Patent Publication Number: US-2007118261-A1

Title: Vehicle for simulating impaired driving

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/453,097, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety herein. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
      Not applicable.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to motorized vehicles, and in particular relates to a vehicle that simulates the impairing effect of an intoxicant on an operator&#39;s driving skills.  
      Substantial effort is undertaken by educators, law enforcement personnel, safety promoting organizations, and the like to convince people, particularly young people, of the hazards associated with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants such as alcohol, legal-, and illegal drugs. It is particularly challenging to provide a meaningful firsthand experience of the impairing effects of an intoxicant, such as alcohol or other drugs, insofar as one typically cannot induce impairment in a subject with the intoxicant. Even if one could, it would be improper for the subject to then operate a motor vehicle while impaired. Furthermore, an impaired operator may not appreciate in real-time the impairing effect of the intoxicant on his or her driving skills.  
      What is therefore needed is a method and apparatus for enabling an unimpaired operator to experience firsthand simulated motor vehicle operation by an impaired operator, where the method and apparatus can be readily be employed in a controlled setting that does not put the operator at risk and at the same time effectively conveys the outcome of impaired motor vehicle operation. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a motorized vehicle operating including an impairment simulator constructed in accordance an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the vehicle illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; and  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of control operations for the impairment simulator.  
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a motorized vehicle is provided that is operable to simulate impaired driving. The vehicle includes a chassis supported by a set of wheels, at least one of which being driven by a motor. A vehicle control system is provided that controls at least one aspect of vehicle operation in response to an operator input intended to produce an expected vehicular response. An impairment simulator is operable in a first mode whereby the vehicle control system produces the expected vehicular response, and a second mode whereby the vehicle control system produces a response inconsistent with the expected vehicular response.  
      The foregoing and other aspects of the invention will appear from the following description. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown by way of illustration, and not limitation, a preferred embodiment of the invention. Such embodiment does not necessarily represent the full scope of the invention, however, and reference must therefore be made to the claims herein for interpreting the scope of the invention.  
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring initially to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a motorized vehicle  10  for use in simulating an impaired driving experience of the vehicle operator includes at least one, and preferably a plurality, of vehicle control systems including, but not limited to, a steering system  12 , a propulsion (acceleration) system  14 , and a braking system  16  carried by a chassis  15 . Chassis  15  is supported by a plurality of ground-engaging wheels  29 , at least one of which driven to rotate under power provided by a conventional battery-operated motor  17 . The battery  19  and a corresponding battery charger  21  are illustrated schematically in  FIG. 3 .  
      Steering system  12  receives an operator input in the form of, for instance, movement of a conventional steering apparatus, such as steering wheel  27 , and controls the orientation of front wheels  29  and thus the direction of vehicle travel. Propulsion system  14  receives an operator input in the form of, for instance, the depression or release of an acceleration pedal  26 , and controls linear vehicle acceleration. Braking system  16  receives an operator input in the form of, for instance, depression or release of a brake pedal  28 , and controls forced vehicle linear deceleration.  
      The performance of systems  12 - 16  is controlled by an impairment simulator  31  that includes an onboard controller  18  in accordance with the preferred embodiment. As will become apparent from the description below, controller  18  is configured to receive signals from a remote controller  20  that can be operated by a person other than the vehicle operator to subtly or markedly alter the performance of systems  12 - 16  as desired.  
      Vehicle  10  can be manufactured in a variety of ways as will be apparent to the skilled artisan, and the appearance of the vehicle is not considered to be a limitation on the scope of the invention. Vehicle  10  can be in the form of, for instance, a go-kart of the type well known in the art. Small size and shape and low weight offer convenience in transporting vehicle  10  from location to location for use, typically in a safety or intoxicant awareness presentation. Vehicle  10  can be conveniently designed to be conveyed in a small truck or minivan and, for example, is 48″w×76″l×30″h and weighs approximately 400 pounds with its batteries installed. Vehicle  10  is thus suitable for transportation using a minivan from which the rear seats have been removed, or any suitable trailer.  
      Vehicle  10  includes a seating apparatus  22  including a bench  23  and a seatback  25  that support an operator at a location within reach of systems  12 - 16 . Preferably, the vehicle is sufficiently wide and seating apparatus  22  is configured to permit a passenger to be carried in addition to the operator during operation. Seating apparatus  22  carries a safety belt  24  that can be fastened by the operator in the usual manner.  
