SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UTILIZING A BLOCKCHAIN FOR MAINTAINING VEHICLE COLLISION LOSS HISTORY
The present embodiments relate to systems and methods for using a blockchain to record information related to processes and services in the vehicle industry. The systems and methods may include (1) receiving an indication of a vehicle being involved a vehicle collision and a VIN of the vehicle; (2) transmitting the indication of the vehicle being involved in a vehicle collision and the VIN to a plurality of nodes of a loss history blockchain; (3) accessing the loss history blockchain associated with the vehicle using the VIN as a key; (4) creating a new block including the indication of a vehicle being involved in a vehicle collision and/or insurance claim information; and/or (5) updating the loss history blockchain with the new block by forming a consensus on the new block with the plurality of nodes of the loss history blockchain to facilitate maintaining the loss history blockchain up-to-date.
1 . A computer-implemented method of utilizing blockchain technology to maintain a loss history blockchain after vehicle collisions based upon vehicle sensor data, the method comprising:
receiving, via one or more processors and/or associated transceivers, an indication of an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle being involved a vehicle collision, a hash of a VIN of the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle, and vehicle sensor data from vehicle-mounted sensors of the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle involved in the vehicle collision;
analyzing, via the one or more processors, the vehicle sensor data to assign a fault to one of: (i) an operator of the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle or (ii) the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle;
transmitting, via the one or more processors and/or associated transceivers, the indication of the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle being involved in the vehicle collision, the vehicle sensor data, and the hash of the VIN to a plurality of nodes of a loss history blockchain;
accessing, via the one or more processors, the loss history blockchain associated with the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle using the hash of the VIN as a key;
creating, via the one or more processors, a new block including a transaction that includes the indication of the autonomous or semi-autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle being involved in the vehicle collision, the vehicle sensor data, an indication of the assigned fault, and the hash of the VIN; and
updating, via the one or more processors, the loss history blockchain with the new block by forming a consensus on the new block with the plurality of nodes of the loss history blockchain to facilitate maintaining the loss history blockchain up-to-date.
2 . (canceled)
3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein a node of the plurality of nodes is associated with a repair shop.
4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein accessing the blockchain using the hash of the VIN includes:
searching, via the one or more processors, the loss history blockchain using the hash of the VIN for a block which includes the hash of the VIN; and
verifying, via the one or more processors, the hash of the VIN stored at the block.
5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
if the hash of the VIN is not stored at a block, generating, via the one or more processors, a vehicle record using the hash of the VIN;
adding, via the one or more processors, the hash of the VIN and the indication of the autonomous or semi-autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle being involved in the vehicle collision to a vehicle loss transaction;
linking, via the one or more processors, the vehicle loss transaction and the vehicle record;
adding, via the one or more processors, the vehicle loss transaction to a set of vehicle loss transactions; and
adding, via the one or more processors, the set of vehicle loss transactions and the vehicle record to the created new block.
6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein updating the loss history blockchain includes:
adding, via the one or more processors, the hash of the VIN and the indication of the autonomous or semi-autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle being involved in the vehicle collision to a vehicle loss transaction;
adding, via the one or more processors, the vehicle loss transaction to a set of vehicle loss transactions; and
adding, via the one or more processors, the set of vehicle loss transactions to the created block.
7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
solving, via the one or more processors, a cryptographic puzzle corresponding to the created block; and
adding, via the one or more processors, the solution to the cryptographic puzzle to the created block.
8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
updating, via the one or more processors, the loss history blockchain by adding the created block to the loss history blockchain.
9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nodes includes at least one node associated with an insurer, a vehicle owner, a repair shop, or combinations thereof.
10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, via the one or more processors, a repair notification from a node associated with a repair shop.
11 . A system for utilizing blockchain technology to maintain a loss history blockchain after vehicle collisions based upon vehicle sensor data, the system comprising:
a network interface configured to interface with a processor;
a memory configured to store non-transitory computer executable instructions and configured to interface with the processor; and
the processor configured to interface with the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the system to:
receive an indication of an autonomous or semi-autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle being involved a vehicle collision, a hash of a VIN of the autonomous or semi-autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle, and vehicle sensor data from vehicle-mounted sensors of the autonomous or semi-autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle involved in the vehicle collision;
analyze the vehicle sensor data to assign a fault to one of: (i) an operator of the autonomous or semi-autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle or (ii) the autonomous or semi-autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle;
transmit the indication of the autonomous or semi-autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle being involved in the vehicle collision, the vehicle sensor data, and the hash of the VIN to a plurality of nodes of a loss history blockchain;
access the loss history blockchain associated with the autonomous or semi-autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle using the hash of the VIN as a key;
create a new block including a transaction that includes the indication of the autonomous or semi-autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle being involved in the vehicle collision, the vehicle sensor data, an indication of the assigned fault, and the hash of the VIN; and
update the loss history blockchain with the new block by forming a consensus on the new block with the plurality of nodes of the loss history blockchain to facilitate maintaining the loss history blockchain up-to-date.
12 . (canceled)
13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein a node of the plurality of nodes is associated with a repair shop.
14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein to access the blockchain using the VIN, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
search the loss history blockchain using the hash of the VIN for a block which includes the hash of the VIN; and
verify the hash of the VIN stored at the block.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
if the hash of the VIN is not stored at a block, generate a vehicle record using the hash of the VIN;
add the hash of the VIN and the indication of the autonomous or semi-autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle being involved in the vehicle collision to a vehicle loss transaction;
link the vehicle loss transaction and the vehicle record;
add the vehicle loss transaction to a set of vehicle loss transactions; and
add the set of vehicle loss transactions and the vehicle record to the created new block.
16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein to update the loss history blockchain, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
add the hash of the VIN and the indication of the autonomous or semi-autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle being involved in the vehicle collision to a vehicle loss transaction;
add the vehicle loss transaction to a set of vehicle loss transactions; and
add the set of vehicle loss transactions to the created block.
17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
solve a cryptographic puzzle corresponding to the created block; and
add the solution to the cryptographic puzzle to the created block.
18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
update, at the memory, the loss history blockchain by adding the created block to the blockchain.
19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of nodes includes at least one node associated with an insurer, a vehicle owner, a repair shop, or combinations thereof.
20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
receive a repair notification from a node associated with a repair shop.