Steering Wheel Light Cues for Driving Automation Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semi-autonomous and autonomous motor vehicle control systems fail to clearly indicate the level of driving automation active to the driver, leading to confusion about responsibility for driving and potential disengagement of automated management modules.
Innovation Solution
A control system using a steering control member with indicator lights to clearly indicate available, active, and required levels of driving automation, as well as changes in responsibility between the driver and automated management modules, through light patterns and intensities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If automated management modules are used to control driving, then the driver is liberated from supervision tasks and can engage in other activities, but the driver risks not being able to clearly identify the driving state and when responsibility for driving lies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses different colors of light (e.g., green, yellow, red) to indicate different driving automation levels and responsibility states. This visual color-coding system allows the driver to quickly comprehend the current driving state without needing to interpret complex text or symbols, thereby maintaining driver awareness while enabling automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic flashing or pulsing of indicator lights to draw the driver's attention to changes in driving automation levels or responsibility transfers. This periodic visual action ensures that important state changes are noticed by the driver even when they are engaged in other activities, preventing information loss.
2Productivity
If the driver can engage in other activities during automated driving, then productivity and driver comfort increase, but the changeover in responsibility for driving may not be actualized, leading to driver misunderstanding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent activates indicator lights before the actual transfer of responsibility occurs, providing advance warning to the driver that a change in driving automation level or responsibility is imminent. This preliminary visual notification allows the driver to prepare for the transition, ensuring reliable transfer even when the driver is engaged in other activities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent provides continuous visual feedback through indicator lights that reflect the current driving automation level and responsibility state. This real-time feedback mechanism ensures that the driver's understanding of who is responsible for driving (driver or automated system) is always accurate, preventing misunderstandings during responsibility transfers.
3Loss of information
If multiple indicator lights are used to show different driving automation levels, then information clarity improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple indicator lights into a single steering control member, which serves both as the primary steering interface and as a comprehensive information display device. This multi-functional design provides clear information about driving automation levels without adding separate complex display systems, thereby minimizing overall device complexity while maintaining information clarity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures the driver is consistently informed about the driving automation level and when to retake control, preventing misinterpretation of automation levels and ensuring safe transitions between manual and automated modes.
Implementation Method 1
the steering control member has at least one indicator light
Data Source
AI summary
A control system is for a motor vehicle to be driven according to a manual mode or according to various levels of driving automation by an automated driving module. The control system includes a driving assistance device and a steering control member. The steering control member includes at least one indicator light and the driving assistance device changes the status of the at least one indicator light when the driving assistance device determines an available level of driving automation, detects an active level of driving automation, determines as a function of the road configuration that the motor vehicle should be driven by the driver, and detects a switch between a level of driving automation and the manual mode.