      During operation, in accordance with the preferred embodiment, impairment simulator  31  can be operated in a first, NORMAL mode, wherein the operator inputs (e.g., steering, accelerating, and braking) yield expected and predictable vehicular responses. In a second mode, referred to herein as IMPAIRED mode, vehicle  10  responds to the operator inputs in an unexpected and unpredictable manner dissociated from the normal response, and inconsistent with the operator input. The operator must then compensate for the unexpected response in order to maintain control of vehicle  10 , thereby simulating the behavior of an impaired driver operating a motor vehicle.  
      Referring also to  FIG. 3 , vehicular control systems  12 - 16  are preferably “drive by wire” systems, meaning that no direct mechanical linkages connect the operator&#39;s controls to the vehicle control subsystems. Rather, controller  18  includes a processor (not shown) that executes a stored program to control vehicle operation.  
      For example, steering wheel  27  preferably is not mechanically connected to tie rod(s)  32  that control the wheels  29 , but rather to a sensor  34  that senses the position of the steering wheel  27  based on the operator steering input. Sensor  34  produces an output reflecting the operator input. The sensor output is read by controller  18  which, in turn, controls the vehicular response to the operator steering input. Controller  18  outputs a control signal that is received by a dedicated steering controller  37  which, in turn, outputs a command to a steering actuator  36 . Actuator  36  is coupled to the tie rod(s)  32  which are connected between front wheels  29  in order to steer the vehicle  10 .  
      Likewise, acceleration pedal  26  is not directly connected to the vehicle throttle (not shown), but rather to a sensor  38  that senses the position of pedal  26  based on the operator acceleration input. Sensor  28  produces an output that is read by controller  18  which, in turn, controls the vehicular response to the operator acceleration input. Controller  18  outputs a control signal that is received by a dedicated acceleration controller  39 . Controller  39 , in turn, outputs a command to an actuator  40  that opens and closes the throttle.  
      Brake pedal  28  also is not directly connected to the brake pads (not shown), but rather to a sensor  42  that senses the position of pedal  28  based on an operator braking input. Sensor  28  produces an output reflecting the operator input. The sensor output is read by controller  18  which, in turn, controls the vehicular response to the operator braking input. Controller  18  outputs a control signal that is received by a dedicated braking controller  41 . Controller  41 , in turn, outputs a command to an actuator  44  that is operatively connected to the brake pads (not shown) to control vehicle braking operations.  
      It should thus be appreciated that, during operation, steering, acceleration, and deceleration operations can be controlled by simulator  31  to alter the operator inputs and to simulate, for example, slower driver reactions or other desired effects for the simulation. While systems  12 - 16  are considered preferred because of the substantial operational flexibility they permit, it will be appreciated that other vehicle control systems, such as mechanical control systems can be employed in place of electronic controls to offer comparable control over operator inputs. Suitable mechanical control systems including hydraulic dampeners, shock absorbers, or a Pitman Arm having two ends that connects a steering, braking or propulsion system at the first end to a variable restrictor having a movable piston at the second end. A skilled artisan will further appreciate that controller  18  could alternatively communicate directly to the corresponding vehicle system actuators to produce the desired vehicular response, thereby avoiding the need for dedicated system controllers.  
      When operating in NORMAL mode, controller  18  outputs control signals that are consistent with the given operator input such that vehicle  10  responds as the operator would expect. In NORMAL mode, the operator has full control of the steering, propulsion and braking systems  12 - 16 . For instance, when the operator turns steering wheel  27 , vehicle  10  responds appropriately and immediately. Likewise, the propulsion and braking systems  14  and  16  react predictably in real time to the operator&#39;s actions. This mode simulates driving under normal conditions without impairment.  
      In accordance with the preferred embodiment, operating in IMPAIRED mode, controller  18  outputs control signals that are dissociated from the normal response and inconsistent with the operator input. In particular, the vehicular responses are preferably related, but modified, with respect to the sensed operator inputs in a predetermined manner. For instance, when the operator input is in the form of steering wheel rotation intended to promptly turn the vehicle an expected amount, the control signals can cause actuator  36  to turn front wheels  29  more or less than the expected amount as determined by corresponding sensor  34 . Likewise, controller  18  can output control signals to actuator  40  that actuates propulsion system  14  to accelerate vehicle  10  more or less than the expected amount as sensed by the position or movement of acceleration pedal  26 . Additionally, controller  18  can output control signals to actuator  44  that causes braking system  16  to decelerate vehicle  10  more or less than the amount sensed from brake pedal  28 . It should be further appreciated that control signals can delay actuation of the corresponding system  12 - 16  by a predetermined amount to simulate the delayed reactions of an impaired operator.  
