Collision Detection and Avoidance System

A method of avoiding a collision comprising:

• measuring a speed of an index vehicle and at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a road surface type, a road condition, a weather, and a tire pressure;
• calculating a rear safety zone from the speed of the index vehicle, the at least one other parameter, and at least one preprogrammed parameter related to the index vehicle;
• and
• projecting an image behind the index vehicle on a roadway, a size of the image projected behind the index vehicle on the roadway being proportional to the rear safety zone.

A collision avoidance system comprising:

• an image projection system interfaced to a rear surface of an index vehicle, the image projection system being operative to project an image on a roadway behind the index vehicle;
• one or more sensors interfaced to the index vehicle, at least one of the one or more sensors measuring a speed of the index vehicle;
• a computer, the computer having preprogrammed data regarding the index vehicle, the computer interfaced to the one or more sensors, obtaining sensor data from the one or more sensors, the sensor data including the speed of the index vehicle, and the computer operatively coupled to the image projection system for controlling projection of the image;
• and
• the computer having software that iteratively calculates a size of a safety zone based upon preprogrammed data, and the sensor data that includes the speed of the vehicle, and the software controlling the image projection system to project the image on the roadway behind the index vehicle that is proportional to the size of the safety zone.

A collision detection system comprising:

• an image projection system interfaced to an index vehicle and the image projection system configured to project an image on a roadway behind the index vehicle;
• one or more sensors interfaced to the index vehicle;
• a computer, the computer having preprogrammed data regarding the index vehicle, the computer interfaced to the one or more sensors, obtaining sensor data from the one or more sensors, and the computer operatively coupled to the image projection system for controlling projection of the image on the roadway;
• and
• the computer operatively configured to execute software that operates the computer to iteratively calculate a size of a safety zone based upon the preprogrammed data and the sensor data, the software operates the computer to control the image projection system to project the image on the roadway behind the index vehicle that is the size of the safety zone;
• wherein a collision is detected when the rate of change of the size of the safety zone exceeds a predetermined value that corresponds to an acceleration or a deceleration of greater than 1.1 g.