Lean Vehicle Following Control During Accelerator Operation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lean vehicles, such as motorcycles, face challenges in optimizing the positional relationship with vehicles ahead, particularly during accelerator operations, which can lead to unsafe proximity and potential collisions.

Innovation Solution

A controller and control method that includes speed control and safety determination to adjust the positional relationship between a lean vehicle and a vehicle ahead, executing speed adjustment assistance when following safety is below standard, using sensors and control units to manage inter-vehicle distance and relative speed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If speed control is executed to maintain target positional relationship during accelerator operation, then the positional relationship between lean vehicle and vehicle ahead is optimized, but the following safety may be compromised when the lean vehicle travels near the vehicle ahead

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefollowing safetyVSAvoidaccelerator operation freedom
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The determination section continuously monitors the actual positional relationship between the lean vehicle and vehicle ahead, comparing it with the target state, and triggers speed adjustment assistance when safety thresholds are violated, creating a closed-loop feedback system that dynamically ensures following safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary safety assessment by determining whether the lean vehicle is traveling near the vehicle ahead before executing speed adjustment assistance operation, preventing unsafe situations before they occur rather than reacting after collision risk arises

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the lean vehicle travels near the vehicle ahead during accelerator operation, then the productivity and responsiveness are improved, but the safety risk increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccelerator operation responsivenessVSAvoidcollision risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the control strategy based on real-time safety assessment, transitioning from normal speed control to speed adjustment assistance operation when the lean vehicle travels near the vehicle ahead, making the safety mechanism adaptive rather than static

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The determination section acts as an intermediary that assesses safety conditions and mediates between the accelerator operation responsiveness and collision risk prevention, deciding when to activate speed adjustment assistance without directly interfering with normal driving operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4647311A1Control device and control method
Publication Date: 2025.11.12 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP4647311A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4647311A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4647311A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention obtains a controller and a control method capable of optimizing a positional relationship between a lean vehicle and a vehicle ahead. In the controller and the control method according to the invention, at least during an accelerator operation by a rider, an execution section of the controller executes, as rider-assistance operation to assist with driving by the rider, speed control for controlling a speed of a lean vehicle (1) such that a positional relationship between the lean vehicle (1) and a vehicle ahead (2) located ahead of the lean vehicle (1) approaches a target state that varies according to an operation amount of the accelerator operation. Furthermore, a determination section of the controller determines following safety of the lean vehicle (1) to follow the vehicle ahead (2). During execution of the speed control, in the case where the determination section determines that the following safety is lower than a standard, the execution section executes speed adjustment assistance operation as operation to assist with speed adjustment for moving the lean vehicle (1) away from the vehicle ahead (2).