Touch Sensor Steering Wheel for Automated Driving Mode Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for partially automated driving require significant driver effort to monitor attention and switch between driving modes, lacking efficient methods for ensuring driver engagement and safe transitions between manual and automatic control.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating touch sensors into the steering wheel and a manually operable control element, such as a 'drive stick', to monitor driver attention and facilitate mode switching, allowing drivers to control vehicle behavior during automatic driving through intuitive movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a driver monitoring camera is used to monitor driver attention during automatic driving mode, then driver attention can be monitored, but the system complexity and driver effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex camera-based driver monitoring systems with simple touch sensors integrated into the steering wheel and control elements. The touch sensors detect driver presence and mode switching intentions through tactile input, eliminating the need for complex optical monitoring systems while maintaining reliable driver attention assessment.
Solution Approach 2:
The steering wheel and control elements themselves perform the monitoring function through integrated touch sensors. The driver's natural touching or releasing of these elements during normal operation provides the monitoring data, eliminating the need for separate dedicated monitoring devices and reducing overall system complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate devices are used for mode switching and driver monitoring, then functions can be performed, but the number of components and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into the steering wheel and control elements. These components serve both as primary vehicle controls and as drivers for mode switching and driver monitoring. The touch sensors on these multi-functional elements detect both driving commands and monitoring data, eliminating the need for separate dedicated devices for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of mode switching control and driver monitoring into existing vehicle control elements (steering wheel and control elements). By combining these functions into single integrated components with touch sensors, the system reduces the total number of separate devices while maintaining all necessary capabilities.
3Ease of operation
If conventional control elements are used without touch sensors, then the design is simple, but driver attention monitoring and mode switching efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the touch sensing capability from separate monitoring devices and embeds it directly into the existing control elements. This extraction approach allows the control elements to independently provide both control and monitoring functions, improving operational efficiency without requiring additional external devices or complex integrated systems.
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 effective monitoring of driver attention and seamless mode transitions with reduced effort, ensuring driver engagement and safety during automated driving scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
the control element is provided with at least one touch sensor, the output signal of which is assigned to the device for changing between the driving operating modes and for monitoring the driver's attention
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a device and a method for selectively operating a motor vehicle in a user-controlled or in an at least partially automatic driving operation mode, which device and method make it possible to ensure, with markedly reduced effort, an effective monitoring of the driver's attention during an automatic driving operation mode and a specifically controlled changeover between the driving operation modes. For this purpose, an additional manually operated control element is present, which is used for inputting commands for both longitudinal and transverse guidance of the vehicle and which is provided with at least one contact sensor, the output signal of which is associated with the device for switching between the operating modes and for monitoring the attention of the driver, in particular for performing the method according to the invention.