Vehicle Turn Notification Using Virtual Collision Areas
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In-vehicle sensors struggle to detect traffic participants at blind angles, particularly when large vehicles obstruct the view, making it difficult to avoid collisions during right turns at intersections or non-intersection locations on left-hand traffic roads.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle notification system that utilizes a road map storage unit, direction-change-intention detection, virtual area setting, and notification issuance units to provide timely alerts to drivers of both right and straight-moving vehicles, enhancing safety by setting virtual intersections and predicted collision points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If in-vehicle sensors are used to detect traffic participants, then detection capability is provided, but detection fails at blind angles caused by obstacles such as large vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a communication device as an intermediary to exchange position information between vehicles. Instead of relying solely on direct sensor detection, the system uses communicated position data from other vehicles to identify and warn about potential collision risks that would otherwise be in blind angles.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds an information dimension by incorporating communicated position data from other vehicles. This complementary information source extends the effective detection range beyond the physical limitations of onboard sensors, allowing the system to 'see' around obstacles through data from other perspectives.
2Volume of moving object
If the obstacle vehicle is large, then the blind angle becomes wider, but this makes detection of oncoming vehicles more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The communication device serves as an intermediary that provides position information from vehicles that would otherwise be undetectable due to the large obstacle vehicle's blind angle. This allows the system to detect oncoming vehicles regardless of the obstacle's size.
3Reliability
If right turn assistance is provided only at intersections, then collision avoidance is achieved at intersections, but assistance is not provided at non-intersection locations
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system is designed to be universal and applicable to both intersections and non-intersection locations. The system determines notification timing based on relative position and movement patterns rather than location type, making it versatile for various driving scenarios including turning into stores or residential areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically determines notification timing based on real-time relative position and movement patterns of vehicles. Rather than using fixed location-based rules, the notification trigger adapts to the actual dynamic situation, allowing it to function effectively at both intersections and non-intersection locations.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
In a case where a right turning vehicle VA and a straight traveling vehicle VB are present and a right turn intention of the right turning vehicle VA is detected, a vehicle notification system 1 sets a virtual intersection area VACS including a virtual intersection center VCTR at which a center line CL on a load and a right turning path TRa' where the right turning vehicle VA turns right at the predetermined section intersect, and a virtual predicted collision area VACP including a virtual predicted collision point VCPP where the right turning path TRa' and a straight traveling path TRb' of the straight traveling vehicle VB travels intersect. At each of third and fourth notification issuance timings set according to a behavior of the right turning vehicle VA with respect to the virtual intersection area VACS and the virtual collision prediction area VACP, a notification issuance in a predetermined mode is performed when a notification issuance condition defined in regard to a position of the traveling vehicle VB is met.