Driving mode alerts from self-driving vehicles

• US 9,513,632 B1
• Filed: 09/16/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Malkin, Peter K., Pickover, Clifford A., Gordon, Michael S., Kozloski, James R., Kundu, Ashish
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US14/855,731
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0051 from occupants to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0059 Estimation of the risk associated with autonomous or manual driving, e.g. situation too complex, sensor failure or driver incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/015 with provision for distinguishing between two or more types of vehicles, e.g. between motor-cars and cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product alerts a proximate entity of a current real-time driving mode of a vehicle. One or more processors determine a current real-time driving mode of a vehicle. The current real-time driving mode is either an autonomous mode or a manual mode. The vehicle is in the autonomous mode when being driven and controlled by an on-board computer, and the vehicle is in the manual mode when being driven and controlled by a human driver. The processor(s) generate a driving mode indicator that identifies the current real-time driving mode of the vehicle. An indicator emitter then broadcasts the driving mode indicator from the vehicle to the proximate entity, such that the driving mode indicator indicates the current real-time driving mode of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for alerting a proximate entity of a current real-time driving mode of a vehicle, the computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, by one or more processors, a current real-time driving mode of a vehicle, wherein the current real-time driving mode is from a group consisting of an autonomous mode and a manual mode, wherein the vehicle is in the autonomous mode when being driven and controlled by an on-board computer, and wherein the vehicle is in the manual mode when being driven and controlled by a human driver;

generating, by one or more processors, a driving mode indicator that identifies the current real-time driving mode of the vehicle; and

broadcasting, by an indicator emitter, the driving mode indicator from the vehicle to a proximate entity, wherein the driving mode indicator indicates the current real-time driving mode of the vehicle, wherein the proximate entity is an autonomous vehicle that is within a predefined distance from the vehicle, wherein the driving mode indicator is an electronic indicator that is transmitted to the on-board computer on the proximate entity, and wherein the electronic indicator causes the on-board computer to adjust a spacing between the proximate entity and the vehicle that broadcast the driving mode indicator according to whether the driving mode indicator indicates that the vehicle that broadcast the driving mode indicator is operating in the manual mode or the autonomous mode.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the driving mode indicator is a visual indicator that is generated by the vehicle.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the driving mode indicator is a sound that is generated by the vehicle.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

ceasing, by one or more processors, the broadcasting of the driving mode indicator from the vehicle to the proximate entity;

subsequent to ceasing the broadcasting of the driving mode indicator from the vehicle to the proximate entity, receiving, by one or more processors, an interrogation message from the proximate entity, wherein the interrogation message requests the current real-time drive mode of the vehicle; and

in response to receiving the interrogation message from the proximate entity, broadcasting, by one or more processors, the driving mode indicator from the vehicle to the proximate entity.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a self-driving vehicle (SDV) that is capable of being driven in the autonomous mode, wherein the vehicle is currently being driven in the manual mode, and wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises:

retrieving, by one or more processors, a profile of a driver of the vehicle;

assigning, by one or more processors, the driver of the SDV to a cohort of persons, wherein the driver of the SDV shares more than a predetermined quantity of traits with members of the cohort of persons;

receiving, by one or more processors, a driver safety rating for the cohort of persons; and

in response to the driver safety rating for the cohort of persons falling below a predetermined value, automatically changing, by one or more processors, the driving mode of the vehicle from the manual mode to the autonomous mode.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, interrogation messages from multiple proximate entities, wherein the interrogation messages request the current real-time drive mode of the vehicle;

determining, by one or more processors, a quantity of interrogation messages that are received from the multiple proximate entities; and

in response to determining that the quantity of interrogation messages exceeds a predetermined amount, broadcasting, by one or more processors, the driving mode indicator from the vehicle to the proximate entities.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by one or more processors, that the current real-time driving mode of the vehicle has switched between the autonomous mode and the manual mode;

generating, by one or more processors, an updated driving mode indicator based on the current real-time driving mode switching between the autonomous mode and the manual mode; and

broadcasting, by the indicator emitter, the updated driving mode indicator from the vehicle to the proximate entity.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

matching, by one or more processors, the driving mode indicator to the vehicle to create a matched driving mode indicator; and

transmitting, from the vehicle, the matched driving mode indicator and display instructions to a display associated with the proximate entity, wherein the display instructions direct the display to depict a location of the vehicle and the current real-time driving mode of the vehicle on the display.

