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US 10,185,997 B1Granted
Accident fault determination for autonomous vehicles
AssigneeState Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
InventorsBlake Konrardy, Scott T. Christensen, Gregory Hayward, Scott Farris
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for determining fault for an accident involving a vehicle having one or more autonomous (and/or semi-autonomous) operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, operating data from sensors within or near the vehicle may be used to determine the occurrence of a vehicle accident, such as a collision. The operating data may further be used to determine an allocation of fault for the accident between a vehicle operator, the autonomous operation features, or a third party. The allocation of fault may be used to adjust risk levels or profiles associated with the vehicle operator or with the autonomous operation features.
Claims17
A computer-implemented method for determining fault relating to a collision or other loss, comprising:
- receiving, at one or more processors, an indication of an accident involving a vehicle having one or more autonomous operation features for controlling the vehicle;
- receiving, at one or more processors, operating data regarding operation of the vehicle during a time period including a time of the accident, wherein the operating data includes sensor data from one or more sensors disposed within the vehicle and information regarding the operation of the one or more autonomous operation features, including a log of control signals generated by the one or more autonomous operation features to control the vehicle;
- receiving, at one or more processors, information regarding use levels of the one or more autonomous operation features during the time period including the time of the accident, wherein the use levels indicate a value of at least one variable setting of at least one of the one or more autonomous operation features enabled at the time of the accident;
- automatically determining, by one or more processors and without human involvement, an allocation of fault for the accident using the received operating data and the use levels of the one or more autonomous operation features by (i) determining that the use levels indicate the one or more autonomous operation features were configured to and were operating to control an aspect of vehicle operation associated with the accident at the time of the accident and (ii) determining, by comparing intended control actions of the one or more autonomous operation features indicated in the log of the control signals against observed operation of the vehicle indicated by the sensor data from the one or more sensors, relative fault between the one or more autonomous operation features and other control components configured to implement control actions for the vehicle based upon the control signals;
- presenting, via a display, the automatically determined allocation of fault to a human reviewer for verification;
- and
- receiving, at one or more processors, an indication of verification from the human reviewer.
4 more elements
A computer system for determining fault relating to a collision or other loss, comprising:
- one or more processors;
- one or more communication modules adapted to communicate data;
- and
- a non-transitory program memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the computer system to:
- receive an indication of an accident involving a vehicle having one or more autonomous operation features for controlling the vehicle;
- receive operating data regarding operation of the vehicle during a time period including a time of the accident, wherein the operating data includes sensor data from one or more sensors disposed within the vehicle and information regarding the operation of the one or more autonomous operation features, including a log of control signals generated by the one or more autonomous operation features to control the vehicle;
- receive information regarding use levels of the one or more autonomous operation features during the time period including the time of the accident, wherein the use levels indicate a value of at least one variable setting of at least one of the one or more autonomous operation features enabled at the time of the accident;
- automatically determine, without human involvement, an allocation of fault for the accident using the received operating data and the use levels of the one or more autonomous operation features by (i) determining whether the use levels indicate the one or more autonomous operation features were configured to and were operating to control an aspect of vehicle operation associated with the accident at the time of the accident and (ii) determining, by comparing intended control actions of the one or more autonomous operation features indicated in the log of the control signals against observed operation of the vehicle indicated by the sensor data from the one or more sensors, relative fault between the one or more autonomous operation features and other control components configured to implement control actions for the vehicle based upon the control signals;
- present the automatically determined allocation of fault to a human reviewer for verification;
- and
- receive an indication of verification from the human reviewer.
8 more elements
A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for determining fault relating to a collision or other loss that, when executed by at least one processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to:
- receive an indication of an accident involving a vehicle having one or more autonomous operation features for controlling the vehicle;
- receive operating data regarding operation of the vehicle during a time period including a time of the accident, wherein the operating data includes sensor data from one or more sensors disposed within the vehicle and information regarding the operation of the one or more autonomous operation features, including a log of control signals generated by the one or more autonomous operation features to control the vehicle;
- receive information regarding use levels of the one or more autonomous operation features during the time period including the time of the accident, wherein the use levels indicate a value of at least one variable setting of at least one of the one or more autonomous operation features enabled at the time of the accident;
- automatically determine, without human involvement, an allocation of fault for the accident using the received operating data and the use levels of the one or more autonomous operation features by (i) determining whether the use levels indicate the one or more autonomous operation features were configured to and were operating to control an aspect of vehicle operation associated with the accident at the time of the accident and (ii) determining, by comparing intended control actions of the one or more autonomous operation features indicated in the log of the control signals against observed operation of the vehicle indicated by the sensor data from the one or more sensors, relative fault between the one or more autonomous operation features and other control components configured to implement control actions for the vehicle based upon the control signals;
- present the automatically determined allocation of fault to a human reviewer for verification;
- and
- receive an indication of verification from the human reviewer.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.