Vehicle Viewing Area Control for Occupant Privacy in Adjacent Lanes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles traveling in close proximity can lead to uncomfortable situations due to inadvertent eye contact and peerage into neighboring vehicles, compromising occupant privacy, especially in autonomous or semi-autonomous modes.
Innovation Solution
A system that determines vehicle viewing areas based on various factors and adjusts the longitudinal position of vehicles to prevent overlapping viewing areas, using control signals to systems like braking and throttle to maintain privacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If vehicles travel in close proximity to maintain efficient road usage, then productivity is improved, but occupant privacy deteriorates due to overlapping viewing areas enabling eye contact and interior viewing
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the longitudinal position of vehicles by applying control signals to throttle and braking systems. When viewing areas of adjacent vehicles are detected to overlap, the system automatically modifies the distance between vehicles, transforming a static spacing problem into a dynamic control solution that maintains privacy while allowing efficient road usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the relative positions and viewing areas of adjacent vehicles, detecting when privacy violations occur. This feedback mechanism triggers automatic longitudinal position adjustments, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains occupant privacy without requiring manual intervention while preserving overall traffic flow efficiency.
2Ease of operation
If autonomous or semi-autonomous modes align vehicles in nearby lanes for efficient operation, then ease of operation is improved, but harmful factors increase due to inadvertent eye contact and peerage into cabins
Solution Approach 1:
The privacy protection system acts as an intermediary layer between the autonomous driving control system and the occupants. It monitors viewing area overlaps and intervenes by adjusting longitudinal position only when privacy violations are detected, allowing autonomous operation to proceed normally while preventing harmful eye contact situations without requiring constant occupant attention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically modifies the longitudinal spacing between autonomously operated vehicles based on real-time detection of viewing area overlaps. This dynamic adjustment allows vehicles to maintain efficient aligned positions most of the time while automatically creating privacy-protecting distance when occupants are in positions that could enable eye contact or interior viewing.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for increasing the privacy of occupants of a vehicle are disclosed. In one example, a system includes a processor and a memory that has a privacy module with instructions. The instructions cause the processor to determine a first vehicle viewing area of a first vehicle and a second vehicle viewing area of a second vehicle. In response to determining when the first vehicle viewing area at least partially overlaps the second vehicle viewing area, the instructions cause the processor to send a control signal to control a longitudinal position of the first vehicle and/or the second vehicle such that the first vehicle viewing area does not overlap the second vehicle viewing area.