Patent Issued for Online Method For Training Vehicle Drivers And Determining Hazard Detection Proficiency (USPTO 10,810,900)

2020 NOV 04 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- According to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx journalists, a patent by the inventor Nepomuceno, John Adrian (Bloomington, IL), filed on February 27, 2017, was published online on November 2, 2020.

The assignee for this patent, patent number 10,810,900, is State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (Bloomington, Illinois, United States).

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Automobile crashes are the leading cause of death among novice teen drivers. In their first six months of licensure, teen drivers are up to six times more likely to be involved in fatal crashes than more experienced drivers (over 25 years of age). Insurance premium costs for novice teen drivers reflect this increased risk and crash propensity. Studies by McKnight and McKnight concluded that failures to recognize hazards in the driving environment contributed to approximately 43% of crashes involving this teen driver segment. Studies have also concluded that novice drivers lack the driving experience and the resultant driving behaviors and attitudes that support them. In many states, full licensure is delayed through graduated licensing strategies to minimize the exposure of young drivers to the highest risk periods. The problem then, is how to expose novice teen drivers to the kinds of experiences that will allow them to develop those safe driving schema from which they can then learn to recognize hazards and related dangerous driving conditions without exposing them to actual high risk driving conditions.

“Fisher, Pradhan, Pollatsek, et al. concluded that a PC-based training application called Risk Awareness and Perception Training (‘RAPT’) aimed at novice teen drivers could be effective in improving the hazard detection skills of novice drivers. The RAPT program was created based on an analysis of police crash reports that indicate new drivers tend to lack three basic skills necessary to avoid crashes: hazard anticipation, attention maintenance and hazard avoidance. Hazard anticipation has to do with knowing where to look for dangers; attention maintenance with concentrating on the road ahead, and hazard avoidance with special driving techniques such as skid control. The RAPT program focused on anticipating dangers. The RAPT program used a personal computer to train novice drivers and a driving simulator to test their hazard recognition skills. On the personal computer, the RAPT program required the novice driver to indicate where the novice driver was looking as the virtual car drove through a hazard module. The hazard module was presented as a series of still photographs that exposed the novice driver to a particular simulated hazard. In one version of the program, the novice driver was shown aerial views of situations and then asked to drag yellow ovals and red circles to the appropriate spots to show where the danger might arise and how to adjust to it. In another version of the program, each still photograph remained on the screen for about 3 seconds and the novice driver used a computer mouse to click on the potential hazards shown in the photographs. In another version of the RAPT program, a series of 16 driving scenarios or hazard modules taught novice drivers to be alert to situations that demand extra caution. The scenarios or hazard modules ‘drove’ through each situation, presented via a series of still photographs, while the novice driver clicked on potential hazards visible in the photographs. The program then detailed safe and unsafe responses. A narrator described the driving choices as the virtual car moved through the photographs.

“A driving simulator was then used to test whether the novice drivers improved their abilities to detect and identify hazards. In the RAPT testing simulator, the driver operated the simulator vehicle--an actual Saturn sedan--as if it was on the road. A simulated road ahead was displayed on three screens, one in front and one on each side of the car. As the driver turned the wheel, braked or accelerated, the roadway visible to the driver changed appropriately. The system also provided realistic road, wind and vehicle noises. To test how much the new driver had learned from the RAPT training program, the RAPT testing simulator recreated the sensations of actually driving on the road. The driver operated the controls of a Saturn sedan while the road and various situations scrolled by on three surrounding screens. Subjects were also tested on the road with the help of devices that tracked the movements of their eyes as they scanned their surroundings.

“Versions of the RAPT program have been made available on the Internet. However, RAPT3 failed to catch on with novice teen drivers or with driving education instructors and as a result, few people outside of academia have ever heard of, or benefited from the RAPT3 training.

“Driving simulator-based training has shown to be potentially effective. While the cost of driving simulators continues to drop, few people have access to driving simulators that have been established for training purposes, and the cost of these is still relatively high. Most driving simulators today are maintained by academic institutions primarily for research purposes. Maintaining driving simulators for training purposes is still cost-prohibitive even for driving schools.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventor’s summary information for this patent: “While most people do not have access to a driving simulator, most teens have access to a web-connected personal computer. Road Aware.TM. is a web-based hazard perception training program that provides a driving simulator-like experience aimed at teaching novice drivers how to recognize and identify hazards. The graphical user interface may use state-of-the-art 3D simulation technology to create a web-streamed video game-like driving experience to engage and hold the interest of teen drivers. By narrowly focusing the training on hazard detection and recognition and not on the psychomotor skills of driving, Road Aware avoids developing overconfidence among young drivers, which can be an unintended consequence of some simulation training systems.

“According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for training vehicle drivers to detect hazards, the method comprising: visually presenting to a driver a continuous drive through a driving environment comprised of at least two hazard modules, wherein each hazard module presents at least one driving scenario that comprises at least one hazard; recording where within the visual presentation the driver looks to detect hazards during the visual presentation of the continuous drive; and determining the driver’s hazard detection proficiency by evaluating whether the driver looked at hazards during the visual presentation of the continuous drive.

“A further aspect of the invention provides a method for determining an insurance premium based at least in part of a vehicle driver’s proficiency at detecting hazards, the method comprising: visually presenting at least one driving module that comprises at least one hazard; recording where within the visual presentation the driver looks to detect hazards during the visual presentation; determining the driver’s hazard detection proficiency by evaluating whether the driver looked at hazards during the visual presentation; and calculating an insurance premium based at least in part on the driver’s hazard detection proficiency.

