I'm Ibrahim..

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autopilot?

Comma.ai lets you retrofit self driving tech into any car

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Glanceable Communication of System Constraints for Level 2 ADAS

My entry for the official comma.ai design challenge

I was presented with a design challenge in a comma 3x device - to devise a novel way of communicating system constraints with the driver, without creating additional distractions. I developed a visual system wherein two indicators - a steering and a propulsion meter, clearly communicate the available limits before the driver needs to take over. This is a proactive safety feature, helping drivers take over before ADAS reaches its limit.

15+ hours

Timeline

Tools

Prologue

Preview

PREVIEWS

LO-FI

High Fidelity Previews

Steering

Throttle

Brake

Torque required

Torque applied

Comma's limit

Comma 3x is Self Aware

It knows when it is likely to commit a mistake, but it lacks the ability to communicate its proximity to hardware limits proactively

Comma currently does not utilise this data to proactively inform the driver of possible limit exceeding events

Problem

Average human hand size, for scale

Size Matters

The comma 3x although mighty, lacks size. Since it is mounted farther away from the driver, the problem gets amplified.

Challenge

A screenshot from Qt Design Studio

Technology Limitations

Comma states a technological limitation of only using a flat user interface, as the UI is powered by Qt.

Limitation

Due to the way hardware and software has been implemented, comma devices often have hard limits on how much input they can provide, which is often significantly less than the actual limits of the car.

Confidence States

Openpilot divides driving output into three main classes, based on confidence and available resources.

Context

Steering

Some vehicles limit comma's ability to turn the steering, which often proves to be insufficient for sharp turns and low speeds. Some vehicles also have a steering lockout feature which prevents continuous steering control for more than a few seconds.

Notice the human intervention required when the vehicle approaches a sharp, low-speed turn. Also notice how the comma 3x does not proactively inform the driver, unless it gets too late. Video: Jacy

Context

Throttle and Braking

While there is no direct indication of the desired throttle or braking input by Openpilot, the green 'path' line may give a rough indication of Openpilot's next move.