Steering Assist Lane Change Collision Avoidance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing steering assist systems fail to effectively address situations where a vehicle abnormally approaches during lane change assist control, leading to safety and convenience issues.

Innovation Solution

A steering assist system that includes a lane change assist control unit, collision avoidance assist control unit, and progress status detection unit, which allows for safe lane changes by monitoring the vehicle's position relative to the lane, detecting abnormal approaches, and controlling steering to prevent collisions and return to a safe position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the lane change assist control is permitted and started based on periphery monitoring, then the lane change operation is assisted, but another vehicle may abnormally approach the own vehicle after the control is started

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelane change operationVSAvoidsafety during lane change
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors the relative velocity between the own vehicle and surrounding vehicles during lane change assist control. When another vehicle abnormally approaches (relative velocity exceeds threshold), the system detects this change and provides feedback to stop the lane change assist control, ensuring safety while maintaining operational assistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the lane change assist control status based on real-time relative velocity measurements. The control transitions from active assistance to stopped state when abnormal approach is detected, allowing the system to adapt to changing safety conditions during the lane change operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the lane change assist control is stopped when another vehicle abnormally approaches, then safety is improved, but convenience is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety during lane changeVSAvoidlane change operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system takes preliminary action by stopping the lane change assist control before a collision can occur when another vehicle abnormally approaches. This preventive measure prioritizes safety over completing the lane change operation, eliminating potential harm before it happens.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Reliability

If the own vehicle moves to the center position of the previous lane during collision avoidance, then safety is improved, but time is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision avoidanceVSAvoidtime to return to center position
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system calculates the target controlled variable for returning to the center position in advance and executes the steering control immediately when collision avoidance is needed. This preliminary preparation and immediate execution minimizes the time required to move the vehicle to the safe center position while maintaining collision avoidance effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3418161B1Steering assist system
Publication Date: 2022.10.12 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP3418161B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3418161B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3418161B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A steering assist system includes: a periphery monitoring unit (11); a lane recognition unit (12); a lane change assist control unit (10) configured to start a lane change assist control when the periphery monitoring unit (11) does not detect another vehicle obstructing a lane change; a progress status detection unit (10) configured to detect a progress status of the lane change; a lane change assist stop unit (10) configured to stop the lane change assist control, when the periphery monitoring unit (11) detects an approaching vehicle; a center return assist control unit (10) configured to execute a center return assist control when the lane change assist control is stopped in a former part of the lane change; and a collision avoidance assist control unit (10) configured to execute a collision avoidance assist control when the lane change assist control is stopped in a latter part of the lane change.