Lane Keeping Torque Control for Unsignaled Lane Changes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lane keeping systems fail to detect and handle lane changes smoothly without turn indicators, leading to undesirable torque feedback due to discontinuities in calculating the vehicle's position relative to the lane center.
Innovation Solution
Implementing methods to detect lane changes by calculating distance and time, disengaging and re-engaging lane keeping torque, and incorporating hysteresis to correct torque feedback, ensuring smooth transitions during lane changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the lane keeping system provides torque proportional to the distance from lane center, then the vehicle is retained in the lane, but during lane change the camera switches to new lane markers causing discontinuity and abrupt torque pull toward center of next lane
Solution Approach 1:
The system detects lane change intent before the camera actually switches to new lane markers by monitoring vehicle position and lane marker distance trends. When a lane change is predicted, the system preemptively adjusts or disables the torque feedback mechanism to prevent the abrupt centering torque that would occur after marker switching. This preliminary action resolves the contradiction by eliminating the harmful abrupt torque while maintaining reliable lane keeping during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The lane keeping system dynamically adjusts its torque feedback characteristics based on detected driving conditions. During normal lane keeping, full proportional torque is applied for high accuracy. When lane change is detected or anticipated, the system dynamically modifies the torque calculation to account for the upcoming camera marker switch, creating a smooth transition rather than an abrupt pull. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between maintaining steady lane keeping torque and preventing abrupt torque during lane changes.
2Measurement precision
If the camera continuously tracks lane markers to calculate vehicle position, then positioning accuracy is maintained, but during lane change the marker switching causes discontinuity in distance calculation
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary lane change detection mechanism that mediates between the camera's continuous marker tracking and the torque feedback system. This intermediary layer monitors vehicle position trends, lane marker distances, and steering inputs to detect lane change intent before the camera actually switches markers. By detecting the lane change early, the system can prepare the torque calculation to account for the upcoming marker switch, thereby maintaining both measurement precision and calculation continuity without the abrupt discontinuity that would otherwise occur.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods and computer program products for lane change detection and handling of lane keeping torque during an un-signaled lane change. Disclosed herein is an exemplary embodiment for a method including calculating a distance between a center of a vehicle and a center of a lane, determining a discontinuity in the calculation of the distance between the center of the vehicle and the center of a lane and disabling torque corrections to compensate for the discontinuity until the vehicle is near the center (position based) of the new lane and a certain time has elapsed (time based) from the detection of the discontinuity. Hysterisis or smoothly changing torque controls are offered to work with the Time and Position based lane change handling method.