      The skilled artisan will appreciate that the operation of systems  12 - 16  in IMPAIRED mode can be interlinked in a manner that will result in additional unexpected and unpredicted vehicular behaviors in response to an operator&#39;s control input(s). For instance, controller  18  may produce control signals that operate acceleration system  14  or braking system  16  in tandem with steering system  14  in a manner inconsistent with operator inputs.  
      The control signals during impairment mode can be computed based on a desired degree of simulated operator impairment, it being appreciated that enhanced impairment increases the variance and delay between the control signals and the sensed operator inputs. These operational modifications can simulate the effects of operating a vehicle while impaired, and can convey to the operator a sensation of being unable to control the vehicle.  
      In accordance with the preferred embodiment, motor  17  can be disabled  18  by an emergency brake lever  53  that extends outwardly from chassis  15  within reach of the vehicle operator. Lever is movable between a first position that provides an emergency brake overriding controller  18 , and a second position that enables operation of vehicle  20  as described above.  
      Referring now  FIGS. 1 and 3  in particular, simulator  31  preferably includes a remote controller  20  that is operated by a user disposed outside, but within a predetermined proximity of, vehicle  10 . Controller  20  preferably communicates with vehicle controller  18  via an infrared or, alternatively, a wireless Radio Frequency (RF) link. In particular, a receiving unit  55  is mounted onto roll bar  48 , preferably via one or more u-clamps that receive the upper horizontal surface of the roll bar. Receiving unit  55  receives input from remote controller  20 , and forwards the input to central controller  18 . Receiving unit  55  further includes an LED display  57  that provides information regarding the operational status of vehicle (e.g., whether in normal or impaired mode). Receiving unit  55  further includes a traditional stop switch  59  that is movable between a first position, whereby operation of motor  17  is prevented, and a second position whereby vehicle operation is permitted.  
      Controller  20  includes a set of user-actuated output devices  46 , such as buttons, key fobs, or the like, that can be used for multiple purposes. For instance, an output  46  can be actuated that establishes a required constant link  48  with controller  18  that authorizes vehicle operation. Link  48  can be established by activating an output (e.g., by depressing a button or turning a key fob) once on remote controller  20 . Alternatively, the output must be constantly engaged to maintain link  48 . If the output becomes disengaged, or if vehicle  10  is disposed outside a predetermined range of remote controller  20  (for instance 100 feet), link  48  will become broken and vehicle  10  will be rendered inoperable. If vehicle  10  is in motion and link  48  is broken, vehicle  10  will be brought to a halt and will not operate until link  48  is again established. In particular, a “main power disconnect”  50  will be activated when link  48  is broken. Disconnect  50  causes dedicated propulsion controller  39  to prevent further vehicle acceleration, either by controller  18  or the vehicle operator. Controller  18  and dedicated steering and braking systems  12  and  16  function after disconnect  50  is activated to enable the vehicle operator to steer and brake vehicle  10  in a normal and predictable manner.  
      In addition, remote control outputs  46  can be actuated to specify whether controller  18  is to operate in NORMAL or IMPAIRED mode. Additional control functions can also be accorded to the remote control  20 , with the onboard controller  18  acting to carry out received instructions. For instance, remote controller  20  can control the level of impairment to be simulated, along with other control responsibilities as appreciated by the skilled artisan. Furthermore, the remote controller  20  can be operated by the user to identify which of the vehicle systems  12 - 16  are to be affected, and whether the affected systems are to be interlinked, during IMPAIRED mode.  
      Vehicle  10  also preferably includes safety features, both to promote safe operation and to remind the operator of the importance of such features as safety belt  24  and the like. Vehicle  10  can also be engineered to prevent rollover by keeping the center of gravity close to the ground, providing a wide wheelbase, and limiting the maximum vehicle speed to an acceptably low rate such as 4-10 mph. A roll bar  51  is also provided.  
      A skilled artisan will appreciate that, while simulator  31  has been described above as including controller  18  along with remote controller  20  and a plurality of sensors, controllers, and actuators in accordance with the preferred embodiment, the present invention is intended to encompass any apparatus capable of operating a vehicle in a first normal response mode whereby the vehicle response corresponds to operator inputs to effect predictable vehicle operation, and a second impaired response mode whereby vehicular responses are inconsistent with the vehicular response.  
      The invention has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. However, the present invention has been presented by way of illustration and is not intended to be limited to the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will realize that the invention is intended to encompass all modifications and alternative arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth by the appended claims.