Remote Driving Handover Timing Based on Driver Preferences

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing concepts for transferring control of a vehicle from remote driving mode to manual driving mode often result in unsafe or inconvenient handovers, particularly due to difficulties in determining a suitable time and place for the handover that aligns with the driver's preferences and traffic conditions.

Innovation Solution

A method that determines driving preferences based on the driver's behavior, predicts future traffic situations, and calculates a predicted quality of service for the communication link to determine a seamless and safe handover time and place, ensuring the handover occurs when it is convenient and safe for the driver.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If control is transferred from remote driving mode to manual driving mode at a predefined time or location, then the handover process is simplified, but the driver may have trouble taking over control safely in certain traffic situations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover control processVSAvoidsafety of handover
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by predicting future traffic situations and driver readiness before the handover occurs. It determines a predicted quality of service for communication link, predicts future traffic situations, and assesses driver readiness in advance, allowing the handover to be scheduled at an optimal time when both communication conditions and traffic conditions are favorable, thus ensuring safety without requiring complex real-time decision-making during the handover moment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring communication quality, traffic conditions, and driver state. It uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the handover timing, ensuring that control transfer occurs only when conditions are favorable. The system provides feedback to both the remote operator and the driver about the handover status and readiness conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the handover is delayed to ensure driver readiness, then safety is improved, but loss of time occurs during the remote operation interval

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety of handoverVSAvoidremote operation interval
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of driver readiness and traffic conditions before the remote operation interval ends. By predicting future traffic situations and determining when the driver will be ready to take over, the system minimizes delays while ensuring safety. The handover is scheduled at the earliest optimal moment rather than waiting passively

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the handover timing based on real-time conditions including communication quality, traffic situation, and driver readiness. Rather than using a fixed delay, the system continuously evaluates conditions and determines the optimal handover moment, allowing flexible adaptation to changing circumstances to minimize time loss while maintaining safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Speed

If the handover is executed immediately when communication quality deteriorates, then response time is reduced, but the driver may not be ready to take over control

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover response timeVSAvoiddriver readiness
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of driver readiness and predicts future traffic situations before executing the handover. When communication quality deteriorates, rather than immediately transferring control, the system evaluates whether the driver is ready and whether traffic conditions are favorable, then schedules the handover at the earliest optimal moment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically evaluates driver readiness and traffic conditions in real-time, adjusting the handover timing based on current state. The handover process is flexible and adapts to the driver's readiness level and situational factors, ensuring smooth transition while maintaining safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4040252B1Vehicle, infrastructure component, apparatus, computer program, and method for a vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.04.09 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP4040252B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4040252B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Embodiments provide a vehicle (2100), an infrastructure component (2200), an apparatus (200), a computer program, and a method (100) for a vehicle (310) configured to be remotely operated in a remote driving mode and to be manually operated by a driver in the vehicle (310) in a manual driving mode. The method (100) comprises determining driving preferences (326) of the driver based on driving behavior of the driver. Further, the method (100) comprises predicting, based on the driving preferences (326), information on a future traffic situation for switching from the remote driving mode to the manual driving mode. Also, the method (100) comprises determining a predicted quality of service (pQoS) of a communication link for the remote driving mode and a remote operation interval for which the vehicle (310) is operable in the remote driving mode based on the pQoS. The method (100) further comprises determining a handover time (328) and/or a handover place for switching from the remote driving mode to the manual driving mode based on the remote operation interval and the information on the future traffic situation.