Remote Driver Allocation for Automated Driving-Prohibited Sections

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing remote driving systems face challenges in efficiently allocating remote drivers to vehicles that need to navigate through automated driving-prohibited sections, particularly for less-experienced drivers, the elderly, or those with disabilities, as these systems struggle to handle sudden changes in road conditions or when all paths to a destination include such sections.

Innovation Solution

A remote driving managing apparatus that allocates remote drivers by managing available time periods, path information, and selecting suitable drivers to execute remote driving for vehicles traversing automated driving-prohibited sections through a network of remote driving facilities and vehicles, ensuring continuous navigation without reliance on manual or automated driving capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If automated driving is implemented, then productivity and safety are improved, but the system cannot operate in automated driving-prohibited sections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedriving efficiencyVSAvoidoperational flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a remote driver as an intermediary between the automated driving system and the vehicle. When the automated driving system encounters a prohibited section, the remote driver remotely operates the vehicle through a communication system, allowing continuous operation without manual intervention at the vehicle location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The driving operation is segmented into automated driving portions and remote-driven portions. The system divides the journey based on road conditions, applying automated driving in suitable areas and switching to remote driving in prohibited sections, optimizing both efficiency and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual driving is used for prohibited sections, then adaptability is improved, but productivity decreases due to driver availability constraints

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational flexibilityVSAvoidvehicle throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The remote driver serves as a mediator who can simultaneously monitor and control multiple vehicles remotely, increasing the effective number of drivers available and reducing idle time between vehicle operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

A single remote driver can perform multiple driving tasks simultaneously across different vehicles, making the driver resource universally applicable to multiple vehicles and routes, thereby increasing overall system productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If remote driving is implemented for prohibited sections, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional allocation management

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational flexibilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors vehicle location, road conditions, and driver availability, using this feedback to dynamically determine when and which vehicle to assign to a remote driver, optimizing allocation decisions based on real-time system state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The management apparatus pre-identifies automated driving-prohibited sections and maintains a pool of available remote drivers ready for assignment, performing preparation work in advance to reduce real-time allocation complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Productivity

If multiple remote drivers are allocated to multiple vehicles, then productivity is improved, but loss of time increases due to driver assignment and switching delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle throughputVSAvoiddriver assignment time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-identifies vehicles that will need remote driving based on their destination and current location relative to prohibited sections, and pre-prepares appropriate remote drivers for assignment, reducing on-the-spot decision time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Remote drivers maintain continuous monitoring and readiness states between assignments, and the system maintains continuous tracking of vehicle locations and driver availability, ensuring seamless transitions without idle time or delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS11249473B2Remote driving managing apparatus, and computer readable storage medium

Publication Date: 2022.02.15 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A remote driving managing apparatus is provided. The remote driving managing apparatus includes: a path information acquiring unit that acquires path information indicating a path of movement to a destination of a vehicle; a time period identifying unit that, based on the path information, identifies a scheduled time period in which the vehicle is scheduled to travel through a remote driving section which is a section in which the vehicle travels by being remotely driven; and a driver selecting unit that refers to management data for managing an available remote driving time period of each of a plurality of remote drivers that are capable of remotely driving vehicles, and selects a remote driver that is available for remote driving of the vehicle during the scheduled time period identified by the time period identifying unit.