch-off, ensuring that surrounding vehicles and pedestrians can clearly perceive the change in driving state. The periodic on-off action maintains low device complexity while significantly improving information visibility.
2Reliability
If a flickering pattern is used to indicate transition, then the predictability and safety are improved, but the use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flickering pattern uses periodic action to create a noticeable signal that improves safety and predictability during transition. While this does increase energy consumption compared to a simple switch-off, the energy used is minimal and only for a brief transition period, making the trade-off acceptable for the safety improvement.
Solution Approach 2:
The lamp maintains continuous useful action by staying illuminated (either on or flickering) during the transition, rather than turning completely off. This ensures continuous visibility while the flickering pattern conveys the transition meaning, maintaining safety throughout the state change process.
Data Source
AI summary
An automated driving enabled vehicle includes a travel controller, an automated driving indicator lamp, and a lamp controller. The automated driving indicator lamp is switched on perceptibly from outside the vehicle on the occasion of automated driving. On the occasion of switching of a driving state of the vehicle from the automated driving to manual driving, the lamp controller switches off the automated driving indicator lamp after changing a lighting state of the automated driving indicator lamp from a first lighting state during the execution of the automated driving to a second lighting state different from the first lighting state.