US-12617417-B2 - Dynamically adjusting information presented to a driver

Abstract

Various embodiments of methods and vehicle processing systems for dynamically adjusting information presented to a driver, may include recognizing when a driver assumes control of a vehicle from an autonomous driving system (ADS) and then performs a driving maneuver within a threshold time that differs from the first driving maneuver by less than a threshold difference. In response, the vehicle processing system may generate an informational cue stored in order to be presented to the driver before the ADS performs another driving maneuver that is consistent with the driving maneuver in which the driver took over control. When such informational cues are presented, the driver's reaction may be monitored and the presented information cue may be adjusted responsive to the driver's reactions.

Inventors

• Rachel Gray Alexander
• Shabin Mahadevan
• Annika Larsson

Assignees

• QUALCOMM INCORPORATED

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20230815

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A method performed by a vehicle processing system, comprising: determining that a driver assumes control of a vehicle from an autonomous driving system (ADS) during an ADS-initiated first driving maneuver; determining a driving maneuver by the driver initiated within a threshold time differs from the first driving maneuver by less than a threshold difference, wherein the threshold time is based on a driver monitoring timer configured to track a time since the driver assumes the control of the vehicle; and presenting to the driver a first informational cue before the ADS performs an additional instance of the first driving maneuver in response to determining the driving maneuver by the driver initiated within the threshold time differs from the first driving maneuver by less than the threshold difference.
2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: generating the first informational cue in response to determining the driving maneuver by the driver initiated within the threshold time differs from the first driving maneuver by less than the threshold difference; and storing the generated first informational cue for presentation to the driver before the ADS performs the additional instance of the first driving maneuver.
3. 3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the driving maneuver by the driver initiated within the threshold time differs from the first driving maneuver by less than the threshold difference comprises: monitoring driver actions taken after assuming control of the vehicle for the threshold time; and determining the driving maneuver by the driver initiated within the threshold time that exhibited one or more of: a track of the driver performed driving maneuver differing from a planned track of the first driving maneuver by less than a threshold distance; a speed of the vehicle during the driver performed driving maneuver differing from a speed of the vehicle during the first driving maneuver by less than a threshold speed difference; or an acceleration of the driver performed driving maneuver differing from an acceleration of the first driving maneuver by less than a threshold acceleration difference.
4. 4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising using track, speed and acceleration features of the first driving maneuver to obtain one or more of the threshold time, the threshold distance, the threshold speed difference, or the threshold acceleration difference.
5. 5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising: obtaining information regarding roadway conditions and traffic conditions when the ADS initiated the first driving maneuver; and using the information regarding roadway conditions and traffic conditions to obtain one or more of the threshold time, the threshold distance, the threshold speed difference, or the threshold acceleration difference.
6. 6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the additional instance of the first driving maneuver comprises an ADS planned driving maneuver that includes one or more of a driving maneuver with a steering action that is within a threshold difference of a steering action of the first driving maneuver and includes one or more of a vehicle speed within threshold speed difference of a vehicle speed at the time of the first driving maneuver, a signaling action that differs from a signaling action during the first driving maneuver by less than a signaling action threshold, or a traffic condition that differs from a traffic condition during the first driving maneuver by less than a traffic condition threshold.
7. 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first informational cue includes information describing an ADS planned driving maneuver that is the additional instance of the first driving maneuver.
8. 8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: monitoring driver reactions to the first informational cue presented to the driver before a planned driving maneuver that is the additional instance of the first driving maneuver; adjusting the first informational cue if a driver reaction indicates the driver reacted negatively to the first informational cue; and storing the adjusted first informational cue for presentation to the driver a next time the ADS plans to perform the first driving maneuver.
9. 9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first informational cue is stored in a data structure of informational cues linked to a plurality of ADS driving maneuvers that the vehicle processing system can access to obtain an appropriate informational cue for presentation to the driver before the ADS performs a corresponding planned driving maneuver.
