Overtaking Suitability Assessment via Crowdsourced Route Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Drivers face challenges in assessing overtaking opportunities on unfamiliar rural roads due to limited information from navigation systems, leading to risky maneuvers and potential accidents, as digital map data lacks essential details for evaluating route sections for overtaking.

Innovation Solution

Collecting and transmitting realistic route data from vehicles equipped with driver assistance systems to a central computing device for determining accurate overtaking suitability values, which are then stored in digital map data and updated regularly to provide drivers with informed overtaking recommendations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If navigation system uses standard digital map data to provide overtaking information, then basic route information is available, but the information lacks accuracy and completeness for assessing overtaking suitability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveovertaking suitability informationVSAvoiddata collection and processing system
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines standard digital map data with additional route data collected from multiple vehicles equipped with sensors. By merging these different data sources, the system creates a comprehensive overtaking suitability assessment that overcomes the limitations of standalone navigation systems while distributing the data collection burden across the vehicle fleet.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system serves multiple functions: it collects route data from vehicles, processes this data centrally to determine overtaking suitability, updates digital map data, and provides guidance to drivers. This multi-functional approach maximizes the utility of the data collection infrastructure while addressing the information accuracy problem.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Loss of time

If driver relies on visible road features to assess overtaking opportunities, then immediate visual information is available, but future route sections with better overtaking conditions cannot be anticipated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveovertaking decision timeVSAvoidfuture route section information
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis of future route sections by collecting and processing route data ahead of time. Overtaking suitability information for upcoming sections is calculated in advance and stored in updated digital map data, allowing drivers to make informed decisions about future overtaking opportunities rather than reacting to immediate conditions only.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback to drivers about the overtaking suitability of current and future route sections based on processed route data from multiple vehicles. This feedback mechanism enables drivers to anticipate better overtaking conditions ahead and plan their maneuvers accordingly, reducing unnecessary aborted overtaking attempts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If driver attempts overtaking on unfamiliar rural roads without adequate information, then driving freedom is maintained, but safety risk increases due to poor overtaking decisions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveovertaking maneuver safetyVSAvoidovertaking decision process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces an intermediary layer between the driver and the road environment by providing processed overtaking suitability information. This intermediary system analyzes route data from multiple vehicles and presents synthesized safety assessments to drivers, enabling informed decision-making on unfamiliar rural roads without restricting driving freedom.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3387632B1Method for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle with respect to an eminent overtaking maneuver, and motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2021.01.06 AUDI AG
  • EP3387632B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3387632B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle (8) with respect to an eminent overtaking maneuver by means of a driver assistance system (9). The suitability of an overtaking process, which is ascertained from overtaking information, with respect to an overtaking maneuver is output to a driver in a manner relating to a route section. In order to ascertain the overtaking information: - route data which at least partly relates to route sections (20-25) and which influences the evaluation of the suitability of an overtaking process on a route section (20-25) is ascertained by a plurality of data receiving motor vehicles (5, 6, 7) during a driving process along a route and transmitted to a motor vehicle-external central processing device (2), - the route data assigned to a route section (20-25) of each different motor vehicle (5, 6, 7) is statistically evaluated in order to ascertain the overtaking information relating to the route section (20-25), and - the overtaking information is provided to all of the motor vehicles (8) which have a driver assistance system (9) for assisting the driver with respect to an imminent overtaking maneuver.