Remote Support System for Autonomous Vehicles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous vehicles face challenges in balancing safety and running efficiency when predicting difficulty in continuing autonomous driving, as early remote control requests may reduce efficiency and comfort, while delayed requests may disrupt traffic flow.

Innovation Solution

A remote support system that determines the necessity of sending a remote control request based on two evaluation criteria: one focusing on safety and the other on running efficiency, using different parameters for collision determination processes to prioritize safety while minimizing efficiency losses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the vehicle sends a remote control request at an early timing with emphasis on safety, then the object to be avoided can be detected earlier and safety is improved, but the vehicle starts being slowed down at an early timing which reduces running efficiency and comfort

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidrunning efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the determination process into two distinct evaluation criteria: a first evaluation criterion focusing on safety (detecting objects to be avoided) and a second evaluation criterion focusing on running efficiency (determining actual necessity of remote control). This segmentation allows the system to independently evaluate safety concerns without automatically triggering remote control requests, thereby resolving the contradiction between early detection for safety and maintaining running efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If the vehicle sends a remote control request at a delayed timing with emphasis on running efficiency, then running efficiency is improved, but the vehicle may stay stopped on the road to wait for remote control which disturbs traffic flow

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverunning efficiencyVSAvoidsafety
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent separates the safety evaluation (first criterion) from the remote control necessity evaluation (second criterion). The first criterion identifies potential safety issues by detecting objects to be avoided, while the second criterion determines whether remote control is actually necessary based on whether the vehicle can safely continue autonomous driving. This segmentation prevents unnecessary remote control requests that would disrupt traffic flow while maintaining safety monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If the vehicle uses a single evaluation criterion that focuses on safety, then safety is improved, but running efficiency decreases due to early remote control requests

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidrunning efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the evaluation into two distinct criteria executed in sequence: first evaluating safety concerns by detecting objects to be avoided, then evaluating whether remote control is actually necessary for continuing autonomous driving. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high safety standards while avoiding unnecessary remote control interventions that would reduce running efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the evaluation parameters by introducing two different evaluation criteria with different focuses. The first criterion uses safety-oriented parameters (object detection, collision risk), while the second criterion uses efficiency-oriented parameters (autonomous driving continuity, traffic flow impact). This parameter change allows the system to optimize for safety without automatically sacrificing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4050448A1Remote support system, remote support method, and non-transitory storage medium
Publication Date: 2022.08.31 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4050448A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4050448A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4050448A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A remote control method includes: sending a remote control request to a remote operator when a vehicle (10) configured to drive autonomously is predicted to have difficulty continuing autonomous driving, the remote control request being a request requesting remote control of the vehicle (10); performing a determination process of determining whether the vehicle (10) has difficulty continuing the autonomous driving, based on a future travel trajectory of the vehicle (10) generated based on driving environment information; determining necessity of sending the remote control request, based on a determination result of the determination process performed based on a first evaluation criterion; and determining necessity of correcting the travel trajectory, based on a determination result of the determination process performed based on a second evaluation criterion.