Vehicle Control System for Mixed Autonomous and Remote Driving Modes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,964,948, fail to maintain appropriate intervehicle distances when vehicles are in mixed driving modes, leading to potential collisions and occupant unease due to the remote operator's inability to sense actual distances between vehicles in remote self-driving and autonomous modes.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system that includes a processor-enabled device capable of controlling vehicles in autonomous, remote, and manual driving modes, which acquires the driving mode of nearby vehicles and adjusts the host vehicle's travel to maintain a predetermined distance, either by direct control or through control signals to remote operation terminals, ensuring safe intervehicle spacing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If vehicles travel in remote self-driving mode without a remote operator in the vehicle, then automation level is improved, but intervehicle distance control deteriorates due to remote operator's inability to sense actual distances
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by having the host vehicle acquire information about nearby vehicles' driving modes and continuously monitor intervehicle distances. The vehicle control device receives feedback signals from remote operation terminals and automatically adjusts host vehicle travel to maintain safe distances, creating a closed-loop control system that compensates for the remote operator's lack of direct distance sensing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle control device acts as an intermediary between the remote operation terminal and the host vehicle's driving system. It receives control signals from the remote operator, integrates them with automatic distance control algorithms, and generates appropriate control commands to maintain safe intervehicle distances, thereby mediating between remote human input and automated safety requirements
2Ease of operation
If the host vehicle controls travel autonomously without considering nearby vehicle driving modes, then ease of operation is improved, but safety deteriorates due to inappropriate intervehicle distances in mixed traffic scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by differentiating control strategies based on the specific driving mode of each nearby vehicle. When a nearby vehicle is detected to be in remote self-driving mode, the host vehicle applies a more conservative distance maintenance strategy. This localized adaptation of control parameters to specific traffic conditions enhances safety without compromising the overall ease of autonomous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamics by making the host vehicle's travel control adaptive and variable based on real-time detection of nearby vehicle driving modes. The control parameters dynamically adjust according to the detected mode of nearby vehicles, allowing the system to transition between different control strategies seamlessly, thereby maintaining both ease of operation and safety in mixed traffic scenarios
3Device complexity
If remote operation terminals control multiple vehicles independently without coordination, then device complexity is reduced, but intervehicle distance control worsens due to lack of communication between remote operators
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle control device performs multiple functions: it controls the host vehicle's travel, acquires information about nearby vehicles' driving modes, receives signals from remote operation terminals, and maintains intervehicle distances. This multi-functional integration allows the system to coordinate multiple vehicles without requiring separate complex communication systems between remote operators, thereby maintaining simplicity while enhancing safety
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control system comprising a vehicle control device, and a remote operation terminal. The vehicle control device controls a host vehicle capable of traveling in each of an autonomous self-driving mode, a remote self-driving mode, and a manual driving mode. The remote operation terminal remotely operate the host vehicle. The vehicle control device acquires a nearby-vehicle driving mode representing a driving mode of a nearby vehicle that is a vehicle near the host vehicle. In a case in which the nearby-vehicle driving mode of the nearby vehicle is a remote self-driving mode and a driving mode of the host vehicle is the autonomous self-driving mode, the vehicle control device controls travel of the host vehicle in the autonomous self-driving mode so that a distance between the nearby vehicle and the host vehicle becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined distance.