Pedestrian Collision Warning With External Buffer Deployment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing collision avoidance systems in autonomous vehicles often fail to prevent accidents caused by unpredictable pedestrian movements and do not provide adequate warnings to pedestrians, as they primarily rely on driver alerts and vehicle maneuvers without effectively mitigating the risk of collision.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle-mounted collision warning system that includes a collision warning device to analyze the risk of collision with surrounding objects, a classifying device to identify pedestrians, and a control device to deploy a buffer element such as an airbag to absorb impact, while providing warnings to pedestrians to avoid collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a collision avoidance system provides only driver alerts and vehicle maneuvers, then the system complexity is reduced, but the effectiveness in preventing collisions with unpredictable pedestrians is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the collision avoidance function into multiple independent modules: detection unit (sensors), prediction unit (collision risk calculation), warning unit (pedestrian alert), and mitigation unit (buffer element deployment). Each module operates independently but coordinates through a central control system, allowing the complex function to be divided into manageable components while improving overall reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by predicting potential collision risks before actual collision occurs. The prediction unit calculates collision probability and time-to-collision in advance, allowing the warning unit to alert pedestrians proactively and the buffer element to be deployed preemptively, rather than reacting only after collision detection.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the system deploys buffer elements and provides pedestrian warnings, then collision risk is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves as an intermediary that coordinates between the detection unit, prediction unit, warning unit, and buffer element deployment mechanism. It processes information from sensors, calculates collision risk, and triggers appropriate responses (warnings or buffer deployment) based on predefined thresholds, thereby managing system complexity through centralized coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters dynamically based on detected conditions: it adjusts warning intensity, buffer element deployment timing, and deployment position based on calculated collision risk parameters such as time-to-collision and impact velocity. This allows the system to adapt its response to varying threat levels without requiring completely different system architectures.
3Reliability
If the system frequently deploys buffer elements and brakes, then collision protection is improved, but fuel efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by deploying the buffer element and applying brakes only when collision risk exceeds a specific threshold, rather than continuously. The prediction unit calculates whether intervention is necessary based on time-to-collision and impact velocity, allowing normal driving to continue uninterrupted when no threat is detected, thus preserving fuel efficiency while maintaining protection when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the detection unit and prediction unit to continuously monitor collision risk and adjust buffer element deployment and braking actions accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures that energy-consuming actions are taken only when necessary, balancing protection reliability with fuel efficiency by responding to actual conditions rather than operating continuously.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An apparatus for warning the collision of a vehicle includes an information acquirer configured to acquire information on a surrounding object and information on a vehicle, and a controller configured to generate collision predicting information for the surrounding object, based on the information on the surrounding object and the information on the vehicle, and generate control information to control braking of the vehicle and to provide, based on the collision predicting information, a buffer element to an outside of the vehicle while controlling the braking of the vehicle.