Vehicular VisionsChallenges and Initiatives
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Stephen Chen
Partner, Global Software Group, LLC
stephenachen@gmail.com
lobal Software Group LLC
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Big Hairy Audacious Goals*
Vehicular Challenges
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Complexity
Maintenance
Communications
Ecosystem
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Initiatives
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AUTOSAR
“Smart” Servicing
VANET
New paradigms
* Collins, J and Porras, J., “”Building Your Company’s Vision”,
Harvard Business Review, 1996, Volume 74, Issue 5, pp 65-77;
“Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies”, 1994,
2002.
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Vehicular Complexity
At least five data busses, 80
microprocessors/microcomputers, controlling
mission critical and infotainment functions
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Vehicular Complexity
Problem – Today’s vehicles contain close to 80 embedded microcomputers controlling
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mission critical and other functions. Sophisticated software modules in sensors and
microprocessors monitor and control every aspect of operating the vehicle, they provide
occupant protection and safety features, as well as infotainment services. The lack of an
integrated operating environment significantly impedes the testing of these complicated
systems and delays model introduction.
Solution Approach – Develop automotive software architectures for facilitating design,
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development, and testing of complex embedded software components.
Innovations Required – Apply mesh network communications theory to integrating
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electronics of a vehicle; development of automotive software development kits and platforms
References – 1. “Specification of the Virtual Functional Bus”,
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www.autosar.org/download/specs_aktuell/AUTOSAR_SWS_VFB.pdf 2. “Motorola Automotive
Reveals Latest In-Car Technology at 2004 North American International Auto Show”,
www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/01-052004/0002083138&EDATE= 3. “Vehicle Bus”, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_bus
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AUTOSAR (Automotive Open Systems
Architecture)
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paves the way for innovative electronic systems that further improve performance, safety and
environmental friendliness
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is a strong global partnership that creates one common standard: "Cooperate on standards, compete on
implementation"
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is a key enabling technology to manage the growing electrics/electronics complexity. It aims to be prepared
for the upcoming technologies and to improve cost-efficiency without making any compromise with
respect to quality
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facilitates the exchange and update of software and hardware over the service life of the vehicle
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Vehicular Maintenance
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Vehicular Maintenance
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Problem – With the introduction of hybrid and electric vehicles, maintenance becomes a
critical issue for both manufacturers and consumers.
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Solution Approach – Develop “smart” service bays and a comprehensive networked
ecosystem for maintaining vehicles.
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Innovations Required – Obtaining real-time data from on-road vehicles, alerts, sensor fusion
algorithms; Data mining of component usage information
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References – 1. “The Power of Information at Your Fingertips”,
www.tistechstream.com/PDF/BTSBOTF_BROCHURE_FINAL.pdf 2. Trivedi, Mohan, “Holistic
Perception and Dynamic Displays for Active Safety”, in Proceedings of the Third International
Conference on Intelligent Sensors, Sensor Networks, and Information Processing, Melbourne,
Australia, December, 2007.
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Toyota’s Service Bay of the Future
Features
• Lower warranty and recall costs
• Usage information on major components
• Reduce service time and errors
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Car to Car Communications
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Vehicular Communications
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Problem – Traffic congestion, accident avoidance, and driver assist features are
necessary to optimize traffic flow. Current approaches utilize cellular networks
with navigation applications and real-time traffic data.
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Solution Approach – Develop automotive software architectures for deploying carto-car protocols.
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Innovations Required – Move from “lab” to product will require new business
models and public policy to incent applications development and deployment,
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References – 1. Intelligent Transportation Systems, www.its.dot.gov/index.htm 2.
Stojmenovic, I., “VANET:Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks”, www.site.uottawa.ca/~ivan
2. Zhong, T., Xu B., and Wolfson, O., “Disseminating Real-time Traffic Information in
Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks”, 2008 IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium 3. “Nokia
shows off real-time traffic application”, news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-1010166494.html
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Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANET)
Roadside
base station V2I communication
• Vehicle to Vehicle communications
• Vehicle to Road communications
• Broadcast emergency messages
• Traffic congestion notifications
• Accident/weather information
• Vehicular advertising
• Navigation
• Content sharing
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V2V
communication
Vehicular Ecosystem Challenges
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Vehicular Ecosystem
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Problem – In dense urban environments, gasoline powered cars may no longer be
sustainable. They create pollution, congestion, and are inefficient for moving people
within an urban area. New paradigms beyond the current public transportation
systems need to be developed.
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Solution Approach – Develop vision for public spaces and people movement
Innovations Required – Pragmatic non-polluting efficient vehicles for people
movement in dense urban environments
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References – 1. “A Carbon-free Stackable Rental Car, MIT technology Review,
November, 2007. 2. “Will the future really look like "Minority Report"?,
dir.salon.com/story/ent/movies/int/2002/07/10/underkoffler_belker/index.html
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Cars from “Minority Report”
• Cars travel on huge highways that have vertical on- and off-ramps.
• The road network extends to channels on the sides of buildings,
allowing cars to move up and down
• Cars are permanently on autopilot
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MIT CityCar
• Stackable electric two passenger city vehicle
• One-way sharable user model
• CityCar stacks will be placed throughout the city near subway stops,
train stations, etc.
• Stacks will provide recharging
• The CityCar uses a novel “Wheel Robot”, an in-wheel electric motor and
suspension system
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Small Highly Achievable Goals –
BHAG to SHAG
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Download the AUTOSAR toolkit, design,
develop and test applications
Develop enhancements to Toyota’s maintenance
vision
Investigate business case justification for car-tocar communications using cellular, WiMax,
DSRC, etc.
Prototype traffic report sharing using VANET
concepts on the Dan Ryan during rush hours
Propose public policy changes and industrial
incentives for implementing a CityCar/Minority
Report vision
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