Self-Balancing Vehicle Safety Mode for Uncontrolled Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Self-balancing vehicles lack effective safety measures to prevent unintended movement when a driver is not present, posing risks of uncontrolled operation and potential damage or injury.
Innovation Solution
A safety mode is introduced in the electronic control unit that monitors vehicle movement via limit values and takes measures to influence the vehicle's movement when no driver is detected, such as shutting down the electric motors or controlling braking and steering to bring the vehicle to a stop quickly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the vehicle is controlled to balance automatically when a driver is present, then the vehicle can operate autonomously during driving, but the vehicle may move uncontrolled when the driver is absent (e.g., after falling off or dismounting)
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on the detection of driver presence. When no driver is detected, the system transitions from autonomous balancing mode to safety monitoring mode, where it actively monitors movement parameters and intervenes only when necessary, thus adapting the level of automation to the operational context
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors movement parameters (acceleration, orientation, position) and uses this feedback to determine whether the vehicle is moving uncontrolled. When abnormal movement is detected, the system activates safety measures such as activating brakes or reversing thrust, creating a closed-loop safety control system
2Reliability
If the vehicle is monitored for movement limit values when driverless, then safety is improved by preventing uncontrolled movement, but the system complexity increases due to additional monitoring and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The existing sensor system (accelerometers, gyroscopes, position sensors) that is already used for normal vehicle control and balancing is also utilized for safety monitoring. The control unit performs dual functions: normal balancing control and safety monitoring, thereby avoiding the need for separate dedicated safety hardware and reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system monitors movement parameters (acceleration magnitude, orientation changes, position displacement) and compares them against predefined threshold values. When parameters exceed thresholds indicating uncontrolled movement, the system activates safety measures. This parameter-based approach provides a simple and effective safety mechanism without complex decision logic
3Reliability
If the vehicle shuts down motors immediately when driver is detected as absent, then safety is maximized by preventing all movement, but the vehicle cannot be quickly restarted or respond to emergency situations
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the level of motor control based on the safety situation. When driver absence is detected, the system does not immediately shut down motors but transitions to monitored mode where motors operate with restricted control authority. Only when movement limit values are exceeded does the system activate full safety intervention, thus maintaining operational flexibility while ensuring safety
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary monitoring of movement parameters before activating full safety measures. By continuously tracking acceleration, orientation, and position changes, the system can detect emerging unsafe conditions and prepare safety responses in advance, allowing for smooth transitions between operational states and maintaining vehicle responsiveness
Data Source
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AI summary
To improve the safety of a self-balancing vehicle (1), which vehicle (1) has at least one footplate (5, 6) and two drive wheels (7, 8), wherein the two drive wheels (7, 8) can be driven independently of each other, for which purpose an electric motor is assigned to each of the two drive wheels (7, 8), wherein these electric motors can be controlled by an electronic control unit which can be connected to a number of sensor units with which the occupancy of the footplates can be determined, a method for the safe operation of the vehicle (1) is proposed, which is characterized in that, in the event that no driver is standing on the at least one footplate (5, 6), a safety mode different from a driving mode is provided.in which safety mode the movement of the vehicle (1) is monitored by means of a limit value monitoring device to detect an exceedance of at least one movement limit value and a measure to influence the movement of the driverless vehicle (1) is carried out when such an exceedance is detected.