Controlling Driving Modes of Self-Driving Vehicles
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling an operational mode of a self-driving vehicle (SDV), the method comprising:
- detecting, by one or more physical detectors, an erratically driven vehicle (EDV) that is being operated in an unsafe manner within a predetermined distance of an SDV, wherein the SDV is initially being operated in a nominal autonomous mode; and
in response to the one or more physical detectors detecting the EDV, changing, by an operational mode device in the SDV, an operational mode of the SDV from the nominal autonomous mode to an evasive autonomous mode.
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Abstract
A method and/or computer program product controls an operational mode of a self-driving vehicle (SDV) that is initially being operated in a nominal autonomous mode. Detectors on an SDV detect an erratically driven vehicle (EDV) that is being operated in an unsafe manner within a predetermined distance of an SDV. In response to detecting the EDV, a driving mode device in the SDV changes an operational mode of the SDV from the nominal autonomous mode to an evasive autonomous mode.
32 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for controlling an operational mode of a self-driving vehicle (SDV), the method comprising:
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detecting, by one or more physical detectors, an erratically driven vehicle (EDV) that is being operated in an unsafe manner within a predetermined distance of an SDV, wherein the SDV is initially being operated in a nominal autonomous mode; and in response to the one or more physical detectors detecting the EDV, changing, by an operational mode device in the SDV, an operational mode of the SDV from the nominal autonomous mode to an evasive autonomous mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer program product for controlling an operational mode of a self-driving vehicle (SDV), the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code readable and executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:
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detecting, by one or more physical detectors, an erratically driven vehicle (EDV) that is being operated in an unsafe manner within a predetermined distance of an SDV, wherein the SDV is initially being operated in a nominal autonomous mode; and in response to the one or more physical detectors detecting the EDV, changing, by an operational mode device in the SDV, an operational mode of the SDV from the nominal autonomous mode to an evasive autonomous mode. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A self-driving vehicle comprising:
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a processor, a computer readable memory, and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium; first program instructions to detect, by one or more physical detectors on an SDV, an erratically driven vehicle (EDV) that is being operated in an unsafe manner within a predetermined distance of an SDV, wherein the SDV is initially being operated in a nominal autonomous mode; and second program instructions to instruct an operational mode device in the SDV to change an operational mode of the SDV from the nominal autonomous mode to an evasive autonomous mode in response to detecting the EDV; and
whereinthe first and second program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
the third program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.
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17. The self-driving vehicle of claim 15, further comprising:
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third program instructions to instruct a transceiver on the SDV to transmit an alert to an authority agency describing the EDV; and
whereinthe third program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.
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18. The self-driving vehicle of claim 15, further comprising:
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third program instructions to receive sensor readings from a roadway sensor describing a current roadway condition of a roadway upon which the SDV and the EDV are traveling; and fourth program instructions to further adjust, via the operational mode device, the operational mode of the SDV based on the current roadway condition of the roadway upon which the SDV and the EDV are traveling; and
whereinthe third and fourth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.
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19. The self-driving vehicle of claim 15, wherein the SDV and the EDV are traveling on a roadway, wherein the SDV is a first SDV, and wherein the self-driving vehicle further comprises:
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third program instructions to retrieve driver profile information about a human driver of the first SDV; fourth program instructions to assign the human driver of the first SDV to a cohort of drivers traveling on the roadway in other SDVs, wherein the human driver of the first SDV shares more than a predetermined quantity of traits with members of the cohort of drivers of the other SDVs; fifth program instructions to retrieve traffic pattern data for the other SDVs traveling on the roadway; sixth program instructions to examine the traffic pattern data to determine a first traffic flow of the other SDVs while operating on the roadway in the evasive autonomous mode; seventh program instructions to examine the traffic pattern data to determine a second traffic flow of the other SDVs while operating on the roadway in the nominal autonomous mode; and eighth program instructions to, in response to determining that the first traffic flow has a higher accident rate than the second traffic flow, instruct the operational mode device to change the operational mode of the SDV from the evasive autonomous mode back to the nominal autonomous mode; and
whereinthe third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.
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20. The self-driving vehicle of claim 15, further comprising:
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third program instructions to receive operational readings from one or more SDV operational sensors on the SDV, wherein the SDV operational sensors detect a current state of mechanical equipment on the SDV; fourth program instructions to detect, based on received operational readings, a mechanical fault with the mechanical equipment on the SDV; and fifth program instructions to instruct the operational mode device to change the operational mode of the SDV from the evasive autonomous mode to a stopping autonomous mode in response to detecting the mechanical fault with the mechanical equipment on the SDV; and
whereinthe third, fourth, and fifth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.
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Specification