Google loves to brag about how its self - drive cars have theability to save livesby being really good at not crashing into things . Butcrashes do still materialize , and when they do , Google apparently has a backup plan : human flypaper .
Yesterday , Google was award apatentthat proposes placing a strong adhesive on the hood of its self-directed cars . This way , footer or cyclists who chance to recover themselves being struck by a Googlemobile would be protected from what ’s called “ secondary impact . ” This is the part of a clangour when a somebody is throw back off the moving fomite , usually hitting the roof of the car , the concentrated aerofoil of the street , or another railway car . It ’s also the part that often make the most serious hurt .
The patent was filed back in 2014 and seems to be designed as a temporary solution to keep the homo around the ego - drive cars safe as autonomous technology improves :
While such system are being spring up , it must be acknowledged that , on occasion , hit between a vehicle and a pedestrian still occur . Such safety mechanisms may become unnecessary as accident - avoidance applied science is being further grow , but at present it is desirable to provide vehicles with pedestrian guard mechanisms .
As for what sort of glue Google is contrive to blur across its cowl , it ’s described in the patent as having some form of “ eggshell”-like software over the main adhesive layer so the motorcar does n’t tug around scooping up insects and other modest animals like genuine flypaper .
But would this even work ? A single collision with a muggy hood is better from a purgative viewpoint , harmonize to Rebecca Thompson , head of public outreach for theAmerican Physical Society .
“ Getting hit by a car once is much preferred to getting impinge on by a car and then the primer coat and then another elevator car , ” say Thompson . “ cyclist wear helmets not as much to prevent their head ’s impact with the cable car as much as their head ’s shock with the ground when they fall . ”
turn cars into giant gum trap is certainly a feature that could have urban applications beyond self-reliant vehicles . If it proves to be a good theme — and it still has to be proven — it could be applied to all potentially serious move object . “ This is essentially a variation on an external airbag , which on its face seems like a skillful melodic theme for a low - f number vehicle as a backup safety measure , ” order Gabe Klein , former fountainhead of DC ’s and Chicago ’s departments of transportation , who nowadvises mobility - related investment funds and startups . “ Why not consider it for non - self-reliant vehicles ? ”
But it ’s not a unflawed melodic theme , enounce Thompson . With a footer or bicyclist stuck to the front of a auto , the car might have fuss moving to safety — or it might draw the human ’s leg or blazonry under the car , inflicting new wound . But she also points out a benefit for unconstipated cars : having a person stick to the hood might prevent a human number one wood from take flight the scene . That would in spades cut down on run into - and - running .
A lot of other automakers are thinking about how to mitigate footer injuries in clangoring . Nissan ’s “ pop up railway locomotive hood ” uses diminutive explosives to somewhat raise the toughie of the vehicle once it senses an wallop to help stop pedestrians from hitting their heads . Google ’s letters patent for footer safety machine glue is especially originative , but a standardized destination might be achieved using fomite - to - person ( V2P ) tech , said Dan Sturges , atransportation designerand adjunct prof at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit . “ Given their role with Android OS , they could have the world ’s smartphones telling pedestrians when they are at risk of getting collide with . So , use Google technical school to annul pedestrian - to - car accidents by using their pervasive technical school . ”
Of course , as a Google reptold the Mercury News , this does n’t mean we ’ll see the human flypaper idea come in to life . It ’s just another way that shows how Google is thinking about helping its robots to keep more humans alive on our streets .
[ US Patent OfficeviaMercury News ]
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