Vehicle Wash Mode Control Using Multi-Sensor Car Wash Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inexperienced drivers face challenges in setting the vehicle wash mode during automatic car washing, leading to unintended operations of wipers, mirrors, and windows, which can result in damage or inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control apparatus and method that automatically recognizes a car wash and executes the automatic vehicle wash mode, using sensors such as cameras, distance sensors, rain sensors, and shaking sensing sensors to determine when to activate the mode and prevent unintended changes during washing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the user manually sets the vehicle wash mode, then the functions (wiper switching-off, mirror folding, window closing) can be controlled, but inexperienced drivers cannot operate it properly leading to unintended operations and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle control apparatus automatically detects when the vehicle enters a car wash facility using sensors (camera, distance sensor, rain sensor, shaking sensor) and autonomously executes the vehicle wash mode without requiring manual user input. The system performs self-service by independently determining the need for mode execution and controlling the relevant functions (wipers, mirrors, windows) based on detected conditions, thereby eliminating operational difficulties for inexperienced drivers while ensuring reliable and appropriate function control.
2Measurement precision
If the automatic vehicle wash mode is executed based on multiple sensor determinations, then the accuracy of car wash entry detection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle control apparatus merges multiple existing sensors (camera sensor, distance sensor, rain sensor, shaking sensor) that are already present in the vehicle into a unified detection system for car wash entry identification. By combining the detection capabilities of these sensors and processing their inputs through the existing processor, the system achieves high measurement precision for car wash detection without adding significant device complexity, as it utilizes and integrates components already available in the vehicle.
3Reliability
If the vehicle control apparatus continuously monitors sensor data to prevent unintended operations, then the protection against damage is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle control apparatus employs periodic monitoring of sensor data rather than continuous monitoring. The processor checks sensor inputs (camera, distance sensor, rain sensor, shaking sensor) at specific intervals to determine whether the vehicle has entered a car wash facility and whether the vehicle wash mode should be executed or maintained. This periodic detection approach provides sufficient protection against unintended operations while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring, as the system activates and monitors functions only when needed based on periodic sensor evaluations.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control apparatus and method are provided. The vehicle control apparatus may be configured to execute an automatic vehicle wash standby mode based on an identification that the vehicle enters a car wash, through a camera sensor, determine that it is necessary to execute the automatic vehicle wash mode, based on at least one of that a speed of the vehicle is a threshold speed or less, that a gear of the vehicle is set to gear “P” or gear “N”, that it is identified that a distance between a car wash brush and the vehicle is within a threshold distance, through a distance sensor, that moisture is sensed through a rain sensor, or that shaking of the vehicle is sensed through a sensor that senses the shaking of the vehicle, in the automatic vehicle wash standby mode, and execute the automatic vehicle wash mode.