Vehicle Content Projection System for Safe Driver Interaction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Drivers face challenges in accessing and interacting with information while driving, leading to distracted driving, as they need to shift focus from the road to in-vehicle interfaces, which increases the risk of accidents and conflicts with safety guidelines.
Innovation Solution
A content projecting system that projects information onto a surface in front of the vehicle, allowing drivers to view and interact with content without taking their eyes off the road, using a projector affixed to the vehicle, a communication module, an imaging module for pre-distortion, and a safety module to suppress projections when threats are detected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If drivers interact with in-vehicle interfaces (mobile devices, infotainment systems) to access information, then driver satisfaction and information accessibility improve, but driver safety deteriorates due to distracted driving
Solution Approach 1:
The patent projects the infotainment interface from the traditional in-vehicle display dimension onto the external road environment dimension. By displaying content on surfaces outside the vehicle (buildings, walls, road surfaces), the system creates a new spatial dimension for driver interaction that eliminates the need to shift visual focus from the road to internal displays, thereby resolving the contradiction between information accessibility and driver safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an external projection system as an intermediary between the driver and the infotainment content. Instead of the driver directly viewing displays inside the vehicle, the system mediates by projecting the interface onto external surfaces, allowing the driver to interact with content while maintaining visual attention on the road environment
2Reliability
If NHSTA guidelines block access to address input screens while the car is in motion to discourage distracted driving, then driver safety improves, but driver satisfaction and usability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent bypasses the restrictions imposed by NHSTA guidelines by moving the interface display from the in-vehicle dimension to the external environment dimension. This dimensional shift allows full functionality of address input and other interactive features to remain accessible while the vehicle is in motion, as the projection occurs outside the vehicle rather than on internal displays that would require driver attention
Data Source
AI summary
In an example, a content projecting system includes a communication module configured to receive an instruction to project content. The content projecting system further includes a projector configured to be affixed to a vehicle. The projector is further configured to project the content onto a projection surface separate from the vehicle.