Touch-Sensitive Input Surface for Ambiguous Driving Situations

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Solution Overview

Problem

In highly automated motor vehicles, uncertainty in driving situations can lead to system ambiguity, requiring user intervention, which may necessitate a complete handover of control from the vehicle's control device to the driver, disrupting the automatic driving mode.

Innovation Solution

A touch-sensitive input surface integrated into the vehicle, allowing users to make decisions on driving maneuvers through gestures, enabling the control device to continue automatic operation without complete interruption, by detecting hand presence and recognizing specific gestures for selecting driving actions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If the control device operates in fully automatic driving mode, then the driver can perform secondary tasks without monitoring the vehicle, but the system may encounter ambiguous driving situations requiring user decision-making

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic driving modeVSAvoidsystem uncertainty

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A touch-sensitive input surface serves as an intermediary communication channel between the automatic control device and the driver. When the control device encounters an ambiguous driving situation, it can present decision options to the driver through this interface, allowing the driver to provide decisions without fully taking over vehicle control. This mediator enables seamless information exchange while maintaining the automated driving mode.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the control device encounters an ambiguous driving situation, then user intervention is required, but complete handover of control to the driver disrupts the automatic driving mode

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser decision capabilityVSAvoidautomatic driving continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of requiring complete handover of control to the driver, the system implements partial action by allowing the driver to provide only the specific decision input needed for the ambiguous situation through the touch-sensitive interface. The driver performs a limited action (providing a decision) while the automatic control device continues to handle overall vehicle operation, thus maintaining automated driving continuity while obtaining necessary user input.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The touch-sensitive input surface enables continuous operation of the automatic driving mode by providing a seamless interface for user decisions. The driver can provide decisions without interrupting the automated driving flow, and the control device can present options and receive inputs without breaking the automated control loop. This maintains the continuity of useful action in automated driving while incorporating necessary user interventions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Ease of operation

If the driver must fully engage with vehicle controls to handle ambiguous situations, then decision-making is possible, but the driver cannot maintain secondary tasks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser decision interfaceVSAvoiddriver attention

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces traditional mechanical control interfaces (steering wheel, pedals, gear shift) with a touch-sensitive input surface for decision-making. This substitution allows the driver to provide decisions through simple touch gestures rather than manipulating multiple physical controls, reducing the time and attention required for user intervention while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 seamless transition from automatic to manual driving modes without requiring the driver to fully engage with the vehicle controls, allowing users to maintain secondary tasks while ensuring safe operation by minimizing the need for additional monitoring elements and intuitive decision-making.

Implementation Method 1

The touch-sensitive input surface can be designed as a touchpad, for example. It can also be integrated into the cover material of a lining part of the passenger compartment or a seat cushion of a vehicle seat. For example, it can be based on capacitive proximity sensors.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitive proximity sensing: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentEP3067244B1Motor vehicle with automatic situation adaptive drive mode

Publication Date: 2021.06.23 VOLKSWAGEN AG

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AI summary

The invention relates to a motor vehicle (1). A control unit (17) has a first driving mode (21) in which the control unit (17) automatically performs longitudinal and/or lateral control of the motor vehicle (1). An operating device (20) is designed to detect an operating action (32) performed by a user of the motor vehicle (1) by means of an operating object (31) via a touch-sensitive input surface (12). The object of the invention is to enable the driving mode to continue operating even in ambiguous driving situations (15). For this purpose, the control unit (17) is designed to detect at least one driving situation (15) in the first driving mode (21) in which a user decision is required for continued operation of the first driving mode (21). An operating input relating to the user's decision is then received via the input surface (12).