US 8,818,682 B1 · Detecting and responding to tailgaters

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle detects a tailgating vehicle and uses various response mechanisms. For example, a vehicle is identified as a tailgater based on whether its characteristics meet a variable threshold. When the autonomous vehicle is traveling at slower speeds, the threshold is defined in distance. When the autonomous vehicle is traveling at faster speeds, the threshold is defined in time. The autonomous vehicle may respond to the tailgater by modifying its driving behavior. In one example, the autonomous vehicle adjusts a headway buffer (defined in time) from another vehicle in front of the autonomous vehicle. For example, if the tailgater is T seconds too close to the autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle increases the headway buffer to the vehicle in front of it by some amount relative to T.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

detecting, by one or more processors associated with a first vehicle, a second vehicle driving behind the first vehicle and in a same lane as the first vehicle;
detecting, by the one or more processors, a third vehicle driving in front of the first vehicle and in the same lane as the first vehicle;
determining, by the one or more processors, whether the second vehicle is within a threshold tailgating distance of the first vehicle;
when the second vehicle is within the threshold tailgating distance, determining, by the one or more processors, a difference in distance between the threshold tailgating distance and a distance between the second vehicle and the first vehicle;
and
adjusting, by the one or more processors, a distance between the first vehicle and the third vehicle based on the difference in distance.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Detecting and responding to tailgaters

Life of this patent

Detecting and responding to tailgaters

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20