Autonomous Vehicle Obstacle Response via Dynamic Protection Zone Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated driving systems face challenges in reliably reacting to spontaneously appearing obstacles, such as pedestrians, due to complex data processing requirements and the need for unpredictable behavior adaptations, which can lead to unnecessary safety operations and loss of valuable time in recalculating trajectories.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a limiter function and observer function within the signal path between the autonomous driving function and the driving actuator, where the observer function dynamically adjusts a protection zone based on vehicle speed and detects obstacles, triggering the limiter to reduce speed values without altering the trajectory path, ensuring a predictable and safe vehicle response.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If complex data processing is performed to evaluate sensor data for obstacle detection, then detection accuracy is improved, but processing time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the safety mechanism into two independent parts: the complex autonomous driving function that plans trajectories, and the simple observer function that monitors protection zones. This segmentation allows each part to operate independently with appropriate complexity levels, avoiding the time penalty of complex processing for simple safety checks.
Solution Approach 2:
The observer function acts as an intermediary between the autonomous driving function and the safety mechanism. It simplifies the complex sensor data evaluation by monitoring only the protection zone boundaries and obstacle positions, providing a fast decision interface without requiring full complex data processing.
2Reliability
If the autonomous driving function adapts trajectory to react to obstacles, then safety response is achieved, but valuable time is lost during recalculation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-defining protection zones along the trajectory path before obstacles appear. The observer function continuously monitors these pre-established zones, enabling immediate safety responses without waiting for trajectory recalculation when obstacles are detected.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adapting the trajectory to react to obstacles, the system inverts the approach by keeping the trajectory fixed and adapting the protection zone size dynamically. The observer function shrinks or expands protection zones based on obstacle presence, eliminating the need for time-consuming trajectory recalculation while maintaining safety responses.
3Reliability
If safety operations are executed for every detected obstacle, then pedestrian protection is improved, but unnecessary safety operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by making the protection zone size dynamic rather than uniform. The observer function adjusts the protection zone dimensions locally based on the specific situation - expanding when obstacles are present and contracting when clear, enabling differentiated safety responses that avoid unnecessary operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The observer function implements feedback by continuously monitoring obstacle positions relative to protection zones and dynamically adjusting the protection zone size accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures safety operations are executed only when truly necessary, balancing pedestrian protection with operational efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is concerned with a method for controlling a vehicle (10) when an obstacle (18) is detected in surroundings (39) of the vehicle (10), wherein an autonomous driving function of the vehicle (10) plans a trajectory (15). An observer function (23) determines and/or adapts a size of a dynamic protection zone (26) that extends in a current driving direction (13), wherein the size depends on a current driving speed of the vehicle (10), wherein the observer function determines whether the obstacle (18) is detected within the dynamic protection zone (26), and in the case the obstacle (18) is detected, a limiter function (29) is signaled by the observer function, wherein the limiter function (29) is provided in the signal path (30) and the limiter function (29) reduces speed values of the planned trajectory (15) without influencing the line (25) of the movement of the vehicle (10), thereby causing the observer function (23) to shrink the dynamic protection zone (26) until the obstacle (18) lies outside the shrunken dynamic protection zone (26).