10. 10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising reporting to a remote computing system information identifying the first driving maneuver and relevant conditions at the time of the first driving maneuver in response to determining the driving maneuver by the driver initiated within the threshold time differs from the first driving maneuver by less than the threshold difference.
11. 11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving, from a network computing device, information about informational cues and conditions associated with the informational cues; and presenting to the driver an informational cue received from the network computing device before the ADS performs another driving maneuver in response to determining that an ADS planned driving maneuver under conditions match a driving maneuver and conditions associated with the informational cue.
12. 12 . A vehicle processing system, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors coupled to the memory, wherein one or more processors are configured to: determine that a driver assumes control of a vehicle from an autonomous driving system (ADS) during an ADS-initiated first driving maneuver; determine a driving maneuver by the driver initiated within a threshold time differs from the first driving maneuver by less than a threshold difference, wherein the threshold time is based on a driver monitoring timer configured to track a time since the driver assumes the control of the vehicle; and present to the driver a first informational cue before the ADS performs an additional instance of the first driving maneuver in response to a determination of the driving maneuver by the driver initiated within the threshold time differs from the first driving maneuver by less than the threshold difference.
13. 13 . The vehicle processing system of claim 12 , wherein one or more processors are further configured to: generate the first informational cue in response to a determination of the driving maneuver by the driver initiated within the threshold time differs from the first driving maneuver by less than the threshold difference; and store the generated first informational cue for presentation to the driver before the ADS performs the additional instance of the first driving maneuver.
14. 14 . The vehicle processing system of claim 12 , wherein one or more processors are further configured to a determination of the driving maneuver by the driver initiated within the threshold time differs from the first driving maneuver by less than the threshold difference by: monitoring driver actions taken after assuming control of the vehicle for the threshold time; and determining the driving maneuver by the driver initiated within the threshold time that exhibited one or more of: a track of the driver performed driving maneuver differing from a planned track of the first driving maneuver by less than a threshold distance; a speed of the vehicle during the driver performed driving maneuver differing from a speed of the vehicle during the first driving maneuver by less than a threshold speed difference; or an acceleration of the driver performed driving maneuver differing from an acceleration of the first driving maneuver by less than a threshold acceleration difference.
15. 15 . The vehicle processing system of claim 14 , wherein one or more processors are further configured to use track, speed and acceleration features of the first driving maneuver to obtain one or more of the threshold time, the threshold distance, the threshold speed difference, or the threshold acceleration difference.
16. 16 . The vehicle processing system of claim 14 , wherein one or more processors are further configured to: obtain information regarding roadway conditions and traffic conditions when the ADS initiated the first driving maneuver; and use the information regarding roadway conditions and traffic conditions to obtain one or more of the threshold time, the threshold distance, the threshold speed difference, or the threshold acceleration difference.
17. 17 . The vehicle processing system of claim 12 , wherein the additional instance of the first driving maneuver comprises an ADS planned driving maneuver that includes one or more of a driving maneuver with a steering action that is within a threshold difference of a steering action of the first driving maneuver and includes one or more of a vehicle speed within threshold speed difference of a vehicle speed at the time of the first driving maneuver, a signaling action that differs from a signaling action during the first driving maneuver by less than a signaling action threshold, or a traffic condition that differs from a traffic condition during the first driving maneuver by less than a traffic condition threshold.
18. 18 . The vehicle processing system of claim 12 , wherein the first informational cue includes information describing an ADS planned driving maneuver that is the additional instance of the first driving maneuver.
19. 19 . The vehicle processing system of claim 12 , wherein one or more processors are further configured to: monitor driver reactions to the first informational cue presented to the driver before a planned driving maneuver that is the additional instance of the first driving maneuver; adjust the first informational cue if a driver reaction indicates the driver reacted negatively to the first informational cue; and store the adjusted first informational cue for presentation to the driver a next time the ADS plans to perform the first driving maneuver.
20. 20 . The vehicle processing system of claim 12 , wherein the first informational cue is stored in a data structure of informational cues linked to a plurality of ADS driving maneuvers that the vehicle processing system can access to obtain an appropriate informational cue for presentation to the driver before the ADS performs a corresponding planned driving maneuver.

