Windshield Sensory Guide Geometry for Stable Lane Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle windshields with small, round sensory marks can distract drivers, making them focus excessively on the mark and causing discomfort while driving, which may lead to unstable vehicle control and fatigue.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle windshield with a sensory guide extending along the vehicle width direction, where the upper side is longer than the lane width, and lateral sides are inclined, allowing intuitive deviation detection and stable driving without focusing on the guide.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a small, round sensory mark is placed inside a recess formed in the border, then the driver can easily grasp the traveling position by focusing on the sensory mark, but the driver becomes overly conscious of aligning the mark with the target, causing discomfort and unstable vehicle control

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition recognition accuracyVSAvoiddriving comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameters of the sensory guide from a small, round mark to a horizontally elongated shape with specific dimensional ratios. The upper side length is set to 0.03-0.06 times the windshield width, and the length-to-width ratio is 2:1 to 4:1, transforming it from a point-like target to an extended reference that reduces focusing pressure while maintaining position recognition accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a two-dimensional point mark to a one-dimensional extended line structure. By elongating the sensory guide horizontally and making its length significantly greater than its width, it provides a reference along the vehicle width direction rather than requiring precise point alignment, thereby reducing driver stress while maintaining positioning accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If the sensory guide has an upper side longer than the lane width, then the driver can maintain constant distance from the lane without staring at a point, but the guide becomes more complex in shape

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriving stabilityVSAvoidsensory guide shape complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs asymmetric design in the sensory guide shape, with the upper side being horizontally elongated and the lateral sides inclined at specific angles. This asymmetric configuration provides functional benefits for lane positioning while the asymmetry itself is simple and manufacturable, avoiding excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different geometric properties to different parts of the sensory guide: the upper side is horizontally elongated with specific length ratios, while the lateral sides are inclined at specific angles. Each portion has optimized local characteristics that contribute to the overall function without requiring complex global design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If the lateral sides are inclined to show deviation amount, then the driver can intuitively grasp position offset, but the guide shape becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeviation detection accuracyVSAvoidguide shape complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses visual properties (analogous to color changes) through the inclined lateral sides to encode position information. The inclination angle creates a visual gradient that intuitively displays deviation amount, allowing the driver to perceive position offset without complex markings or additional components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Data Source

PatentEP4711162A1Vehicle windshield
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP4711162A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4711162A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4711162A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A vehicle windshield includes a windshield body and a sensory guide. The sensory guide is disposed in a lower area of the windshield body and allows a driver to sense a relative position of a vehicle with respect to an outside surroundings. The sensory guide has an upper side which extends along a vehicle width direction. The upper side of the sensory guide is provided such that when the upper side overlaps with a lane on a road surface seen from the driver, the length is longer than the width of the lane in the vehicle width direction.