Vehicle Trip Status Lighting for Real-Time Passenger ETA Feedback
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Passengers in taxicabs or autonomous vehicles often face uncertainty about trip duration due to factors like traffic congestion, especially when alternate routes are used, making it difficult to estimate the time of arrival at the destination.
Innovation Solution
A trip status system that includes a computer and a status assembly within the vehicle, which determines total trip parameters and progress parameters, and controls light outputs to visually indicate the trip progress to occupants, using a color-matching scheme to associate seat-specific information and providing intuitive travel data for multiple occupants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a taxicab uses alternate routes or experiences traffic congestion, then the vehicle can reach the destination (functional requirement), but the trip duration becomes uncertain and difficult to estimate
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors trip progress and provides real-time feedback to passengers through visual displays showing elapsed time, remaining time, and progress bars. This feedback loop keeps passengers informed despite route changes or traffic conditions, resolving the information loss problem while maintaining route flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-calculates expected trip duration based on selected routes and traffic conditions before the journey begins. This preliminary estimation is then updated in real-time, allowing passengers to have immediate information about trip duration without needing to wait for the journey to progress.
2Productivity
If the taxicab drops off multiple passengers at different destinations, then the vehicle can serve multiple occupants (functional requirement), but each passenger cannot know their specific arrival time
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the vehicle into separate informational zones, with each seat equipped with its own progress indicator and trip information display. This segmentation allows multiple passengers to simultaneously receive personalized trip status information without interfering with each other, enabling the vehicle to serve multiple passengers efficiently while maintaining individual information accuracy.
3Device complexity
If traditional information displays are used in the vehicle, then the system is simple (functional requirement), but the information is not intuitive or easily understood by passengers
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses color-coded progress bars and visual indicators to represent trip status, with different colors indicating different levels of progress or time remaining. This visual encoding makes trip information immediately comprehensible to passengers without requiring complex displays or detailed numerical data, achieving high ease of operation with relatively simple device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer having a processor and memory storing instructions executable by the processor. The computer is programmed to: determine a total trip parameter associated with a destination of an occupant of a vehicle; determine a progress parameter since an outset of an occupant trip; and control a light output of a status assembly, wherein the output represents the parameters.