Description

BACKGROUND Sophisticated computing systems that perform automated driving functions are rapidly being incorporated in vehicles around the world. Such driving automation systems can evaluate information about the driving environment, make path planning and maneuver decisions, and execute vehicle maneuvers related to vehicle speed, distance and lane keeping, lane changes, and other such maneuvers. A human driver should remain aware of the driving environment to handle scenarios that the system is not designed to address. The human driver may assume control of the vehicle, for example, if the driver disagrees with a maneuver that the computing system has planned or is executing. SUMMARY Various aspects include methods that may be performed by a vehicle processing system for dynamically adjusting information presented to a driver based on driver responses to autonomous driving maneuvers. Various aspects include recognizing when a driver assumes control of a vehicle from an autonomous driving system (ADS) during an ADS-initiated first driving maneuver and then performs a driving maneuver within a threshold time that differs from the first driving maneuver by less than a threshold difference, and presenting to the driver a first informational cue before the ADS performs another driving maneuver that is consistent with the first driving maneuver in response to recognizing that the driver performed a driving maneuver within the threshold time that differed from the first driving maneuver by less than the threshold difference. Some aspects may further include generating the first informational cue in response to recognizing that the driver performed a driving maneuver within the threshold time that differed from the first driving maneuver by less than the threshold difference, and storing the generated first informational cue for presentation to the driver before the ADS performs another ADS planned driving maneuver consistent with the first driving maneuver. In some aspects, recognizing that the driver performed the driving maneuver within the threshold time that differed from the first driving maneuver by less than the threshold difference may include monitoring driver actions taken after assuming control of the vehicle for the threshold time, and recognizing the driver performed a driving maneuver during the threshold time that exhibited one or more of a track of the vehicle differing from a planned track of the first driving maneuver by less than a threshold distance, a speed of the vehicle during the driver performed driving maneuver differing from a speed of the vehicle during the first driving maneuver by less than a threshold speed difference, or an acceleration of the vehicle differing from an acceleration of the first driving maneuver by less than a threshold acceleration difference. Some aspects may further include using vehicle track, speed, and acceleration features of the first driving maneuver to obtain one or more of the threshold time, the threshold distance, the threshold speed difference, or the threshold acceleration difference. Some aspects may further include obtaining information regarding roadway conditions and traffic conditions when the ADS initiated the first driving maneuver, and using the information regarding roadway conditions and traffic conditions to obtain one or more of the threshold time, the threshold distance, the threshold speed difference, or the threshold acceleration difference. In some aspects, another ADS planned driving maneuver that is consistent with the first driving maneuver may include an ADS planned driving maneuver that includes one or more of a driving maneuver with a steering action that is within a threshold difference of a steering action of the first driving maneuver and includes one or more of a vehicle speed within threshold speed difference of a vehicle speed at the time of the first driving maneuver, a similar signaling action as during the first driving maneuver, or a similar traffic condition as during the first driving maneuver. In some aspects, the first informational cue may include information describing an ADS planned driving maneuver that is consistent with the first driving maneuver. Some aspects may further include monitoring driver reactions to the first informational cue presented to the driver before a planned driving maneuver that is consistent with the first driving maneuver, adjusting the first informational cue if a driver reaction indicates the driver reacted negatively to the first informational cue, and storing the adjusted first informational cue for presentation to the driver the next time the ADS plans to perform a driving maneuver consistent with the first driving maneuver. In some aspects, the first informational cue may be stored in a data structure of informational cues linked to a plurality of ADS driving maneuvers that the vehicle processing system can access to obtain an appropriate informational cue for presentation to the dr