Automated vehicle safe stop zone use notification system

1. A safe-stop-zone identification system suitable for use on an automated-vehicle, said system comprising:

a digital-map that indicates a travel-path suitable for travel by a host-vehicle, wherein the digital-map also indicates a safe-stop-zone proximate to the travel-path;

a transceiver operable to broadcast information about the host-vehicle; and

a controller in communication with the digital-map and the transceiver, said controller configured to navigate the host-vehicle into the safe-stop-zone when an emergency-situation occurs, and then operate the transceiver to broadcast that the safe-stop-zone is occupied by the host-vehicle.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the information includes a vehicle-size of the host-vehicle.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the information includes an unavailable-marker used to classify the safe-stop-zone in the digital-map.

4. The system in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the unavailable-marker designates a portion of the safe-stop-zone that is unavailable for use by other vehicles.

5. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the information includes an emergency-type.

6. The system in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the emergency-type includes one or more of vehicle-disabled, vehicle-on-fire, medical-emergency, and police-needed.