Remote Control Requests for Autonomous Driving Handover

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing autonomous driving systems face challenges when they encounter difficulties, necessitating a switch to remote control, which can overwhelm the limited number of available remote operators, leading to an undue burden.

Innovation Solution

A system that selectively employs remote assistance and remote driving based on the vehicle's ability to continue autonomous driving, allowing remote operators to make determinations or operate the vehicle as needed, reducing the burden by prioritizing autonomous driving when possible.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If remote driving is always requested when autonomous driving is difficult, then the autonomous driving vehicle can be controlled, but the burden on remote operators increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle control reliabilityVSAvoidremote operator burden
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments remote control into two distinct types: remote assistance (for specific decision-making support) and remote driving (for full vehicle control). This segmentation allows the system to apply the appropriate level of remote intervention based on the situation, reducing unnecessary remote driving requests and thereby decreasing operator burden while maintaining control reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by using remote assistance for only the specific determinations needed rather than requiring full remote driving control. When the autonomous driving vehicle encounters difficulty with specific decisions, only partial remote intervention is requested, which reduces the overall burden on operators while still resolving the control issues.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Adaptability or versatility

If remote driving is requested frequently, then difficult driving situations can be handled, but the limited number of remote operators becomes overwhelmed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling of difficult driving situationsVSAvoidoperator availability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting remote control into remote assistance and remote driving, the system can handle difficult situations with minimal remote intervention. Remote assistance provides necessary support for specific decisions without requiring full remote driving takeover, thereby maintaining adaptability while preserving operator availability for when it is truly needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The autonomous driving vehicle attempts to handle difficult situations independently first, and only requests remote assistance or remote driving when necessary. This self-service approach reduces the frequency of remote operator engagement, preventing them from being overwhelmed while still maintaining the capability to handle difficult situations when they arise.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If full remote driving control is used, then the vehicle can be controlled in any situation, but the operational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle control capabilityVSAvoidremote control system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides remote control into two distinct modes: remote assistance for specific determinations and remote driving for full control. This segmentation simplifies the operational complexity by providing clear guidelines for when to use each mode, reducing the cognitive load on operators and streamlining the control system's decision-making process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4471532B1Remote control request system, remote control request method, and non-transitory storage medium
Publication Date: 2025.12.10 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4471532B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4471532B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4471532B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A remote control request method has requesting, by a computer (21), a remote operator (35,37) to perform remote control on an autonomous driving vehicle (20) when the autonomous driving vehicle (20) currently has or is expected to have difficulty in continuing autonomous driving, requesting remote assistance in which the remote operator (35) makes at least a part of determination for the autonomous driving inside an autonomous driving domain (ADD), and requesting, outside the autonomous driving domain (ADD), remote driving in which the remote operator (37) performs at least one of a steering operation and an acceleration or deceleration operation of the autonomous driving vehicle (20).