Driverless Car Accident Alerts Using Wireless EM Warning Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing driverless cars rely solely on their own sensors for collision avoidance, which can lead to delayed responses due to signal processing time, increasing the risk of accidents, especially in heavy traffic conditions.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a wireless communication system for driverless cars to transmit and receive non-visual electromagnetic radiation-based accident alerts, allowing cars to predict potential collisions and take proactive control actions based on data from adjacent and non-adjacent vehicles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If driverless cars rely solely on their own sensors for collision avoidance, then the system complexity is reduced, but the response time is delayed due to signal processing time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces wireless communication as an intermediary mechanism that allows cars to exchange accident alert information directly with adjacent and non-adjacent vehicles. This mediator system enables cars to receive processed accident prediction data from others without having to perform all the same sensor processing themselves, thereby reducing individual system complexity while improving response time through shared intelligence.
2Device complexity
If driverless cars use only adjacent car information for safety decisions, then the information processing is simplified, but the collision avoidance capability is reduced in heavy traffic conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the information gathering from the traditional one-dimensional adjacent car context to include non-adjacent vehicles in the traffic flow. By receiving accident alerts from cars further ahead in the convoy, the system gains early warning capability without proportionally increasing processing complexity, as the received data is already processed by the sending vehicle's prediction engine.
3Reliability
If driverless cars transmit and process accident alert information from multiple vehicles, then the collision avoidance capability is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having cars transmit accident alerts immediately when potential collisions are detected, before the actual collision occurs. This early warning system allows downstream vehicles to take preventive measures, improving overall collision avoidance capability while distributing the computational energy load across multiple vehicles rather than concentrating it in one system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the response time for collision avoidance, reducing the likelihood and severity of accidents by enabling cars to react to potential threats earlier and adjust their actions accordingly.
Implementation Method 1
wireless communication system for driverless cars to transmit and receive non-visual electromagnetic radiation-based accident alerts
Data Source
AI summary
This patent application discloses methods and systems for alerting computerized motor-vehicles about predicted accidents. In an example method, a motor vehicle alerts another motor vehicle about a predicted accident, even though that accident is between the alerting car and a third motor vehicle-for example, the alert is transmitted by non-visual electromagnetic (EM) radiation. When an adjacent motor vehicle receives such accident alert and determines it might itself be hit, it will react so as to minimize its chances of being hit or at least to minimize the damage if it is being hit. Optionally, one or more of the motor vehicles has an onboard device for measuring a blood-alcohol level of a human driver thereof. The measured blood-alcohol level may be used to compute a probability of an occurrence of an accident and/or may be included in one or more of the transmitted accident alerts.