Rearview Mirror Visual Alerts for Safer Vehicle Reversing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Despite the presence of rear vision systems and backup assist systems, accidents still occur during reversing maneuvers as drivers often spend a significant amount of time looking away from the rearview mirrors, indicating a need for a more effective alert mechanism to detect objects behind the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A visual alert system is integrated into the rearview mirrors of a vehicle, using a rear-mounted imaging sensor and video display to alert the driver of potential objects behind the vehicle during reverse maneuvers, with visual alerts activated at multiple mirrors to prompt the driver to verify the presence and location of the object on the video display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a rear vision system with video display is used to show the rearward scene to the driver, then the driver can see objects behind the vehicle, but the driver still spends significant time looking away from the rearview mirrors, reducing alertness
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the rearward monitoring function into two parts: continuous passive video display showing the rearward scene, and active visual alert indicators that segment attention by highlighting specific detected objects or hazards. This allows the driver to maintain awareness without continuous active observation.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual alert indicators in the rearview mirrors act as an intermediary between the complex rearward scene and the driver's attention. Instead of requiring the driver to directly interpret the entire video feed, the intermediary alert system selectively draws attention to relevant objects, reducing cognitive load and maintaining alertness.
2Reliability
If multiple sensors and visual displays are added to detect and alert drivers of rearward objects, then detection capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rearview mirror assembly is designed as a multi-functional universal component that integrates traditional mirror functions, video display capabilities, and visual alert indicator functions. This consolidates multiple system functions into a single existing structure, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining detection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the video display function and visual alert function into the existing rearview mirror assembly structure. By combining these functions with the traditional mirror, the patent avoids adding separate complex display and alert systems, thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If visual alerts are provided at rearview mirrors to prompt driver verification, then accident prevention is improved, but the ease of operation is reduced due to additional driver actions required
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection and alerting actions before the driver needs to take corrective action. Visual alerts are provided in advance to prompt verification, allowing the driver to respond proactively rather than reactively to potential hazards, thereby reducing accident risk without significantly complicating the reversing maneuver.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual alert system provides immediate feedback to the driver about detected objects or hazards in the rearward scene. This feedback loop allows the driver to verify the situation and adjust their reversing maneuver accordingly, improving safety while maintaining operational simplicity through intuitive visual cues.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular control system includes a central control module vehicle, a plurality of vehicular cameras disposed at a vehicle and viewing exterior of the vehicle, and a plurality of radar sensors disposed at the vehicle and sensing exterior of the vehicle. The central control module receives vehicle data relating to operation of the vehicle. The central control module is operable to process (i) vehicle data, (ii) image data and (iii) radar data. The central control module at least in part controls at least one driver assistance system of the vehicle responsive to (i) processing at the central control module of vehicle data, (ii) processing at the central control module of image data captured by at least the forward-viewing vehicular camera and (iii) processing at the central control module of radar data captured by at least a front radar sensor.