Systems and methods for maintaining a distributed ledger of transactions pertaining to an autonomous vehicle
Methods and systems for maintaining a distributed ledger and/or blockchain of transactions and/or events pertaining to autonomous vehicles and/or smart contracts are provided. One or more processors may monitor one or more sensors associated with an autonomous vehicle. Based upon the outputs of the sensors, a change in condition of the autonomous vehicle may be detected. The condition may relate to operation, or an operational state of the vehicle and/or a condition associated with a smart contract. The processors may generate a transaction describing the detected change in the condition of the vehicle. The transaction may be transmitted to an enforcement server. As a result, an up-to-date ledger of autonomous vehicle and/or smart contract transactions and/or events may be maintained.
1. A computer-implemented method for maintaining a distributed ledger of transactions pertaining to a first autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:
monitoring, by one or more processors, one or more sensors associated with a first autonomous vehicle;
receiving, from a server, a subscription request indicating a data feed associated with a condition of the first autonomous vehicle; the condition of the first autonomous vehicle being associated with a smart contract that is recorded to the distributed ledger;
detecting, by the one or more processors, a change in the condition of the first autonomous vehicle by detecting that an output of a sensor of the one or more sensors changed from a first expected range of values to a second expected range of values, the condition being associated with operation, or an operational state, of an autonomous vehicle system or technology mounted on the first autonomous vehicle;
associating, by the one or more processors, the condition of the first autonomous vehicle with a set of the one or more sensors associated with the first autonomous vehicle, wherein the smart contract indicates one or more expected ranges of values for outputs of the set of the one or more sensors, the expected ranges of values being associated with one or more states corresponding to the condition of the first autonomous vehicle;
receiving, from a second vehicle, operating data generated by one or more sensors of the second vehicle;
analyzing, by the one or more processors, the operating data to determine that the first autonomous vehicle, and not the second vehicle, should generate the transaction;
in response to the analysis, generating, by the one or more processors, a transaction describing the detected change in the condition of the first autonomous vehicle;
compiling, by the one or more processors, the transaction into a block of transactions, the block being an update to the distributed ledger; and
transmitting, to the server, the block that includes the transaction.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:
the change in the condition of the first autonomous vehicle is indicative of a collision with the second vehicle.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
analyzing, by the one or more processors, the operating data to determine a relative fault between a party associated with the first autonomous vehicle and a party associated with the second vehicle.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the autonomous vehicle system or technology is associated with or related to:
driver alertness monitoring;
driver responsiveness monitoring;
pedestrian detection;
artificial intelligence;
a back-up system;
a navigation system;
a positioning system;
a security system;
an anti-hacking measure;
a theft prevention system; or
remote vehicle location determination.
5. A computer system for maintaining a distributed ledger of transactions pertaining to a first autonomous vehicle, the computer system comprising:
one or more processors;
a communication module adapted to communicate with one or more nodes of the distributed ledger; and
a non-transitory 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:
monitor one or more sensors associated with a first autonomous vehicle;
receive, from a server, a subscription request indicating a data feed associated with a condition of the first autonomous vehicle; the condition of the first autonomous vehicle being associated with a smart contract that is recorded to the distributed ledger;
detect a change in the condition of the first autonomous vehicle by detecting that an output of a sensor of the one or more sensors changed from a first expected range of values to a second expected range of values, the condition being associated with operation, or an operational state, of an autonomous vehicle system or technology mounted on the first autonomous vehicle;
associate the condition of the first autonomous vehicle with a set of the one or more sensors associated with the first autonomous vehicle, wherein the smart contract indicates one or more expected ranges of values for outputs of the set of the one or more sensors, the expected ranges of values being associated with one or more states corresponding to the condition of the first autonomous vehicle;
receive, from a second vehicle, operating data generated by one or more sensors of the second vehicle;
analyze the operating data to determine that the first autonomous vehicle, and not the second vehicle, should generate the transaction;
in response to the analysis, generate a transaction describing the detected change in the condition of the first autonomous vehicle;
compile the transaction into a block of transactions, the block being an update to the distributed ledger; and
transmit, to the server, the block that includes the transaction.
6. The computer system of claim 5 , wherein:
the change in the condition of the first autonomous vehicle is indicative of a collision with the second vehicle.
7. The computer system of claim 5 , the computer system further configured to:
analyze the operating data to determine a relative fault between a party associated with the first autonomous vehicle and a party associated with the second vehicle.
8. The computer system of claim 5 , wherein the autonomous vehicle system or technology is associated with or related to:
driver alertness monitoring;
driver responsiveness monitoring;
pedestrian detection;
artificial intelligence;
a back-up system;
a navigation system;
a positioning system;
a security system;
an anti-hacking measure;
a theft prevention system; or
remote vehicle location determination.
9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions, that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:
monitor one or more sensors associated with a first autonomous vehicle;
receive, from a server, a subscription request indicating a data feed associated with a condition of the first autonomous vehicle; the condition of the first autonomous vehicle being associated with a smart contract that is recorded to a distributed ledger;
detect a change in the condition of the vehicle by detecting that an output of a sensor of the one or more sensors changed from a first expected range of values to a second expected range of values, the condition being associated with operation, or an operational state, of an autonomous vehicle system or technology mounted on the first autonomous vehicle;
associating, by the one or more processors, the condition of the first autonomous vehicle with a set of the one or more sensors associated with the first autonomous vehicle, wherein the smart contract indicates one or more expected ranges of values for outputs of the set of the one or more sensors, the expected ranges of values being associated with one or more states corresponding to the condition of the first autonomous vehicle;
receive, from a second vehicle, operating data generated by one or more sensors of the second vehicle;
analyze the operating data to determine that the first autonomous vehicle, and not the second vehicle, should generate the transaction;
in response to the analysis, generate a transaction describing the detected change in the condition of the first autonomous vehicle;
compiling, by the one or more processors, the transaction into a block of transactions, the block being an update to the distributed ledger; and
transmit, to the server, the block that includes the transaction.