Accident response using autonomous vehicle monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10043323-B1
Application number	US-201715472813-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 29, 2017
Priority date	May 20, 2014
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for monitoring use of a vehicle having one or more autonomous (and/or semi-autonomous) operation features to determine and respond to incidents, such as collisions, thefts, or breakdowns. According to certain aspects, operating data from sensors within or near the vehicle may be used to determine when an incident has occurred and determine an appropriate response. The responses may include contacting a third party to provide assistance, such as local emergency services. In some embodiments, occurrence of the incident may be verified by automated communication with the vehicle operator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for remotely monitoring a vehicle having one or more autonomous operation features for controlling the vehicle, comprising:
receiving, from the vehicle via a communication network, operating data regarding operation of the vehicle, wherein the operating data includes information associated with operation of the one or more autonomous operation features in operating the vehicle;
determining, by one or more processors, the occurrence of an incident involving the vehicle based at least in part upon an interruption of communication of the operating data from the vehicle, wherein the incident involving the vehicle includes: a vehicle collision, a vehicle accident, an engine malfunction, or a vehicle component failure;
determining, by one or more processors, a type of the incident based at least in part upon the received operating data regarding operation of the vehicle prior to the interruption, including the information associated with the operation of the one or more autonomous operation features;
determining, by one or more processors, a response to the incident based at least in part upon the determined type of the incident, wherein the response includes a request for assistance from an emergency service provider based upon the type of the incident; and
causing, by one or more processors, the response to be implemented at least in part by transmitting the request for assistance to the emergency service provider via a network.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by one or more processors, a severity of the incident based at least in part upon the received operating data regarding operation of the vehicle prior to the interruption, including the information associated with the operation of the one or more autonomous operation features,
wherein determining the response to the incident further includes determining the response to the incident based at least in part upon the determined severity of the incident.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:
the operating data includes data regarding a vehicle environment of the vehicle associated with one or more sensors disposed within the vehicle; and
determining the type of the incident includes determining the type of the incident based at least in part upon the data regarding the vehicle environment received prior to the interruption.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the type of the incident includes a collision or accident involving the vehicle.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the type of the incident includes determining the operating data received prior to the interruption indicates one or more of the following: a component failure, inconsistent readings from a plurality of sensors within the vehicle, an engine malfunction, a flat tire, or an empty fuel tank.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the request for assistance includes information regarding one or more of the following: the vehicle's location, one or more types of assistance required, other vehicles involved in the incident, or pedestrians involved in the incident.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the emergency service provider includes one or more of the following: local police, state highway patrols, fire departments, emergency medical services, or ambulance services.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the operating data includes communication data received by the vehicle from external sources in a vehicle environment of the vehicle.

9. A computer system for remotely monitoring a vehicle having one or more autonomous operation features for controlling the vehicle, comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more communication modules adapted to communicate data via one or more communication networks; and
a non-transitory program memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computer system to:
receive operating data regarding operation of the vehicle from the vehicle via the one or more communication modules, wherein the operating data includes information associated with operation of the one or more autonomous operation features in operating the vehicle;
determine the occurrence of an incident involving the vehicle based at least in part upon an interruption of communication of the operating data from the vehicle,

wherein the incident involving the vehicle includes: a vehicle collision, a vehicle accident, an engine malfunction, or a vehicle component failure;
determine a type of the incident based at least in part upon the received operating data regarding operation of the vehicle prior to the interruption, including the information associated with the operation of the one or more autonomous operation features;
determine a response to the incident based at least in part upon the determined type of the incident, wherein the response includes a request for assistance from an emergency service provider based upon the type of the incident; and
cause the response to be implemented at least in part by transmitting the request for assistance to the emergency service provider via the one or more communication modules.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the non-transitory program memory further stores instructions that cause the computer system to:
determine a severity of the incident based at least in part upon the received operating data regarding operation of the vehicle prior to the interruption, including the information associated with the operation of the one or more autonomous operation features; and
determine the response to the incident further based at least in part upon the determined severity of the incident.

11. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein:
the operating data includes data regarding a vehicle environment of the vehicle associated with one or more sensors disposed within the vehicle; and
the executable instructions that cause the computer system to determine the type of the incident further cause the computer system to determine the type of the incident based at least in part upon the data regarding the vehicle environment received prior to the interruption.

12. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the type of the incident includes a collision or accident involving the vehicle.

13. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the request for assistance includes information regarding one or more of the following: the vehicle's location, one or more types of assistance required, other vehicles involved in the incident, or pedestrians involved in the incident.

14. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the emergency service provider includes one or more of the following: local police, state highway patrols, fire departments, emergency medical services, or ambulance services.

15. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions for remotely monitoring a vehicle having one or more autonomous operation features for controlling the vehicle that, when executed by at least one processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to:
receive operating data regarding operation of the vehicle from the vehicle via a communication component of the computer system, wherein the operating data includes information associated with operation of the one or more autonomous operation features in operating the vehicle;
determine the occurrence of an incident involving the vehicle based at least in part upon an in

Assignees

• State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co
• State Farm Mutual Automotive Insurance Company

Inventors

• Konrardy Blake
• Christensen Scott T
• Hayward Gregory
• Farris Scott

Classifications

• G06F30/20

  Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) · CPC title

• B60W2040/0818

  Inactivity or incapacity of driver · CPC title

• G07C5/0808

  Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005) · CPC title

• G08G1/096775

  where the origin of the information is a central station · CPC title

• G08G1/166

  for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes · CPC title