Accident prevention system and a vehicle including the accident prevention system

Abstract

A vehicle 12 having an accident prevention system 10 that is useful for preventing an accident where a vehicle that is reversing at low speed collides with a person, is disclosed. The system 10 includes a sensor arrangement 14 for sending an object within range behind a rear end 38 of the vehicle 12 and generating an object recognition signal. The sensor arrangement 14 includes passive IR sensors 15 or reflected pulse sensors such as sonar or radar sensors 50 on the rear end 38. A controller 20 generates an accident prevention response signal when the sensor arrangement 14 generates an object recognition signal. A brake applicator 26 is operatively coupled to a foot brake 42 to cause the vehicle 12 to stop when the controller 20 generates a response signal. The system also includes an alarm when the controller 20 generates a response signal.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The present Application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 447,159 titled “An Accident Prevention System and a Vehicle Including the Accident Prevention System,” filed Apr. 13, 2012 which claims the benefit of Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2011902483 titled “An Accident Prevention System and a Vehicle Including the Accident Prevention System,” filed Jun. 24, 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to an accident prevention system for use on vehicles and to a vehicle including the accident prevention system. This invention also relates to a method of preventing an accident when a vehicle collides with an object.[0003]This invention relates particularly but not exclusively to an accident prevention system for preventing a small child or animal being run over by a motor vehicle that is reversing at low speed on a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The system significantly reduces the risk of reversing accidents by providing an automatic braking mechanism and audible / visual alerts, independent of driver action, thereby minimizing injuries and fatalities, especially in scenarios where children or animals are at risk.

Problems solved by technology

One problem is that the driver's view of the driveway behind the vehicle is very limited and they do not have a full and uninterrupted view of the vehicle's travel path.

Accident statistics show that many motor vehicle accidents occur in this situation.

If it is a young child, the child is often too young to be aware of the danger to them posed by the reversing vehicle.

Sometimes the driver does not see the child because they have limited vision through the rear window of the vehicle.

Further some drivers find it awkward to turn around and look through the rear of the vehicle and sometimes do not even bother to do this.

Yet further the driver might not thoroughly and carefully check that the area behind the vehicle is clear people before the vehicle starts reversing.

Further where the children are not killed in these accidents they usually sustain severe head, chest or lower limb injuries.

Further the driver of the vehicle is usually a parent, family member or friend of the child that is run over which adds to the trauma caused by these accidents.

This makes it virtually impossible for the driver to see the child from their position seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle even if they are diligent.

Accordingly unless someone outside the vehicle alerts the driver to the presence of the small child, or the driver actually sees the child in this position prior to getting into the vehicle, there is a real risk of the child being run over by the reversing vehicle.

The child has a very low profile or height and is thus not easily visible to a driver of the reversing motor vehicle.

However in the Applicant's view this prior art product has not been very successful.

Yet further Applicant believes that sonar parking sensors are not very reliable and are often ignored by the driver and cannot be fitted to a vehicle that is used for towing a boat, trailer or caravan.

Applicant believes that one problem of this prior art system is that when a person is driving a vehicle in reverse their head is turned around and they are looking out of the rear window of the vehicle.

Consequently they are not able to look at a display screen mounted on the dashboard because this would require their head to face forwards.

Once they have started moving it is difficult to look at the screen on the dashboard when their head is turned around facing out of the back of the motor vehicle.

Yet another problem identified by the Applicant is that drivers are often distracted by mobile phones, radio or music within the car and / or other passengers within the car and either cannot hear the parking sensor alarms or ignore the parking sensor alarms.

Further these systems do not warn anybody outside of the vehicle of an imminent danger of a collision.

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