Systems and methods for reporting real-time handling characteristics
A vehicle may include a monitoring unit configured to determine a time-varying handling characteristic of the vehicle. The time-varying handling characteristic may include a characteristic of vehicle performance in executing maneuvers, a status of a vehicle component (e.g., tires, brakes, drivetrain, etc.), and/or the like. The time-varying handling characteristic may be transmitted to one or more nearby vehicles to improve the ability of manual operators and/or automatic-driving software of the nearby vehicles to predict the performance of the vehicle in executing maneuvers, to be aware of a failure (or likely failure) of a vehicle component, and/or the like. Record of the transmission of the time-varying handling characteristic and/or of any acknowledgements of receipt of the time-varying handling characteristic by the nearby vehicles may be logged to a persistent storage device.
1. A system for reporting real-time handling capabilities of a vehicle, the system comprising:
a monitoring unit configured to,
determine one or more current conditions of the vehicle;
determine a time-varying handling characteristic of the vehicle based on the one or more current conditions of the vehicle, wherein the time-varying handling characteristic comprises a predicted handling capability that varies based on the one or more conditions of the vehicle; and
a communication unit configured to transmit the time-varying handling characteristic to a nearby vehicle.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the time-varying handling characteristic comprises a braking distance.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the time-varying handling characteristic comprises an acceleration.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the time-varying handling characteristic comprises a linear acceleration.
5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the time-varying handling characteristic comprises a rotational acceleration.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the time-varying handling characteristic comprises a deceleration.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring unit determines the time-varying handling characteristic based on the one or more conditions comprising a vehicle velocity.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring unit determines the time-varying handling characteristic based on the one or more conditions comprising an engine rotation speed.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring unit determines the time-varying handling characteristic based on the one or more conditions comprising a gear ratio.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring unit determines the time-varying handling characteristic based on the one or more conditions comprising a power output from an electric motor.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring unit determines the time-varying handling characteristic based on the one or more conditions comprising an occupant status.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the occupant status comprises an ability to perform a maneuver without injuring an occupant.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication unit is further configured to transmit a planned maneuver.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the communication unit is further configured to transmit anticipated changes in the time-varying handling characteristic as the planned maneuver is executed.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the communication unit is further configured to transmit an anticipated performance in executing the planned maneuver.
16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the communication unit is further configured to transmit an achieved performance in executing the planned maneuver.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication unit is configured to transmit the time-varying handling characteristic using radio-frequency radiation.
18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication unit is configured to transmit the time-varying handling characteristic using optical radiation.
19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the nearby vehicle is unassociated with the vehicle.
20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program code configured to cause a processor to perform a method for reporting real-time handling capabilities of a vehicle, the method comprising:
determining one or more current conditions of the vehicle;
determining a time-varying handling characteristic of the vehicle based on the one or more current conditions of the vehicle, wherein the time-varying handling characteristic comprises a predicted handling capability that varies based on the one or more conditions of the vehicle; and
transmitting the time-varying handling characteristic to a nearby vehicle.
21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein transmitting the time-varying handling characteristic comprises transmitting a minimum value of the time-varying handling characteristic.
22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein determining the one or more current conditions comprises determining a tire status.
23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein determining one or more current conditions comprises determining a brake status.
24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the one or more current conditions comprises a drivetrain status.
25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the one or more current conditions comprises a current weight.
26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein determining the one or more current conditions comprises determining a weight distribution.
27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the one or more current conditions comprises a characteristic of a trailer.
28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the one or more current conditions comprises a wind loading.
29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the time one or more current conditions comprises an aerodynamic loading.
30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein determining the time-varying handling characteristic comprises determining the time-varying handling characteristic based on the one or more current conditions comprising a location of another vehicle.
31. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 30 , wherein the location of the other vehicle affects aerodynamic loading of the vehicle.
32. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 30 , wherein the location of the other vehicle affects obscuration of a field of view of the vehicle.
33. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the method further comprises receiving reported handling characteristics from a reporting vehicle.
34. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 33 , wherein determining the time-varying handling characteristics comprises determining the time-varying handling characteristic based on the reported handling characteristics of the reporting vehicle.
35. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the method further comprises receiving a planned maneuver from a reporting vehicle.
36. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 35 , wherein determining the time-varying handling characteristics comprises determining the time-varying handling characteristic based on the planned maneuver of the reporting vehicle.
37. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the method further comprises receiving an acknowledgement of receipt of the time-varying handling characteristic.
38. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 37 , wherein the method further comprises saving the acknowledgement of receipt of the time-varying handling characteristic to a persistent computer readable storage medium.