Steering Wheel Interface for Portable Terminal in Autonomous Driving
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in quickly redirecting a driver's attention back to guiding a motor vehicle when switching from automatic driving mode to manual driving mode, particularly due to the difficulty in ensuring the driver's hands are on the steering wheel and gaze is focused on the road, especially when using portable communication devices during automatic driving.
Innovation Solution
A method that utilizes the vehicle's onboard user interface to operate a portable communication terminal, allowing input data transmission from the steering wheel's input device to the terminal and displaying terminal screen content on the vehicle's display, enabling hands-free and gaze-focused operation, thereby facilitating a seamless transition to manual driving.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the driver uses a portable communication device during automatic driving mode, then communication functionality is improved, but the time to regain control of the vehicle increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the communication terminal operations with the vehicle's existing user interface by establishing a communication connection between the vehicle's communication system and the portable communication device. The steering wheel input device and vehicle display are integrated with the communication terminal, allowing the driver to operate communication functions through the vehicle's interface without physically handling the portable device, thus maintaining communication functionality while reducing distraction and control regaining time
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle's communication system acts as an intermediary between the driver and the portable communication device. The control unit mediates all interactions by receiving input data from the steering wheel input device and transmitting it to the communication terminal, and by sending control signals to the terminal based on detected operating parameters, thereby eliminating the need for direct manual handling of the portable device
2Ease of operation
If the driver operates a portable communication device during automatic driving mode, then communication convenience is improved, but driver attention and safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the portable communication device operations with the vehicle's integrated user interface system. The steering wheel input device, which the driver is already familiar with and positioned to use, is merged with the communication terminal control functions. The vehicle display is merged with the terminal's display output, allowing communication operations without removing hands from the steering wheel or shifting gaze from the road
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary setup by establishing the communication connection between the vehicle's communication system and the portable communication device before driving begins. The control unit is pre-configured to detect operating parameters and automatically send appropriate control signals to the terminal, so that when the driver needs to use communication functions, the interface is already prepared and responsive without requiring additional setup or attention diversion
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle (1), which is switched between a manual driving mode, in which the motor vehicle (1) is guided by a driver, and an automatic driving mode, in which longitudinal and transverse guidance are performed automatically by means of a control device (3). In said method, a display device (4) of the motor vehicle (1), located in said vehicle, is operated at least in the manual driving mode by means of an input device arranged on a steering wheel (7) of the motor vehicle (1), a communication connection (15) is established between a communication device (13) of the motor vehicle (1) and a portable communication terminal (14) separate from the motor vehicle (1) and, in the automatic driving mode of the motor vehicle (1), an entertainment mode is activated, in which the input device of the steering wheel (7) is used to input entries into the communication terminal (14) and/or the display device (4) is used to display image data of the communication terminal (14).