Vehicle Speed Control for Smoother Lane Merging Gaps
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In merging sections where lanes merge, it is challenging for vehicles to detect following vehicles of merging vehicles due to obstructions, leading to rapid deceleration or acceleration, which can cause anxiety for drivers and passengers.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control method that determines if a merging vehicle is traveling diagonally in front of the own vehicle and adjusts the own vehicle's speed to maintain a shorter inter-vehicle distance than a target distance, ensuring a safer merging process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the own vehicle maintains a standard target inter-vehicle distance in a merging section, then the safety margin is sufficient, but the merging efficiency decreases and may cause anxiety for drivers of both vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing different inter-vehicle distance control strategies for different spatial zones. In merging sections, when a vehicle is detected on the merging lane, the own vehicle maintains a shortened target inter-vehicle distance to allow smoother merging. In non-merging sections, the standard target inter-vehicle distance is maintained for safety. This spatial differentiation resolves the contradiction between safety and merging efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of the target inter-vehicle distance based on real-time detection of merging vehicles and the vehicle's position relative to merging sections. The control device dynamically switches between shortened distance mode (during merging operations) and standard distance mode (normal driving), allowing the system to adapt to changing traffic conditions and resolve the contradiction between maintaining safety margins and enabling efficient merging.
2Ease of operation
If the own vehicle rapidly decelerates or accelerates to adjust relative position with a following vehicle at a merging point, then the inter-vehicle distance is adjusted, but passengers experience a sense of anxiety
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting vehicles on merging lanes in advance and preemptively adjusting the target inter-vehicle distance before the merging vehicle reaches the own vehicle. This advance preparation allows for smooth, gradual speed adjustments rather than rapid deceleration or acceleration, resolving the contradiction between effective distance adjustment and passenger comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary anti-action by counteracting the potential need for rapid maneuvers through advance detection and gradual approach. By maintaining a shortened target distance proactively, the system prevents the situation from escalating to a point where rapid deceleration or acceleration would be necessary, thereby eliminating passenger anxiety while still achieving proper inter-vehicle distance management.
3Device complexity
If the own vehicle maintains a constant target inter-vehicle distance, then the control logic is simple, but it cannot adapt to merging section conditions where detection is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing a control device that performs multiple functions: it operates as a standard inter-vehicle distance controller during normal driving, and automatically switches to a merging-assistance mode when vehicles are detected on merging lanes. This multi-functionality allows the system to adapt to merging section conditions without requiring entirely separate control logic, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control method causes a controller to execute: processing of determining whether or not a first other vehicle traveling on a second lane, the second lane merging with a first lane on which an own vehicle travels in front of the own vehicle, is traveling diagonally in front of the own vehicle; and processing of, when determining that the first other vehicle is traveling diagonally in front of the own vehicle, controlling vehicle speed of the own vehicle in such a way that a front-rear direction distance from a rear-end position of the first other vehicle to a front-end position of the own vehicle in a front-rear direction of the first lane is shorter than a first target inter-vehicle distance in vehicle speed control to maintain an inter-vehicle distance to a preceding vehicle traveling in front of the own vehicle on the first lane.