Vehicle Control Level Switching for Window Fogging Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fogging of vehicle windows can impair the ability to monitor surroundings, leading to destabilization of autonomous driving control and difficulty in driving under adverse conditions, as drivers may not promptly defog windows, disrupting the balance between autonomous and driver-controlled driving modes.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle controller with a fogginess determination unit and a level control unit that adjusts driving control levels based on fogging conditions, notifying the driver to operate defogging devices and increasing driver involvement if fogging persists, ensuring continued safe operation by transitioning control levels to require driver attention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If autonomous driving control is implemented, then driving assistance capability is improved, but vehicle control stability deteriorates when windows fog due to driver inaction
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors window fogging status through sensors and provides feedback to the driver via notifications. When fogging is detected, the system notifies the driver to operate the defogging device, creating a closed-loop feedback mechanism that ensures the driver responds to deteriorating visibility conditions, thereby maintaining vehicle control stability despite autonomous driving operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system detects window fogging in advance before it severely impacts visibility and autonomous driving operation. By notifying the driver promptly upon detecting fogging conditions, the system enables preliminary defogging action, preventing the fogging from reaching a critical level that would destabilize vehicle control.
2Ease of operation
If driving control level is reduced for autonomous operation, then ease of operation is improved, but driver monitoring capability deteriorates when fogging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The notification device serves as an intermediary between the fogging detection system and the driver. When autonomous driving is active and the driver's monitoring capability may be reduced, the notification device mediates by alerting the driver to window fogging conditions, ensuring the driver regains situational awareness and can take appropriate action to restore visibility.
3Productivity
If defogging operation is delayed, then autonomous driving continues, but visibility monitoring deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes a real-time feedback loop where window fogging status is continuously monitored and immediately communicated to the driver through notifications. This feedback mechanism ensures that even when autonomous driving continues uninterrupted, the driver is promptly informed of visibility deterioration and can operate the defogging device to restore monitoring capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle controller includes a fogginess determination unit 31 that determines whether there is fogging on a window of a vehicle 10 or a sign of fogging thereof, based on a fogginess sensor signal indicating a physical index related to the degree of fogging of the window of the vehicle 10 or operation of a vehicle-mounted device 6 of the vehicle 10 capable of defogging operation. The fogginess sensor signal is obtained by a fogginess sensor 2 provided on the vehicle 10. The vehicle controller further includes a level control unit 33 that changes a driving control level applicable to the vehicle so as to increase or prevent decreasing the degree of a driver's involvement in driving the vehicle 10, depending on the driving control level currently applied to the vehicle 10, upon determination that there is fogging on the window of the vehicle 10 or a sign of fogging thereof.