Vehicle On-Board Unit Architecture for Infrastructure-Guided CAV Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle on-board units (OBU) for connected and automated vehicles (CAV) are limited in their ability to provide comprehensive control and management for CAVs, as they primarily focus on communication with other vehicles or infrastructure without offering a connected automated vehicle highway system solution.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control OBU configured to exchange data with a vehicle infrastructure coordination transportation system, providing detailed and time-sensitive control instructions for automated vehicle driving, including vehicle following, lane changing, and route guidance, while integrating with a connected automated vehicle highway system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing OBU systems communicate with other vehicles or infrastructure, then basic vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-infrastructure communication is achieved, but comprehensive vehicle control and management for connected and automated vehicles is not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The OBU is designed to perform multiple functions including communication with infrastructure, receiving control instructions, executing vehicle control operations, and coordinating with other CAVs. This multi-functional approach enables comprehensive vehicle control without requiring separate dedicated systems for each function, thereby improving versatility while managing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The OBU acts as an intermediary device between the infrastructure system and the vehicle's internal control systems. It receives control instructions from the infrastructure, processes them, and executes appropriate vehicle control actions. This intermediary role enables comprehensive control capability while simplifying the overall system architecture by centralizing control functions in a single coordinated unit.
2Extent of automation
If comprehensive control instructions are sent to individual vehicles, then full vehicle operations and control are enabled, but data processing and communication requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The OBU pre-processes and filters control instructions received from the infrastructure before executing them. It performs preliminary validation, interpretation, and coordination of multiple instructions, reducing the data processing load during critical execution phases and ensuring accurate implementation of automated control operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The control instructions and data processing tasks are segmented into discrete manageable units. The OBU processes control instructions in structured segments, handling different vehicle operations (steering, acceleration, braking) as separate controllable functions. This segmentation reduces information loss by ensuring each control element is processed and executed accurately without overwhelming the system.
3Reliability
If existing OBU systems are implemented, then basic autonomous driving functions are achieved, but expensive and complicated on-board systems are required
Solution Approach 1:
The OBU serves as an intermediary that bridges the infrastructure control system and the vehicle's existing control architecture. By centralizing the intelligence for autonomous driving control in the OBU and leveraging infrastructure support, the system achieves high reliability without requiring every vehicle to have equally complex onboard autonomous driving systems. The OBU coordinates with simpler vehicle control units to execute reliable autonomous operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex mechanical and electronic onboard autonomous driving systems with a more streamlined approach using the OBU as an intelligent coordinator. Instead of relying on elaborate sensor arrays and processing units within each vehicle, the OBU utilizes infrastructure-based sensing and control, substituting vehicle-based mechanical complexity with a lighter onboard unit that communicates with external infrastructure systems.
Data Source
AI summary
This technology provides designs and methods for the vehicle on-board unit (OBU), which facilitates vehicle operations and control for connected automated vehicle highway (CAVH) systems. OBU systems provide vehicles with individually customized information and real-time control instructions for vehicle to fulfill the driving tasks such as car following, lane changing, route guidance. OBU systems also realize transportation operations and management services for both freeways and urban arterials. The OBU composed of the following devices: 1) a vehicle motion state parameter and environment parameter collection unit; 2) a multi-mode communication unit; 3) a location unit; 4) an intelligent gateway unit, and 5) a vehicle motion control unit. The OBU systems realize one or more of the following function categories: sensing, transportation behavior prediction and management, planning and decision making, and vehicle control. OBU is supported by real-time wired and/or wireless communication, the power supply networks, the cloud, cyber safety, security services, and the human machine interface.