Autonomous Ride Dynamics Controller for Road Irregularity Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomously driven vehicles face challenges in minimizing the discomfort caused to passengers due to road irregularities, such as potholes, as existing systems lack effective methods to proactively adjust vehicle performance to mitigate these issues.
Innovation Solution
A processor-implemented path planning method that retrieves road surface information, constructs a 3D model of the road, identifies and classifies irregularities, predicts vehicle sprung-mass dynamics, calculates alternative path trajectories to avoid or reduce the impact of irregularities, and updates vehicle controls to enhance ride comfort, utilizing both onboard and cloud-based data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the vehicle follows the planned path directly, then the travel time is minimized, but passenger comfort deteriorates due to road irregularities
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of road irregularities using sensors before the vehicle reaches them, and pre-calculates alternative path trajectories that minimize sprung-mass dynamics. This allows the vehicle to proactively adjust its path in advance, reducing passenger discomfort while maintaining efficient travel time
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes vehicle control parameters (steering angle, speed, braking force) based on detected road irregularities and calculated alternative trajectories. By adjusting these parameters in real-time, the system optimizes both ride comfort and travel efficiency
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the vehicle adjusts controls to avoid road irregularities, then passenger comfort is improved, but the complexity of the control system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system integrates multiple functions into a unified architecture: road irregularity detection, alternative trajectory calculation, and vehicle control adjustment all occur within a single integrated system. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity compared to separate independent systems for each function
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors vehicle dynamics (sprung-mass acceleration, body attitude) and uses this feedback to refine control adjustments. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the system to achieve complex control objectives through simple, iterative adjustments based on real-time vehicle response
3Object-affected harmful factors
If alternative path trajectories are calculated to reduce sprung-mass dynamics, then ride comfort is improved, but the computational processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system calculates alternative path trajectories only for detected road irregularities that exceed a comfort threshold, rather than continuously optimizing the entire path. This partial action approach reduces computational load while still providing comfort improvements when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-calculates alternative trajectories for detected irregularities before the vehicle reaches them, using available processing time in advance. This allows computationally intensive calculations to be performed proactively rather than in real-time, reducing the perceived processing delay
Data Source
AI summary
A processor-implemented path planning method in a vehicle is disclosed. The method includes retrieving road surface information along a planned path for the vehicle; constructing, by the processor, a model of the road surface along the planned path; identifying, by the processor, a road irregularity in the road surface for the planned path; classifying, by the processor, the road irregularity; projecting the location of vehicle tire patches on the model of the road surface; predicting, by the processor, vehicle sprung-mass dynamics as a function of time for the vehicle along the planned path; calculating a plurality of alternative path trajectories within the constraints of the road boundaries for avoiding the road irregularity; choosing an alternative path trajectory out of the plurality of alternative path trajectories that reduces the sprung-mass dynamics for the vehicle to provide a more comfortable ride; and updating the planned path with the chosen alternative path trajectory.