Vehicle Management System for Absent User Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ride-sharing mediation systems fail to appropriately respond when a user is absent at the boarding location, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities in vehicle utilization.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle management method and apparatus that specify an available vehicle, set a travel plan including a boarding location, and adjust waiting times based on user presence, allowing for effective handling of absent users by optimizing vehicle utilization and user wait times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the vehicle arrives at the boarding location according to the travel plan, then the user can board the vehicle, but the vehicle cannot respond appropriately when the user is absent
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by notifying the user in advance before the vehicle arrives at the boarding location. This advance notification allows the system to prepare for potential user absence and take appropriate follow-up actions, such as canceling the trip or waiting, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliable vehicle arrival and adaptability to user absence.
2Ease of operation
If the vehicle waits indefinitely for the user at the boarding location, then the user can board even if late, but vehicle utilization efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the waiting time parameter from indefinite to a predetermined limited duration. This parameter change allows the vehicle to wait for the user for a reasonable time (maintaining ease of operation) while eventually departing if the user does not board (maintaining vehicle utilization efficiency), thus resolving the contradiction between user convenience and system productivity.
3Productivity
If the vehicle departs immediately when the user is not present, then vehicle utilization efficiency is maintained, but user service quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary notification to the user before the vehicle departs. This preliminary action gives the user a chance to arrive and board the vehicle, thereby maintaining user service quality. If the user still does not arrive after notification, the vehicle can then depart to maintain productivity, resolving the contradiction between efficiency and service quality.
4Productivity
If no waiting time is set when the user is absent, then the vehicle can be quickly reassigned, but the user experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the waiting time parameter from zero to a predetermined positive duration when user absence is detected. This allows the vehicle to wait for a reasonable time (improving user experience) while still having a defined endpoint for reassignment (maintaining productivity). The predetermined waiting time resolves the contradiction between quick reassignment and user experience.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle management method is provided for setting a travel plan for a vehicle (Vn) using a server (10) configured to manage vehicle requests from a plurality of users. This method includes specifying an available vehicle from among a plurality of the vehicles as an in-use vehicle on the basis of the vehicle requests from the users who request use of the vehicle (Vn), setting the travel plan including a travel route of the in-use vehicle by way of a boarding location for each of the users on the basis of the vehicle requests from the users, and in a case in which a user of the users is absent at the boarding location when the in-use vehicle arrives at the boarding location, setting a waiting time at the boarding location on the basis of the travel plan.