US 12,083,955 B2
Dynamic inter-vehicle communication regarding risk detected based on vehicle sensor measurements
Divya Thakur, San Francisco, CA (US); Rajat Basu, San Francisco, CA (US); Jeffrey Brandon, Phoenix, AZ (US); Daniel Kan, San Francisco, CA (US); and Michael Frank Schmidt, Scottsdale, AZ (US)
Assigned to GM Cruise Holdings LLC, San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed by GM Cruise Holdings LLC, San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 30, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/730,486.
Prior Publication US 2021/0197846 A1, Jul. 1, 2021
Int. Cl. B60Q 5/00 (2006.01); B60Q 1/50 (2006.01); B60W 40/06 (2012.01); B60W 50/14 (2020.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01)
CPC B60Q 5/006 (2013.01) [B60Q 1/5037 (2022.05); B60Q 1/507 (2022.05); B60Q 1/525 (2013.01); B60Q 1/535 (2022.05); B60Q 1/545 (2022.05); B60W 40/06 (2013.01); B60W 50/14 (2013.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); B60Q 2400/50 (2013.01); B60W 2050/143 (2013.01); B60W 2050/146 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
an output device of an autonomous vehicle, wherein the output device faces an exterior area that is outside of the autonomous vehicle; and
a memory storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of the autonomous vehicle, cause the one or more processors to:
determine, based on one or more measurements from one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle, a speed of a second vehicle and a distance between the autonomous vehicle and the second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle is located within the exterior area that is outside of the autonomous vehicle;
determine, based on the one or more measurements from the one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle, a coefficient of friction associated with a thoroughfare navigated by the autonomous vehicle and the second vehicle;
determine, based on the coefficient of friction and the speed of the second vehicle, a safe distance threshold between the autonomous vehicle and the second vehicle;
identify a risk to the second vehicle, wherein the risk is based on the safe distance threshold and on at least one planned action associated with a route of the autonomous vehicle;
generate a visual alert based on the risk, the visual alert comprising an image having one or more of an alphanumeric character, a pictogram, or a symbol; and
output, by the autonomous vehicle, the visual alert using the output device that faces the exterior area outside of the autonomous vehicle such that the visual alert is directed toward the second vehicle that is located within the exterior area outside of the autonomous vehicle, wherein an attribute for outputting the visual alert is based on one or more conditions of an environment around the autonomous vehicle,
wherein the output device includes a projector, wherein outputting the visual alert using the output device includes projecting the visual alert onto a projection surface using the projector and wherein the projection surface comprises a portion of the second vehicle.