Autonomous Vehicle First-Responder Mode for Emergency Data Sharing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles lack the capability to autonomously respond to emergency situations without human intervention, particularly in scenarios where emergency services are not present, necessitating immediate assistance.
Innovation Solution
Equipping autonomous vehicles with sensors and a computing system to detect emergency situations, trigger a first responder mode, and communicate with emergency services to provide on-site assistance, including data transmission and intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If autonomous vehicles are equipped with sensors and computing systems to detect and respond to emergency situations, then the ability to provide immediate assistance in emergencies is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by enabling autonomous vehicles to perform both their primary transportation function and emergency response functions using the same sensor suite and computing systems. The perception technologies originally designed for navigation and obstacle detection are repurposed to identify emergency situations, while localization technologies help determine optimal positioning at emergency scenes. This allows a single system to serve multiple purposes, improving emergency response capability without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous vehicle system performs self-service by automatically detecting emergency situations through its sensors, determining the appropriate response actions, executing maneuvers to position itself at the emergency scene, and providing assistance without human intervention. The vehicle uses its own computing resources to process sensor data, make decisions, and control its actions, eliminating the need for external human operators while responding to emergencies.
2Reliability
If autonomous vehicles use perception and localization technologies for safe driving, then driving safety is improved, but the loss of time for processing and responding to emergency situations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by continuously collecting and processing sensor data during normal operation to maintain an updated understanding of the environment. Perception technologies continuously monitor for potential emergencies, and localization systems continuously track position relative to emergency scenes. This pre-processing of data during normal driving enables faster response when emergencies are detected, as the system already has relevant information ready rather than needing to collect it from scratch.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by continuously monitoring sensor data and comparing it against known emergency patterns and geolocation information. When discrepancies indicating emergencies are detected, the system immediately adjusts its behavior. The continuous feedback loop from perception and localization technologies enables real-time detection and response to emergency situations without significant time loss.
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous vehicle including one or more sensors positioned on a body of the autonomous vehicle, at least one processor, and at least one memory storing instructions is disclosed. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the at least one processor to: (i) receive sensor data from the one or more sensors; (ii) determine, from the sensor data, presence of an emergency situation and absence of an emergency vehicle at a site of the emergency situation; (iii) in accordance with the determining, trigger a first responder mode of the autonomous vehicle; (iv) transmit a notification corresponding to the emergency situation, the notification including a geolocation of the site of the emergency situation; (v) receive a request to transmit particular sensor data of a sensor of the one or more sensors; and (vi) transmit the requested particular sensor data.