Autonomous Driving Simulation Agent Handover Across Control Zones

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing simulation systems provide limited options for independent control of social vehicles in autonomous driving simulations, leading to computational inefficiencies and an inability to achieve realistic and diverse interactions.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for transitioning control of simulated vehicles between different autonomous driving software agents using a zone-based transition approach, where spatiotemporal and conditional boundaries manage the handover of control to ensure smooth and computationally efficient interactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple diverse autonomous driving software agents are used to control social vehicles in simulation, then the realism and diversity of interactions are improved, but the computational resources required increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediversity of social vehicle behaviorsVSAvoidcomputational resources
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the control of social vehicles by assigning different autonomous driving software agents to different spatial zones. Each agent specializes in controlling social vehicles within its designated zone, allowing diverse behaviors to be achieved while distributing computational load across multiple specialized agents rather than requiring all agents to control all vehicles simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements local quality by having each autonomous driving software agent specialize in specific types of social vehicle behaviors appropriate to its zone. Agents are configured with different behavior policies tailored to local conditions, enabling realistic and diverse interactions while optimizing computational resources for each local context

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If control of a controllable mobile object is transitioned from one agent to another, then the adaptability to different scenarios is improved, but the complexity of managing transitions increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescenario-specific controlVSAvoidtransition management
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-defining spatial zones and assigning specific autonomous driving software agents to each zone before simulation begins. This pre-configuration eliminates the need for complex real-time decision-making about agent transitions, as the system only needs to determine which zone the controllable mobile object currently occupies and switch to the corresponding pre-assigned agent

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces spatial zones as intermediaries between controllable mobile objects and autonomous driving software agents. Instead of directly managing complex agent-object relationships, the system uses zones as a mediating layer that simplifies transition management by providing clear spatial boundaries and predetermined agent assignments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4185934B1System and method for managing flexible control of vehicles by diverse agents in autonomous driving simulation
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4185934B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4185934B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4185934B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Method and system for controlling the behavior of an object. Behavior of the object is controlled during a first time period by using a first agent that applies a first behavior policy to map observations about the object and the environment in the first time period to a corresponding control action. Control is transitioned from the first agent to a second agent during a transition period following the first time period. Behavior of the object during a second time period following the transition period is controlled by using a second agent that applies a second behavior policy to map observations about the object and the environment in the second time period to a corresponding control action that is applied to the object. During transition the first agent applies the first behavior policy control the object and the second agent applies the second behavior policy to map observations about the object and the environment to corresponding control actions that are not applied to the object.