Autonomous Vehicle Lane Change Reference Line Shifting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous vehicles face challenges in planning and executing lane changes, especially when signaling their intention to change lanes is inadequate, leading to difficulties in finding suitable gaps in traffic.

Innovation Solution

The autonomous vehicle gradually moves its reference line toward the target lane while remaining within its current lane, performing lateral motion to signal the lane change and reduce the lateral distance needed for the change, thereby increasing the likelihood of finding a suitable gap for the lane change.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the autonomous vehicle waits for a traffic gap before initiating lane change, then safety is improved, but the time required for lane change increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelane change safetyVSAvoidlane change duration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The autonomous vehicle performs preliminary lateral motion within the current lane to signal lane change intention before actually changing lanes. This advance signaling action allows other drivers to anticipate the lane change, reducing waiting time while maintaining safety through progressive rather than abrupt lane change execution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the autonomous vehicle performs abrupt lane change to reduce time, then lane change speed is improved, but safety and collision risk worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelane change efficiencyVSAvoidlane change safety

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The lane change maneuver is segmented into multiple phases: initial lateral motion within current lane to signal intention, pause to assess traffic response, and final lane change execution. This segmentation allows the vehicle to maintain higher overall productivity by reducing waiting time while ensuring safety through controlled, progressive execution rather than abrupt single-phase lane change

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of information

If the autonomous vehicle signals lane change intention early, then other drivers' awareness is improved, but the time to find suitable gap increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelane change intention communicationVSAvoidgap search time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle performs preliminary lateral motion within the current lane boundary to signal lane change intention to surrounding drivers. This advance signaling improves communication of lane change intent, and by positioning the vehicle closer to the target lane beforehand, it reduces the subsequent time needed to find and execute a safe gap

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11407419B2Central line shifting based pre-change lane path planning

Publication Date: 2022.08.09 BAIDU USA LLC

AI summary

A method, apparatus, and system for executing a lane change is disclosed. That an ADV is in a lane changing region for an anticipated lane change into a neighboring target lane in a first direction is determined. The first direction is either a left direction or a right direction in a direction of travel of the ADV. A reference line is moved toward the target lane in the first direction at a predetermined rate while the reference line is kept within a current lane of the ADV. A gap in traffic for the anticipated lane change is searched for. Thereafter, in response to finding the gap in traffic for the anticipated lane change, the ADV is controlled to complete the lane change into the target lane.