Steering Take-Over Control for Stable Automated Driving Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transition from automated to manual driving in vehicles can cause instability due to excessive steering reactions from drivers, leading to unintended lane deviations or collisions, as existing systems lack context-based driver assistance during this transition.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system that classifies driver take-over requests based on steering torque, angle, and rate, and determines the level of automated driver assistance using sensors like cameras, RADAR, LiDAR, and inertial measurement units, adjusting assistance levels according to environmental factors such as road curvature and lateral acceleration to maintain vehicle stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the driver takes over control from automated driving, then the driver can manually control the vehicle, but excessive steering reactions cause vehicle instability and lane deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The control system acts as an intermediary between the driver and the vehicle during take-over transition. It classifies the driver's steering input characteristics (excessive, moderate, or minimal corrections) and provides automated driver assistance as a mediating force to stabilize the vehicle, preventing direct transmission of excessive steering reactions to the vehicle while still allowing manual control capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the parameter of driver assistance level based on the classification of steering input characteristics. When excessive steering corrections are detected, the system increases automated assistance to dampen the steering reactions. When moderate or minimal corrections are detected, the system reduces or eliminates assistance, allowing full manual control. This adaptive parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction by matching assistance level to the actual driving situation
2Stability of the object's composition
If automated driver assistance is provided during take-over, then vehicle stability is maintained, but the system complexity increases due to multiple sensors and classification logic
Solution Approach 1:
The control system segments the take-over transition into distinct classification categories (excessive, moderate, or minimal steering corrections). This segmentation allows the system to apply different levels of automated assistance for each category, managing complexity by creating discrete, manageable states rather than attempting to handle all possible transition scenarios continuously
Solution Approach 2:
The control system integrates multiple perception sensors (cameras, RADAR, LiDAR, inertial measurement units) and the steering sensor into a unified multi-functional platform. This universal system performs both environmental perception and driver intent classification, reducing overall system complexity by having components serve multiple purposes rather than requiring separate dedicated systems for each function
3Reliability
If the system classifies take-over requests based on steering characteristics, then appropriate assistance levels are determined, but response time is reduced due to classification processing
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors and classifies steering input characteristics even before the driver formally requests take-over. This preliminary classification allows the system to have the appropriate assistance level ready and waiting, eliminating processing delay when the driver actually takes control. The classification work is done in advance during the automated driving phase
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle control system includes a controller circuit in communication with a steering sensor and one or more perception sensors. The steering sensor is configured to detect a steering torque of a steering wheel of a host vehicle. The one or more perception sensors are configured to detect an environment proximate the host vehicle. The controller circuit is configured to determine when an operator of the host vehicle requests a take-over from fully automated control of the host vehicle based on the steering sensor. The controller circuit classifies the take-over request based on the steering sensor.