# 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. - **Patent:** US 20180239359 - **Original title:** System and method for determining navigational hazards - **Owner:** Faraday and Future - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 38 - **Field:** automotive, software, ai_ml, telecommunications ## What it does 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. ## 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). ## 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. ## Real-world examples 1. Autonomous driving systems (e.g., Waymo, Cruise) 2. Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) that integrate map data for predictive speed control 3. Navigation apps that factor historical accident data into route suggestions 4. High-definition mapping services used by self-driving cars ## Why it matters 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. ## 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). **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20180239359/system-and-method-for-determining-navigational-hazards **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US20180239359 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How Self-Driving Cars Find Clear Paths Between Objects](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10733420/systems-and-methods-for-free-space-inference-to-break-apart-clustered-objects-in) — This patent describes a method for vehicles, especially self-driving ones, to use lidar data and a 3D grid to precisely identify open spaces between obstacles, helping them navigate safely. - [How Autonomous Cars Process Sensor Data for Driving](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20220161815/autonomous-vehicle-system) — Intel's 2020 patent describes a system for autonomous vehicles that cleans and standardizes data from various sensors before using it to perceive the environment and make driving decisions. - [Drone Navigation Using Cameras and Echolocation](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9562773/autonomous-vehicle-navigation-system-and-method) — This 2017 patent describes a drone navigation system that uses both cameras and echolocation sensors to detect obstacles and find its way, with echolocation taking priority for immediate threats. - [How Car Safety Systems Turn Off When Sensors Disagree](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11702088/vehicular-driving-assist-system-with-sensor-offset-correction) — This patent describes a car safety system that uses both a camera and a radar sensor to detect objects, and if their detections don't match up, it can disable parts of the driving assistance for safety. - [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.