Driver feedback alerts based upon monitoring use of autonomous vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9767516-B1
Application number	US-201514713223-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 15, 2015
Priority date	May 20, 2014
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and alerting an operator of a vehicle having one or more autonomous (and/or semi-autonomous) operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, operating data from sensors within the vehicle may be used to determine risks associated with use of the features, which may include use at particular levels or with certain settings. The risk levels may be compared with warning thresholds to determine whether safe operation may be maintained under the operating conditions. When the risk levels exceed a threshold, a warning may be generated and presented to the vehicle operator, which may include information regarding the risks. The vehicle operator may then change the use levels or select an option to change the use levels of the features. The response of the vehicle operator may be used to determine or adjust aspects of an insurance policy associated with the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for real-time monitoring of a vehicle having one or more autonomous operation features for controlling the vehicle, comprising:
monitoring, by one or more processors, operating data regarding operation of the vehicle at a plurality of times during vehicle operation, wherein the operating data includes information regarding conditions of an environment within which the vehicle is operating from one or more sensors disposed within the vehicle and information regarding the one or more autonomous operation features, wherein the information regarding the one or more autonomous operation features includes information regarding control decisions not implemented by the one or more autonomous operation features;
receiving, at one or more processors, information regarding current use levels of the one or more autonomous operation features at the plurality of times during vehicle operation;
determining, by one or more processors, one or more autonomous operation risk levels associated with operation of the vehicle under the current use levels based at least in part upon changes in one or more of the conditions of the environment during vehicle operation indicated by the operating data and one or more additional autonomous operation risk levels associated with operation of the vehicle associated with the control decisions not implemented;
determining, by one or more processors, whether the determined risk levels exceed the additional risk levels by a warning threshold; and
causing, by one or more processors, an alert to be presented to a vehicle operator when the determined risk levels are determined to exceed the warning threshold.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the operating data includes communication data from external sources.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the communication data includes information regarding risk levels associated with the conditions of the environment within which the vehicle is operating.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the operating data excludes information regarding the vehicle operator.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the alert includes an indication of a factor causing the determined risk levels to exceed the warning threshold.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at one or more processors, a selection by the vehicle operator relating to use of the autonomous operation features; and
causing, by one or more processors, a change to the current use levels of the autonomous operation features of the vehicle based upon the selection.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising causing, by a processor, an adjustment to be made to an insurance policy associated with the vehicle based at least in part upon the change to the current use levels of the autonomous operation features of the vehicle.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the adjustment to the insurance policy includes at least one of a discount or a reward associated with the insurance policy.

9. A computer system for 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; 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:
monitor operating data regarding operation of the vehicle at a plurality of times during vehicle operation, wherein the operating data includes information regarding conditions of an environment within which the vehicle is operating from one or more sensors disposed within the vehicle and information regarding the one or more autonomous operation features, wherein the information regarding the one or more autonomous operation features includes information regarding control decisions not implemented by the one or more autonomous operation features;
receive information regarding current use levels of the one or more autonomous operation features at the plurality of times during vehicle operation;
determine one or more autonomous operation risk levels associated with operation of the vehicle under the current use levels based at least in part upon changes in one or more of the conditions of the environment during vehicle operation indicated by the operating data and one or more additional autonomous operation risk levels associated with operation of the vehicle associated with the control decisions not implemented;
determine whether the determined risk levels exceed the additional risk levels by a warning threshold; and
cause an alert to be presented to a vehicle operator when the determined risk levels are determined to exceed the warning threshold.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the operating data includes communication data from external sources.

11. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the communication data includes information regarding risk levels associated with the conditions of the environment within which the vehicle is operating.

12. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the operating data excludes information regarding the vehicle operator.

13. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the alert includes an indication of a factor causing the determined risk levels to exceed the warning threshold.

14. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to:
receive a selection by the vehicle operator relating to use of the autonomous operation features;
cause a change to the current use levels of the autonomous operation features of the vehicle based upon the selection; and
cause an adjustment to be made to an insurance policy associated with the vehicle based at least in part upon the change to the current use levels of the autonomous operation features of the vehicle.

15. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for 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:
monitor operating data regarding operation of the vehicle at a plurality of times during vehicle operation, wherein the operating data includes information regarding conditions of an environment within which the vehicle is operating from one or more sensors disposed within the vehicle and information regarding the one or more autonomous operation features, wherein the information regarding the one or more autonomous operation features includes information regarding control decisions not implemented by the one or more autonomous operation features;
receive information regarding current use levels of the one or more autonomous operation features at the plurality of times during vehicle operation;
determine one or more autonomous operation risk levels associated with operation of the vehicle under the current use levels based at least in part upon changes in one or more of the conditions of the environment during vehicle operation indicated by the operating data and one or more additional autonomous operation risk levels associated with operation of the vehicle associated with the control decisions not implemented;
determine whether the determined risk levels exceed the additional risk levels by a warning threshold; and
cause an alert to be presented to a vehicle operator when the determined

Assignees

• State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co

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

• H04W4/90

  Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS] · CPC title

• G08G1/165

  for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees · CPC title

• G08G1/096758

  where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information · CPC title

• G08B21/06

  indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms · CPC title