Accident response using autonomous vehicle monitoring

A computer system for remotely monitoring a vehicle having one or more autonomous operation features for controlling the vehicle, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• one or more communication modules adapted to communicate data via one or more communication networks;
• 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 operating data regarding operation of the vehicle from the vehicle via the one or more communication modules, wherein the operating data includes information associated with operation of the one or more autonomous operation features in operating the vehicle;
• determine an occurrence of an incident involving the vehicle based at least in part upon an interruption of communication of the operating data from the vehicle, wherein the incident involving the vehicle includes:
• a vehicle collision, a vehicle accident, an engine malfunction, or a vehicle component failure;
• determine a type of the incident based at least in part upon the received operating data regarding operation of the vehicle prior to the interruption, including the information associated with the operation of the one or more autonomous operation features;
• determine a response to the incident based at least in part upon the determined type of the incident;
• and
• cause the response to be implemented.

A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions for remotely monitoring a vehicle having one or more autonomous operation features for controlling the vehicle that, when executed by at least one processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to:

• receive operating data regarding operation of the vehicle from the vehicle via a communication component of the computer system, wherein the operating data includes information associated with operation of the one or more autonomous operation features in operating the vehicle;
• determine an occurrence of an incident involving the vehicle based at least in part upon an interruption of communication of the operating data from the vehicle, wherein the incident involving the vehicle includes:
• a vehicle collision, a vehicle accident, an engine malfunction, or a vehicle component failure;
• determine a type of the incident based at least in part upon the received operating data regarding operation of the vehicle prior to the interruption, including the information associated with the operation of the one or more autonomous operation features;
• determine a response to the incident based at least in part upon the determined type of the incident;
• and
• cause the response to be implemented.