Pedestrian-Aware Drive Assist Stop-Hold Control on Narrow Roads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive assist devices fail to address the risk of impairing the sense of security for both drivers and pedestrians when vehicles are temporarily stopped and then start moving in close proximity to pedestrians on narrow roads.
Innovation Solution
A drive assist device that includes a target detection system to estimate time periods and distances between a vehicle and a pedestrian, controlling the vehicle to maintain a stopped state if the sum of these periods is less than a reference value, ensuring safe separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the vehicle automatically decelerates and stops before a red traffic light, then the detection range of the target detection device can be extended in the vehicle width direction, but the distance between the vehicle and pedestrians on narrow roads becomes short, impairing the sense of security
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the detection range extendable in the vehicle width direction only when the vehicle is stopped, rather than being fixed. The control unit dynamically adjusts the detection range based on the vehicle's motion state (stopped vs. traveling), allowing the system to optimize detection capability when stationary while maintaining safety margins when moving, thereby resolving the contradiction between detection reliability and pedestrian security.
2Productivity
If the vehicle starts to travel when the traffic light turns green after the pedestrian passes, then the vehicle can resume normal operation, but the short distance between the vehicle and pedestrian may cause the driver and pedestrian to feel unsafe
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the control unit calculate the time period from when the vehicle catches up with the pedestrian to when the pedestrian catches up with the stopped vehicle, and comparing it with a reference value before allowing the vehicle to start traveling. This preliminary safety assessment ensures that the vehicle only resumes operation when the pedestrian has sufficient time and space to clear the path, preventing situations where the vehicle starts too close to pedestrians and thereby maintaining both operational efficiency and pedestrian security.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the vehicle maintains a stopped state to ensure pedestrian safety, then the sense of security is improved, but the vehicle operation time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by using the calculated time period (comparing actual time with reference value) as a dynamic parameter to determine when the vehicle should resume travel. Rather than maintaining a fixed stopped state regardless of conditions, the system changes the operational parameter (vehicle state) based on the real-time relationship between vehicle and pedestrian positions, allowing the vehicle to stop only as long as necessary to ensure safety, thereby balancing pedestrian security with minimal operation time loss.
Data Source
AI summary
The control unit for controlling the travel control device causes the host vehicle to decelerate and stop at a predetermined position in front of the host vehicle when a stop target is detected in front of the host vehicle, and further. The control unit estimates a time period from when the subject vehicle catches up with the pedestrian until when the subject vehicle stops and a time period from when the subject vehicle stops until when the pedestrian catches up with the subject vehicle when the subject vehicle is less than the reference value when the sum of the two times is less than the reference value, maintains the subject vehicle in the stop state even if the subject vehicle is not detected.