Steering Angle Display for Automated Driving

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Solution Overview

Problem

Drivers experience botheration and psychological burden during automated driving due to the need to avoid a rotating steering wheel, as they cannot easily determine if they need to take control, leading to increased attention and discomfort.

Innovation Solution

A steering angle display device with a display part along the steering wheel's ring portion and a controller that indicates the controlled steering angle without rotating the wheel, allowing drivers to visually confirm if they are in automated driving mode and reducing the need to attend to the wheel's rotation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the steering wheel rotates during automated driving to indicate steering angle changes, then the steering angle information is visually provided to the driver, but the driver experiences botheration and psychological burden due to having to avoid touching the rotating wheel

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesteering angle informationVSAvoiddriver operation comfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a display device that shows steering angle information on a screen or indicator panel rather than physically rotating the steering wheel. This creates a visual copy or representation of the steering angle changes, allowing the driver to see the angle information without the physical rotation that causes botheration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical rotation of the steering wheel with an electronic display system. Instead of using mechanical movement to convey steering angle information, the system uses electronic indicators, screens, or LED displays to show the same information, eliminating the physical rotation problem.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If the steering wheel is fixed during automated driving without rotation, then driver comfort is improved, but the steering angle information is not visually provided to the driver

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedriver operation comfortVSAvoidsteering angle information

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical rotation of the steering wheel with electronic display indicators. The display system shows steering angle information through screens, LED indicators, or graphical representations, eliminating the need for physical wheel rotation while maintaining information provision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The display device creates a visual copy or representation of the steering angle information that appears on the display screen. This visual copy conveys the same information that would have been provided by physical rotation, allowing the steering wheel to remain fixed while information is still communicated to the driver.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS11110938B2Steering-angle display device

Publication Date: 2021.09.07 KK TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO

AI summary

A steering angle display device includes a display part disposed along a ring portion of a steering wheel of a vehicle; and a controller configured, during automated driving control in which a steering angle of the vehicle is controlled in accordance with road situations without rotating the steering wheel, to cause a steering angle indication indicating the controlled steering angle to be displayed at a position of the display part in accordance with the controlled steering angle.