How can self-driving vehicles avoid
stranding riders far from home if their phone
breaks, is lost, or has a dead battery?
Problem
After a person is dropped off by an autonomous vehicle, the vehicle finds a parking place or gives rides to others. Either way, the person will not know where the vehicle is located and cannot simply walk back to the vehicle to get a ride. The person typically uses her phone to request a ride via an app. Once a ride is requested, the vehicle picks up the person.
But what happens when the person’s phone is broken, lost, or simply has a dead battery? How will the person request a ride? A broken, lost, or dead phone will leave the person stranded far away from home.
Solution
The system can take actions (in response to detecting phone issues) to help ensure the person is able to get a ride. As a result, people are not stranded without a ride.
We would love to enable you to integrate these helpful features into your autonomous vehicles.
Create a System that Reacts Appropriately to Phone Issues
There are a lot of reasons why your phone might not be working. For example, phones often run out of battery power. You might accidentally drop your phone or lose your phone. Regardless of why your phone isn’t working, you don’t want phone problems to leave you stranded.
How will the system ensure you have a ride home when your phone is broken, lost, or has a dead battery?
Take Action Before Battery Runs Out
- There is no need for the system to wait for the phone’s battery to run out without knowing when and where to pick you up. Instead, in response to determining that your phone’s battery is low, the system asks you when and where you want to be picked up. This proactive planning prevents you from being stranded without a ride home.
Safety Notifications
- If you are not at the pickup location, the system can notify your emergency contact.
- If your phone stops working, the system can notify your emergency contact and/or send information regarding your location to your emergency contact.
Backup Control When Necessary
- If your phone stops working, the system can transfer control of your self-driving vehicle to a person you chose previously.
- If your phone stops working, the system can ask your emergency contact to select a pickup time and/or pickup location for you.
Notify Company
- If your phone stops working, the system can notify the vehicle’s management company.
Attempt to Find You
- If your phone stops working, the vehicle can go to a predetermined pickup location (e.g., so you can find the vehicle).
- The vehicle can attempt to pick you up. If you are not at the pickup location, the vehicle can automatically leave and then come back later to try to pick you up.
- If your phone stops working, the vehicle can attempt to pick you up at a time determined by analyzing your past behavior.
We would love to enable you to integrate these helpful features into your self-driving vehicles.
