Autonomous vehicles: Overview, Patent Trends and Leading players

During the last decade, land vehicles have been evolving from a technology perspective in the areas of safety, driving assistance, design, performance, efficiency and security. This has led to a variety of vehicles that are in use today ranging from super-fast cars to compact vehicles. In this context, driverless vehicles is an emerging technology and recent innovations have made this possible now.

Can you imagine a driverless car or a bus? The sheer joy and the pleasure of experiencing this is not far away. Shortly all of us would have the privilege of travelling in an autonomous vehicle. Fully autonomous vehicles are now in the advanced  stage of research which will ensure high safety to the passengers.

In this blog, you will get to know about the latest and interesting insights about autonomous vehicles.

Categorization of levels for autonomous vehicle

Of late, all road vehicles manufactured have to comply with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) to enhance safety and to make travel more comfortable.

Autonomous vehicles are categorized into different levels according to the ADAS features they have i.e., type of driving scenario with dynamic driving characteristic and action requirements. The Society of Automotive Engineers define six levels of vehicle automation.

The first level (level 0) is no automation, which are normal vehicles and fully controlled by a driver without any assistance control/system.

Below image explains the five levels, in which Level 1 & 2 are classified under the category “Driving environment monitored by the human” and the next three levels i.e., Level 3, 4 & 5 have an automated system to monitor the driving environment i.e., less or no requirement of driver intervention.

Origin of autonomous vehicle

The idea of self-driving cars evolved during 1920s. The R&D work on autonomous cars started way back in 1980s by Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and the first driverless vehicle named Navlab 1 was introduced in 1984.

After years of research and innovation, in 1995, CMU’s NavLab 5 travelled a distance of 2,849 miles from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to San Diego, California. In this journey, 2,797 miles were completed autonomously (98.2%) with an average speed of 63.8 mph.

Current trend in Autonomous vehicle space

After a number of improvements starting from the first autonomous vehicle, Level 2 & Level 3 vehicles are now available in the market and Level 4 and Level 5 vehicles are under road testing process. Below insights are recent updates based on patenting activity of major players and top countries in the field of autonomous vehicles.

In the autonomous vehicle space many MNCs, Technology companies and SMEs are actively filing patent/patent applications worldwide. Amongst them we have listed the Top 30 companies including top automobile manufacturers like Toyota, Ford, Honda, GM, Hyundai and autonomous vehicle support (i.e., automation software & sensors) service providers like LG Electronics, Bosch, Lyft, Huawei.

Top 5 players – News coverage and their patent activity

1. Toyota

Toyota, a Japanese automobile giant, produce the most innovative and sophisticated vehicles. Toyota cars are equipped with most advanced technologies including AI system to ensure riders safety and comfortability.

Toyota unveiled in Japan new versions of the Lexus LS and Toyota Mirai, both equipped with advanced-driver assistance of Level 2 autonomous system like lane keeping assistance and collision avoidance system.

And recently Toyota bought Lyft’s autonomous car division. So, soon we can expect a level 5 autonomous car on roads from Toyota and Lyft.

Recent patent of Toyota

US20210207973A1 – System, management method, automated driving vehicle, and program

Publication Date: 08-July-2021

This patent application explains about data management for an autonomous vehicle, which includes map information storing and imaginary line management in the map information.

An imaginary line generation unit generates the imaginary lines on the road and superimposed with the map data, a display unit displays the map with generated imaginary lines. And a communication unit transmits this imaginary line information to other autonomous vehicles travelling on the same road. The imaginary lines are drawn for obstacles in the road, stop line, pedestrian crossing, centre line of a road for lane keeping.

If a sudden obstacle is occurred the imaginary line generation unit draws a stop line to intimate an obstacle, once the obstacle is cleared the stop line is deleted. This imaginary line generation system helps the automated vehicle drive safety.

2. LG Electronics

LG, a South Korean multinational company, is one of the iconic players in TV/Audio, appliance, computer and mobile. And the leading player is not only involved in these areas but also supports many technology advancements in electric automotive like specialized displays for autonomous vehicles. Also, they provide software and hardware support to many automotive manufacturers like Magna.

LG is providing an autonomous vehicle simulation software namely SVL simulator which helps a lot to emerging autonomous vehicle / machine developments.

LG was also in the news recently on account of the following – “LG-Magna joint venture very near to win Apple EV project”

Recent patent of LG Electronic

WO2021112649A1 – Method and apparatus for positioning using backscatter tag

Publication date: 10-June-2021

This WIPO patent deals with the vehicle to anything (V2X) communication apparatus to ensure the safety of the autonomous vehicles and passengers.

The apparatus comprises a first and second apparatus with wireless communication transmission through an antenna; by this communication the apparatus obtains the sequence and a distance between the first apparatus and the second apparatus, obtaining information related to the second apparatus based on the sequence and obtaining location information based on gauss-newton method.

There will be one or more second apparatus installed in vehicles or road sides. The communication information includes speed, direction, location, vehicle size, vehicle information such as route details. The communication apparatus is used in advanced driving like vehicle platooning, remote driving, semi-automated or fully automated driving.

3. FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES

Ford, an American multinational automaker, is right at the top of most expensive super sports cars. Ford owns multiple brands like Lamborghini, Ducati and Porsche.

