Remote Pathfinding for Autonomous Vehicles on Unmapped Routes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles often face challenges in determining a course of action, especially when encountering unmapped or unconventional routes, which limits their utility and efficiency in transportation networks.
Innovation Solution
A remote operation system that uses a processor to receive queries for path definition, obtain satellite images, identify static obstacles, and generate paths through navigable areas, allowing for remote support and assistance to autonomous vehicles in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If autonomous vehicles operate independently without remote support, then system complexity is reduced, but the vehicle's ability to handle complex or unmapped routes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
A remote operation system acts as an intermediary between autonomous vehicles and human operators. The system receives sensor data from vehicles, generates potential paths using pathfinding algorithms, and allows remote operators to select and transmit final paths back to vehicles. This mediator approach enables vehicles to handle complex routes without requiring full autonomous capability, resolving the contradiction between navigational adaptability and system complexity.
2Loss of time
If autonomous vehicles use traditional pathfinding methods, then system simplicity is maintained, but assistance time for resolving routing issues is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The remote operation system performs preliminary path generation using automated pathfinding algorithms before human operator intervention. Multiple potential paths are pre-computed and presented to remote operators, who only need to select from these pre-analyzed options rather than creating paths from scratch. This preliminary automated analysis significantly reduces the time required to resolve routing issues while maintaining a manageable level of system complexity.
3Productivity
If autonomous vehicles encounter situations they cannot determine, then operational independence is maintained, but utility and efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where vehicles transmit sensor data and routing challenges to the remote operation system, receive selected paths in return, and execute them autonomously. This feedback loop allows vehicles to maintain high operational independence for routine tasks while accessing human expertise only when needed, thereby improving overall utility and efficiency without significantly reducing the extent of autonomous operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for remote support of autonomous operation of a vehicle is described. The apparatus includes a processor that performs a method including receiving a query to define a path for the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling along a route from an origin to a destination in a vehicle transportation network, the query comprising multiple points including at least a start point and an end point of the path, obtaining a satellite image of a portion of a geographical area that encompasses the multiple points, determining, using the satellite image, static obstacles within the portion of the geographical area, the static obstacles defining navigable areas within the vehicle transportation network, generating the path through each of the multiple points such that the path is located within at least one navigable area of the navigable areas, and transmitting the path for use by the vehicle.