# Waymo — Patents explained on PatentBrief

Waymo has 3 landmark patents explained in plain English on PatentBrief.

- [How Autonomous Trucks Predict and Handle Tire Blowouts](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20210181737/prevention-detection-and-handling-of-the-tire-blowouts-on-autonomous-trucks)
  This patent describes how an autonomous vehicle uses real-time sensor data, road conditions, and a dynamic model to predict tire failure and take corrective actions like adjusting its path or pulling over.
- [How Self-Driving Cars Detect and Respond to Road Emergencies](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12409808/safety-considerations-for-self-driving-vehicles) — granted 2025
  Waymo's patent describes how an autonomous vehicle uses sensors to spot unexpected dangers like people in the road or unusual traffic signs, then takes action to keep everyone safe.
- [How Self-Driving Cars Detect Dirty Lidar Sensors](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12130389/methods-and-systems-for-detecting-sensor-occlusions) — granted 2024
  Waymo's 2024 patent on a self-driving car system that uses two scans from a rotating Lidar sensor to spot dirt or obstructions on its lens.

**Full profile:** https://patentbrief.org/company/waymo

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Plain-English explanations of US patents._