Google working on driving tech that detects nearby emergency vehicles

When drivers hear the sirens of an emergency vehicle or get a glimmer of some flashing lights, they are typically required to pull their car over and allow those vehicles to pass — or just pull over, in the case of a police vehicle requesting a stop.

In the event of an emergency, ambulances, police cars, and fire trucks usually have the authority to disobey and rules of the road, which, while necessary, can be dangerous for drivers who do not pull their vehicles over and allow them to pass.

According to Patent Yogi, Google has just filed a patent for an autonomous vehicle technology that would allow its driverless cars to automatically pull over when they detect one of these emergency vehicles.

The technology will be able to identify different light sources in the area, filter the light sources to determine if, in fact, the light is being emitted from an emergency vehicle, and then maneuver the car to the side of the road to allow it to pass.

According to the patent:

An important component of an autonomous vehicle is the perception system, which allows the vehicle to perceive and interpret its surroundings using cameras, radar, sensors, and other similar devices. The perception system executes numerous decisions while the autonomous vehicle is in motion, such as speeding up, slowing down, stopping, turning, etc. Autonomous vehicles may also use the cameras, sensors, and global positioning devices to gather and interpret images and sensor data about its surrounding environment, e.g., oncoming vehicles, parked cars, trees, buildings, etc. For example, an approaching emergency vehicle, such as a police car, having engaged its flashing lights may need to be given priority and right-of-way on the road. Thus, an autonomous vehicle may need to accurately detect and properly respond to approaching emergency vehicles.