Vehicle Windshield Cleaning System with Pre-Actuation Notification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle cleaning systems for windshields do not adequately inform users of automatic cleaning actions, leading to user unease when dirt or water droplets are detected, which can obstruct the view of on-board cameras and infrared sensors used for automated driving or advanced driver-assistance systems.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle cleaning system that includes a foreign object detection section, a foreign object removal device, an actuation notification section, and a control section to notify users before initiating cleaning, using visual, auditory, and tactile cues, allowing users to opt out if desired, and featuring a washer device and wiper device configuration to efficiently clean the windshield.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the foreign object removal device automatically cleans the windshield without notification, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but user unease increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control section performs preliminary notification to the user before actuating the foreign object removal device. This advance warning allows users to be aware of the upcoming cleaning action, thereby reducing unease while maintaining automatic cleaning efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuation notification section serves as an intermediary between the control section and the user. It transmits information about the upcoming cleaning action to the user, mediating the interaction and reducing the negative psychological impact of automatic cleaning.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the system notifies users before cleaning, then user unease is suppressed, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation notification section is integrated into the existing control system, allowing it to serve multiple functions: notifying users of cleaning actions, coordinating with the foreign object detection section, and interfacing with the foreign object removal device. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components.
Solution Approach 2:
The notification function is merged with the control section that already manages the foreign object removal device. By combining the notification capability with the existing control logic, the system avoids adding separate complex notification hardware while still providing user awareness.
3Loss of information
If multiple notification methods are provided, then user awareness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation notification section is designed to provide multiple notification modalities (visual, auditory, tactile) through a single integrated component or set of components. This allows the system to improve user awareness without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle cleaning system is provided including a foreign object detection section configured to detect a foreign object present on a windshield, a foreign object removal device configured to clean the windshield to remove the foreign object, an actuation notification section configured to notify a user of actuation of the foreign object removal device, and a control section that, when the foreign object detection section has detected the foreign object, controls the actuation notification section so as to notify of actuation of the foreign object removal device before controlling the foreign object removal device so as to clean the windshield.