OPERATIONAL MODE OF AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE

Abstract

A vehicle data processing device comprising a data storage medium and a processing device programmed to execute instructions stored on the data storage medium, the instructions comprising: Detecting an emergency vehicle near a host vehicle, wherein the host vehicle is an autonomous vehicle; Receiving operational data from nearby vehicles, the operational data indicating whether one or more of the nearby vehicles are operating in an autonomous mode; and Transferring operating data to the emergency vehicle.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] Autonomous vehicles perform some or all of the tasks associated with operating a vehicle. For example, autonomous vehicles can control steering, acceleration, braking, etc., to navigate to a specific destination. Autonomous vehicles rely on sensors or other resources to detect vehicles, pedestrians, and other nearby objects. The autonomous vehicle is controlled according to the signals provided by the sensors.

[0002] DE 10 2006 005 022 B3 discloses a method in which, in a traffic situation involving an emergency vehicle and several other vehicles, communication is established between the emergency vehicle and a ego vehicle, as well as between the ego vehicle and the other vehicles. Behavior information is also exchanged between the vehicles. However, the method neither detects an autonomous operating mode of the other vehicles nor transmits operating data from the other vehicles to the emergency vehicle.

[0003] DE 10 2014 105 474 A1 discloses a method for establishing communication between an emergency vehicle and other vehicles and transmitting recommended actions to the other vehicles. However, this method also does not provide for another vehicle to act as a relay, detecting an autonomous operating mode from the other vehicles and transmitting operating data to the emergency vehicle.

[0004] None of the above-mentioned prior art documents therefore discloses the subject matter of claims 1 to 20. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary autonomous vehicle having a system for receiving operational data from nearby vehicles and transmitting the operational data to an emergency vehicle. Fig. 2 shows example components of the Fig. 1 shown system. Fig. 3 depicts an emergency vehicle joining a group of vehicles including the exemplary autonomous vehicle of Fig. 1 and other nearby vehicles. Fig. Figure 4 shows a graphical representation of how the operational data can be presented in the emergency vehicle. Fig. 5 is a flowchart of an exemplary process used by the Fig. 1 shown vehicle system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0005] Autonomous vehicles can be programmed to respond to the variety of situations a human driver would face while manually operating a vehicle. One such situation involves a nearby emergency vehicle, such as a police car, fire engine, or ambulance. Emergency vehicles can operate in different capacities. For example, when operating in an emergency capacity, the emergency vehicle will deploy emergency lights, sirens, or both. The lights and sirens communicate to a human driver that the emergency vehicle is operating in an emergency capacity and that the human driver must yield the right-of-way to the emergency vehicle. In some cases, the emergency vehicle may even communicate its path to nearby vehicles.However, when the lights and sirens are off, the emergency vehicle is treated like any other nearby vehicle. Autonomous vehicles can be programmed to respond appropriately to emergency vehicles based on whether the emergency vehicle is operating in an emergency or non-emergency capacity.

[0006] Likewise, drivers of emergency vehicles may expect other vehicles to behave in a certain way when the emergency vehicle is operating in the emergency capacity. For example, the emergency vehicle driver may expect nearby vehicles to slow down or stop to yield the emergency vehicle. Vehicles equipped with vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology can send messages to the emergency vehicle indicating that the emergency vehicle has been detected and that the human driver or autonomous driver is taking an action to yield the emergency vehicle.

[0007] However, simply detecting the emergency vehicle may not be enough. Therefore, it may be beneficial for the emergency vehicle to receive messages indicating which nearby vehicles are operating autonomously, which nearby vehicles are operated by human drivers, and whether the autonomous vehicles are operating in their normal (non-deployment) mode or in a deployment mode that yields the right-of-way to the emergency vehicle. An autonomous host vehicle capable of communicating such information to the emergency vehicle may include a data processing device comprising a data storage medium and a processing device programmed to execute instructions stored on the data storage medium.These instructions include detecting an emergency vehicle near the autonomous host vehicle, which may include receiving information indicating that an emergency vehicle is approaching, receiving operational data from nearby vehicles, and transmitting the operational data to the emergency vehicle. The operational data indicates whether one or more of the nearby vehicles are operating in an autonomous mode, whether nearby vehicles are operating in autonomous operational mode, the positions of one or more vehicles, etc.

