Intersection Deceleration Control Aligned With Turn Intent

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing deceleration support systems for vehicles at intersections do not adequately account for variations in driver expectations based on the presence of oncoming vehicles, pedestrians, or traffic light conditions, leading to deceleration rates that may be too high or too low relative to the driver's expectations.

Innovation Solution

A driving support device that includes an intersection recognition module, a left/right turn prediction module, and an external information acquisition module to adjust the target vehicle speed and deceleration control based on information about oncoming vehicles, pedestrians, and traffic lights, optimizing deceleration to match driver expectations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the deceleration target point is set based only on left/right turn prediction, then the deceleration control can be simplified, but the deceleration rate may be too high or too low relative to driver expectations due to ignoring oncoming vehicles, pedestrians, and traffic light conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeceleration control complexityVSAvoidadaptability to different intersection conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The deceleration control system dynamically adjusts the deceleration target point and target vehicle speed based on real-time detection of oncoming vehicles, pedestrians, and traffic light conditions. The ECU modifies control parameters adaptively according to the specific intersection situation, making the system flexible and responsive to varying environmental conditions rather than using fixed control parameters

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates multiple sensors (camera, radar, LIDAR) that continuously monitor the intersection environment and provide feedback to the ECU. This feedback loop enables the system to detect oncoming vehicles, pedestrians, and traffic light states, and accordingly adjust the deceleration control to match driver expectations under different conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If the target vehicle speed is kept constant for all intersection scenarios, then the control system is simpler, but it cannot accommodate variations in driver expectations caused by different environmental factors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoiddriver expectation alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The ECU changes the target vehicle speed parameter dynamically based on detected environmental conditions. When oncoming vehicles, pedestrians, or specific traffic light patterns are detected, the system adjusts the target speed to values that align with driver expectations for those scenarios, rather than maintaining a constant target speed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4578752A1Driving support device
Publication Date: 2025.07.02 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4578752A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4578752A1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP4578752A1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3C

AI summary

The invention provides a driving support device including: an intersection recognition module (100) which recognizes an intersection in front of a vehicle (VH) in a traveling direction; a left/right turn prediction module (110) which predicts whether the vehicle (VH) is to turn left or right at the intersection recognized by the intersection recognition module (100); a deceleration control module (120, 130, 140) which performs, when the left/right turn prediction module (100) predicts that the vehicle (VH) is to turn left or right, deceleration control of decelerating the vehicle (VH) to a target vehicle speed (Vt) before the vehicle (VH) reaches a target position (Pt); and an external information acquisition module (40, 60, 70, 80) which acquires information on an oncoming vehicle, information on a pedestrian, and/or information on a traffic light color. The deceleration control module (120, 130, 140) sets the target vehicle speed and/or a start timing for starting the deceleration control based on the information acquired by the external information acquisition module (40, 60, 70, 80).