Automated Driving Override Control at Intersection Risk Stops

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Solution Overview

Problem

The risk of disturbing traffic flow or causing contact or collision with other vehicles at intersections when the risk mitigation function is activated in a remote-type automated driving system, as it may lead to encountering other traffic participants while guiding the vehicle to a refuge location.

Innovation Solution

A driving control apparatus that sets a target stopping location for the risk mitigation function in a way that reduces encounter points with other traffic participants and minimizes the influence on traffic flow, by selecting a location with lower risk factors and adjusting override threshold values to prevent inappropriate interventions by occupants or passengers, ensuring safe stopping without disrupting traffic.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the risk mitigation function guides the vehicle to a refuge location at an intersection, then the vehicle can stop safely away from the original path, but the traffic flow may be disturbed or collision risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety of vehicle stoppingVSAvoidtraffic flow disturbance and collision risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The automated operation device searches for and identifies multiple candidate refuge locations before the risk mitigation function is activated. By pre-calculating safe stopping positions and their associated risks, the system can quickly select an appropriate location when RMF activation occurs, avoiding sudden maneuvers that would disturb traffic flow or create collision risks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system evaluates refuge locations based on multiple parameters including distance from intersection, availability of space, and potential impact on other vehicles. By changing and comparing these parameters across multiple candidate locations, the system selects the optimal refuge location that minimizes traffic disturbance while ensuring safe stopping

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If the override threshold value is lowered to allow occupant intervention, then manual control can be activated quickly, but inappropriate intervention may increase collision risk when RMF is active

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponsiveness to occupant interventionVSAvoidsafety against inappropriate intervention
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The override threshold value is made dynamic rather than fixed. When the risk mitigation function is active, the override threshold is automatically adjusted to a higher value, making override more difficult. When RMF is inactive, the threshold returns to normal levels. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to respond appropriately to occupant input while preventing dangerous overrides during critical RMF operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the activation state of the risk mitigation function and uses this feedback to adjust the override threshold value in real-time. This feedback mechanism ensures that the override characteristics are always appropriate for the current operational context, balancing responsiveness with safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4250040B1Driving control apparatus for vehicle
Publication Date: 2024.09.18 SUZUKI MOTOR CORP
  • EP4250040B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4250040B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4250040B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

[Problem to be Solved] To lower the risk of disturbing the traffic flow or contact or collision with other traffic participants at an intersection when a risk mitigation function is activated. [Solution] A driving control apparatus for a vehicle 1 provided with an automated operation device 10 for executing automated driving by remote monitoring and control has a risk mitigation function (RMF) that executes risk mitigation control for stopping the vehicle 1 at a target stopping location S in a case in which the continuation of remote monitoring and control has become difficult and an override function that stops automated driving by the automated operation device 10 and switches to a manual driving mode in response to a control intervention by an occupant or passenger of the vehicle 1. The automated operation device 10 is configured to execute a search for a plurality of target stopping location candidates on the basis of location information about the vehicle 1 and map information during the automated driving in preparation for RMF activation, and in a case in which a target stopping location candidate located on a path different from a target path PA of automated driving is selected as the target stopping location S from among the plurality of target stopping location candidates when the RMF is activated in the vicinity of an intersection, to change an override threshold value serving as a determination reference for the control intervention by an occupant or passenger to a larger value than an override threshold value when the RMF is inactive.