[0008] Accordingly, the driver of the emergency vehicle knows which nearby vehicles are autonomous and which are driven by humans. Furthermore, as discussed in more detail below, the notification to the emergency vehicle can indicate whether the autonomous vehicles have switched to emergency mode or whether they are continuing to follow their previous (non-emergency) path. Such information can be presented inside the emergency vehicle via a human-machine interface (HMI).

[0009] The elements shown may take many different forms and may include multiple and / or different components and features. The example components shown are not limiting. Indeed, additional or alternative components and / or implementations may be utilized. Furthermore, the elements shown are not necessarily drawn to scale unless expressly stated as such.

[0010] As in Fig. 1, the autonomous host vehicle 100 includes a detection system 105 for detecting and communicating with emergency vehicles. The detection system 105 may collect operational data from nearby vehicles. A nearby vehicle may include one or more vehicles within wireless communication range of the detection system 105. The operational data may indicate whether one or more of the nearby vehicles are operating in an autonomous mode, a non-autonomous mode, or a semi-autonomous mode. The operational data may further indicate whether any of the nearby vehicles have detected an emergency vehicle and, if so, whether any of the nearby vehicles have changed their operational mode accordingly. For example, the operational data may indicate that one or more nearby vehicles have detected the emergency vehicle and are now operating in an emergency mode.While operating in emergency mode, the nearby vehicle may yield the right-of-way to the emergency vehicle, e.g., by pulling over to the side of the road, slowing down, allowing the emergency vehicle to cross an intersection even though the nearby vehicle should have the right-of-way, etc.

[0011] The detection system 105 can independently detect the emergency vehicle, e.g., by means of sensors that can recognize the emergency vehicle based on the sirens or lights mounted on the emergency vehicle, by the operational data received from nearby vehicles, by an infrastructure device using a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication protocol, or by the emergency vehicle using a vehicle-to-vehicle communication protocol. Once the emergency vehicle has been detected, the detection system 105 can establish communication with the emergency vehicle using a handshake process according to a vehicle-to-vehicle communication protocol. The detection system 105 can transmit the operational data received from the nearby vehicles to the emergency vehicle, so that, for example,the driver of the emergency vehicle (or an autonomous mode control unit included in an autonomous emergency vehicle) knows which vehicles have detected the emergency vehicle, which vehicles are operating autonomously, and which vehicles have indicated that they have or will yield the right-of-way to the emergency vehicle.

[0012] Additionally, the detection system 105 may further adjust how the autonomous host vehicle 100 operates after detecting a nearby emergency vehicle. For example, the detection system 105 may control the host vehicle 100 according to an autonomous mission mode. When the detection system 105 is operating in the autonomous mission mode, it may restrict certain movements of the host vehicle 100, for example, to prevent the host vehicle 100 from accelerating, decelerating, or both, to prevent the host vehicle 100 from changing lanes, or to take another action to yield the right-of-way to the emergency vehicle.

[0013] In some cases, the detection system 105 may determine that no action is required even though an emergency vehicle has been detected nearby. For example, the detection system 105 may receive a path of travel from the emergency vehicle and predict the path of the emergency vehicle based on its path of travel. The detection system 105 may compare the path of the emergency vehicle with the path taken by the host vehicle 100 to determine where and when, if at all, the two overlap, intersect, or otherwise interfere with each other. If the paths do not overlap or intersect, the detection system 105 may determine that the host vehicle 100 does not need to operate in autonomous response mode and can continue its path of travel regardless of the presence of the emergency vehicle.

[0014] Additionally or alternatively, even if the predefined travel paths overlap or intersect, the detection system 105 can predict when the host vehicle 100 will interfere with the emergency vehicle. Thus, the detection system 105 can predict whether the host vehicle 100 will be at the overlap or intersection points of the travel path at the same time or approximately the same time. If not, the detection system 105 may not command the host vehicle 100 to operate in autonomous deployment mode. However, if so, the detection system 105 can operate the host vehicle 100 in autonomous deployment mode, yielding the right-of-way to the emergency vehicle.

[0015] The detection system 105 may continue to operate the host vehicle 100 in the autonomous deployment mode until the host vehicle 100 is no longer expected to interfere with the predicted path of the deployment vehicle. The detection system 105 may allow or command the host vehicle 100 to operate in a non-deployment mode (i.e., resume normal autonomous operation) when the host vehicle 100 is not in the predicted path of the deployment vehicle, even taking into account time considerations as explained below.

