Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication for Safe Lane Changes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automatic driving technologies face challenges in safely and smoothly executing lane changes and joining/dividing from lanes due to the complexity of real-world traffic environments, where on-vehicle sensors struggle to predict the behavior of surrounding vehicles accurately.
Innovation Solution
A driving control device and method that utilizes a sensor unit to detect surrounding vehicles, a vehicle-mounted communication device for exchanging identification and position information with other vehicles, and a travel determination unit to assess and control lane changes through unicast communication, ensuring safe and efficient lane changes by verifying inter-vehicular distances and receiving acknowledgments from following vehicles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If on-vehicle sensors (camera and radar) are used to detect surrounding vehicles, then the detecting function is improved, but the ability to accurately predict traveling behavior of other vehicles deteriorates due to the complexity of real traffic environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces vehicle-to-vehicle communication as an intermediary between the own-vehicle and surrounding vehicles. Instead of relying solely on passive sensor detection, the system uses communication channels to actively exchange traveling behavior information (acceleration, deceleration, steering) with other vehicles. This intermediary communication mechanism supplements the limited sensor detection capabilities and provides more reliable data for predicting the traveling behavior of surrounding vehicles in complex traffic environments.
2Loss of information
If vehicle-to-vehicle communication is used to collect information around the vehicle, then the information availability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for communication devices and protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device into the existing automatic driving control system, making it serve multiple functions. The communication device not only collects information about surrounding vehicles for detection enhancement but also directly provides traveling behavior data for prediction and contributes to lane change control decisions. This multi-functional integration reduces the need for separate dedicated systems and mitigates the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the communication-based information gathering function with the existing sensor-based detection system and the lane change control system. Instead of creating a separate complex communication subsystem, the communication device is integrated into the overall automatic driving control architecture, sharing processing resources and control logic with other system components. This merging approach reduces redundant functionality and simplifies the overall system structure.
3Extent of automation
If automatic lane change control is implemented without mutual recognition communication, then the automation level is improved, but the safety and smoothness of lane changes deteriorates due to inability to coordinate with surrounding vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the own-vehicle sends lane change requests to surrounding vehicles via communication and receives their responses (acknowledgment or rejection). This feedback loop allows the automatic driving system to adjust its lane change timing and behavior based on the actual responses from surrounding vehicles, ensuring that automation is achieved while maintaining safety and smoothness through coordinated recognition with other road users.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a driving control method and device in which an actual driving operation is performed after vehicles communicate with each other regarding a safety check by vehicle-to-vehicle communication in advance, thereby making it possible to smoothly and safely change lanes or merge when a vehicle is changing lanes or merging by automatic driving. The driving control device is provided with: a sensor unit that detects vehicles around a vehicle; a vehicle-mounted communication device that transmits and receives information including an identification number and position information to/from vehicle-mounted communication devices that are mounted to the vehicles around the vehicle and maintains said information as a table; a travel determination unit for determining travel control for the vehicle on the basis of the detection result of the sensor unit and the table maintained by the vehicle-mounted communication device; and a travel control unit that controls the travel of the vehicle on the basis of the result determined by the travel determination unit. The driving control device is characterized in that when the vehicle is changing lanes, the travel determination unit identifies a following linearly traveling vehicle in the lane that is the lane change destination from the detection result of the sensor unit and selects the identification number of the following linearly traveling vehicle from the table maintained by the vehicle-mounted communication device, and the vehicle-mounted communication device uses the identification number to transmit information requesting a lane change to the following linearly traveling vehicle in unicast format.