IP Library Granted Patent US 12679404
Granted Patent B2
US 12679404 · App. 18/499,626 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Autonomous driving road space reservation and adaption

Inventors: Jeremy R. Fox (Georgetown, TX); Vinod A. Valecha (Pune, IN); Tushar Agrawal (West Fargo, ND); Sarbajit K. Rakshit (Kolkata, IN)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
B60W60/001B60W40/12H04W4/46B60W2556/65
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12679404
App. No.
18/499,626
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present inventive concept provides for a method of autonomous driving road space reservation and adaption. The method includes determining a target location of a first vehicle. Road space is reserved for the first vehicle at the target location. The reserved road space of the first vehicle is communicated to a second vehicle, and the driving plan of the second vehicle is adapted based on the communicated reserved road space of the first vehicle automatically before arrival.

Claims (55)

1 . A method of autonomous driving road space reservation and adaption, the method comprising:

identifying potential target locations for a first vehicle in response to detecting an emergency event;

receiving sensor data from the first vehicle and the potential target locations;

extracting context features about the first vehicle and the potential target locations from the sensor data;

predicting, based at least on the context features, a target location action involving the first vehicle;

determining a buffer zone for the first vehicle based on the target location action;

selecting, from the potential target locations and based on the context features, the buffer zone, and the target location action, a target location for the first vehicle;

reserving road space that includes the buffer zone for the first vehicle at the target location;

autonomously routing the first vehicle to the reserved road space and disabling a safety feature within the reserved road space to enable the target location action;

communicating the reserved road space of the first vehicle to a second vehicle;

adapting a driving plan of the second vehicle based on the communicated reserved road space of the first vehicle automatically before arrival, wherein the adapting the driving plan comprises selecting a path that does not overlap with the reserved road space; and

based on the adapted driving plan, autonomously changing a trajectory of the second vehicle according to the selected path and disabling an automated braking feature of the second vehicle.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reserving comprises scheduling a time for the reserved road space based on a dynamic estimated time of arrival at the target location.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the buffer zone includes a width of an open car door of the first vehicle.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the communicated reserved road space is transmitted to the second vehicle via V2X communication.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the disabling the safety feature includes overriding an autonomous door locking feature of the first vehicle despite sensor detection of the second vehicle.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting the path comprises determining that the path does not overlap a lane of travel.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target location action includes opening a door of the first vehicle.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the context features comprise an action to be taken by a driver of the first vehicle.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting the emergency event comprises detecting a medical emergency, a vehicle maintenance requirement, or an external hazard.

10 . A computer program product (CPP) for autonomous driving road space reservation and adaption, the CPP comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media capable of performing a method, the method comprising:

identifying potential target locations for a first vehicle in response to detecting an emergency event;

receiving sensor data from the first vehicle and the potential target locations;

extracting context features about the first vehicle and the potential target locations from the sensor data;

predicting, based at least on the context features, a target location action involving the first vehicle;

determining a buffer zone for the first vehicle based on the target location action;

selecting, from the potential target locations and based on the context features, the buffer zone, and the target location action, a target location for the first vehicle;

reserving road space that includes the buffer zone for the first vehicle at the target location;

autonomously routing the first vehicle to the reserved road space and disabling a safety feature within the reserved road space to enable the target location action;

communicating the reserved road space of the first vehicle to a second vehicle;

adapting a driving plan of the second vehicle based on the communicated reserved road space of the first vehicle automatically before arrival, wherein the adapting the driving plan comprises selecting a path that does not overlap with the reserved road space; and

based on the adapted driving plan, autonomously changing a trajectory of the second vehicle according to the selected path and disabling an automated braking feature of the second vehicle.

11 . The CPP of claim 10 , wherein the reserving comprises scheduling a time for the reserved road space based on a dynamic estimated time of arrival to the target location.

12 . The CPP of claim 10 , wherein the buffer zone includes a width of an open car door of the first vehicle.

13 . The CPP of claim 10 , wherein the communicated reserved road space is transmitted to the second vehicle via V2X communication.

14 . The CPP of claim 10 , wherein the disabling the safety feature includes overriding an autonomous door locking feature of the first vehicle despite sensor detection of the second vehicle.

15 . The CPP of claim 10 , wherein the selecting the path comprises determining that the path does not overlap a lane of travel.

16 . A computer system (CS) for autonomous driving road space reservation and adaption, the CS comprising:

one or more computer processors, one or more computer-readable storage media, and program instructions stored on the one or more of the computer-readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors capable of performing a method, the method comprising:

identifying potential target locations for a first vehicle in response to detecting an emergency event;

receiving sensor data from the first vehicle and the potential target locations;

extracting context features about the first vehicle and the potential target locations from the sensor data;

predicting, based at least on the context features, a target location action involving the first vehicle;

determining a buffer zone for the first vehicle based on the target location action;

selecting, from the potential target locations and based on the context features, the buffer zone, and the target location action, a target location for the first vehicle;

reserving road space that includes the buffer zone for the first vehicle at the target location;

autonomously routing the first vehicle to the reserved road space and disabling a safety feature within the reserved road space to enable the target location action;

communicating the reserved road space of the first vehicle to a second vehicle;

adapting a driving plan of the second vehicle based on the communicated reserved road space of the first vehicle automatically before arrival, wherein the adapting the driving plan comprises selecting a path that does not overlap with the reserved road space; and

based on the adapted driving plan, autonomously changing a trajectory of the second vehicle according to the selected path and disabling an automated braking feature of the second vehicle.

17 . The CS of claim 16 , wherein the reserving comprises scheduling a time for the reserved road space based on a dynamic estimated time of arrival at the target location.

18 . The CS of claim 16 , wherein the buffer zone includes a width of an open car door of the first vehicle.

19 . The CS of claim 16 , wherein the communicated reserved road space is transmitted to the second vehicle via V2X communication.

20 . The CS of claim 16 , wherein the disabling the safety feature includes overriding an autonomous door locking feature of the first vehicle despite sensor detection of the second vehicle.