[0016] Although depicted as a sedan, the host vehicle 100 may include any passenger or commercial vehicle, such as a passenger car, a truck, an SUV, a crossover, a van, a pickup truck, a taxi, a bus, etc. As discussed above, the host vehicle 100 may be an autonomous vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous (e.g., driverless) mode, a semi-autonomous mode, and / or a non-autonomous mode. In some implementations, the detection system 105 may cause the host vehicle 100 to transition from operating in a non-autonomous mode to the autonomous deployment mode in response to detecting the emergency vehicle and may allow the host vehicle 100 to resume operating in a non-autonomous mode when the emergency vehicle is no longer nearby.

[0017] Now referring to Fig. 2, the detection system 105 may include sensors 110 for autonomous driving, a communication device 115, a data storage medium 120, and a processing device 125.

[0018] Autonomous driving sensors 110 may include a number of electronic devices programmed to detect nearby vehicles, including a nearby emergency vehicle, while host vehicle 100 is operating in an autonomous mode, a non-autonomous mode, or both. Autonomous driving sensors 110 may be further programmed to generate signals that can be used to navigate host vehicle 100 while the vehicle is operating in autonomous (e.g., driverless) mode. Examples of autonomous driving sensors 110 may include a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, a visual sensor, a microphone or other audio sensor, or the like. Accordingly, autonomous driving sensors 110 assist host vehicle 100 in "seeing" or "hearing" the vehicle's surroundings and / or navigating around various obstacles while the vehicle is operating in autonomous mode.

[0019] The communication device 115 may include a number of electronic devices programmed to facilitate wireless communication between the host vehicle 100 and nearby vehicles, between the host vehicle 100 and the emergency vehicle, or both. For example, the communication device 115 may be programmed to receive operational data from nearby vehicles, transmit operational data and possibly other data to emergency vehicles, and receive messages from nearby emergency vehicles. The communication device 115 may be programmed to communicate with the nearby vehicle, the host vehicle 100, or both according to a vehicle-to-vehicle communication protocol. An example of a vehicle-to-vehicle communication protocol may be, for example,the Dedicated Short Range Communication Protocol (DSRC protocol). Instead of communicating directly with nearby vehicles, the communication device 115 may be programmed to communicate with infrastructure facilities according to a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication protocol. The DSRC protocol may also be implemented to facilitate vehicle-to-infrastructure communication.

[0020] Data storage medium 120 may include a number of electronic storage devices capable of storing computer-executable code. Data storage medium 120 may make the computer-executable code available, for example, to processing device 125. The computer-executable code may include instructions for performing the various operations of processing device 125, communication device 115, autonomous driving sensors 110, or the like.

[0021] The processing device 125 may include a number of electronic devices programmed to execute instructions stored on the data storage medium 120. In accordance with such instructions, the processing device 125 may be programmed to process signals received from the autonomous driving sensors 110 and control the host vehicle 100 accordingly, particularly when the host vehicle 100 is operating in an autonomous or semi-autonomous mode. Further, the processing device 125 may be programmed to operate the host vehicle 100 in certain ways based on the presence of a nearby emergency vehicle. For example, the processing device 125 may be programmed, in response to detecting a nearby emergency vehicle, to command the communication device 115 to transmit received operational data to the emergency vehicle.The emergency vehicle may be detected based on signals output by the autonomous driving sensors 110 and operational data received from nearby vehicles (e.g., a nearby vehicle detected the emergency vehicle and notified the host vehicle 100).

[0022] Additionally, the processing device 125 may be programmed to operate the host vehicle 100 in the autonomous deployment mode. Therefore, the processing device 125 may serve as an autonomous mode controller whenever the host vehicle 100 is operating in an autonomous or semi-autonomous mode, including the autonomous deployment mode. The processing device 125 may be programmed to control one or more subsystems while serving as an autonomous mode controller. Examples of subsystems that may be controlled by the processing device 125 may include a braking subsystem, a suspension subsystem, a steering subsystem, and a powertrain subsystem. The processing device 125 may control one or more of these subsystems by outputting signals to controllers associated with those subsystems.The processing device 125 may control the subsystems based at least in part on signals generated by the autonomous driving sensors 110.

