Vehicular Mirror Reflectance Control for Automated Driving
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles with automated driving systems, occupants do not need to see the rear while the vehicle is in operation, leading to glare issues until the mirror reflectance changes, which is not effectively addressed by existing antiglare mirror systems.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular mirror system that distinguishes between driving modes, adjusting mirror reflectance based on light intensity differences when the occupant is driving and maintaining a lower reflectance state when the occupant is not driving, ensuring comfort and preventing glare in both scenarios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the mirror reflectance is changed automatically based on light intensity difference, then glare prevention for driving occupants is improved, but the system causes discomfort for non-driving occupants who do not need rear-view visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The mirror system dynamically adjusts its reflectance based on the detected driving mode. When automated driving is detected, the mirror maintains high reflectance for rear-view visibility. When manual driving is detected, the mirror switches to low reflectance to prevent glare. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the mirror's behavior context-dependent rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameter of mirror reflectance based on the driving mode parameter. By detecting whether the occupant is performing driving operations, the system adjusts the reflectance parameter between two states: high reflectance for automated driving mode and low reflectance for manual driving mode. This parameter change approach allows the system to optimize for different operational contexts.
2Loss of information
If the mirror maintains high reflectance for automated driving mode, then rear-view visibility is improved, but glare occurs when the vehicle switches to manual driving mode
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from the driving mode detection mechanism to control the mirror reflectance. The detection unit continuously monitors whether the occupant is performing driving operations, and this feedback information is used to adjust the mirror's reflectance state. This closed-loop feedback system ensures the mirror adaptively responds to changing driving conditions, preventing both visibility loss and glare.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirror system transitions from a static high-reflectance state to a dynamic state that adapts to driving mode changes. When the system detects a switch from automated to manual driving mode, it dynamically adjusts the reflectance from high to low to prevent glare. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by making the mirror responsive to real-time operational context.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the mirror reflectance changes rapidly in response to light intensity, then antiglare performance is improved, but the system causes discomfort for occupants in automated driving mode who need stable rear-view visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the control parameter from continuous light-intensity-based adjustment to discrete driving-mode-based adjustment. Instead of rapidly changing reflectance in response to every light intensity variation, the system adjusts reflectance based on the stable driving mode parameter. This approach maintains reflectance stability during automated driving while still providing antiglare protection when appropriate.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively prevents glare for occupants not performing driving operations by dynamically adjusting mirror reflectance, maintaining rear-view performance and comfort by switching between automatic antiglare and antiglare keeping states based on driving modes.
Implementation Method 1
an antiglare mirror system in which electrochromic cells are incorporated in a rear-view mirror. The antiglare mirror system described in JP 2002-283914 A has a configuration in which a reflectance of a mirror is changed by applying a voltage corresponding to a light intensity difference
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular mirror system includes: a driving mode acquiring unit configured to acquire one of a first driving mode in which a vehicle travels using an occupant's driving operation and a second driving mode in which the vehicle travels regardless of the occupant's driving operation as a driving mode; and a mirror control unit configured to change a reflectance of a vehicular mirror facing rearward according to a light intensity difference between a light intensity on a side in front of the vehicle and a light intensity on a side to the rear of the vehicle with respect to the vehicular mirror when the driving mode is the first driving mode and to keep the reflectance of the vehicular mirror in a state in which the reflectance is lower than that in a normal state when the driving mode is the second driving mode.