Ford recently tied up with American autonomous driving technology company Argo AI to produce most advanced fully autonomous vehicles. Also, Ford Motor plans to launch its self-driving commercial business in 2022 with vehicles based on the Ford Escape Hybrid crossover which is a fourth level self-driving vehicle.

 Recent patent of Ford Global Technologies

WO2021046193A1 – Enhanced threat assessment

Publication date: 11-March-2021

This ford patent relates to vehicle collision avoidance system using a sensor in a host vehicle to find threat levels based on the position, speed, direction of other vehicles.

The sensor includes a camera sensor to collect image data of a first or second target vehicle, and then the image is processed by a computer in a host vehicle to exactly identify the position, speed and direction of a target vehicle.

This sensor system helps to avoid the false collision detection. A target vehicle is passing over a host vehicle i.e., on a bridge or the moving on opposite direction in another road is not a collision threat, the generic collision avoidance system alerts this scenario as a collision avoidance to the host vehicle. This Ford patent avoids this false threat.

The sensor system identifies the target vehicle including with environmental positions like over bridge, near a central barrier of the target vehicle according to host vehicle.

The processor on host vehicle calculates the threat level calculation based on vertical and horizontal positions and accurate directions obtained by the sensor of a host vehicle. The processor suppresses the collision threat if a threat is below the threshold.

4. ROBERT BOSCH

Bosch is a German multinational engineering and technology company having operations in multiple fields like mobility solutions, industrial technology, consumer goods, energy & building solutions and healthcare solutions. As part of mobility solutions, Bosch provides powertrain electrification, steering systems, safety and driver-assistance systems, infotainment technology as well as vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication.

Bosch recently developed ears for cars, which means cars can also able to hear environmental sounds. This innovation signals the first step towards siren detection and recognition of respective source using acoustic sensors.

With advanced sensor technologies and systems, Bosch has developed the driverless parking service called Automated Valet Parking (AVP) which is the world’s first fully automated system of level 4 autonomous vehicles.

Bosch, a pioneer in Sensors, recently unveiled a driving assistant which supports partially automated driving, i.e., it can automatically start, accelerate, brake as well as steer the vehicle to a certain extent.

Recent patent of Robert Bosch

WO2021089334A1 – Sensor assembly for a vehicle and multi-circuit braking system

Publication date: 14-May-2021

This patent application is fully dealing with the sensors of an automated or autonomous vehicle. The sensor includes a rotational speed sensor with a primary and secondary control unit. The advantage of the sensor is a redundant speed sensor concept with standard speed sensors without an interconnection device.

The primary control unit is responsible for the first braking functions depending on the sensor signals and the second braking function is actuated by the secondary control unit depending upon individual wheel’s speed. This sensor arrangement ensures the quick braking actions of an autonomous vehicle without any delay.

5. HONDA MOTOR

Honda Motor Company is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturing of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment. Honda is also one of the active players in advance technology finder for automobiles, and in this context, Automated Drive is their vision.

Honda focuses on safety of a driver and to ensure this, they are in to research of autonomous vehicle by focusing mainly on collision avoidance.

Honda developed a “Pedestrian Collision Mitigation Steering System” specially featured for avoiding pedestrian accidents. With advanced millimetre-wave radar and monocular camera, the system automatically identifies when a car is deviating from lane to pedestrian walkway or pavement, and alerts the driver for preventive operations.

Honda’s Road Departure Mitigations (RDM) system ensures that the vehicle is always on the track i.e., staying on a lane. As part of this, Honda has developed many driver assistive systems which enable and ensure the safety of the ride. The list includes:

• Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
• False Start Prevention Function
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow
• Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)
• Assisting Driver Attention on Traffic Sign Recognition
• Lead Car Departure Notification System
• Blind Spot Information System
• Multi-View Camera System
• Backing Out Support

Recently Honda launched a world’s first level 3 self-driving car with advance “Traffic Jam Pilot” system.

Also, Honda joins hands with Cruise and GM to take the next step on Autonomous Vehicle Mobility Service in Japan.

Recent patent of Honda Motor

US20210197863A1 – Vehicle control device, method, and program

Publication date: 01-July-2021

This US patent application includes a vehicle control device with a recognition unit for recognizing surrounding of the vehicle, a travel control unit for controlling steering and acceleration of the vehicle based on the surrounding of the vehicle, an external and an internal notification unit for notifying to traffic participants and driver about the behavior of the vehicle based on a control by the travel control unit, and a notification control unit stopping the notifications when the vehicle is not in the area.

Where the notification units include light notification, display notification and voice notification. And the notification about pedestrians, cross line. The notification control unit performs notification only the travel control unit of the vehicle is performing a predetermined control when the host vehicle is inside or outside a predetermined area.

Day by day the level of autonomous vehicle researches is upgrading. Large automotive manufactures are holding hands with large software providers to binge the most advanced autonomous vehicles as much as possible. And direction of recent researches is towards adaptive control of autonomous vehicle operations based on environment and climate and some of those variants are in testing phase. Booming of Artificial Intelligence and Internet-of-Things will make possible of autonomous vehicle very sooner than we think. So, the level 5 autonomous vehicle will live on roads with greatest safety to the people and the environment.