Steering-Based Road Friction Estimation During Vehicle Stops
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computing systems in vehicles, both autonomous and non-autonomous, face challenges in accurately determining friction levels on driving surfaces, which can affect navigation and safety, especially during events like stops, turns, and changes in speed, without causing noticeable disruptions to passengers.
Innovation Solution
A computing system that detects vehicle events such as stops, accelerations, and decelerations, and initiates subtle wheel-based actions to gather operational data, using sensors to determine friction levels on the driving surface, and communicates this data for improved vehicle control and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If wheel-based actions are initiated to gather operational data for friction determination, then measurement precision of friction levels is improved, but passenger comfort deteriorates due to noticeable disruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs partial steering actions (small angle deviations) rather than full steering maneuvers to gather friction data. These subtle wheel-based actions during stops provide sufficient operational data for friction determination while remaining below the threshold of passenger noticeability, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and passenger comfort
2Reliability
If friction determination is performed during vehicle operation, then reliability of navigation control is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The system repurposes existing vehicle sensors (steering angle sensors, wheel speed sensors, stop detection systems) to perform dual functions: normal vehicle operation monitoring and friction level measurement. By making existing components multi-functional, the system achieves reliable friction-based navigation control without adding significant hardware complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle's existing operational data (steering inputs, wheel speeds, stop events) is reused for friction determination without requiring separate dedicated measurement systems. The system serves itself by extracting friction information from data already being collected for normal vehicle control, thereby improving reliability while minimizing additional device complexity
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
Enables vehicles to estimate friction levels accurately and safely, minimizing disruptions to passengers while enhancing navigation and control, particularly during events like stops and turns, by using operational data from wheel-based actions.
Implementation Method 1
determining a friction associated with the driving surface based at least in part on the operational data associated with the steering action
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for generating data indicative of a friction associated with a driving surface, and for using the friction data in association with one or more vehicles. In one example, a computing system can detect a stop associated with a vehicle and initiate a steering action of the vehicle during the stop. The steering action is associated with movement of at least one tire of the vehicle relative to a driving surface. The computing system can obtain operational data associated with the steering action during the stop of the vehicle. The computing system can determine a friction associated with the driving surface based at least in part on the operational data associated with the steering action. The computing system can generate data indicative of the friction associated with the driving surface.