Roadside assistance detection
Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention can proactively determine if a vehicle has stopped during a trip and calculate a likelihood that the vehicle is in need of roadside assistance. Information can be collected from a variety of devices, such as mobile phones, including the vehicle's location, the type of road, passing vehicles, and/or ambient noise. The likelihood of needing roadside assistance can be determined based on a configurable probability that the vehicle is experiencing a roadside event. The arrangements described herein provide for receiving and processing data in real-time to efficiently and accurately detect stopped vehicles, determine whether the vehicle is stopped for an urgent or non-urgent situation reason, and provide assistance accordingly.
1 . A method performed by a first computing device, the method comprising:
obtaining a first set of data from one or more sensors associated with a vehicle;
determining, based on the first set of data, that a type of road travelled by the vehicle has changed from a non-highway road to a highway road;
in response to the determination that the type of road travelled by the vehicle has changed from the non-highway road to the highway road, causing a data collection rate to be increased for the one or more sensors associated with the vehicle, wherein the data collection rate is caused to be increased, at least temporarily, for the one or more sensors associated with the vehicle each time the computing device determines that the type of road travelled by the vehicle has changed from any non-highway road to any highway;
obtaining a second set of data from the one or more sensors associated with the vehicle;
determining, based on the second set of data, a vehicle speed of the vehicle;
determining, based on a comparison of the vehicle speed to a threshold speed, that the vehicle speed is equal to or below the threshold speed for a time period;
determining an aggregate vehicle speed for a plurality of other vehicles within a proximity to the vehicle;
calculating, based on the aggregate vehicle speed and further based on the determination that the vehicle speed is equal to or below the threshold speed for the time period, a probability that an emergency associated with the vehicle has occurred;
determining that the calculated probability exceeds a threshold probability; and
following the determination that the calculated probability exceeds the threshold probability, either:
(i) initiating roadside assistance for the vehicle; or
(ii) establishing communication with a driver and/or passenger of the vehicle that facilitates initiation of roadside assistance for the vehicle.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing the communication with the driver and/or passenger of the vehicle that facilitates the initiation of roadside assistance for the vehicle comprises establishing the communication, via a mobile device associated with the driver and/or passenger of the vehicle, that facilitates the initiation of roadside assistance for the vehicle.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the mobile device comprises the one or more sensors.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors associated with the vehicle are associated with an on-board computing device.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to collect global positioning system (GPS) data that is associated with the vehicle.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first computing device comprises a telematics device installed in the vehicle.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the emergency associated with the vehicle comprises one or more of a flat tire, low fuel, out of fuel, a collision involving the vehicle, and a mechanical issue associated with the vehicle.
8 . A first computing device, comprising:
at least one processor;
at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first computing device is configured to:
obtain a first set of data from one or more sensors associated with a vehicle;
determine, based on the first set of data, that a type of road travelled by the vehicle has changed from a non-highway road to a highway road;
in response to the determination that the type of road travelled by the vehicle has changed from the non-highway road to the highway road, cause a data collection rate to be increased for the one or more sensors associated with the vehicle, wherein the data collection rate is caused to be increased, at least temporarily, for the one or more sensors associated with the vehicle each time the computing device determines that the type of road travelled by the vehicle has changed from any non-highway road to any highway;
obtain a second set of data from the one or more sensors associated with the vehicle;
determine, based on the second set of data, a vehicle speed of the vehicle;
determine, based on a comparison of the vehicle speed to a threshold speed, that the vehicle speed is equal to or below the threshold speed for a time period;
determine an aggregate vehicle speed for a plurality of other vehicles within a proximity to the vehicle;
calculate, based on the aggregate vehicle speed and further based on the determination that the vehicle speed is equal to or below the threshold speed for the time period, a probability that an emergency associated with the vehicle has occurred;
determine that the calculated probability exceeds a threshold probability; and
following the determination that the calculated probability exceeds the threshold probability, either:
(i) initiate roadside assistance for the vehicle; or
(ii) establish communication with a driver and/or passenger of the vehicle that facilitates initiation of roadside assistance for the vehicle.
9 . The first computing device of claim 8 , wherein, to establish the communication with the driver and/or passenger of the vehicle that facilitates the initiation of roadside assistance for the vehicle, the program instructions are executable by the at least one processor such that the first computing device is configured to establish the communication, via a mobile device associated with the driver and/or passenger of the vehicle, that facilitates the initiation of roadside assistance for the vehicle.
10 . The first computing device of claim 9 , wherein the mobile device comprises the one or more sensors.
11 . The first computing device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more sensors associated with the vehicle are associated with an on-board computer installed in the vehicle.
12 . The first computing device of claim 8 , wherein at least one sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to collect global positioning system (GPS) data that is associated with the vehicle.
13 . The first computing device of claim 8 , wherein the first computing device comprises a telematics device installed in the vehicle.
14 . The first computing device of claim 8 , wherein the emergency associated with the vehicle comprises one or more of a flat tire, low fuel, out of fuel, a collision involving the vehicle, and a mechanical issue associated with the vehicle.
15 . Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having program instructions stored therein, wherein the program instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a first computing device to perform functions comprising:
obtaining a first set of data from one or more sensors associated with a vehicle;
determining, based on the first set of data, that a type of road travelled by the vehicle has changed from a non-highway road to a highway road;
in response to the determination that the type of road travelled by the vehicle has changed from the non-highway road to the highway road, causing a data collection rate to be increased for the one or more sensors associated with the vehicle, wherein the data collection rate is caused to be increased, at least temporarily, for the one or more sensors associated with the vehicle each time the computing device determines that the type of road travelled by the vehicle has changed from any non-highway road to any highway;
obtaining a second set of data from the one or more sensors associated with the vehicle;
determining, based on the second set of data, a vehicle speed of the vehicle;
determining, based on a comparison of the vehicle speed to a threshold speed, that the vehicle speed is equal to or below the threshold speed for a time period;
determining an aggregate vehicle speed for a plurality of other vehicles within a proximity to the vehicle;
calculating, based on the aggregate vehicle speed and further based on the determination that the vehicle speed is equal to or below the threshold speed for the time period, a probability that an emergency associated with the vehicle has occurred;
determining that the calculated probability exceeds a threshold probability; and
following the determination that the calculated probability exceeds the threshold probability, either:
(i) initiating roadside assistance for the vehicle; or
(ii) establishing communication with a driver and/or passenger of the vehicle that facilitates initiation of roadside assistance for the vehicle.
16 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein establishing the communication with the driver and/or passenger of the vehicle that facilitates the initiation of roadside assistance for the vehicle comprises establishing the communication, via a mobile device associated with the driver and/or passenger of the vehicle, that facilitates the initiation of roadside assistance for the vehicle.
17 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the mobile device comprises the one or more sensors.
18 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the one or more sensors associated with the vehicle are associated with an on-board computer installed in the vehicle.
19 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein at least one sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to collect global positioning system (GPS) data that is associated with the vehicle.
20 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the emergency associated with the vehicle comprises one or more of a flat tire, low fuel, out of fuel, a collision involving the vehicle, and a mechanical issue associated with the vehicle.