Waymo patents system that quizzes drivers to check if they are paying attention
This patent describes a method for testing if a human driver monitoring an autonomous vehicle is paying attention. If the system detects signs of distraction, such as a lack of input, it asks the driver questions about the surrounding environment to verify their awareness.
In the filing’s own words
Aspects of the disclosure relate to testing situational awareness of a test driver tasked with monitoring the driving of a vehicle operating in an autonomous driving mode. For instance, a signal that indicates that the test driver may be distracted may be identified. Based on the signal, that a question can be asked of the test driver may be determined. A plurality of factors relating to a driving context for the vehicle may be identified. Based on the determination, a question may be generated based on the plurality of factors. The question may be provided to the test driver. Input may be received from the test driver providing an answer to the question.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method of testing situational awareness of a test driver tasked with monitoring a vehicle operating in an autonomous driving mode, the method comprising: identifying, by one or more processors, a signal that indicates that the test driver may be distracted, wherein the signal relates to a lack of feedback provided by input into a user input device of the vehicle after a certain type of event; based on the signal, requesting, by the one or more processors, information related to an external environment of the vehicle from the test driver; receiving, by the one or more processors, the information from the test driver; and controlling, by the one or more processors, the vehicle based on the received information to initiate an intervention response.
Facts
- Company
- Google (Waymo LLC)
- Official title
- Testing situational awareness of drivers tasked with monitoring a vehicle operating in an autonomous driving mode
- Patent number
- US12746950B2
- Application number
- 18678806
- Filed
- May 30, 2024
- Granted
- Sep 29, 2026
- Inventors
- 3
- Claims
- 21
Classified under
B60W 60/0053 Operations & transportB60W 40/09 Operations & transportG09B 7/02 Physics & computingMore from Google in Cars & transport
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.