Vehicle Travel Support Device Lateral Movement Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing self-driving vehicle systems face challenges in detecting obstacle avoidance actions by preceding vehicles in a timely manner, especially when maintaining a small inter-vehicle distance, leading to potential delays in the host vehicle's obstacle avoidance response.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle travel support device that includes a guide route setting unit, travel environment information acquisition unit, target traveling path setting unit, inter-vehicle distance keep control unit, lateral movement amount calculation unit, and obstacle avoidance action detection unit, which enables early detection of obstacle avoidance actions by calculating the lateral movement amount of the preceding vehicle and adjusting the host vehicle's path to follow the preceding vehicle's obstacle avoidance route.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the host vehicle keeps a small inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle, then productivity is improved, but the time to detect obstacle avoidance action is delayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetravel efficiencyVSAvoiddetection delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of the preceding vehicle's lateral movement intent by monitoring lateral acceleration and lateral position changes before the obstacle avoidance maneuver is fully completed. This allows the host vehicle to prepare for obstacle avoidance in advance, reducing the effective response time needed when maintaining small inter-vehicle distances.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of waiting for the preceding vehicle to complete its obstacle avoidance maneuver and then detecting it, the system inverts the detection logic by proactively monitoring for signs of lateral movement initiation (lateral acceleration, position changes) and predicting the preceding vehicle's intent to avoid obstacles before the maneuver finishes. This inversion of the detection sequence enables earlier response.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Measurement precision

If the host vehicle waits for completion of the preceding vehicle's obstacle avoidance action before detecting it, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobstacle avoidance detection accuracyVSAvoidresponse time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies partial detection by monitoring only the critical initial parameters of obstacle avoidance (lateral acceleration exceeding threshold, lateral position change rate) rather than waiting for complete maneuver verification. This partial detection approach provides sufficient information for timely host vehicle response without requiring full completion of the preceding vehicle's avoidance action.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If the host vehicle maintains a set inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle, then reliability is improved, but the ability to take obstacle avoidance action with allowance is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafe following distanceVSAvoidobstacle avoidance flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the host vehicle's lateral position and inter-vehicle distance based on detected preceding vehicle obstacle avoidance maneuvers. When obstacle avoidance is detected through lateral movement monitoring, the host vehicle adaptively changes its following distance and lateral position to maintain safety while enabling timely obstacle avoidance actions, rather than maintaining a fixed set distance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the preceding vehicle's lateral position and acceleration, providing real-time feedback about obstacle avoidance maneuvers. This feedback loop enables the host vehicle to adjust its behavior dynamically, maintaining reliable following distance under normal conditions while automatically adapting to reduce distance and prepare for obstacle avoidance when the preceding vehicle's lateral movement indicates an avoidance maneuver is underway.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11046312B2Vehicle travel support device

Publication Date: 2021.06.29 SUBARU CORP

AI summary

A vehicle travel support device includes: a guide route setting unit; a travel environment information acquisition unit; a target traveling path setting unit; an inter-vehicle distance keep control unit; a lateral movement amount calculation unit; an obstacle avoidance action detection unit; and a preceding vehicle following controller. The guide route setting unit sets a guide route for a host vehicle. The travel environment information acquisition unit acquires travel environment information. The target traveling path setting unit sets a target traveling path. The inter-vehicle distance keep control unit causes the host vehicle to travel to keep a set distance from a preceding vehicle. The lateral movement amount calculation unit calculates a lateral movement amount of the preceding vehicle. The obstacle avoidance action detection unit detects an obstacle avoidance action of the preceding vehicle. The preceding vehicle following controller sets the target traveling path to a traveling path of the preceding vehicle.