Remote Vehicle Sensor Perspective Adjustment at Occluded Stops
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges when their sensor perspective of the environment is partially occluded, leading to navigation impasses where they are unable to gather sufficient information to safely proceed.
Innovation Solution
A remote assistance system is implemented, allowing a computing device to display a graphical user interface (GUI) for a human operator to provide instructions to the vehicle, enabling it to gradually move forward while monitoring environmental changes, thereby adjusting its sensor perspective.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the vehicle operates fully autonomously without human intervention, then automation level is improved, but navigation capability deteriorates when sensor perspective is occluded
Solution Approach 1:
A remote operator serves as an intermediary between the autonomous vehicle and the environment when sensor occlusion occurs. The operator receives sensor data from the vehicle, processes it through a GUI interface, and provides high-level navigation commands to help the vehicle overcome impasses that autonomous algorithms cannot resolve alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the level of human involvement based on situational needs. During normal operation, the vehicle functions fully autonomously. When sensor occlusion deteCTed, the system transitions to a semi-autonomous state where remote operator assistance is activated, allowing flexible adaptation between automation extremes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle requests remote assistance frequently to overcome occlusion, then navigation capability is improved, but loss of time increases due to communication delays
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of sensor occlusion conditions and only initiates remote assistance requests when truly necessary. The autonomous vehicle first attempts to resolve occlusion independently using available sensors and algorithms, pre-filtering situations that would benefit from human intervention to minimize communication overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous vehicle maintains self-service capability by attempting to resolve sensor occlusion independently through its own sensing and decision-making systems. Remote assistance is used as a supplement rather than a primary mechanism, allowing the vehicle to handle routine situations autonomously while seeking human help only for complex impasses.
3Measurement precision
If the vehicle moves forward gradually to adjust sensor perspective, then measurement precision is improved, but speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle continuously monitors sensor data during gradual movement, providing real-time feedback on whether the occlusion condition is improving. This feedback loop allows the system to adjust movement parameters dynamically, stopping or reversing if the maneuver fails to improve sensor perspective, thus ensuring measurement precision while minimizing unnecessary time loss.
Data Source
AI summary
Example embodiments relate to gradually adjusting a vehicle sensor perspective using remote assistance. A computing device may receive a request for assistance from a vehicle operating in an environment. The request indicates that the vehicle is stopped at a location with a sensor perspective of the environment that is at least partially occluded. Responsive to receiving the request for assistance, the computing device may display a graphical user interface (GUI) that represents a current state of the vehicle and includes a selectable option configured to enable the vehicle to gradually move forward a predefined distance. The computing device may detect a selection of the selectable option and transmit instructions that enable the vehicle to gradually move forward the predefined distance. The vehicle can then gradually move forward the predefined distance while also monitoring for one or more changes in the environment responsive to receiving the instructions.