Vehicle Control System Driver Awareness Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
In automatic driving systems, the release of operation restrictions on vehicle functions can lead to reduced awareness of the surroundings by occupants, as the system simply switches modes without ensuring proper monitoring or engagement of the driver.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system that selectively operates in driving support modes, such as low speed following travel, and includes a controller to manage the use of specific functions like video phone usage, ensuring the driver's line of sight is not diverted unless necessary, with an imaging unit to monitor the occupant's state and adjust display and audio outputs accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle operates in automatic driving mode and releases operation restrictions on equipment functions, then equipment functionality and occupant convenience are improved, but driver awareness of surroundings is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors driver state through imaging units and uses this feedback to dynamically control equipment functions. When the driver is properly monitoring surroundings, equipment functions are enabled; when monitoring is insufficient, functions are restricted. This closed-loop feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by making equipment adaptability dependent on real-time driver awareness status.
Solution Approach 2:
The operation restriction control means dynamically adjusts equipment accessibility based on driving conditions and driver state rather than maintaining a fixed restriction policy. The system transitions between restricted and unrestricted states according to real-time conditions, enabling equipment functionality when safe while maintaining driver awareness requirements.
2Reliability
If the system monitors driver state continuously to maintain awareness, then driver awareness is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging units serve multiple functions: they monitor driver state for awareness determination, capture images for potential equipment operation, and provide data for occupancy detection. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated monitoring systems, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while maintaining reliable driver awareness monitoring.
3Reliability
If the system restricts equipment functions during automatic driving, then driver awareness is maintained, but equipment usability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically controls equipment accessibility based on real-time driver state assessment. When the driver is properly monitoring surroundings, equipment functions are fully accessible. When monitoring is insufficient, restrictions are applied. This dynamic approach optimizes equipment usability while maintaining driver awareness by adapting restrictions to actual conditions rather than applying blanket limitations.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control system includes a control unit configured to support a driving of a vehicle by selectively operating in one driving support mode among a plurality of driving support modes including a low speed following travel mode in which the vehicle travels while maintaining a constant inter-vehicle distance between a preceding traveling vehicle and the vehicle in a case where the speed is equal to or less than a predetermined speed, and an equipment control unit configured to release a use restriction on a specific function in which the line of sight of a driver is removed from the vehicle surroundings due to its utilization in a case where the control unit operates the low speed following travel mode is executed.