Model Predictive Adaptive Cruise Control for Rear-End Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) systems primarily focus on front-end collisions and do not adequately address rear-end collisions, nor do they consider the dynamics of both preceding and following vehicles, leading to potential increased collision risks and neglecting passenger comfort and fuel economy.
Innovation Solution
A novel model-predictive control approach that senses the speed and distance of both the preceding and following vehicles, using a hybrid MPC policy to adjust the ego vehicle's speed, switching between normal and tailgating modes to maintain safe distances and reduce collision risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ACC systems focus only on front-end collision avoidance by controlling distance to preceding vehicle, then front-end collision risk is reduced, but rear-end collision risk increases due to unpredictable ego vehicle speed changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the traditional two-vehicle ACC model to a three-vehicle system by incorporating the follower vehicle into the control loop. This dimensional expansion allows the system to simultaneously manage distances to both the preceding and following vehicles, resolving the contradiction between front-end and rear-end collision avoidance through multi-dimensional spatial awareness
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the follower vehicle's speed and distance, then adjusting the ego vehicle's speed accordingly. When the follower is detected to be too close, the system modifies acceleration and deceleration patterns to maintain safe following distance, creating a closed-loop control system that prevents rear-end collisions while maintaining front-end safety
2Reliability
If ACC system increases following distance to maintain safety, then front-end collision risk is reduced, but fuel economy deteriorates due to extended braking and throttling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of following distance based on real-time conditions. The system switches between normal driving mode (fuel-efficient smaller gap) and safe spacing mode (larger gap when follower is present), allowing the vehicle to optimize the balance between safety and fuel consumption rather than maintaining a fixed conservative distance
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the spacing parameter dynamically based on the presence and behavior of the follower vehicle. By adjusting the time gap and distance parameters only when necessary (when follower vehicle is detected), the system maintains fuel efficiency during normal operation while ensuring safety when required
3Reliability
If ACC system frequently switches between throttle and brake controllers to maintain distance, then collision avoidance is improved, but passenger comfort deteriorates due to abrupt speed changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting the follower vehicle's presence in advance and proactively adjusting speed before critical situations arise. By anticipating potential conflicts and making gradual speed adjustments ahead of time, the system avoids abrupt throttle-brake switching while maintaining safe distances and ensuring collision avoidance
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of and systems for adaptive cruise control (ACC) of a vehicle include a controller for the vehicle that is configured to execute a computer-implemented model predictive control and a safe spacing policy that reduces collision risk between the vehicle and both a leading vehicle and a following vehicle. The methods include sensing a speed of a leader vehicle in front of the ego vehicle and a distance of the leader vehicle from the ego vehicle, sensing a speed of a follower vehicle behind the ego vehicle and a distance of the follower vehicle from the ego vehicle, and controlling the speed of the ego vehicle to avoid collision with the leader vehicle while reducing risk of the ego vehicle being hit by the follower vehicle.