Selective actions in a vehicle based on detected ambient hazard noises

A method comprising:

• monitoring, using one or more audible sensors of a vehicle, an environment of the vehicle;
• identifying, using first data acquired by the one or more audible sensors, a hazard-noise signal indicative of a hazard noise being detected in the environment;
• upon identifying the hazard-noise signal, performing the following:
• determining a first relative location associated with a source of the hazard noise;
• determining, using second data acquired subsequent to the first data by at least one of the one or more audible sensors, a second relative location;
• determining, using the first relative location and second relative location, a vector having a magnitude and direction relative to the location of the vehicle;
• and
• determining, using the identified vector, whether a location of the source of the hazard noise closes on a location of the vehicle;
• and
• when the location of the source of the hazard noise closes on the location of the vehicle, performing the following:
• generating, via one or more processors of the vehicle, announcement data relating to the hazard-noise signal;
• and
• transmitting, via the one or more processors of the vehicle, the announcement data.

A method comprising:

• monitoring, via data obtained by one or more audible sensors of a vehicle capable of an autonomous vehicle operation, an environment of the vehicle to identify at least one hazard-noise signal indicative of a hazard noise being detected in the environment of the vehicle;
• upon identifying the at least one hazard-noise signal, performing the following:
• determining a location of a source of the hazard noise relative to a location of the vehicle;
• determining whether the location of the source of the hazard noise closes on the location of the vehicle, and
• when the location of the source of the hazard noise closes on the location of the vehicle, performing the following:
• determining one or more maneuvers to execute including at least one of executing a lane change and pulling over the vehicle;
• and
• controlling one or more vehicle components to execute the one or more maneuvers, whereby;
• in executing the one or more maneuvers, the vehicle yields to the source of the hazard noise.

A vehicle control unit comprising:

• a wireless communication interface to service communication with a vehicle network;
• a processor communicably coupled to the wireless communication interface;
• and
• memory communicably coupled to the processor and storing:
• an ambient vehicle-noise environment module including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• monitor, using one or more audible sensors of a vehicle, an environment to
• identify;
• using first data acquired by the one or more audible sensors, a hazard-noise signal indicative of a hazard noise being detected in the environment;
• and
• upon the identification of the at least one hazard-noise signal, generate a hazard-noise detection signal;
• a source location tracking module including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• responsive to the generation of the hazard-noise detection signal:
• determine a first relative location associated with a source of the hazard noise;
• determine, using second data acquired subsequent to the first data by at least one of the one or more audible sensors;
• a second relative location;
• determine, using the first relative location and second relative location, a vector having a magnitude and direction relative to the location of the vehicle;
• and
• determining, using the identified vector, whether a location of the source of the hazard noise is in a dynamic closing relation with respect to a location of the vehicle;
• and
• generate, based on the dynamic closing relation, closing data operable to indicate the dynamic closing relation;
• an announcement module including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• when the closing data indicates the location of the source closes on the location of the vehicle, perform the following:
• generate announcement data relating to the at least one hazard-noise signal;
• and
• transmit the announcement data to alert an occupant of the vehicle of the identification of the hazard-noise signal.