Data processing system for guidance, control, and testing autonomous vehicle features and driver response

• US 10,118,628 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2017
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Lundsgaard, Soren K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y
• Application Number:
  US15/437,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20180237027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23, 701 70, 701 41, 701 96, 340435, 340540, 280 551
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18163 Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for guidance, control, and testing of autonomous vehicle features and a driver'"'"'s response thereto. The system may activate a plurality of autonomous driving features of an autonomous vehicle. In response to a determination to initiate a driving test, the system may generate an indication to a driver of the autonomous vehicle of the initiation of the driving test and may deactivate or adjust parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features. The system may receive, from one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle or one or more sensors of a mobile computing device within the autonomous vehicle, driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle. Based on the driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle, the system may determine the driver'"'"'s response time and actions taken by the driver during the driving test. Moreover, in response to a determination to end the driving test, the system may reactivate the one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features previously deactivated or may readjust previously adjusted parameters. In some aspects, based on the driver'"'"'s response time and actions taken by the driver during the driving test, a drive score may be generated for the driver.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an autonomous vehicle comprising;

one or more sensors configured to measure driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle;

a transmitter configured to transmit driving data measured by the one or more sensors;

a first processor; and

first memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the first processor of the autonomous vehicle to;

activate a plurality of autonomous driving features of the autonomous vehicle;

in response to a determination to initiate a driving test, generate an indication to a driver of the autonomous vehicle of the initiation of the driving test and deactivate or adjust parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features;

receive, from the one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle, driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle; and

send, via the transmitter, the driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle to an autonomous vehicle drive test computing device;

the autonomous vehicle drive test computing device comprising;

a receiver;

a second processor; and

second memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the second processor, cause the second processor of the autonomous vehicle drive test computing device to;

receive, using the receiver of the autonomous vehicle drive test computing device, the driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle; and

based on the driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle, determine the driver'"'"'s response time and actions taken by the driver during the driving test,

wherein the first memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the first processor of the autonomous vehicle to;

in response to a determination to end the driving test, reactivate the deactivated or readjust the adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of autonomous driving features comprise at least two of autonomous speed control, autonomous steering, or autonomous braking.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination to initiate the driving test is based on one or more of a comparison of a current time and a time associated with the driving test or a location of the autonomous vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the driving test comprises a test to merge on to a road, and wherein the deactivated or adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features comprises at least autonomous lane changing and autonomous speed control.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the driving test comprises a test to maintain a safe distance from another vehicle in front of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the deactivated or adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features comprises at least autonomous speed control.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second memory stores additional computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the second processor, causes the second processor of the autonomous vehicle drive test computing device to:

generate a data log comprising an indication of the driving test, the driver'"'"'s response time, and the actions taken by the driver during the driving test.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination to end the driving test comprises a determination that the driver completed the driving test or a determination that the driver'"'"'s response time exceeds a threshold time.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second memory stores additional computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the second processor, causes the second processor of the autonomous vehicle drive test computing device to:

based on the driver'"'"'s response time and actions taken by the driver during the driving test, performing one or more of the following;

generate a drive score for the driver;

or

adjust a property of insurance for the driver or the autonomous vehicle.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when read by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

activate a plurality of autonomous driving features of an autonomous vehicle;

in response to a determination to initiate a driving test, generate an indication to a driver of the autonomous vehicle of the initiation of the driving test and deactivate or adjust parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features;

receive, from one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle or one or more sensors of a mobile computing device within the autonomous vehicle, driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle;

based on the driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle, determine the driver'"'"'s response time and actions taken by the driver during the driving test; and

in response to a determination that the driver'"'"'s response time during the driving test exceeds a threshold time, reactivate the deactivated or readjust the adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the plurality of autonomous driving features comprise at least two of autonomous speed control, autonomous steering, or autonomous braking.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the determination to initiate the driving test is based on one or more of a comparison of a current time and a time associated with the driving test or a location of the autonomous vehicle.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the driving test comprises a test to merge on to a road, and wherein the deactivated or adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features comprises at least autonomous lane changing and autonomous speed control.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the driving test comprises a test to maintain a safe distance from another vehicle in front of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the deactivated or adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features comprises at least autonomous speed control.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, storing additional instructions that, when read by the computing device, cause the computing device to:

generate a data log comprising an indication of the driving test, the driver'"'"'s response time, and the actions taken by the driver during the driving test.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the determination that the driver'"'"'s response time during the driving test exceeds the threshold time comprises a determination that the driver failed to initiate, within the threshold time, at least one driving operation of a plurality of driving operations associated with the driving test.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, storing additional instructions that, when read by the computing device, cause the computing device to:

based on the driver'"'"'s response time and actions taken by the driver during the driving test, performing one or more of the following;

generate a drive score for the driver;

or

adjust a property of insurance for the driver or the autonomous vehicle.

17. A method, comprising:

activating, by an autonomous vehicle, a plurality of autonomous driving features of the autonomous vehicle;

in response to a determination to initiate a driving test, generating an indication to a driver of the autonomous vehicle of the initiation of the driving test and deactivating or adjusting parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features;

receiving, from one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle or one or more sensors of a mobile computing device within the autonomous vehicle, driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle;

based on the driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle, determining the driver'"'"'s response time and actions taken by the driver during the driving test; and

in response to a determination that the driver'"'"'s response time during the driving test exceeds a threshold time, reactivating, by the autonomous vehicle, the deactivated or readjusting the adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of autonomous driving features comprise at least two of autonomous speed control, autonomous steering, or autonomous braking.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the determination to initiate the driving test is based on one or more of a comparison of a current time and a time associated with the driving test or a location of the autonomous vehicle.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the driving test comprises a test to merge on to a road, and wherein the deactivated or adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features comprises at least autonomous lane changing and autonomous speed control.