Automated control of interactions between self-driving vehicles and animals

摘要

A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product causes a self-driving vehicle (SDV) to avoid a physical encounter with an animal. An SDV on-board computer on an SDV receives an animal predicted movement signal from an animal signal transceiver worn by an animal, and an SDV movement signal from a set of SDV sensors on the SDV that track movement of the SDV. One or more processors determine a probability of a physical encounter (E) between the SDV and the animal exceeding a predefined confidence value (C) based on the animal predicted movement signal and the SDV movement signal. In response to determining that E>C, the SDV on-board computer instructs an SDV control processor on the SDV to direct SDV vehicular physical control mechanisms on the SDV to adjust the current speed and direction of movement of the SDV.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method for causing a self-driving vehicle (SDV) to avoid a physical encounter with an animal, the computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, by an SDV on-board computer on the SDV, a primary animal predicted movement signal from a first animal signal transceiver worn by a first animal, wherein the primary animal predicted movement signal is indicative of a predicted movement of the first animal towards a position that the SDV is approaching on a roadway; receiving, by the SDV on-board computer, an SDV movement signal from a set of SDV sensors on the SDV that track movement of the SDV, wherein the SDV movement signal describes a current speed and direction of movement of the SDV on the roadway; determining, by one or more processors, a probability of a physical encounter (E) between the SDV and the first animal exceeding a predefined confidence value (C) based on the primary animal predicted movement signal and the SDV movement signal; in response to determining, by the SDV on-board computer and based on the SDV movement signal and the primary animal predicted movement signal, that E is greater than C, the SDV on-board computer instructing an SDV control processor on the SDV to direct SDV vehicular physical control mechanisms on the SDV to adjust the current speed and direction of movement of the SDV, thereby reducing a likelihood of the SDV striking the first animal at the position that the SDV is approaching on the roadway; receiving, by the SDV on-board computer on the SDV, a second animal presence signal from a second animal signal transceiver worn by a second animal, wherein the second animal presence signal describes a presence of the second animal within a predefined proximity of the first animal; retrieving, by the one or more processors, historical data that describes two animals moving towards each other in the roadway within the predefined proximity to one another; predicting, by the one or more processors, that the first animal and the second animal will approach each other at the position that the SDV is approaching on the roadway based on the historical data; and further adjusting, by the SDV control processor on the SDV, the current speed and direction of movement of the SDV based on a prediction that the first animal and the second animal will approach each other at the position that the SDV is approaching on the roadway, in order to avoid striking the first animal.