Systems and methods for protecting vulnerable road users

A method for performing an impact risk assessment using road user information, comprising:

• at a vehicle or device, requesting and receiving road user type, road user position, and timestamp data for a plurality of road users within a predetermined distance of a position of the vehicle or device from a central server via a protocol that omits road user identification information;
• and
• locally, at the vehicle or device, determining a risk of impact between each of the plurality of road users and the vehicle or device using the road user type, road user position, and timestamp data for the plurality of road users and the position of the vehicle or device;
• wherein the protocol that omits road user identification information uses a format that comprises only the road user type, road user position, and timestamp data such that the protocol that omits road user identification information anonymizes the plurality of road users to both the central server and the vehicle or device, wherein such road user identification information is not available to either the central server or the vehicle or device via the protocol that omits road user identification information;
• and
• wherein the protocol that omits road user identification information is a vulnerable road user protocol (VRUP) that is agnostic of transport type and that uses a set command that only provides the central server with the road user type, road user position, and timestamp data as a return from the road user and a get command that upon request both provides the central server with the position of the another road user and returns the list of road users within the predetermined distance of the position of the another road user such that additional replies are avoided aside from the set command and the get command.

A method for issuing an impending impact alert using road user information, comprising:

• at a vehicle or device, requesting and receiving road user type, road user position, and timestamp data for a plurality of road users within a predetermined distance of a position of the vehicle or device from a central server via a protocol that omits road user identification information;
• and
• locally, at the vehicle or device, determining a risk of impact between each of the plurality of road users and the vehicle or device using the road user type, road user position, and timestamp data for the plurality of road users and the position of the vehicle or device;
• and
• based on a result of the determining the risk of impact, issuing a corresponding local alert at the vehicle or device warning of an impending impact;
• wherein the protocol that omits road user identification information uses a format that comprises only the road user type, road user position, and timestamp data such that the protocol that omits road user identification information anonymizes the plurality of road users to both the central server and the vehicle or device, wherein such road user identification information is not available to either the central server or the vehicle or device via the protocol that omits road user identification information;
• and
• wherein the protocol that omits road user identification information is a vulnerable road user protocol (VRUP) that is agnostic of transport type and that uses a set command that only provides the central server with the road user type, road user position, and timestamp data as a return from the road user and a get command that upon request both provides the central server with the position of the another road user and returns the list of road users within the predetermined distance of the position of the another road user such that additional replies are avoided aside from the set command and the get command.