[0023] The processing device 125 may be programmed, when operating the host vehicle 100 in the autonomous mission mode, to prevent the host vehicle 100 from accelerating, decelerating, performing a lane change, etc. In doing so, the processing device 125 may set an acceleration level, a deceleration level, a steering command level, etc., to a predetermined value, such as zero (0). When the respective values are set to the predetermined value, the host vehicle 100 may be prevented from accelerating, decelerating, or changing lanes. Further, the processing device 125 may be programmed to determine whether the host vehicle 100, while operating in the autonomous mode, is interfering with a path of the mission vehicle. In doing so, the processing device 125 may receive signals output from a navigation system that identify a path of the autonomous host vehicle 100 (the "host path").The processing device 125 may compare the host travel path with the actual or a predicted travel path of the emergency vehicle (the “emergency travel path”), which may be received from the emergency vehicle via vehicle-to-vehicle messages, e.g., via the communication device 115, or may be predicted by the processing device 125 based on a current history of the emergency vehicle.

[0024] The processing device 125 may be programmed to compare the emergency vehicle path with the host vehicle path and determine where and when, if at all, the two paths overlap, intersect, or otherwise interfere with each other. If the paths do not overlap or intersect, the processing device 125 may determine that the host vehicle 100 does not need to operate in autonomous deployment mode and can continue its travel path regardless of the presence of the emergency vehicle. In this case, therefore, the processing device 125 may be programmed to continue operating the host vehicle 100 in the mode in which it was operating before the emergency vehicle was detected, rather than switching to autonomous deployment mode.

[0025] Additionally or alternatively, even if the travel paths overlap or intersect, the processing device 125 may predict when the host vehicle 100 will interfere with the emergency vehicle to determine whether the host vehicle 100 will be at the overlap or intersection points of the travel path at or about the same time. If not, the processing device 125 may continue to operate the host vehicle 100 in the mode in which it was operating before the emergency vehicle was detected. However, if the host vehicle 100 is expected to interfere with the emergency vehicle, the processing device 125 may be programmed to operate the host vehicle 100 in autonomous operation mode to yield the right-of-way to the emergency vehicle.

[0026] In one possible approach, the processing device 125 may be programmed to determine, according to various tolerances, whether the host vehicle 100 will interfere with the emergency vehicle. For example, the host vehicle 100 may "interfere" with the emergency vehicle if the host travel path brings the host vehicle 100 within 500 or 1000 feet of the emergency vehicle.

[0027] The processing device 125 may be programmed to continue operating the host vehicle 100 in the autonomous deployment mode until the host vehicle 100 no longer interferes with the predicted path of the deployment vehicle or is no longer expected to do so. The processing device 125 may be programmed to allow or command the host vehicle 100 to operate in a non-deployment mode (i.e., resume normal autonomous operation) when the host vehicle 100 is not in the predicted or actual path of the deployment vehicle.

[0028] Fig. 3 illustrates an example scenario in which an emergency vehicle 130 approaches a group of vehicles 135, at least one of which (identified as the host vehicle 100) is equipped with the detection system 105 described above. Before detecting the emergency vehicle 130, the host vehicle 100 may exchange operational data with one or more of the nearby vehicles 135. The vehicle 135A, the vehicle 135B, the vehicle 135D, and the host vehicle 100 may be operating in an autonomous mode. The vehicle 135C may be a human-operated vehicle or an autonomous vehicle operating in a non-autonomous mode. The host vehicle 100 may receive and transmit to the emergency vehicle 130 the operational data associated with its own operation as well as that associated with the operation of the vehicles 135.If vehicle 135C is a non-autonomous vehicle or otherwise incapable of vehicle-to-vehicle communications, host vehicle 100 may not receive operational data from vehicle 135C. In this case, host vehicle 100 may communicate this to emergency vehicle 130.

[0029] In addition to communicating, via the operational data, whether the nearby vehicles 135A-D are operating autonomously, the host vehicle 100 may further communicate whether each vehicle 135A-D has detected the emergency vehicle 130 and is taking appropriate action. For example, the operational data transmitted from the host vehicle 100 to the emergency vehicle 130 may indicate that the host vehicle 100, vehicle 135A, and vehicle 135B have detected the emergency vehicle 130 and are operating in an autonomous operational mode. As discussed above, the autonomous operational mode may include restricting certain maneuvers such as acceleration, deceleration, lane changes, etc.The operational data transmitted to the emergency vehicle 130 may further indicate that the vehicle 135D is an autonomous vehicle, has sensed the presence of the emergency vehicle 130, but will not change its travel mode because the path of the vehicle 135D is not expected to interfere with the predicted path of the emergency vehicle 130. Finally, the operational data transmitted from the host vehicle 100 to the emergency vehicle 130 may indicate that the vehicle 135C is a human-operated vehicle, which may indicate to the driver of the emergency vehicle 130 that the driver of the vehicle 135C may or may not have sensed the presence of the emergency vehicle 130.

