Remote Control Initiation for Autonomous Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face safety concerns when navigating difficult or dangerous terrain, and passengers may not be able to manually control the vehicle, especially if it lacks a steering wheel, necessitating a system for remote manual control.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that allows a remotely located data center to initiate a manual drive sequence, enabling an advisor to control the vehicle via a processor, using indications from vehicle sensors, biometrics, or passenger inputs to transition from autonomous to manual control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the vehicle operates in autonomous mode without a steering wheel, then automation level is improved, but the ability to manually control the vehicle in hazardous conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A remote advisor located in a data center serves as an intermediary between the autonomous vehicle system and human manual control. The advisor receives vehicle data, assesses hazardous conditions, and initiates manual drive sequences to take control of the vehicle when autonomous operation is unsafe, bridging the gap between autonomous and manual control modes without requiring physical manual controls in the vehicle
Solution Approach 2:
The control interface is moved from the vehicle cabin to a remote data center location. Instead of requiring manual controls within the vehicle, the system enables a human operator to control the vehicle from a different spatial dimension (remote location), allowing manual intervention capability without compromising the autonomous vehicle's interior design
2Device complexity
If the vehicle lacks manual control features, then vehicle design simplicity is improved, but safety in hazardous terrain deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The remote advisor acts as an intermediary that provides manual control capability without adding physical controls to the vehicle. The advisor accesses vehicle systems through existing communication interfaces and initiates manual drive sequences, maintaining design simplicity while enabling safety intervention when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes communication and control pathways between the vehicle and remote data center before hazardous situations occur. The advisor is positioned and ready to take control, with all necessary interfaces and protocols already configured, enabling rapid response when safety concerns arise without requiring complex in-vehicle manual controls
3Reliability
If remote manual control is enabled, then safety in hazardous conditions is improved, but system complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The remote advisor serves as a mediator that manages the complexity of remote control operations. The advisor receives processed vehicle data, makes safety assessments, and controls vehicle functions through standardized interfaces, shielding the overall system from the complexity of coordinating multiple control functions across distance while ensuring passenger safety
Data Source
AI summary
One general aspect includes a method to initiate remote control of a vehicle, the method including: receiving, via a processor, an indication that a manual drive sequence should be initiated by a remotely located data center; and based on the indication, via the processor, initiating the manual drive sequence such that the data center can remotely control the vehicle.