Vehicle Control Device Coordinated Deceleration and Lane Change
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems may fail to ensure a vehicle progresses towards its intended lane, especially when deceleration and lane change controls interfere with each other, potentially confusing other drivers and disrupting traffic.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control device and method that includes a deceleration controller and a lane change controller, allowing the vehicle to change lanes independently of occupant steering, with coordinated control to ensure the vehicle progresses to its intended lane by restricting deceleration when both controllers' conditions are met, and determining lane change continuation or return based on vehicle position relative to the lane marking line.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the deceleration controller and lane change controller operate independently without coordination, then each controller can perform its function, but the vehicle may not progress toward the intended lane and traffic disruption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the deceleration controller and lane change controller into a coordinated control system. The controller integrates both deceleration control and lane change control functions, enabling them to operate in coordination rather than independently. This integration ensures that when both controllers' operation conditions are satisfied, the system prioritizes lane change completion before deceleration, resolving the contradiction between reliable vehicle progression and control system complexity.
2Extent of automation
If the vehicle performs lane change independently of occupant steering, then the vehicle can change lane automatically, but unnecessary lane changes may occur disrupting traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the controller continuously monitors operation conditions for both deceleration and lane change controls. The system uses this feedback to determine whether to execute lane change or deceleration based on current vehicle state and intended lane progression. This feedback-based decision-making ensures automated lane changes only occur when appropriate, preventing unnecessary lane changes that would disrupt traffic while maintaining high automation levels.
3Ease of operation
If deceleration control is performed without coordinating with lane change control, then the vehicle can decelerate according to occupant operation, but the vehicle may not reach its intended lane
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by prioritizing lane change execution before deceleration when both operation conditions are satisfied simultaneously. The controller determines that the lane change operation should be completed first to ensure the vehicle reaches its intended lane, and only after lane change completion does the deceleration control take effect. This preliminary action approach maintains responsive deceleration control while ensuring accurate lane positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control device (100) includes a deceleration controller (110) that operates according to an operation of an occupant of a vehicle or on the basis of a result of detecting a state of the occupant, and performs at least control of decelerating the vehicle, and a lane change controller (150) that causes the vehicle to change a lane independently of a steering operation of the occupant of the vehicle, and at least a part of the control of the deceleration controller is restricted when an operation condition of the deceleration controller and an operation condition of the lane change controller are satisfied at the same time.