[0030] Because vehicle 135B is in the path of emergency vehicle 130 (in the same lane), operating vehicle 135B in autonomous deployment mode may involve causing vehicle 135B to move into a different lane. In some cases, changing lanes may require vehicle 135B to accelerate or decelerate, even though such actions may not typically be permitted for other vehicles not in the path of emergency vehicle 130, such as vehicles 135A and D, while operating in autonomous deployment mode. Alternatively, vehicle 135B may predict the path of emergency vehicle 130 and compare the predicted path to its own path. Vehicle 135B may not initiate autonomous deployment mode if, for example, the path of vehicle 135B involves vehicle 135B changing lanes and leaving the current roadway before emergency vehicle 130 predictively overtakes vehicle 135B.

[0031] Fig. 4 is a graphical representation of how operational data may be presented to a driver of emergency vehicle 130. An image of nearby vehicles, such as vehicle 135A-D, host vehicle 100, and emergency vehicle 130, may be presented on a display screen in emergency vehicle 130. Each image may indicate whether vehicle 135A-D is an autonomous vehicle operating in an autonomous or semi-autonomous mode, an autonomous vehicle operating in a non-autonomous mode, an autonomous vehicle operating in autonomous deployment mode (which may mean that the autonomous vehicle has already detected emergency vehicle 130), or a human-driven vehicle.

[0032] Vehicle 135A and host vehicle 100 may be presented as autonomous vehicles operating in an autonomous deployment mode. The images for vehicle 135B and vehicle 135D may represent that they are autonomous vehicles operating in an autonomous non-deployment mode. The image for vehicle 135D may further indicate whether vehicle 135D has detected emergency vehicle 130 and is not expected to interfere with emergency vehicle 130, to distinguish cases where vehicle 135D simply has not yet detected the presence of emergency vehicle 130. The image for vehicle 135B may indicate that it has detected emergency vehicle 130 but will not interfere with emergency vehicle 130 (e.g., vehicle 135B turns off the road before emergency vehicle 130 overtakes vehicle 135B). Therefore, the image for vehicle 135B may indicate that vehicle 135B continues to operate in an autonomous non-mission mode.Finally, the vehicle 135C may be presented as a non-autonomous vehicle or an autonomous vehicle operating in a non-autonomous mode.

[0033] The graphical representations may be presented on a display screen in the passenger compartment of the emergency vehicle 130. In some cases, the different images used for different types of vehicle situations, as discussed above, may be associated with different colors, symbols, or other visually distinguishable characteristics. For example, if the vehicle 135B has communicated that it will be leaving the roadway before the emergency vehicle 130 overtakes it, the image for the vehicle 135B may reflect this. Therefore, the driver of the emergency vehicle 130 can glance at the display screen and get a general idea of which nearby vehicles 135 have yielded the right-of-way, which have detected the presence of the emergency vehicle 130, and which have an unknown status, for example, because the vehicle is unable to wirelessly communicate its operating mode.

[0034] Furthermore, the graphical representation may be presented on a virtual map that generally places the image associated with each nearby vehicle 135 approximately in a position relative to the emergency vehicle 130. The position of each nearby vehicle 135 may be determined from the operational data transmitted from the host vehicle 100 and may be updated in real time as the emergency vehicle 130, the host vehicle 100, or the nearby vehicles 135 move.

[0035] Fig.5 is a flowchart of an example process 500 that may be performed by the detection system 105. The process 500 may begin after the host vehicle 100 is started and begins operating in an autonomous or at least semi-autonomous mode. The process 500 may continue to execute until the host vehicle 100 is turned off or no longer operates in an autonomous or semi-autonomous mode.

[0036] At block 505, the detection system 105 may receive operational data from nearby vehicles. The operational data may be received by the detection system 105 via the communication device 115 and processed by the processing device 125. The operational data may indicate whether one or more of the nearby vehicles are operating in an autonomous mode, a non-autonomous mode, or a semi-autonomous mode. The operational data may further indicate whether any of the nearby vehicles have detected an emergency vehicle and, if so, whether any of the nearby vehicles have changed their operational mode accordingly. The operational data may be received according to a vehicle-to-vehicle communication protocol, a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication protocol, or the like.An example communication protocol may include the Dedicated Short Range Communication Protocol (DSRC protocol).

