Rainfall-Based Vehicle Mode Transfer for Sensor Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rainwater accumulation on vehicle sensors reduces their reliability, potentially destabilizing automatic driving systems and necessitating a transfer to manual control, which can be unsafe until the driver takes over.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system estimates rainfall using acoustic sensors and calculates a transfer time to switch from automatic to manual driving mode, ensuring the driver takes over before sensor reliability drops, using a processor to determine the transition time based on rainfall, vehicle speed, and sensor direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the operation mode is transferred from automatic to manual driving mode when sensor reliability decreases, then the vehicle can be controlled safely by the driver, but the driver response time may be insufficient leading to unstable automatic driving control
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by notifying the driver in advance before the sensor reliability drops below the threshold. The notification is issued when reliability is still above the threshold, giving the driver time to prepare and respond, thus avoiding sudden mode transitions and ensuring stable control transfer.
2Reliability
If the operation mode is transferred earlier to manual driving mode, then the driver has sufficient response time, but the automatic control system operates longer with degraded sensor reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The system determines a specific notification timing based on the relationship between sensor reliability and driver response time. By calculating when reliability will drop below the threshold and subtracting the driver's typical response time, the system issues notification at the optimal moment, balancing both automatic control reliability and driver response time.
3Productivity
If the notification timing is delayed until sensor reliability drops below threshold, then automatic control operates at maximum capability, but the driver cannot take over in time causing control instability
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary notification before sensor reliability drops below the threshold, allowing the driver to prepare for mode transition. This preliminary action maintains driving control stability by ensuring the driver can take over smoothly, while the automatic control system continues operating efficiently until the notification point.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures a safe transition to manual driving mode before sensor reliability decreases, allowing the driver to take control promptly, maintaining vehicle stability during rainfall.
Implementation Method 1
estimate an amount of rainfall per unit time based on an acoustic signal acquired by an acoustical sensor mounted on a vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control device has a processor configured to estimate an amount of rainfall per unit time based on an acoustic signal acquired by an acoustical sensor mounted on a vehicle, determine whether a present operation mode of the vehicle is a first operation mode with a lower level to which a driver is contributing to driving or a second operation mode with a higher level to which the driver is contributing to driving than the first operation mode, and decide a first time until the operation mode of the vehicle is transferred from the first operation mode to the second operation mode based on the amount of rainfall, when the operation mode of the vehicle is the first operation mode.