AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE SALVAGE AND REPAIR
Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and pricing insurance policies for a vehicle having one or more autonomous or semi-autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, a computer-implemented method for responding to damage to an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle relating to a collision or other loss may be provided. With the customer's permission, an indication of damage to the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle, and/or operating data regarding operation of the vehicle during (i) a time period without the damage to the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle, and (ii) a time period with the damage to the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be received. Repairs associated with the damage may be determined based upon the operating data, as well as an expected cost associated with the repairs. Insurance discounts may be provided to risk averse customers that timely repair damaged vehicles or features that impact vehicle safety.
1 . A computer-implemented method for identifying and responding to damage to an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle relating to a collision or other loss, comprising:
collecting, by one or more processors, pre-event sensor data generated by a plurality of sensors disposed at a plurality of areas within the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle during operation of the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle occurring at a first time period prior to an event causing the damage, wherein the plurality of sensors are used by one or more autonomous operation features to control operation of the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle;
generating, at one or more processors, an indication of damage to the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle resulting from the event causing the damage;
collecting, by one or more processors, post-event sensor data generated by two or more of the plurality of sensors disposed within the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle during a second time period following a completion of the event causing the damage;
determining, by the one or more processors, an impaired operating status of two or more of the plurality of sensors based on sensor data generated by the plurality of sensors, including the pre-event sensor data and the post-event sensor data;
accessing stored data including identification of the two or more sensors determined to have the impaired operating status;
determining, by one or more processors based on the accessed data, a likely type and extent of the damage, including determining damaged areas of the vehicle, caused by the event based on the determined impaired operating status of the two or more of the plurality of sensors and a determination of a proximity of the two or more sensors to one another; and
determining, by one or more processors, one or more repairs associated with the damage based upon the likely type and extent of the damage.
2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining, by one or more processors, an expected cost associated with the one or more repairs.
3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein determining the one or more repairs associated with the damage further includes determining at least one specialty repair service and wherein determining the expected cost associated with the one or more repairs includes determining a cost associated with the at least one specialty repair service.
4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein determining the expected cost includes determining a range of expected costs associated with the one or more repairs.
5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determining, by one or more processors, a plurality of expected costs within the determined range, wherein each of the expected costs indicates a total cost for all of the one or more repairs associated with the damage;
determining, by one or more processors, a maximum payment for the one or more repairs associated with the damage based upon the determined range of expected costs; and
causing, by one or more processors, the plurality of expected costs and the maximum payment to be presented to an insurance customer associated with the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle.
6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:
causing, by one or more processors, the expected cost associated with the one or more repairs to be presented to an insurance customer associated with the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle;
causing, by one or more processors, a plurality of options regarding the one or more repairs to be presented to the insurance customer;
receiving, at one or more processors, a selection by the insurance customer of one or more of the presented plurality of options; and
causing, by one or more processors, a payment to be made based upon the received selection to at least one of the following: the insurance customer, a beneficiary of an insurance policy associated with the insurance customer, or a repair facility.
7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of options regarding the one or more repairs includes one or more options to have the one or more repairs performed at one or more repair facilities.
8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more options to have the one or more repairs performed at one or more repair facilities include one or more cost estimates based upon the likely type and extent of the damage.
9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more options to have the one or more repairs performed at one or more repair facilities include one or more estimates of time required for the one or more repairs.
10 . A computer system for identifying and responding to damage to an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle relating to a collision or other loss, comprising:
one or more processors;
a plurality of sensors disposed at a plurality of areas within the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle and communicatively connected to the one or more processors; and
a program memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the computer system to:
collect pre-event sensor data generated by the plurality of sensors during operation of the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle occurring at a first time period prior to an event causing the damage, wherein the plurality of sensors are used by one or more autonomous operation features to control operation of the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle;
generate an indication of damage to the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle resulting from the event causing the damage;
collect post-event sensor data generated by two or more of the plurality of sensors during a second time period following a completion of the event causing the damage;
determine an impaired operating status of two or more of the plurality of sensors based on sensor data generated by the plurality of sensors, including the pre-event sensor data and the post-event sensor data;
access stored data including identification of the two or more sensors determined to have the impaired operating status;
determine a likely type and extent of the damage based upon the accessed data, including determining damaged areas of the vehicle, caused by the event based on the determined impaired operating status of the two or more of the plurality of sensors and a proximity of the two or more sensors to one another; and
determine one or more repairs associated with the damage based upon the likely type and extent of the damage.
