Upgradeable Vehicle Feature Activation via Controller
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles often lack features that could enhance their functionality in specific operating conditions due to limited initial hardware configurations, and users are not informed about available upgrades that could address these conditions.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system that includes a controller and user interface to identify predefined operating conditions and communicate notifications for available upgrades, allowing users to request and install over-the-air updates to enable additional features using existing hardware components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If vehicles are equipped with all available features from the start, then functionality and versatility are improved, but manufacturing cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle system dynamically adjusts its functionality by enabling or disabling features based on detected operating conditions. The controller monitors vehicle usage patterns and automatically activates appropriate features from the available feature set, allowing the vehicle to adapt its configuration rather than requiring all features to be permanently installed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-configures the vehicle with a subset of available features during manufacturing, and then performs preliminary identification of operating conditions to determine which additional features should be activated. This allows the vehicle to start with a baseline configuration and progressively enable more features as needed.
2Device complexity
If vehicles provide only a subset of available features, then manufacturing cost and device complexity are reduced, but adaptability and versatility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The controller continuously monitors vehicle operating conditions and receives feedback about how the vehicle is being used. Based on this feedback, the system identifies when previously unavailable features would be beneficial and notifies the user interface, enabling the vehicle to respond to actual usage patterns and suggest or implement appropriate feature activations.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle is designed with a universal platform that includes multiple available features in the system, even if not all are activated simultaneously. The same hardware and software infrastructure supports various feature combinations, allowing the vehicle to provide different functionalities based on operating conditions without requiring completely different configurations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If new vehicle features are developed and added over time, then adaptability is improved, but users are not informed about available upgrades
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes a feedback loop where the controller monitors operating conditions, identifies when unavailable features would be beneficial, and communicates this information to the user interface. This ensures users are informed about upgrade opportunities that are relevant to their actual driving situations and needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The user interface acts as an intermediary between the controller's identification of upgrade opportunities and the user's decision-making process. It presents information about available features in a user-friendly manner, allowing users to make informed decisions about which upgrades to pursue based on their specific needs and preferences.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and computer program products for upgrading a vehicle's functionality based on the manner in which the vehicle is operated. A predefined operating condition of the vehicle that can be assisted by a vehicle feature not presently provided by the vehicle is identified. Thereafter, a notification is communicated to a user interface that indicates availability of the vehicle feature. Subsequently, the vehicle is upgraded to provide the vehicle feature responsive to input to the user interface submitting a request to perform the upgrade.