Self-Driving Vehicle Return Routing for Pick-Up Wait Time Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In parking lots, vehicles often occupy pick-up places for extended periods if users do not arrive on time, causing congestion and hindering smooth vehicle departure, as existing technologies fail to effectively manage vehicle occupancy and departure timing.
Innovation Solution
A managing apparatus that sets a maximum wait time for vehicles at pick-up places and controls self-driving vehicles to return to the parking lot if this time is exceeded, using a wait time setting device and controller to optimize driving routes and prevent prolonged occupancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If vehicles are allowed to wait at pick-up places for extended periods, then users have more time to arrive, but pick-up places become congested and other vehicles cannot depart smoothly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically returning vehicles to parking spaces before the pick-up place becomes congested. The managing apparatus monitors wait time and proactively initiates the return process when the maximum wait time is reached, preventing congestion before it occurs and maintaining smooth vehicle departure flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the wait time of vehicles at pick-up places and using this information to automatically control vehicle return. The managing apparatus receives wait time information, compares it against the maximum wait time threshold, and triggers the return process accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that balances user flexibility with departure efficiency.
2Productivity
If vehicles are automatically returned to parking lot after maximum wait time, then pick-up place occupancy is reduced, but additional control systems are required
Solution Approach 1:
The managing apparatus performs multiple functions using a unified control system. It not only manages the automatic return of vehicles but also monitors wait times, controls driving routes, and coordinates with vehicles equipped with automatic drive functions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized systems while achieving pick-up place turnover optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by enabling vehicles to automatically return to parking spaces without manual intervention. The managing apparatus sends return instructions to vehicles, and the vehicles' automatic drive functions execute the return process autonomously, reducing the need for complex manual control mechanisms and simplifying the overall system architecture.
3Productivity
If maximum wait time is enforced, then vehicle movement efficiency improves, but users may face inconvenience if they arrive late
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamics by allowing flexible wait times within the maximum threshold while maintaining strict enforcement at the limit. Vehicles can remain at pick-up places for varying durations based on user arrival timing, providing convenience within bounds. The maximum wait time acts as a dynamic boundary that balances efficiency and convenience, adjusting the operational parameters without requiring fixed rigid rules.
Data Source
AI summary
A managing apparatus provides self-driving of a vehicle, which allows the vehicle to enter a parking space out of a plurality of parking spaces from an outside of a parking lot including the plurality of parking spaces, and which allows the vehicle to leave the parking lot for a predetermined place in the outside. The managing apparatus is provided with: a wait time setting device configured to set a maximum wait time of the vehicle in the predetermined place; and a controller configured to set a driving route for returning the vehicle to the parking lot from the predetermined place on condition that the maximum wait time elapses from an arrival of the vehicle in the predetermined place, and configured to provide the self-driving of the vehicle along the driving route.