Sensor-Triggered Vehicle Test Drives for Real Traffic Test Cases
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Solution Overview
Problem
Testing of vehicle assistance systems in real-world traffic is complex and difficult due to the uncontrolled nature of the vehicle's environment, particularly traffic situations, making it challenging to simulate or reproduce specific conditions required for effective testing.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that uses vehicle sensors to detect predefined test case start conditions during a test drive, allowing automatic or suggested execution of test steps based on sensor signals, enabling simultaneous monitoring and completion of multiple test cases without the need for additional simulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple test vehicles are used to simulate specific traffic situations, then the reliability of testing vehicle assistance systems is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a single test vehicle equipped with sensors to detect and copy real-world traffic situations rather than using multiple test vehicles to simulate them. The sensor system captures environmental data (images, radar signals, GPS information) that represents the traffic situation, allowing the test case to be reproduced virtually without needing additional physical vehicles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary evaluation system that acts as a mediator between the single test vehicle and the real-world traffic environment. This system processes sensor data, evaluates whether test case start conditions are met, and determines appropriate test steps, thereby enabling reliable testing without requiring multiple test vehicles.
2Ease of operation
If real-world traffic conditions are used for testing, then the ease of operation is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring specific test conditions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where sensor data from the real-world environment is continuously evaluated to determine whether test case start conditions are met. The evaluation system provides feedback on detected traffic situations and automatically determines when a test case can be executed, making both the operation simple and the detection reliable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical simulation systems with an information-processing approach. Instead of using multiple vehicles to physically create test situations, the system uses sensor data processing and evaluation algorithms to detect and measure test conditions in real-world traffic, substituting physical manipulation with informational analysis.
3Device complexity
If test cases are executed manually without automated detection, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity decreases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-defining test case start conditions and storing them in an evaluation system before the actual testing begins. The system is prepared with the necessary evaluation criteria and test case information, allowing for rapid automated execution without complex real-time decision-making during the test.
Solution Approach 2:
The evaluation system performs self-service by automatically detecting traffic situations, evaluating whether test case start conditions are met, and determining appropriate test steps without requiring manual intervention. This automation increases productivity while keeping the overall system complexity manageable through structured evaluation protocols.
Data Source
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AI summary
In order to simplify the execution of test drives with a test vehicle which is controlled by a test driver so as to complete a test case, according to the invention, for each test case (TFj) a start condition (SBj) is defined on the basis of at least one sensor signal (S) of a vehicle sensor (2) of the test vehicle (1) and stored in the memory unit (11) together with the associated test case (TFj), wherein each start condition (SBj) defines a particular vehicle state, at least one sensor signal (S) that represents a current vehicle state is recorded by at least one vehicle sensor (2) during the test drive, and the at least one sensor signal (S) is transmitted to a test unit (10), the test unit (10) reads out the start condition (SBj) of at least one stored test case (TFj) from the memory unit (11) and, during the test drive, the test unit (10) checks whether the vehicle state stored for the read-out start condition (SBj) and the current vehicle state represented by the recorded sensor signal (S) match, and, if they match, the test driver (13) completes the test case (TFj) assigned to the read-out start condition (SBj) by this test case (TFj) being started and the test steps (TSn) defined in this test case (TFj) being transmitted to the test driver (13) for their attention, and by the test driver (13) carrying out these test steps (TSn).