Vehicle Height Control for Obstacle-Aware Passenger Stops

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous vehicles may encounter obstacles at stop positions, such as fallen objects, which can interfere with the vehicle and hinder easy entry and exit for occupants.

Innovation Solution

The vehicle is equipped with an outside sensor to detect obstacles, a vehicle height adjusting device, and a control system that adjusts the vehicle height to avoid interference by changing the stop position or adjusting the vehicle height based on obstacle height, allowing easy entry and exit while preventing collision.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the vehicle height is decreased to allow easy entry and exit, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates because obstacles may interfere with the vehicle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of entry and exitVSAvoidvehicle safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control device performs preliminary detection of obstacles at the stop position using outside sensors before the vehicle stops. Based on this advance information, the control device pre-adjusts the vehicle height to an appropriate level that avoids obstacles while maintaining ease of entry and exit, thereby preventing potential damage before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The vehicle height is made dynamically adjustable based on real-time detection of obstacle conditions. The control device continuously monitors the stop position for obstacles and adjusts the vehicle height accordingly - lowering the vehicle when no obstacles are present for easy access, and raising it when obstacles are detected to prevent interference, thus adapting the vehicle configuration to varying operational conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the vehicle stops at the predetermined stop position for easy access, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to potential obstacle interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of entry and exitVSAvoidvehicle safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control device performs preliminary detection of obstacles at the stop position using outside sensors before the vehicle stops. Based on this advance information, the control device pre-adjusts the vehicle height to an appropriate level that avoids obstacles while maintaining ease of entry and exit, thereby preventing potential damage before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The outside sensors continuously provide feedback information about obstacles at the stop position to the control device. The control device uses this feedback to make real-time decisions about vehicle height adjustment, creating a closed-loop control system that ensures safe stopping while maintaining operational convenience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the vehicle height is adjusted to avoid obstacles, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates because the stop position must be changed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle safetyVSAvoidease of entry and exit
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle height is made dynamically adjustable based on real-time detection of obstacle conditions. The control device continuously monitors the stop position for obstacles and adjusts the vehicle height accordingly - lowering the vehicle when no obstacles are present for easy access, and raising it when obstacles are detected to prevent interference, thus adapting the vehicle configuration to varying operational conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The control device changes the vehicle height parameter based on detected obstacle conditions. When obstacles are detected at the predetermined stop position, the control device adjusts the vehicle height parameter to a higher level to avoid interference, while when no obstacles are present, it maintains a lower height parameter for easy entry and exit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4011659B1Vehicle and vehicle operating method
Publication Date: 2025.07.16 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4011659B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4011659B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4011659B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A vehicle includes an outside sensor configured to acquire information (S104) on an outside circumstance of the vehicle, a vehicle height adjusting device configured to adjust a vehicle height, and a control device configured to control the vehicle. The control device is configured to control (S107) the vehicle height adjusting device such that the vehicle height becomes a vehicle height corresponding to a platform condition at a predetermined stop position when the vehicle stops at the predetermined stop position. The control device is configured to control (S112, S113) the vehicle height adjusting device based on a height of an obstacle such that the obstacle does not interfere with the vehicle when the obstacle is detected at the predetermined stop position by the outside sensor.