Reverse Steering Trace Control for Commercial Vehicle Backtracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing driving assistance devices face challenges in accurately determining the position of commercial vehicles like trucks and buses due to the difficulty in grasping overall surroundings with on-board cameras and the high cost and complexity of using large GPS sensors, leading to inaccurate automatic steering.

Innovation Solution

A driving assistance device that estimates the vehicle's trace based on vehicle speed and steering angle, using existing sensors to calculate the target steering angle and enhance accuracy with a simple configuration, without relying on expensive GPS systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If on-board camera is used to determine vehicle position, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates for commercial vehicles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice configurationVSAvoidvehicle position determination accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple existing sensors (steering angle sensor, vehicle speed sensor, yaw rate sensor) to collectively determine vehicle position and trace, replacing the insufficient on-board camera system. This merging of sensor data compensates for the limitations of individual sensors in commercial vehicles with long wheelbases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes existing sensors serve multiple functions: the steering angle sensor and vehicle speed sensor are used not only for their primary functions but also for trace estimation and position determination during reversing operations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If GPS sensor is used to accurately measure vehicle position, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle position determination accuracyVSAvoiddevice configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the vehicle's existing sensor system to serve itself for position determination during reversing operations. By using the trace estimated from existing sensors (steering angle, vehicle speed, yaw rate) during forward travel, the system determines position without requiring external GPS infrastructure or additional specialized sensors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a virtual trace model based on sensor data from forward travel, which is then used as a reference for reversing operations. This copied trace information serves as a substitute for direct GPS position measurement, achieving similar functionality with existing components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If trace estimation is performed during forward traveling, then productivity improves for reversing operations, but use of energy increases during forward travel

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereversing operation efficiencyVSAvoidenergy consumption during forward travel
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs trace estimation during forward traveling in advance, storing the trace information for later use during reversing operations. This preliminary action allows the reversing operation to proceed efficiently without real-time calculation delays, as the trace data is already available from the forward travel phase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4282735B1Driving assistance device
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 DAIMLER TRUCK AG
  • EP4282735B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4282735B1 patent drawingFigure 3(A)~3(B)
  • EP4282735B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention relates to a driving assistance device (10) that executes automatic steering such that, when a vehicle (1) is reversing, the vehicle (1) tracks back along a trace formed in forward traveling. The driving assistance device (10) includes: a trace estimator (12) that estimates the trace based on a vehicle speed and a steering angle in forward traveling of the vehicle (1); a target steering angle calculator (13) that calculates, upon receipt of an instruction on the automatic steering, a target steering angle based on a positional relationship between a reference point and a target point, the reference point corresponding to a current position of the vehicle (1) estimated from the vehicle speed and the steering angle, the target point being positioned on the trace and having a predetermined value of distance from the reference point; and an automatic steering unit (14) that automatically operates a steering (5) such that a steering angle in reversing of the vehicle (1) becomes the target steering angle. The driving assistance device (10) further includes a vehicle speed calculator (11) that calculates the vehicle speed based on a rotating speed of a steerable wheel (2).