Autonomous Vehicle Passenger Verification for Wrong Pickup Rerouting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous vehicles face challenges in confirming that a passenger who enters the vehicle is the assigned passenger, particularly in situations with multiple passengers and potential for mistaken entry.

Innovation Solution

The vehicle's computing devices use client computing device information to authenticate passengers and verify their destinations, allowing for real-time adjustments if the wrong passenger enters, ensuring accurate passenger assignment and minimizing delays.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If autonomous vehicles operate without human drivers, then automation level increases, but passenger verification capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautonomous operationVSAvoidpassenger verification
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a communication device as an intermediary between the autonomous vehicle and passengers. This intermediary enables the vehicle to transmit messages to passengers inside the vehicle, allowing verification of passenger identity and destination without requiring a human driver. The communication system serves as a mediator that bridges the gap between automated operation and reliable passenger verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If passengers can enter any autonomous vehicle, then ease of access improves, but passenger assignment accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle accessVSAvoidpassenger assignment verification
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the autonomous vehicle communicates with passengers to verify destination information. The vehicle transmits messages asking passengers to confirm their destination, and based on the response, the vehicle determines whether to proceed with the trip or relocate. This feedback loop ensures accurate passenger assignment while maintaining easy vehicle access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If the vehicle relocates to find the correct passenger, then passenger assignment accuracy improves, but time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepassenger identification accuracyVSAvoidvehicle relocation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by verifying passenger destination information before the vehicle begins its trip. The communication device asks passengers to confirm their destination at the pickup location, and only after receiving confirmation does the vehicle proceed. This preliminary verification prevents wrong passenger pickup and eliminates the need for time-consuming relocation to find the correct passenger.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3649026B1Identifying unassigned passengers for autonomous vehicles
Publication Date: 2025.04.30 WAYMO LLC
  • EP3649026B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3649026B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3649026B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

Aspects of the disclosure provide systems and methods for confirming the identity of a passenger and changing destination of a vehicle 100. This may include receiving dispatching instructions to pick up a first passenger at a pickup location and to drop off the first passenger at a first destination as well as authentication information for authenticating a first client computing device of the first passenger. Once the client device is authenticated and a second passenger enters the vehicle, the vehicle is maneuvered towards the first destination. While doing so, a location of the vehicle is compared to location information received from the client computing device. A notification is sent to a dispatching server based on the comparison and a second destination location is received in response. The vehicle is then maneuvered towards the second destination instead of the first destination.