Pedestrian-Defined Dynamic Crosswalks for Autonomous Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current smart crosswalk solutions do not allow pedestrians to define their own crosswalks and still rely on human drivers to stop, increasing the risk of accidents, especially in environments with self-driving vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A system that enables pedestrians to define crosswalks using smartphones or similar devices, which communicate with self-driving vehicles through cellular networks, allowing the vehicles to automatically stop at designated points for safe pedestrian crossing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If smart crosswalk solutions are implemented with fixed patterns and configurations, then pedestrian safety is improved through dynamic responses to conditions, but pedestrians cannot define their own crosswalks and must rely on human drivers to stop
Solution Approach 1:
The crosswalk system transitions from fixed patterns to dynamic, on-demand configurations. Pedestrians can request crosswalks at any location, and the system dynamically activates self-driving vehicles to stop and allow crossing, creating an adaptive crosswalk that responds to real-time pedestrian needs rather than relying on pre-defined static patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
Pedestrians actively define their own crosswalks by requesting them through the system, rather than relying on human drivers to voluntarily stop. The pedestrian-initiated request triggers the automated response from self-driving vehicles, enabling pedestrians to self-serve their crossing needs without depending on human driver behavior.
2Ease of manufacture
If human drivers are relied upon to stop for pedestrians at smart crosswalks, then existing crosswalk infrastructure can be used, but the chances of accidents increase due to human error
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces human driver mechanical response (voluntary stopping behavior) with automated electronic control in self-driving vehicles. Instead of relying on human drivers to perceive and react to crosswalk conditions, the system uses sensors, processors, and automated braking systems to ensure vehicles stop reliably at pedestrian-defined crosswalks, eliminating human error from the equation.
Solution Approach 2:
The smart crosswalk system acts as an intermediary between pedestrians and self-driving vehicles. Rather than direct interaction between pedestrians and human drivers, the system mediates by receiving pedestrian requests and transmitting stop commands to self-driving vehicles, creating a reliable automated communication channel that reduces accident risk.
3Adaptability or versatility
If pedestrians are allowed to define custom crosswalk locations, then personalized crossing needs are met, but the system complexity increases requiring coordination with self-driving vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses universal communication protocols and standardized interfaces that allow any pedestrian with a smartphone to define crosswalks, while self-driving vehicles use the same standardized response mechanisms. This multi-functional approach handles various pedestrian requests (different locations, times, conditions) through a unified system architecture, managing complexity through standardization rather than custom solutions for each scenario.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus to generate a user-defined crosswalk comprises a processor to receive an input from a user to request a crosswalk across a roadway at a selected location and a memory coupled to the processor to store information regarding the crosswalk. The processor is to transmit the request to one or more vehicles using the roadway, and to receive a response indicating whether the crosswalk request is accepted such that the one or more vehicles are to stop to allow the user to cross the roadway using the crosswalk at the selected location in the event the crosswalk request is accepted.