[0037] At decision block 510, the detection system 105 may determine whether an emergency vehicle is detected near the host vehicle 100. The emergency vehicle may be detected by the autonomous driving sensors 110, which may identify the emergency vehicle based on its shape or the sirens or lights mounted on the emergency vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, the detection system 105 may detect the emergency vehicle based on the operational data received at block 505. If an emergency vehicle is detected, the process 500 may proceed to block 515. If no emergency vehicles are detected, the process 500 may return to block 505.

[0038] At block 515, the detection system 105 may transmit the operational data received at block 505 to the emergency vehicle. The communication device 115 may be commanded by the processing device 125 to transmit the operational data to the emergency vehicle according to a vehicle-to-vehicle communication protocol, a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication protocol, or the like. In addition to the operational data received at block 505, the communication device 115 may be further commanded by the processing device 125 to transmit operational data regarding a status of the host vehicle 100 (i.e., whether the host vehicle 100 is operating in an autonomous mode).By transmitting the operational data to the emergency vehicle, the driver of the emergency vehicle can be able to determine which nearby vehicles are operating autonomously or non-autonomously, which have detected the emergency vehicle, and which are operating in an autonomous operational mode.

[0039] At decision block 520, the detection system 105 may determine whether to adjust its own operation in autonomous mode. For example, the processing device 125 may determine whether an action is required based on the presence of the emergency vehicle. In one possible implementation, the processing device 125 may receive a travel path from the emergency vehicle and predict the path of the emergency vehicle from its travel path. The processing device 125 may further compare the travel path of the emergency vehicle with the travel path taken by the host vehicle 100 to determine where and when, if at all, the two overlap, intersect, or otherwise interfere with each other. If the travel paths do not overlap or intersect in both time and space, the processing device 125 may determine that the host vehicle 100 does not need to adjust its operating mode (i.e.,The host vehicle 100 may not be operating in autonomous mission mode) and may continue its travel path regardless of the presence of the mission vehicle. In this case, the process 500 may proceed to block 525. If the travel paths overlap in both time and space, the processing device 125 may determine that the operating mode of the host vehicle 100 should be adjusted, in which case the process 500 may proceed to block 530.

[0040] At block 525, the detection system 105 may continue to operate the host vehicle 100 in autonomous non-emergency mode. In doing so, the processing device 125 may command various vehicle subsystems to remain on the same path that the host vehicle 100 was traveling prior to detecting the emergency vehicle. This may include allowing the host vehicle 100 to accelerate, decelerate, and change lanes as if the emergency vehicle had not been detected at block 510. The process 500 may proceed to block 505 so that more operational data can be collected and the presence of the emergency vehicle or another emergency vehicle can be assessed.

[0041] At block 530, the detection system 105 may operate the host vehicle 100 in an autonomous deployment mode. While operating in the autonomous deployment mode, the processing device 125 may issue command signals that operate various vehicle subsystems to yield the right-of-way to the emergency vehicle. The command signals issued by the processing device 125 may prevent the host vehicle 100 from accelerating, decelerating, changing lanes, etc., unless doing so does not interfere with the emergency vehicle's planned path. Further, while operating in the autonomous deployment mode, the processing device 125 may command the host vehicle 100 to change lanes to move out of the emergency vehicle's lane, which may include commanding the host vehicle 100 to pull over onto a shoulder of the road.

[0042] At block 535, the detection system 105 may transmit updated operational data to the emergency vehicle. The updated operational data may include an updated status of the host vehicle 100. In doing so, the processing device 125 may command the communication device 115 to transmit a message to the emergency vehicle indicating that the host vehicle 100 is now operating in autonomous deployment mode.

[0043] At decision block 540, the detection system 105 may determine whether the host vehicle 100 can resume autonomous non-response mode. For example, the processing device 125 may determine, based on signals received via the autonomous driving sensors 110, the communication device 115, or both, whether the host vehicle 100 is still in the path of the emergency vehicle or may otherwise interfere with its path of travel. If so, the processing device 125 may determine that the host vehicle 100 cannot resume autonomous non-response operation, and the process 500 may continue to execute block 540 so that the impact of the emergency vehicle on the host vehicle 100 can be continuously reassessed.If the emergency vehicle is no longer proximate to the host vehicle 100 or if the host vehicle 100 is no longer expected to interfere with the emergency vehicle, the process 500 may proceed to block 525 so that the host vehicle 100 may resume operating in the autonomous non-emergency mode.

[0044] Accordingly, because the detection system 105 is integrated into the host vehicle 100, the driver of the emergency vehicle knows which nearby vehicles are autonomous vehicles and which are driven by a human. Furthermore, the notification to the emergency vehicle can indicate whether the nearby autonomous vehicles, including the host vehicle 100, have switched to emergency mode of operation or whether they are continuing to follow their previous (non-emergency) path. With this knowledge, the driver or the autonomous controller of the emergency vehicle can make decisions about how best to navigate through traffic.

[0045] In general, the described data processing systems and / or devices may employ any of a number of computer operating systems, including, but not limited to, versions and / or variants of the Ford Sync ® application, the AppLink / Smart Device Link middleware, the Microsoft Automotive ® operating system, Microsoft Windows ® - operating system, the Unix operating system (e.g. Solaris ®operating system distributed by Oracle Corporation in Redwood Shores, California, USA), the AIX UNIX operating system distributed by International Business Machines in Armonk, New York, USA, the Linux operating system, the Mac OSX and iOS operating systems distributed by Apple Inc. in Cupertino, California, USA, the BlackBerry OS distributed by Blackberry, Ltd. in Waterloo, Canada, and the Android operating system developed by Google, Inc. and the Open Handset Alliance, or the QNX ® CAR platform for infotainment offered by QNX Software Systems. Examples of computing devices include, but are not limited to, an on-board vehicle computer, a computer workstation, a server, a desktop, laptop, or handheld computer, or other computing system and / or device.

[0046] Data processing devices generally include computer-executable instructions, where the instructions may be executable by one or more data processing devices such as those listed above. Computer-executable instructions may be compiled or interpreted by computer programs created using a variety of programming languages and / or technologies, including, but not limited to, and either alone or in combination, Java™, C, C++, Visual Basic, Java Script, Perl, etc. Some of these applications may be compiled and executed on a virtual machine, such as the Java virtual machine, the Dalvik virtual machine, or similar. Generally, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receives instructions from, for example, memory, a computer-readable medium, etc., and executes those instructions, performing one or more processes, including one or more of the processes described herein. Such instructions and other data may be stored and transmitted using a variety of computer-readable media.

[0047] A computer-readable medium (also referred to as a processor-readable medium) includes any non-transitory (e.g., tangible) medium that participates in providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by a processor of a computer). Such a medium may take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media and volatile media. Non-volatile media may include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other persistent storage. Volatile media may include, for example, dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which typically constitutes main memory. Such instructions may be transmitted using one or more transmission media, including coaxial cables, copper wires, and fiber optics, including the wires comprising a system bus coupled to a processor of a computer.Conventional forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, a DVD, any other optical medium, punched cards, punched tape, any other physical medium with hole patterns, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a flash EEPROM, any other memory chip or memory card, or any other medium that a computer can read.

[0048] Databases, data repositories, or other data stores described herein may include various types of mechanisms for storing, retrieving, and accessing various types of data, including a hierarchical database, a set of files in a file system, an application database in a proprietary format, a relational database management system (RDBMS), and so on. Each such data store is generally embodied in a computing device employing a computer operating system, such as one of those mentioned above, and is accessed via a network using any one or more of a variety of methods. A file system may be accessible by a computer operating system and may include files stored in various formats.An RDBMS generally uses the Structured Query Language (SQL), in addition to a language for creating, storing, manipulating, and executing stored procedures, such as the PL / SQL language mentioned above.

[0049] In some examples, system elements may be implemented as computer-readable instructions (e.g., software) on one or more computing devices (e.g., servers, PCs, etc.) stored on computer-readable media associated therewith (e.g., disks, memories, etc.). A computer program product may include such instructions stored on a computer-readable medium for performing the functions described herein.

[0050] With regard to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it is understood that although the steps of such processes, etc., have been described as occurring in a particular ordered sequence, such processes could be performed with the described steps in an order different from the order described herein. Furthermore, it is understood that certain steps may be performed concurrently, additional steps may be added, or certain steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the process descriptions herein are for the purpose of illustrating particular embodiments and should not be construed as limiting the claims in any way.

[0051] Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples given would become apparent upon reading the above description. The scope of protection should not be determined with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to those claims. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the technologies discussed herein and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. Taken together, it should be understood that the application is susceptible to modifications and variations.

[0052] All terms used in the claims are intended to have their ordinary meaning as understood by persons having extensive knowledge of the technologies described herein, unless explicitly stated otherwise. In particular, the use of singular articles, such as "a," "an," "the," "the," "the," etc., is intended to mean any one or more of the recited elements, unless a claim explicitly states a contrary limitation.

