Traffic Flow Control Apparatus Using Vehicle Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicle driving assistance systems, following vehicles often unnecessarily accelerate or decelerate based on the actions of the preceding vehicle, leading to increased energy consumption in traffic flows.
Innovation Solution
A traffic flow control apparatus that includes a communication unit and a control unit. The control unit acquires information about a first controlled vehicle, a following vehicle, and a forward object, and adjusts the behavior of the first controlled vehicle to minimize energy consumption based on this information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If following vehicles accelerate or decelerate based on the actions of the preceding vehicle, then the responsiveness of traffic flow is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives information from following vehicles about their intended acceleration or deceleration actions, and uses this feedback to determine whether to suppress the preceding vehicle's corresponding actions. This feedback mechanism allows the system to prevent unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining traffic flow responsiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit preemptively suppresses the preceding vehicle's acceleration or deceleration actions when it predicts that the following vehicle will perform the opposite action, thereby preventing wasteful energy consumption before it occurs. This preliminary intervention avoids the energy waste associated with unnecessary opposing maneuvers.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the control unit suppresses unnecessary acceleration or deceleration of the preceding vehicle, then energy consumption is reduced, but traffic flow responsiveness may be degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors following vehicle actions through feedback information and only suppresses preceding vehicle maneuvers when necessary. This selective suppression approach maintains traffic flow responsiveness by allowing genuine driving needs to be met while eliminating only wasteful opposing actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit dynamically adjusts the suppression threshold based on the specific driving situation, balancing energy consumption reduction with traffic flow responsiveness. By changing the control parameters adaptively, the system maintains optimal performance across different traffic conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A traffic flow control apparatus includes a communication unit and a control unit. The control unit acquires information related to a first controlled vehicle that communicates with the communication unit, information related to a following vehicle that travels between the first controlled vehicle and a second controlled vehicle that travels behind the first controlled vehicle and communicates with the communication unit, and information related to a traffic light that is positioned ahead of the first controlled vehicle. The control unit causes the first controlled vehicle to behave based on energy consumption of the first controlled vehicle and of the following vehicle in relation to behavior of the first controlled vehicle, the energy consumption being acquired from the information related to the first controlled vehicle, the information related to the following vehicle, and the information related to the traffic light.