How Self-Driving Cars Use Danger Maps to Drive Safer
This patent describes how vehicles can use a 'danger map' of known hazardous locations to plan safer routes and automatically adjust their driving behavior, like speed or following distance, when approaching risky areas.
Original patent title: “System and method for determining navigational hazards”
This patent describes how vehicles can use a 'danger map' of known hazardous locations to plan safer routes and automatically adjust their driving behavior, like speed or following distance, when approaching risky areas. Owned by Faraday and Future with 24 claims and 38 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2037.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This system helps a vehicle drive more safely by first receiving a 'danger map' (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). This map shows different locations, each with a 'danger value' based on past events like accidents or near misses collected by other vehicles (Claim 1, 6). The vehicle then uses this map to determine a route from its starting point to its destination, choosing paths with lower danger values (Claim 1). While driving, if the vehicle approaches a location whose danger value exceeds a set limit, it automatically modifies its operation (Claim 2). This modification can include reducing its top speed, increasing its following distance from other cars, or even changing its lane-changing rules (Claim 4, 5). For example, if the danger map indicates a specific highway exit has a high danger value due to frequent emergency braking, a self-driving car might automatically slow down and increase its following distance as it approaches that exit.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover systems that only detect real-time hazards using on-board sensors without relying on a pre-received, location-specific 'danger map' (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover systems that only warn a human driver about hazards without automatically modifying the vehicle's driving behavior (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 2).
- Does not cover systems where the vehicle's operation is modified based on current traffic conditions alone, rather than a pre-determined danger value associated with a specific location (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover systems that only suggest an alternative route to a human driver, without the vehicle itself determining and potentially adjusting its own route based on danger values (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1, 9).
- Does not cover systems where the 'danger map' is exclusively built by the vehicle's own sensors without receiving data from other sources or vehicles (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1, 6).
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The core innovation is combining a pre-existing, location-specific 'danger map' with dynamic, automated adjustments to vehicle operation. This allows a vehicle to anticipate potential hazards at specific points on its route based on historical data, rather than just reacting to immediate sensor inputs, enabling proactive safety measures.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Autonomous driving systems (e.g., Waymo, Cruise)
Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) that integrate map data for predictive speed control
Navigation apps that factor historical accident data into route suggestions
High-definition mapping services used by self-driving cars
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent addresses a critical challenge for autonomous vehicles: how to anticipate and react to hazards that aren't immediately visible to on-board sensors. By using shared, location-based danger data, vehicles can proactively adjust their driving, potentially preventing accidents and improving safety. This approach helps autonomous systems move beyond reactive driving to more predictive and cautious navigation, which is essential for public trust and widespread adoption of self-driving technology.
Filed
August 16, 2017
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Faraday and Future Inc., the original assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is an electric vehicle company that continues to develop autonomous driving capabilities. Other major players in the autonomous vehicle space, such as Waymo, Cruise, Mobileye, and Tesla, are actively researching and implementing systems that use various forms of collective data and predictive mapping to enhance vehicle safety and navigation. Traditional automakers like General Motors, Ford, and Mercedes-Benz are also investing heavily in similar technologies for their ADAS and future self-driving car fleets.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the ongoing evolution of autonomous driving by emphasizing the value of shared, location-specific hazard data. It highlights a shift towards more proactive safety systems that leverage collective intelligence rather than relying solely on individual vehicle sensors. This approach can influence the development of industry standards for data sharing among vehicles and infrastructure, potentially leading to safer and more reliable autonomous driving experiences across the market.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This system helps a vehicle drive more safely by first receiving a 'danger map' (Claim 1). This map shows different locations, each with a 'danger value' based on past events like accidents or near misses collected by other vehicles (Claim 1, 6). The vehicle then uses this map to determine a route from its starting point to its destination, choosing paths with lower danger values (Claim 1). While driving, if the vehicle approaches a location whose danger value exceeds a set limit, it automatically modifies its operation (Claim 2). This modification can include reducing its top speed, increasing its following distance from other cars, or even changing its lane-changing rules (Claim 4, 5). For example, if the danger map indicates a specific highway exit has a high danger value due to frequent emergency braking, a self-driving car might automatically slow down and increase its following distance as it approaches that exit.
The clever bit
The core innovation is combining a pre-existing, location-specific 'danger map' with dynamic, automated adjustments to vehicle operation. This allows a vehicle to anticipate potential hazards at specific points on its route based on historical data, rather than just reacting to immediate sensor inputs, enabling proactive safety measures.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover systems that only detect real-time hazards using on-board sensors without relying on a pre-received, location-specific 'danger map' (Claim 1).
- Does not cover systems that only warn a human driver about hazards without automatically modifying the vehicle's driving behavior (Claim 2).
- Does not cover systems where the vehicle's operation is modified based on current traffic conditions alone, rather than a pre-determined danger value associated with a specific location (Claim 1).
- Does not cover systems that only suggest an alternative route to a human driver, without the vehicle itself determining and potentially adjusting its own route based on danger values (Claim 1, 9).
- Does not cover systems where the 'danger map' is exclusively built by the vehicle's own sensors without receiving data from other sources or vehicles (Claim 1, 6).
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
32/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
16/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$88K – $281K
Midpoint $176K · 10.9 yr remaining · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
24 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Jian, Y. How Self-Driving Cars Use Danger Maps to Drive Safer (U.S. Patent No. 20,180,239,359). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20180239359/system-and-method-for-determining-navigational-hazards
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Self-Driving Cars Use Danger Maps to Drive Safer cover?
This patent describes how vehicles can use a 'danger map' of known hazardous locations to plan safer routes and automatically adjust their driving behavior, like speed or following distance, when approaching risky areas.
Who owns patent US 20180239359?
This patent is owned by Faraday and Future.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on August 16, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 20180239359 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 38 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent addresses a critical challenge for autonomous vehicles: how to anticipate and react to hazards that aren't immediately visible to on-board sensors. By using shared, location-based danger data, vehicles can proactively adjust their driving, potentially preventing accidents and improving safety. This approach helps autonomous systems move beyond reactive driving to more predictive and cautious navigation, which is essential for public trust and widespread adoption of self-driving technology.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover systems that only detect real-time hazards using on-board sensors without relying on a pre-received, location-specific 'danger map' (Claim 1).
Patent monitoring