Mercedes has both applied for and obtained the patent for a technology that the car brand believes can reduce and, at best, prevent the risk of rockfall.
To reduce the risk of rockfall, Mercedes-Benz has applied for and received a patent for a technology from the European Patent Office.
In the patent application, Mercedes describes a technology that uses existing systems to identify and avoid potential hazards on the road. Blue. stone throw.
Many modern cars are equipped with lidar (light detection and ranging) sensors. A technology used in driver assistance systems such as adaptive cruise control and hands-free cruise control.
Lidar sensors detect objects, obstacles and other obstacles. Mercedes-Benz now proposes to use Lidar to also monitor objects on the road. For example, loose stones and other things that can pop up and break windscreens.
That's what Carmoses writes.
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The system is supplemented by a microphone in the cabin, which registers the sound of stones hitting the windscreen, thus acting as an additional layer of safety.
Lidar records the size, speed and trajectory of flying objects. This data is sent to a system that calculates the potential risk of a rock fall in real time.
If the risk is high enough, the system can activate the car's other assistance systems. In this way, the car will either change the road, speed or increase the distance to an anchor to avoid the stone impact.
According to Mercedes, the system must work completely without the driver behind the wheel intervening. The use of Lidar sensors in this context is interesting because some car manufacturers have questioned the technology. Tesla's director, Elon Musk, for example, calls it "silly".
And for Volvo, the Lidar sensors don't work at all. In fact, Volvo is currently delivering its top model EX90 to the first customers without a number of important features. Blue. because the Lidar technique does not work. Read more about it here.
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