Vehicle Interior Cleaning Feedback for Adaptive Dirt Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle cleaning systems are inadequate for ensuring complete cleanliness, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, and pose health hazards due to the limitations of UV light technology, and require frequent service visits, which is challenging for Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) vehicles that need to be cleaned between rides without human intervention.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous vehicle cleaning system with adjustable ground truth that uses light sources, sensors, UV sterilization, and cleaning fluids, which can detect and address foreign material, adjust detection thresholds based on passenger feedback, and optionally deliver the vehicle to a service location for cleaning, employing 2D or 3D sensors, window dimming, and autonomous driving.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UV lights are used to clean surfaces within a vehicle, then bacteria and viruses are killed and organic molecules are broken down, but UV lights do not always reach hard-to-reach spaces and can be hazardous to human health
Solution Approach 1:
The system activates UV lights only after detecting that all occupants have left the vehicle through door sensors and interior cameras, ensuring cleaning occurs before any human could be exposed. This preliminary safety check eliminates health hazards while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning system is divided into multiple zones with different cleaning methods: UV lights for accessible surfaces, specialized tools for hard-to-reach areas, and manual cleaning for complex regions. This segmentation ensures comprehensive coverage without relying solely on UV lights, maintaining reliability while managing safety.
2Reliability
If the vehicle is sent to a cleaning service facility for complete cleaning, then all areas including hard-to-reach spaces are cleaned, but frequent service visits are required which reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle is equipped with an autonomous cleaning system that includes movable seats, multiple light sources, sensors, and cleaning tools that can independently clean the interior without human intervention. The system automatically detects foreign material, adjusts detection thresholds based on passenger feedback, and executes cleaning protocols, enabling the vehicle to maintain itself between rides and dramatically reducing service visit frequency.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning system dynamically adapts its operation based on detected conditions. Sensors continuously monitor for foreign material, and the system adjusts detection thresholds using passenger survey feedback. The movable seats automatically reposition to access different areas, and the system selects appropriate cleaning methods based on the type and location of contaminants, optimizing cleaning effectiveness while minimizing service needs.
3Measurement precision
If detection thresholds are set to be highly sensitive, then all foreign material is detected, but wear defects like scratches and dents are mistakenly identified as dirt
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates passenger survey feedback to continuously adjust detection thresholds. When passengers report issues or confirm cleanliness, the system learns from this feedback and refines its detection parameters. This feedback loop enables the system to distinguish between actual foreign material and wear defects, improving measurement precision while reducing false positives over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes detection parameters based on contextual information. Detection thresholds are adjusted according to passenger feedback, vehicle usage patterns, and environmental conditions. The system can switch between different detection sensitivities for different vehicle zones and times, allowing high sensitivity for areas prone to contamination while maintaining lower sensitivity for areas where wear is more common, thereby reducing false positives while maintaining detection accuracy.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively detects and cleans foreign material in all areas of the vehicle interior, improving cleanliness and safety between passenger pickups, reducing the need for frequent service visits, and ensuring that MaaS vehicles are maintained in a healthier and more comfortable state for passengers.
Implementation Method 1
Ultraviolet (UV) light emission is a known technology used to clean the inside surfaces of a vehicle by killing bacteria/viruses, breaking down organic molecules
Implementation Method 2
a light source configured to illuminate the surface; a sensor configured to, under control of the processor, capture an image of the surface while the surface is illuminated by the light source
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a cleanable surface disposed within its interior. The vehicle also includes a processor, a light source able to illuminate the surface, and a sensor configured to capture an image of the surface while the surface is illuminated by the light source. The vehicle also includes a passenger survey system for receiving input from a passenger regarding cleanliness of the surface. The processor is configured to adjust a detection threshold based on the input, and to detect foreign material on the surface based on the detection threshold and a comparison between the captured image and a stored image. After detecting the foreign material on the surface, the processor indicates that the vehicle needs to be cleaned, and may initiate an automatic cleaning procedure.