11 . The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to determine an expected cost associated with the one or more repairs, including determining a range of expected costs associated with the one or more repairs based upon information regarding actual costs of repairs to a plurality of other vehicles.
12 . The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the program memory further includes executable instructions that cause the computer system to:
determine a plurality of expected costs within the determined range, wherein each of the expected costs indicates a total cost for all of the one or more repairs associated with the damage;
determine a maximum payment for the one or more repairs associated with the damage based upon the determined range of expected costs; and
cause the plurality of expected costs and the maximum payment to be presented to an insurance customer associated with the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle.
13 . The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the program memory further includes executable instructions that cause the computer system to:
determine an expected cost associated with the one or more repairs;
cause the expected cost associated with the one or more repairs to be presented to an insurance customer associated with the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle;
cause a plurality of options regarding the one or more repairs to be presented to the insurance customer;
receive a selection by the insurance customer of one or more of the presented plurality of options;
cause a payment to be made based upon the received selection to at least one of the following: the insurance customer, a beneficiary of an insurance policy associated with the insurance customer, or a repair facility.
14 . The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of options regarding the one or more repairs includes one or more options to have the one or more repairs performed at one or more repair facilities.
15 . The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more options to have the one or more repairs performed at one or more repair facilities include one or more of the following: one or more cost estimates based upon the likely type and extent of the damage or one or more estimates of time required for the one or more repairs.
16 . A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions for identifying and responding to damage to an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle relating to a collision or other loss that, when executed by at least one processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to:
collect pre-event sensor data generated by a plurality of sensors disposed at a plurality of areas within the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle during operation of the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle occurring at a first time period prior to an event causing the damage, wherein the plurality of sensors are used by one or more autonomous operation features to control operation of the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle;
generate an indication of damage to the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle resulting from the event causing the damage;
collect post-event sensor data generated by two or more of the plurality of sensors disposed within the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle during a second time period following a completion of the event causing the damage;
determine an impaired operating status of two or more of the plurality of sensors based on sensor data generated by the plurality of sensors, including the pre-event sensor data and the post-event sensor data;
access stored data including identification of the two or more sensors determined to have the impaired operating status;
determine a likely type and extent of the damage based on the accessed data, including determining damaged areas of the vehicle, caused by the event based on the determined impaired operating status of the two or more of the plurality of sensors and a proximity of the two or more sensors to one another; and
determine one or more repairs associated with the damage based upon the likely type and extent of the damage.
17 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to determine an expected cost associated with the one or more repairs, including determining a range of expected costs associated with the one or more repairs based upon information regarding actual costs of repairs to a plurality of other vehicles.
18 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising executable instructions that cause the computer system to:
determine a plurality of expected costs within the determined range, wherein each of the expected costs indicates a total cost for all of the one or more repairs associated with the damage;
determine a maximum payment for the one or more repairs associated with the damage based upon the determined range of expected costs; and
cause the plurality of expected costs and the maximum payment to be presented to an insurance customer associated with the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle.
19 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising executable instructions that cause the computer system to:
determine an expected cost associated with the one or more repairs;
cause the expected cost associated with the one or more repairs to be presented to an insurance customer associated with the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle;
cause a plurality of options regarding the one or more repairs to be presented to the insurance customer;
receive a selection by the insurance customer of one or more of the presented plurality of options;
cause a payment to be made based upon the received selection to at least one of the following: the insurance customer, a beneficiary of an insurance policy associated with the insurance customer, or a repair facility.
20 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of options regarding the one or more repairs includes one or more options to have the one or more repairs performed at one or more repair facilities and further include one or more of the following: one or more cost estimates based upon the likely type and extent of the damage or one or more estimates of time required for the one or more repairs.