Automated Vehicle Warning Signal Recognition for Hazard Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Partially automated vehicles lack the ability to effectively perceive and respond to hazardous situations indicated by warning signals from other road users, which can lead to accidents and increased hazard potential.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves receiving surroundings data, recognizing warning signals, determining the presence of hazardous situations related to the vehicle, and providing assistance or control signals to mitigate these situations, using a combination of sensors like cameras, lidar, radar, and microphones, and data fusion to accurately identify the source and nature of the warning signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If partially automated vehicles are equipped with basic sensor systems, then they can perform routine driving tasks, but they lack the ability to effectively perceive and respond to warning signals from other road users
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is enhanced to perform multiple functions: it not only detects standard traffic signals and obstacles but also specifically recognizes warning signals from other road users. The existing sensor infrastructure (cameras, microphones, radar) is made multi-functional by adding algorithms that can identify and interpret various types of warning signals (acoustic horns, visual gestures, electronic warning messages), thereby improving safety response capability without requiring entirely separate detection systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where detected warning signals trigger immediate evaluation of current driving actions and surrounding conditions. When a warning signal is recognized, the system provides feedback to the control unit to modify driving behavior, and can also provide feedback to remote operators or other road users. This closed-loop feedback ensures that the vehicle not only detects warnings but also responds appropriately, improving reliability while maintaining adaptability through dynamic adjustment.
2Measurement precision
If the vehicle uses multiple sensors and data fusion to accurately identify warning signals, then recognition accuracy improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor types (cameras for visual detection, microphones for acoustic detection, radar for range and velocity measurement) into a unified sensor system. By merging these sensors and their data processing functions, the system achieves high measurement precision in warning signal detection. The control unit integrates data from all sensors through data fusion algorithms, allowing accurate identification of warning signals while managing complexity through unified processing architecture rather than separate independent systems.
3Reliability
If the vehicle terminates planned maneuvers or alerts operators in response to warning signals, then hazard potential is reduced, but response time and operational flexibility are constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts its response to warning signals based on the specific situation, vehicle state, and surrounding conditions. Rather than rigidly terminating all planned maneuvers, the control unit evaluates whether to modify, maintain, or cancel maneuvers based on real-time assessment. This dynamic response mechanism allows the vehicle to maintain operational flexibility while still effectively mitigating hazards when necessary, adapting its behavior to each unique situation rather than following fixed response protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing an assistance signal and/or a control signal for an at least partially automated vehicle includes receiving surroundings data, in particular an acoustic signal; recognizing a warning signal emitted by a further road user based on the received surroundings data; determining whether a hazardous situation relating to the vehicle is or was indicated by the warning signal; and providing the assistance signal and/or the control signal based on the result of the determination.