Systems and methods for hazard mitigation

Abstract

A system and method to avoid collisions on highways, and to minimize the fatalities, injury, and damage when a collision is unavoidable. The system includes sensor means to detect other vehicles, and computing means to evaluate when a collision is imminent and to determine whether the collision is avoidable. If the collision is avoidable by a sequence of controlled accelerations and decelerations and steering, the system implements that sequence of actions automatically. If the collision is unavoidable, a different sequence is implemented to minimize the overall harm of the unavoidable collision. The system further includes indirect mitigation steps such as flashing the brake lights automatically. An optional post-collision strategy is implemented to prevent secondary collisions, particularly if the driver is incapacitated. Adjustment means enable the driver to set the type and timing of automatic interventions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 detecting, by one or more sensors associated with a vehicle, a roadway condition of a first roadway;   detecting, by the one or more sensors associated with the vehicle, an evasive maneuver performed in response to detecting the roadway condition;   determining, by a computer associated with the vehicle, whether the evasive maneuver was successful in avoiding the roadway condition;   storing, by the computer, a record of the evasive maneuver and the roadway condition, inresponse to said determining whether the evasive maneuver was a successful maneuver for avoiding the roadway condition;   training one or more computers associated with one or more vehicles, to execute the evasive maneuver, in response to determining that the one or more vehicles is exposed to the roadway condition experienced by the vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to determining that the evasive maneuver was an unsuccessful maneuver, discarding data about the unsuccessful maneuver.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the roadway condition is a traffichazard selected from a group consisting of:
 a second vehicle proximate to the vehicle at a time of the evasive maneuver; and a fixed obstruction on the first roadway; and wherein   the evasive maneuver is performed to avoid the roadway condition.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the roadway condition is determined to involve a hazard to a pedestrian proximate to the vehicle at a time of the evasive maneuver, and wherein the evasive maneuver is performed to avoid striking the pedestrian. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle  1  s a self-drivingvehicle (SDV), and wherein the method further comprises:
 detecting, by one or more processors, that an imminent collision by the SDV is imminent with a confidence C 1 ; 
 determining, by one or more processors, whether the SDV has one or more occupants with a confidence C 2 ; 
 identifying, by one or more processors, an object with which the imminent collision by the SDV is imminent with a confidence C 3 ; 
 generating, by one or more processors, an ameliorative action for the SDV based on C 1 , C 2 , C 3 ; and 
 directing an on-board processor associated with the SDV to execute the ameliorative action. 
 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 determining, by one or more processors, confidence C 1  based on an analysis of sensor data received in real-time from one or more sensors on the SDV.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more occupants are selected from a group consisting of animate passengers and inanimate passengers. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the SDV has one or more crumple zones, further comprising:
 directing the on-board processor associated with the SDV to cause the SDV to strike the object in a manner that causes one or more crumple zones of the SDV to maximize absorption of the collision with the object.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the one or more computers associated with the one or more vehicles, computer executable instructions from the vehicle for implementing an evasive action similar to the evasive maneuver performed by the vehicle; and   directing, by at least one of the one or more computers, the one or more vehicles to execute the computer executable instructions for implementing the evasive action, in response to detecting the roadway condition.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-implemented method is implemented as a cloud-based service. 
     
     
         11 . A computer program product for training one or more computers associated with one or more vehicles to perform an evasive maneuver, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions readable and executable by a processor to cause the processor to:
 detect, by one or more sensors associated with a vehicle, a roadway condition of a first roadway;   detect, by the one or more sensors associated with the vehicle, an evasive maneuver performed in response to detecting the roadway condition;   determine whether the evasive maneuver was successful in avoiding the roadway condition;   store a record of the evasive maneuver and the roadway condition, in response to said determining whether the evasive maneuver was a successful maneuver for avoiding the roadway condition; and   train one or more computers associated with one or more vehicles, to execute the evasive maneuver, in response to determining that the one or more vehicles is exposed to the roadway condition experienced by the vehicle.   
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the program instructions further cause the processor to:
 in response to determining that the evasive maneuver was an unsuccessful maneuver, discard data about the unsuccessful maneuver.   
     
     
         13 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors;   one or more computer readable memories operably coupled to the one or more processors;   one or more computer readable storage mediums operably coupled to the one or more computer readable memories; and   program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable storage mediums for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer readable memories, the program instructions comprising:   program instructions to detect, by one or more sensors associated with a vehicle, a roadway condition of a first roadway;   program instructions to detect, by the one or more sensors associated with the vehicle, an evasive maneuver performed in response to detecting the roadway condition;   program instructions to determine whether the evasive maneuver was successful in avoiding the roadway condition;   program instructions to store a record of the evasive maneuver and the roadway condition, in response to said determining whether the evasive maneuver was a successful maneuver for avoiding the roadway condition;   program instructions to train one or more computers associated with one or more vehicles, to execute the evasive maneuver, in response to determining that the one or more vehicles is exposed to the roadway condition experienced by the vehicle.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the program instructions further comprise:
 program instructions to, in response to determining that the evasive maneuver was an unsuccessful maneuver, block transmission of the unsuccessful maneuver to the one or more vehicles.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the vehicle is a self-driving vehicle (SDV), and wherein the program instructions further comprise:
 program instructions to detect that an imminent collision by the SDV is imminent with a confidence C 1 ;   program instructions to determine whether the SDV has one or more occupants with a confidence C 2 ;   program instructions to identify an object with which the imminent collision by the SDV is imminent with a confidence C 3 ;   program instructions to generate an ameliorative action for the SDV based on C 1 , C 2 , C 3 ; and   program instructions to direct the SDV to execute the ameliorative action.