Sensor Management System for Autonomous Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Self-driving vehicles face challenges in maintaining sensor effectiveness due to obstructions like mud, bird droppings, and fogging, which can temporarily or permanently impair sensor functionality, requiring reliable methods to predict and mitigate these issues to ensure safe navigation.
Innovation Solution
A sensor management system that predicts cleaning needs and obstruction events, integrates with navigation systems to adjust routes or implement protective actions, such as covering sensors, to maintain sensor effectiveness and ensure safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the vehicle stops to clean or protect sensors when obstructions are detected, then sensor effectiveness is maintained, but productivity and operational efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by predicting sensor obstructions before they occur using weather forecasts, route analysis, and environmental data. When obstructions are predicted, the system proactively cleans sensors or adjusts routes in advance, preventing operational interruptions and maintaining continuous productivity while ensuring sensor reliability.
2Reliability
If automatic cleaning mechanisms are used to maintain sensor clarity, then sensor effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and risk of momentary obstruction increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by using the vehicle's existing windshield wipers and rain shields to clean sensors, rather than introducing dedicated complex cleaning mechanisms for each sensor. The control system intelligently activates these existing components based on predicted obstruction risks, maintaining sensor clarity while minimizing additional device complexity.
3Reliability
If multiple redundant sensors are installed to ensure continuous operation, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and protects the critical sensing function by covering sensors with protective shields or masks when obstructions are predicted. This allows the vehicle to rely on fewer active sensors at any given time while maintaining the capability for continuous operation, reducing the number of redundant sensors needed while preserving reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Sensor management systems for computer assisted or autonomous driving vehicles are disclosed herein. A computer assisted or autonomous driving vehicle may be provided with a plurality of sensors and a sensor management system configured to predictively maintain effectiveness of the plurality of sensors, based at least in part on predicted cleaning needs of the sensors, predicted obstruction or destruction events of the sensors, or predicted environmental or operating conditions. In embodiments, the sensor management system may be coupled to a navigation system of the vehicle, and may, in response to a predicted sensor obstruction or destruction event, change a navigation parameter of the vehicle to avoid the event. Alternatively, if the predicted event is determined to be within an acceptable risk tolerance threshold, the sensor management system may follow an original navigational route but implement event avoidance actions. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed.