3D Risk Map Generation for Vehicle Accident Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current GPS systems and navigation devices lack the capability to effectively identify and alert users of potential risks on road segments, such as accidents, and do not facilitate efficient processing of insurance claims, leading to increased processing time and potential fraud.
Innovation Solution
A computing system that generates a three-dimensional (3D) risk map using sensor information from vehicles, including accident, geographic, environmental, and vehicle data, to alert users of potential risks and assist in determining the cause of accidents, thereby aiding in insurance claim processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If GPS location information and accident history information are combined to determine danger level of routes, then the information about route danger is provided to users, but the likelihood of accidents is not significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from 2D map views to 3D risk maps that vertically elevate risk objects above the road surface. This dimensional change provides depth perception and spatial context, allowing drivers to understand the three-dimensional location and severity of risks, thereby improving accident prevention effectiveness while maintaining information completeness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a color-coded risk classification system where different colors represent different levels of risk (e.g., green for low risk, yellow for medium risk, red for high risk). This visual encoding allows drivers to quickly assess danger levels and prioritize attention, significantly improving the effectiveness of accident prevention by making risk information immediately comprehensible and actionable
2Measurement precision
If insurance adjusters are dispatched to inspect damaged vehicles or accident sites to determine cause of accident, then accurate determination of accident cause is achieved, but processing time increases and customer convenience decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary data collection by continuously capturing sensor information, GPS coordinates, and environmental data during normal vehicle operation. In the event of an accident, this pre-collected data is immediately available for analysis, eliminating the need for post-accident site inspections while maintaining accurate determination of accident cause
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical process of physical inspection by human adjusters with an automated electronic system that analyzes sensor data, GPS information, and environmental conditions. This substitution eliminates travel time and manual inspection while providing objective, data-driven accident cause determination through computational analysis
3Reliability
If employees of insurance provider are dispatched to inspect accident sites, then fraud detection and record keeping are improved, but customer frustration and inconvenience increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by automatically collecting, storing, and analyzing accident-related data without requiring customer interaction or insurance adjuster intervention. The vehicle's own sensors and onboard systems perform the inspection function, eliminating customer inconvenience while maintaining fraud detection capabilities through automated data verification and analysis
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems including one or more sensors, coupled to a vehicle, may detect sensor information and provide the sensor information to another computing device for processing. The processing may include analyzing the sensor information to identify one or more risk objects, such as animals, pedestrians, potholes, etc. The processing may further include generating a three-dimensional (3D) risk map, which may be displayed to a passenger in the vehicle. The 3D risk map may illustrate the one or more risk objects as one or more point clouds, respectively, within a virtual world representation of the vehicles surroundings. Such a display may be used to alert drivers to possible risks while driving. In case of an accident, the 3D risk map may also be leveraged by insurance providers to process insurance claims and to notify customers that an insurance claim has been established.