Passenger Condition Based Route-Planning for Cognitive Vehicle System

This article proposes a route-planning method for an environment in which self-driving vehicles are widely used. Such vehicles generate a new route to avoid traffic congestion when it occurs. Through the self-developed traffic simulator, the author was able to clarify that it is not always best to generate an avoidance route, and the decision to drive along the current route without generating an avoidance route becomes important in certain cases. Thus, the author proposes a method in which a vehicle judges whether to generate an avoidance route based on the passenger's condition. To detect the passenger's condition, the author uses a sitting-pressure sensor and succeeded in recognizing passenger fatigue. The author can therefore make certain judgments: The vehicle will go along the current route if the passenger seems to be relaxed and in a comfortable atmosphere, the vehicle will arrive earlier by avoiding traffic congestion if the passenger seems to be tired or irritated, or the vehicle will stop for a break period if the passenger seems to be significantly tired.