[0053] The Abstract is provided to enable the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is provided with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Additionally, the foregoing Detailed Description indicates that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of more efficient disclosure. This method of disclosure should not be construed as reflecting an intent that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims indicate, the inventive subject matter includes fewer than all of the features of a single disclosed embodiment.Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate claim.

Claims

[1] A vehicle data processing device comprising a data storage medium and a processing device programmed to execute instructions stored on the data storage medium, the instructions comprising: Detecting an emergency vehicle near a host vehicle, wherein the host vehicle is an autonomous vehicle; Receiving operational data from nearby vehicles, the operational data indicating whether one or more of the nearby vehicles are operating in an autonomous mode; and Transferring operating data to the emergency vehicle. [2] The vehicle computing device of claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise operating the host vehicle in an autonomous deployment mode in response to the deployment vehicle being detected. [3] The vehicle computing device of claim 2, wherein operating the host vehicle in the autonomous deployment mode comprises preventing the host vehicle from accelerating or decelerating. [4] The vehicle computing device of claim 2, wherein operating the host vehicle in the autonomous deployment mode comprises preventing the host vehicle from changing lanes. [5] The vehicle computing device of claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise determining whether operating the host vehicle in autonomous mode interferes with a path of the emergency vehicle. [6] The vehicle computing device of claim 5, wherein determining whether operating the host vehicle in autonomous mode interferes with a path of the emergency vehicle comprises determining the path of the emergency vehicle. [7] The vehicle computing device of claim 6, wherein determining whether operating the host vehicle in autonomous mode interferes with a path of the emergency vehicle comprises determining whether the host vehicle is in the path of the emergency vehicle. [8] The vehicle computing device of claim 7, wherein the instructions further comprise continuing to operate the host vehicle in autonomous deployment mode if the host vehicle is in the path of the deployment vehicle. [9] The vehicle computing device of claim 8, wherein the instructions further comprise operating the host vehicle in an autonomous non-emergency mode if the host vehicle is not in the path of the emergency vehicle. [10] The vehicle computing device of claim 1, wherein receiving the operational data from nearby vehicles comprises receiving the operational data according to a vehicle-to-vehicle communication protocol. [11] The vehicle data processing device of claim 1, wherein transmitting the operational data to the emergency vehicle comprises transmitting the operational data according to a vehicle-to-vehicle communication protocol. [12] Vehicle system comprising: an autonomous driving sensor programmed to detect nearby vehicles and an emergency vehicle while a host vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode; a communication device programmed to wirelessly communicate with the nearby vehicles and the emergency vehicle, the communication device programmed to receive operational data from at least one of the nearby vehicles and to transmit the operational data to the emergency vehicle, the operational data indicating whether at least one of the nearby vehicles is operating in an autonomous mode; and a processing device programmed to command the communication device to transmit the operational data as a result of the sensor detecting the emergency vehicle. [13] The vehicle system of claim 12, wherein the processing device is programmed to operate the host vehicle in an autonomous deployment mode as a result of the emergency vehicle being detected. [14] The vehicle system of claim 13, wherein the processing device is programmed to prevent the host vehicle from accelerating or decelerating while the host vehicle is operating in the autonomous deployment mode. [15] The vehicle system of claim 13, wherein the processing device is programmed to prevent the host vehicle from changing lanes while the host vehicle is operating in the autonomous deployment mode. [16] The vehicle system of claim 12, wherein the processing device is programmed to determine whether operating the host vehicle in autonomous mode interferes with a path of the emergency vehicle. [17] The vehicle system of claim 16, wherein determining whether operating the host vehicle in autonomous mode interferes with the path of the emergency vehicle comprises determining the path of the emergency vehicle and determining whether the host vehicle is in the path of the emergency vehicle. [18] The vehicle system of claim 17, wherein the processing device is programmed to continue operating the host vehicle in the autonomous deployment mode if the host vehicle is in the path of the deployment vehicle, and to operate the host vehicle in an autonomous non-deployment mode if the host vehicle is not in the path of the deployment vehicle. [19] The vehicle system of claim 12, wherein the communication device is programmed to receive the operating data from nearby vehicles according to a vehicle-to-vehicle communication protocol. [20] The vehicle system of claim 12, wherein the communication device is programmed to transmit the operational data to the emergency vehicle according to a vehicle-to-vehicle communication protocol.

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