With autonomous vehicle engineering science still in its early stages , there have been a few unfortunate accident in which self - driving cars were at defect . Now , Google is take precautions to quash the chance of pedestrian hurt .
accord to Gizmodo , the company was grant a letters patent this week for an adhesive toughie . The conception would ideally beguile pedestrians who have been struck , to forbid them from falling and being hit a 2d meter by frontwards - move vehicles .
The proposed adhesive material will be " aerate on contact and will be able-bodied to hold fast to the pedestrian nearly instantly , " the patent explains . The airfoil of the adhesive level would be coated with an " eggshell - like " stuff that would protect the car from debris , and " split up aside in the event of a pedestrian impact . "
The company filedthe front hood adhesive patentin November 2014 — two long time after it was concede a letters patent for " transitioning a mixed - modality vehicle to autonomous mode"—arguing that pedestrian guard has n’t gotten the same layer of attention as vehicle or rider prophylactic .
" fomite bumpers are generally designed to take over energy to prevent wound to the vehicle during a collision , but generally do not allow significant auspices for a pedestrian struck by the vehicle , " the patent register .
Google points out that exist engineering science — include Jaguar ’s modification that vacate the car lens hood to a certain degree on wallop and the external airbags used on certain Volvo models in Europe — does not purpose the takings of secondary impact .
Still , the adhesive tough may not available for a while — if ever . " We hold patent on a variety of ideas , " a Google voice toldThe Mercury News . " Some of those ideas later suppurate into literal products and servicing , some do n’t . "
[ h / tGizmodo ]
trope via U.S. Patent and Trademark Office .
