Vehicle Control Device Dynamic Virtual Area Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems fail to effectively avoid collisions between a vehicle and oncoming traffic when traversing opposing lanes, as they primarily focus on setting virtual stop lines rather than preventing lane crossings.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control device that detects oncoming vehicles and sets a virtual area moving with the oncoming vehicle, extending in its travel direction, to prevent the own vehicle from crossing this area, thereby avoiding collisions by automatically applying brakes before entering the virtual area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a virtual stop line is set based on map data to control automatic braking, then the vehicle can stop at predetermined positions, but the system fails to effectively prevent collisions when the vehicle traverses an opposite lane
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static virtual stop line into a dynamic virtual area that moves together with the oncoming vehicle. This dynamic adjustment allows the safety zone to adapt to the real-time position and speed of oncoming traffic, enabling effective collision avoidance during lane traversal while maintaining predetermined stopping control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the one-dimensional virtual stop line concept into a two-dimensional virtual area that projects forward from the oncoming vehicle. This dimensional expansion creates a more comprehensive safety zone that accounts for the spatial trajectory of both vehicles, improving collision prevention during lane changes.
2Reliability
If the virtual area is set to extend in the advancing direction of the oncoming vehicle, then the safety zone covers the potential collision path, but the computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-defines the virtual area's extension direction along the advancing path of the oncoming vehicle. By establishing this directional framework in advance, the system efficiently calculates the safety zone without requiring complex real-time three-dimensional modeling, thus maintaining computational simplicity while ensuring comprehensive collision risk coverage.
3Reliability
If automatic brake control is activated when traversing the opposite lane, then collision risk is reduced, but the vehicle's maneuverability and travel efficiency are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies automatic brake control selectively only when the vehicle is traversing the opposite lane and an oncoming vehicle is detected within the virtual area. This localized application of braking control maintains safety during high-risk maneuvers while avoiding unnecessary braking during normal operations, thus preserving overall travel efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the relative position of the oncoming vehicle and adjusts the virtual area accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables the automatic brake to activate only when truly necessary, balancing safety requirements with travel efficiency by avoiding premature or unnecessary braking actions.
Data Source
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AI summary
To effectively avoid a collision between an own vehicle and an oncoming vehicle by causing the own vehicle to be automatically braked based on a virtual area, which corresponds to the oncoming vehicle, when the own vehicle traverses an opposite lane. A vehicle control device 100 for facilitating travel of a vehicle includes: a camera 21 and a radar 22 configured to detect an oncoming vehicle 2 approaching an own vehicle 1; and a controller 10 configured to perform a control of causing the own vehicle 1 to be automatically braked to avoid a collision between the own vehicle 1 and the detected oncoming vehicle 2 when the own vehicle 1 traverses the opposite lane. The controller 10 sets, between the own vehicle 1 and the oncoming vehicle 2, a virtual area W1 which moves along advance of the oncoming vehicle 2, and which extends in an advancing direction of the oncoming vehicle 2, and the controller 10 causes the own vehicle 1 to be automatically braked such that the own vehicle 1 is prevented from coming into contact with the virtual area W1 to avoid the collision between the own vehicle 1 and the oncoming vehicle 2.