Vehicle location discrepancy detection and mitigation

A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

• generate a set of dynamic boundaries around a prescribed pickup location agreed upon with a next renter of a vehicle for a prescribed pickup time, wherein the set of dynamic boundaries around the prescribed pickup location agreed upon with the next renter of the vehicle for the prescribed pickup time is generated by the computer readable program further causing the computing device to:
• for each buffer time in a set of buffer times (TBn):
• calculate a set of displacements for each of a set of possible travel directions from the prescribed pickup location;
• and
• aggregate the set of displacements for the respective buffer time to form a single boundary around the prescribed pickup location;
• determine a location of the vehicle;
• based on the location of the vehicle, determine a boundary in the set of dynamic boundaries with which the vehicle is associated;
• identify one state from a set of states based on the location of the vehicle and the identified boundary with which the vehicle is located, wherein the set of states includes a “Safe” state, a “Recoverable” state, a “Non-recoverable” state, and a “Ready” state;
• and
• based on the identified state, perform an associated action.

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• generate a set of dynamic boundaries around a prescribed pickup location agreed upon with a next renter of a vehicle for a prescribed pickup time, wherein the set of dynamic boundaries around the prescribed pickup location agreed upon with the next renter of the vehicle for the prescribed pickup time is generated by the instructions further causing the processor to:
• for each buffer time in a set of buffer times (TBn):
• calculate a set of displacements for each of a set of possible travel directions from the prescribed pickup location;
• and
• aggregate the set of displacements for the respective buffer time to form a single boundary around the prescribed pickup location;
• determine a location of the vehicle;
• based on the location of the vehicle, determine a boundary in the set of dynamic boundaries with which the vehicle is associated;
• identify one state from a set of states based on the location of the vehicle and the identified boundary with which the vehicle is located, wherein the set of states includes a “Safe” state, a “Recoverable” state, a “Non-recoverable” state, and a “Ready” state;
• and
• based on the identified state, perform an associated action.