Detecting and responding to tailgaters
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- detecting, by one or more processors associated with a first vehicle, a second vehicle driving behind the first vehicle and in a same lane as the first vehicle;
detecting, by the one or more processors, a third vehicle driving in front of the first vehicle and in the same lane as the first vehicle;
determining, by the one or more processors, a threshold tailgating value according to a threshold function having a first term that is dependent upon a current speed of the first vehicle and a second term that is independent of the current speed of the first vehicle;
determining, by the one or more processors, whether the second vehicle is within the threshold tailgating value of the first vehicle;
when the second vehicle is within the threshold tailgating value, determining, by the one or more processors, a difference value between the threshold tailgating distance and a difference between the locations of the second vehicle and the first vehicle;
adjusting, by the one or more processors, a distance between the first vehicle and the third vehicle based on the difference in distance.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An autonomous vehicle detects a tailgating vehicle and uses various response mechanisms. A vehicle is identified as a tailgater based on whether its characteristics meet a variable threshold. When the autonomous vehicle is traveling at slower speeds, the threshold is defined in distance. When the autonomous vehicle is traveling at faster speeds, the threshold is defined in time. The autonomous vehicle responds to the tailgater by modifying its driving behavior. In one example, the autonomous vehicle adjusts a headway buffer (defined in time) from another vehicle in front of the autonomous vehicle. In this regard, if the tailgater is T seconds too close to the autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle increases the headway buffer to the vehicle in front of it by some amount relative to T.
27 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
detecting, by one or more processors associated with a first vehicle, a second vehicle driving behind the first vehicle and in a same lane as the first vehicle; detecting, by the one or more processors, a third vehicle driving in front of the first vehicle and in the same lane as the first vehicle; determining, by the one or more processors, a threshold tailgating value according to a threshold function having a first term that is dependent upon a current speed of the first vehicle and a second term that is independent of the current speed of the first vehicle; determining, by the one or more processors, whether the second vehicle is within the threshold tailgating value of the first vehicle; when the second vehicle is within the threshold tailgating value, determining, by the one or more processors, a difference value between the threshold tailgating distance and a difference between the locations of the second vehicle and the first vehicle; adjusting, by the one or more processors, a distance between the first vehicle and the third vehicle based on the difference in distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A system comprising one or more computing devices associated with a first vehicle and having one or more processors configured to:
-
detect a second vehicle driving behind the first vehicle and in a same lane as the first vehicle; detect a third vehicle driving in front of the first vehicle and in the same lane as the first vehicle; determine a threshold tailgating value according to a threshold function having a first term that is dependent upon a current speed of the first vehicle and a second term that is independent of the current speed of the first vehicle; determine whether the second vehicle is within the threshold tailgating value of the first vehicle; when the second vehicle is within the threshold tailgating value, determine a difference value between the threshold tailgating distance and a difference between the locations of the second vehicle and the first vehicle; adjust a distance between the first vehicle and the third vehicle based on the difference in distance. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification