Vehicle Body Reconfiguration for Driver-Less Occupancy Modes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles do not effectively utilize vehicle design constraints during transitions between autonomous and manual operations, failing to optimize vehicle geometry and internal configurations based on occupancy status.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle management system that modifies the exterior shape and interior configuration of vehicles based on occupancy status, using sensors and actuators to adjust components such as the roof, windows, and seating arrangements, optimizing for driver-less or passenger-less modes to enhance efficiency and user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a vehicle operates in autonomous mode without a safety driver, then productivity and operational efficiency are improved, but safety and reliability deteriorate due to inability to handle unexpected situations
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically transitions between different operational modes (autonomous mode with dynamic map updates vs. manual mode with detailed map updates) based on safety requirements and operational context. This allows the vehicle to maintain high productivity when safe to do so, while ensuring safety when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of map update frequency based on the operational mode. In autonomous mode, map updates occur at a first frequency (lower), while in manual mode, map updates occur at a second frequency (higher). This parameter adjustment optimizes both productivity and safety.
2Reliability
If a vehicle operates in manual mode with safety driver, then safety and reliability are improved, but productivity decreases due to reduced operational time
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows dynamic switching between manual and autonomous modes, enabling the vehicle to maximize operational time in autonomous mode while ensuring safety through periodic transitions to manual mode for map updates, thereby optimizing both productivity and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic transitions to manual mode for map updates at optimized intervals, allowing the vehicle to operate autonomously for extended periods (improving productivity) while periodically ensuring safety through manual driver intervention.
3Measurement precision
If map updates occur frequently to ensure accurate navigation, then navigation precision is improved, but energy consumption and operational time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the map update frequency parameter based on operational mode: first frequency (lower) in autonomous mode to conserve energy, and second frequency (higher) in manual mode to ensure navigation accuracy, thus optimizing the trade-off between energy consumption and navigation precision.
4Use of energy by moving object
If map updates occur infrequently to conserve energy, then energy efficiency is improved, but navigation accuracy and safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system adjusts map update frequency based on operational context, using lower frequency in autonomous mode for energy efficiency and higher frequency in manual mode for navigation accuracy, resolving the contradiction between energy consumption and navigation precision.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
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AI summary
Various embodiments include methods and vehicles (100) that include determining whether to initiate a configuration change protocol to implement a configuration change for modifying the exterior shape of a body of the vehicle in response to a planned or predicted future operating mode, event or environment. Also, determining whether an occupancy status of the vehicle conflicts with an occupancy status allowed for in a configuration called for by a configuration change input or indication. Further, modifying the exterior shape of the body of the vehicle in accordance with the configuration change input or indication in response to determining that the occupancy status of the vehicle does not conflict with the configuration change input or indication, wherein modifying the exterior shape of the body of the vehicle includes modifying a configuration of at least one exterior vehicle part.