9. A computer program product for alerting a proximate entity of a current real-time driving mode of a vehicle, 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:

determining a current real-time driving mode of a vehicle, wherein the current real-time driving mode is from a group consisting of an autonomous mode and a manual mode, wherein the vehicle is in the autonomous mode when being driven and controlled by an on-board computer, and wherein the vehicle is in the manual mode when being driven and controlled by a human driver;

generating a driving mode indicator that identifies the current real-time driving mode of the vehicle; and

broadcasting, by an indicator emitter, a driving mode indicator from the vehicle to a proximate entity, wherein the driving mode indicator indicates the current real-time driving mode of the vehicle, wherein the proximate entity is an autonomous vehicle that is within a predefined distance from the vehicle, wherein the driving mode indicator is an electronic indicator that is transmitted to the on-board computer on the proximate entity, and wherein the electronic indicator causes the on-board computer to adjust a spacing between the proximate entity and the vehicle that broadcast the driving mode indicator according to whether the driving mode indicator indicates that the vehicle that broadcast the driving mode indicator is operating in the manual mode or the autonomous mode.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the driving mode indicator is a visual indicator that is generated by the vehicle.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the driving mode indicator is a sound that is generated by the vehicle.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the proximate entity is an autonomous vehicle that is within a predefined distance from the vehicle, and wherein the driving mode indicator is an electronic indicator that is transmitted to the on-board computer on the autonomous vehicle.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

ceasing the broadcasting of the driving mode indicator from the vehicle to the proximate entity;

subsequent to ceasing the broadcasting of the driving mode indicator from the vehicle to the proximate entity, receiving an interrogation message from the proximate entity, wherein the interrogation message requests the current real-time drive mode of the vehicle; and

in response to receiving the interrogation message from the proximate entity, broadcasting the driving mode indicator from the vehicle to the proximate entity.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the vehicle is a self-driving vehicle (SDV) that is capable of being driven in the autonomous mode, wherein the vehicle is currently being driven in the manual mode, and wherein the method further comprises:

retrieving a profile of a driver of the vehicle;

assigning the driver of the SDV to a cohort of persons, wherein the driver of the SDV shares more than a predetermined quantity of traits with members of the cohort of persons;

receiving a driver safety rating for the cohort of persons; and

in response to the driver safety rating for the cohort of persons falling below a predetermined value, automatically changing the driving mode of the vehicle from the manual mode to the autonomous mode.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving interrogation messages from multiple proximate entities, wherein the interrogation messages request the current real-time drive mode of the vehicle;

determining a quantity of interrogation messages that are received from the multiple proximate entities; and

in response to determining that the quantity of interrogation messages exceeds a predetermined amount, broadcasting the driving mode indicator from the vehicle to the proximate entities.

16. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

determining that the current real-time driving mode of the vehicle has switched between the autonomous mode and the manual mode;

generating an updated driving mode indicator based on the current real-time driving mode switching between the autonomous mode and the manual mode; and

broadcasting, by the indicator emitter, the updated driving mode indicator from the vehicle to the proximate entity.

17. A computer system comprising:

a processor, a computer readable memory, and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium;

first program instructions to determine a current real-time driving mode of a vehicle, wherein the current real-time driving mode is from a group consisting of an autonomous mode and a manual mode, wherein the vehicle is in the autonomous mode when being driven and controlled by an on-board computer, and wherein the vehicle is in the manual mode when being driven and controlled by a human driver;

second program instructions to generate a driving mode indicator that identifies the current real-time driving mode of the vehicle; and

third program instructions to broadcast, via an indicator emitter, a driving mode indicator from the vehicle to a proximate entity, wherein the driving mode indicator indicates the current real-time driving mode of the vehicle, wherein the proximate entity is an autonomous vehicle that is within a predefined distance from the vehicle, wherein the driving mode indicator is an electronic indicator that is transmitted to the on-board computer on the proximate entity, and wherein the electronic indicator causes the on-board computer to adjust a spacing between the proximate entity and the vehicle that broadcast the driving mode indicator according to whether the driving mode indicator indicates that the vehicle that broadcast the driving mode indicator is operating in the manual mode or the autonomous mode; and

wherein the first, second, and 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.

18. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising:

fourth program instructions to receive interrogation messages from multiple proximate entities, wherein the interrogation messages request the current real-time drive mode of the vehicle;

fifth program instructions to determine a quantity of interrogation messages that are received from the multiple proximate entities; and

sixth program instructions to, in response to determining that the quantity of interrogation messages exceeds a predetermined amount, broadcast the driving mode indicator from the vehicle to the proximate entities; and

wherein

the fourth, fifth, and sixth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.