Autonomous Vehicle Risk Profiling for Safe Control Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous vehicles may struggle to navigate under adverse conditions or when human operators are inattentive, posing a safety risk due to the transfer of control from autonomous to manual operation.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for determining risk in autonomous vehicles by assessing human operator parameters and environmental conditions to decide on the appropriate change in autonomous capabilities and human driving responsibilities, using sensors, environmental threat assessment, and control circuits to initiate control changes, with notifications tailored to individual operator responses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If control is transferred from autonomous to manual operation, then the vehicle can navigate under adverse conditions, but safety risk increases due to human inattention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle navigation capabilityVSAvoidsafety during control transfer

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of human operator readiness before control transfer by evaluating driving capability profiles and environmental risk profiles. This advance preparation ensures the human operator is ready to safely take control when autonomous navigation is no longer possible under adverse conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors human operator parameters through sensors and provides feedback on driving capability. This feedback mechanism allows the system to assess whether the human operator is attentive and prepared for control transfer, thereby managing safety risks during the transition from autonomous to manual operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If autonomous capabilities are reduced, then human operator safety increases, but vehicle productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehuman operator safetyVSAvoidvehicle navigation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the level of autonomous capabilities based on real-time assessment of human operator driving capability and environmental conditions. When the human operator demonstrates adequate readiness, autonomous capabilities are maintained for optimal productivity. When readiness is insufficient, autonomous capabilities are reduced to prioritize safety, creating a flexible balance between productivity and safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250388226A1Determining risk for a user of an autonomous vehicle

Publication Date: 2025.12.25 STATE FARM MUTAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY

AI summary

Vehicles may have autonomous capabilities that permit the vehicle to navigate according to varying levels of participation by a human operator. A human operator may be associated with a driving capability profile and the environment surrounding a vehicle may be associated with an environmental risk profile. A vehicle, or another party in communication with a vehicle, may determine whether, based on the human operator's driving capability profile and the environmental risk profile, it is likely that the vehicle will be navigated more safely if there is a change to the vehicle's autonomous capabilities and a corresponding change to the human operator's driving responsibilities. If it is determined that a change in autonomous vehicle capability is likely to increase safe navigation of the vehicle, an insurer may offer an insurance premium cost reduction if the human operator agrees to the proposed change in autonomous capabilities.