Teleoperation Throttle Limiting Near Vehicle Speed Thresholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in safely controlling speed during teleoperation events, such as hardware or software failures, without relying on fully functional real-time control feedback loops and inertial measurement units, which can lead to unsafe acceleration and potential speed limit violations.
Innovation Solution
The system regulates the effect of teleoperation inputs by determining the vehicle's speed using a speedometer and reducing the throttle control input when the speed reaches a threshold below the speed limit, thereby reducing the acceleration rate and preventing excessive speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the autonomous vehicle uses a speedometer to determine speed and reduces throttle control input when reaching threshold speed, then speed limit compliance is improved, but the teleoperation responsiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the throttle control parameter by applying a reduction factor (e.g., 50% reduction) when the vehicle approaches the threshold speed (within 5-10 mph of speed limit). This parameter modification ensures speed limit compliance while maintaining partial teleoperation responsiveness, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
2Speed
If the autonomous vehicle reduces the effect of throttle control input near speed limit, then acceleration rate control is improved, but the teleoperator's control authority deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the throttle control effect based on the vehicle's current speed relative to the threshold. When speed is below the threshold, full teleoperator control authority is maintained. When speed reaches the threshold (within 5-10 mph of speed limit), the system automatically reduces throttle effect to control acceleration rate, thus adapting control authority to current operational conditions.
3Device complexity
If the autonomous vehicle operates without a functional IMU, then system complexity is reduced, but speed determination reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and relies solely on the speedometer for speed determination, removing dependence on the IMU. By taking out the IMU from the speed determination process and using only the speedometer (which provides speed data directly from wheel rotation), the system reduces complexity while maintaining sufficient reliability for throttle control purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure provides systems and methods for controlling a vehicle by teleoperation based on a speed limiter. The method may include: receiving, at the autonomous vehicle, a teleoperation input from a teleoperation system, wherein the teleoperation input comprises a throttle control input for remotely controlling a speed of the autonomous vehicle; determining the speed of the autonomous vehicle; determining if the speed of the autonomous vehicle has reached a threshold speed below a speed limit; and upon determining that the speed of the autonomous vehicle has reached the threshold speed, reducing effect of the throttle control input from the teleoperation system such that an acceleration rate of the speed of the autonomous vehicle is reduced.