NIO Inc.
Highly-integrated fail operational e-powertrain for autonomous driving application

Abstract:

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to using Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) decomposition and a functional deployment strategy to redundantly distribute functionality across existing controllers. Accordingly, each of a plurality of non-redundant controllers of the vehicle can execute a plurality of functions. The controllers can comprise a vehicle controller and a controller for each of a plurality of different powertrain systems. The plurality of functions can comprise one or more functions for each of the plurality of powertrain systems and each of the functions can execute on multiple controllers. When a failure of one controller occurs, this can be detected either by a controller's build-in internal monitor or by a two-way comparison or three-way voting by external controllers. The functions executing on the failed controller can be transitioned to other controllers based on prior execution of those functions by the other controllers.