Merge Notification Timing for Automated-to-Manual Driving Handover

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle navigation systems fail to adequately notify drivers of the need to switch from automatic to manual control when merging onto roads with varying widths, leading to insufficient time for manual control, especially in cases of sudden width decreases.

Innovation Solution

A notification location setting device that determines a suitable notification location based on the shape of the width-varying zone before a merging location, setting it further away from the merging point for smaller width decreases and adjusting for structures alongside the road, ensuring the driver receives a timely control switching request.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If the notification location is set closer to the merging location, then the driver receives timely notification, but the driver has insufficient time to switch to manual control when the road width decreases suddenly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification timeVSAvoiddriver response time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The notification location is dynamically adjusted based on the road width variation characteristics. When the road width decreases suddenly (short width-varying zone), the notification location is set further from the merging location to provide adequate driver response time. When the road width decreases gradually (long width-varying zone), the notification location can be closer to the merging location. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between timely notification and sufficient driver response time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the notification distance parameter based on the degree of road width decrease. By detecting the characteristics of the width-varying zone (sudden vs. gradual decrease), the system adjusts the notification location parameter to optimize both notification timeliness and driver response time, resolving the technical contradiction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If the notification location is set further from the merging location, then the driver has sufficient time to switch to manual control, but the notification may be too early for sudden width decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedriver response timeVSAvoidnotification time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The notification location is dynamically adjusted based on the road width variation characteristics. When the road width decreases suddenly (short width-varying zone), the notification location is set further from the merging location to provide adequate driver response time. When the road width decreases gradually (long width-varying zone), the notification location can be closer to the merging location. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between timely notification and sufficient driver response time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the notification distance parameter based on the degree of road width decrease. By detecting the characteristics of the width-varying zone (sudden vs. gradual decrease), the system adjusts the notification location parameter to optimize both notification timeliness and driver response time, resolving the technical contradiction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If a fixed notification distance is used, then the system is simple to implement, but it cannot adapt to different road width variation patterns

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification system complexityVSAvoidroad adaptation capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The notification location is dynamically adjusted based on the road width variation characteristics. When the road width decreases suddenly (short width-varying zone), the notification location is set further from the merging location to provide adequate driver response time. When the road width decreases gradually (long width-varying zone), the notification location can be closer to the merging location. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between timely notification and sufficient driver response time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the notification distance parameter based on the degree of road width decrease. By detecting the characteristics of the width-varying zone (sudden vs. gradual decrease), the system adjusts the notification location parameter to optimize both notification timeliness and driver response time, resolving the technical contradiction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11834062B2Notification location setting device, storage medium storing computer program for notification location setting, and notification location setting method

Publication Date: 2023.12.05 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

A notification location setting device comprises a notification device, and a processor configured to set on a traveling road a notification location where the driver is to be notified of a control switching request for switching operation of the vehicle from automatic control to manual control, based on the shape of a width-varying zone where the width of the traveling road varies before a merging location, in a case where a merging location where the traveling road on which the vehicle is traveling within a traveling route toward the destination location of the vehicle merges with another road, and to notify the driver of the control switching request via the notification device when the vehicle has not entered the other road at the notification location.