Lane Change Control for Short Connection Areas at Branches
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control systems fail to adequately address the convenience of occupants by appropriately determining the executability of automatic lane change control, leading to situations where automatic lane change is not feasible until the vehicle has already reached the branch point, necessitating sudden manual intervention.
Innovation Solution
A control device and method that determine the executability of automatic lane change based on the length and curvature of the connection area, notifying the occupant if lane change is not feasible and decelerating the vehicle to a suitable speed for manual or automatic execution, ensuring timely notification and safe lane changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automatic lane change control is executed at high speed, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates when connection area length is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary determination of whether automatic lane change control is executable by assessing the connection area length before execution. This advance assessment ensures that lane changes are only initiated when sufficient space is available, preventing unsafe high-speed lane changes while maintaining productivity when conditions are favorable.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the execution of lane change control based on real-time assessment of connection area length. When the connection area is sufficient, high-speed automatic lane change is permitted; when insufficient, the system prevents execution or switches to manual control, thereby maintaining reliability across varying conditions.
2Ease of operation
If lane change notification is provided early, then ease of operation is improved, but loss of time increases due to extended notification period
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides preliminary notification to the occupant before automatic lane change control is executed, allowing the occupant to prepare for the upcoming maneuver. This advance notification improves ease of operation by reducing surprise and enhancing occupant awareness, while the notification is timed to avoid excessive duration.
3Reliability
If manual lane change control is required, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to increased occupant burden
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments lane change control into automatic and manual modes based on connection area length. When the connection area is sufficient, automatic control is used to improve ease of operation. When insufficient, manual control is required to maintain reliability. This segmentation allows the system to optimize for the appropriate criterion depending on conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback to the occupant regarding the executability of automatic lane change control and the reasons thereof. This feedback mechanism helps the occupant understand when manual intervention is needed, reducing the perceived burden by providing clear guidance and rationale for the control mode transition.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device performs: determining (a) whether a length in a traveling direction of a connection area in which a first lane and a second lane are connected satisfies being a length for changing a lane of a mobile object; determining (b) whether changing the lane of the mobile object to the second lane is possible in the connection area at a mobile object speed; notifying an occupant that the mobile object is not able to change the lane before the mobile object arrives at the second lane and when (a) is not satisfied; and decelerating the mobile object to a speed at which the mobile object is able to change the lane and which is equal to or higher than the prescribed speed when the mobile object is scheduled to change the lane to the second lane and when (a) is satisfied and (b) is not satisfied.