Autonomous Vehicle Pullover Planning for Local Failure Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in efficiently managing local failures during passenger or cargo transport, requiring quick and safe pullover spots for mid-trip interruptions while ensuring seamless continuation of trips.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using computing devices to detect local failures, determine the need for a pullover, and identify suitable spots based on distance, size, and accessibility for a second vehicle to pick up passengers or cargo, allowing the first vehicle to park and request a second vehicle for continuation of the trip.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the autonomous vehicle continues the trip without pullover after detecting a local failure, then the trip completion time is maintained, but the safety and reliability of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by proactively identifying suitable pullover spots before the vehicle actually needs to stop. When a local failure is detected, the vehicle can immediately execute the pre-planned pullover maneuver to a safe location, rather than first searching for a safe spot. This resolves the contradiction by preparing safety options in advance, allowing the vehicle to maintain reliability while minimizing actual trip interruption time.
2Area of stationary object
If the autonomous vehicle finds a pullover spot far from the current location, then more space is available for passenger or cargo transfer, but the distance and time to reach the pullover spot increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts pullover spot selection based on real-time conditions. Instead of predetermined fixed locations, the vehicle evaluates multiple candidate spots along the route and selects the optimal one that balances transfer area requirements with distance and time constraints. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by finding the right balance between having sufficient transfer space and minimizing travel distance to the pullover location.
3Productivity
If the autonomous vehicle selects a pullover spot that requires waiting for a second vehicle, then continuous trip operation is enabled, but the wait time for the second vehicle increases trip interruption duration
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring the availability and status of second vehicles in the fleet. When selecting a pullover spot, the system considers the estimated wait time for a second vehicle to arrive and can adjust the selection to minimize this wait time. This feedback-driven approach resolves the contradiction by enabling continuous trip operation through coordinated vehicle availability information while minimizing the actual interruption duration caused by waiting for the second vehicle.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides for a method for determining a pullover spot for a vehicle. The method includes using a computing device to detect information related to a system of the vehicle or an environment surrounding the vehicle using a sensor of a vehicle and determine a local failure of the vehicle based on the information. The computing device may then be used to determine that the vehicle should pullover before completing a current trip related to transporting a passenger or good by comparing vehicle requirements for the trip with the local failure and determine a pullover spot by identifying a first area for the vehicle to park in part based on a second area being available for a second vehicle to pick up the passenger or good. The computing device may operate the vehicle to the pullover spot and transmit a request for a second vehicle.