“Still another aspect of the invention provides a system for determining vehicle driver hazard detection proficiency and calculating insurance discounts, the system comprising: an Internet device that presents to an Internet user a visual presentation of a continuous drive through a driving environment comprising at least two hazard modules, wherein each hazard module presents to the Internet user at least one driving scenario that comprises at least one hazard; an Internet device that records user viewing locations within the visual presentation, the user viewing locations corresponding to locations within the visual presentation that are viewed by the user during the visual presentation of the continuous drive; a computer analytics device comprising an algorithm that compares the recorded user viewing locations with defined locations of hazards within the visual presentation of the continuous drive, and determines a hazard detection proficiency of the user based at least on the comparison; a computer memory device comprising at least one minimum hazard detection proficiency criteria corresponding to an insurance discount; and a computer analytics device that compares the determined hazard detection proficiency of the user with the minimum hazard detection proficiency criteria and determines whether to award the insurance discount to the user.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“The invention claimed is:

“1. A method for training vehicle drivers to detect hazards, the method comprising: visually presenting to a driver a continuous drive through a driving environment comprised of at least two hazard modules, wherein each hazard module presents at least one driving scenario that comprises at least one hazard; detecting where the driver looks to detect hazards within the visual presentation of the driving environment; recording where within the visual presentation of the driving environment the driver looks to detect hazards during the visual presentation of the continuous drive; calculating a hazard detection proficiency for the driver by evaluating whether the driver looked at particular hazards during the visual presentation of the continuous drive; using GPS and accelerometers associated with an internet-connected device to document the locations and driving conditions of actual drives; comparing the driver’s calculated hazard detection proficiency to the documented locations and driving conditions of actual drives; and determining an available insurance premium discount based at least in part on (a) the comparison of the driver’s hazard detection proficiency to proficiency criterion and (b) the comparison ofthe driver’s hazard detection proficiency to the documented locations and driving conditions of actual drives.

“2. The method for training vehicle drivers to detect hazards as claimed in claim 1, wherein the visually presenting comprises presenting a plurality of hazard modules in a sequential order the first time the continuous drive is visually presented to the driver, and presenting the plurality of hazard modules in a different sequential order the second time the continuous drive is visually presented to the driver.

“3. The method for training vehicle drivers to detect hazards as claimed in claim 1, wherein the visually presenting comprises presenting at least one driving environment selected from: neighborhood, beyond your neighborhood, downtown, and highway.

“4. The method for training vehicle drivers to detect hazards as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recording where within the visual presentation the driver looks to detect hazards comprises detecting mouse clicks within target boxes, wherein the target boxes coincide with the hazards in the visual presentation.

“5. The method for training vehicle drivers to detect hazards as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recording where within the visual presentation the driver looks to detect hazards comprises detecting driver eye fixation on hazards in the visual presentation.

“6. The method for training vehicle drivers to detect hazards as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recording where within the visual presentation the driver looks to detect hazards comprises recording whether the driver timely looks to detect a hazard sufficiently in advance of a point of impact.

“7. The method for training vehicle drivers to detect hazards as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining the driver’s hazard detection proficiency comprises evaluating whether the driver has detected a minimum percentage of the total number of hazards in the visual presentation.

“8. The method for training vehicle drivers to detect hazards as claimed in claim 1, further comprising reviewing the continuous drive comprising: replaying the visual presentation; indicating hazards that the driver detected during the replay of the visual presentation; and indicating hazards that the driver failed to detect during the replay of the visual presentation.

“9. A method for determining an insurance premium based at least in part of a vehicle driver’s proficiency at detecting hazards, the method comprising: visually presenting at least one driving module that comprises at least one hazard; recording where within the visual presentation the driver looks to detect hazards during the visual presentation; determining a hazard detection proficiency for the driver by evaluating whether the driver looked at hazards during the visual presentation; using GPS and accelerometers associated with an internet-connected device to document the locations and driving conditions of actual drives; comparing the driver’s calculated hazard detection proficiency to data sensed during actual drives; and determining an available insurance premium discount based at least in part on (a) the comparison of the driver’s hazard detection proficiency to proficiency criterion and (b) the comparison of the driver’s hazard detection proficiency to the sensed data.

“10. The method for determining an insurance premium as claimed in claim 9, wherein the visually presenting comprises a continuous drive through a driving environment comprised of at least two hazard modules, wherein each hazard module presents at least one driving scenario that comprises at least one hazard.

“11. The method for determining an insurance premium as claimed in claim 9, wherein the visually presenting comprises presenting at least one driving environment selected from: neighborhood, beyond your neighborhood, downtown, and highway.

“12. The method for determining an insurance premium as claimed in claim 9, wherein the recording where within the visual presentation the driver looks to detect hazards comprises recording whether the driver timely looks to detect a hazard sufficiently in advance of a point of impact.

“13. The method for determining an insurance premium as claimed in claim 9, wherein the determining the driver’s hazard detection proficiency comprises evaluating whether the driver has detected a minimum percentage of the total number of hazards in the visual presentation.

“14. The method for determining an insurance premium as claimed in claim 9, wherein the visually presenting comprises at least two continuous drives each through different driving environments, wherein the determining the driver’s hazard detection proficiency comprises determining whether the driver has detected a minimum percentage of hazards in each of the at least two continuous drives.

“15. The method for determining an insurance premium as claimed in claim 9, wherein the calculating comprises multiplying a total insurance discount by the percent of correctly detected hazards.

“16. A system for determining vehicle driver hazard detection proficiency and calculating insurance discounts, the system comprising: an Internet device that presents to an Internetuser a visual presentation of a continuous drive through a driving environment comprising at least two hazard modules, wherein each hazard module presents to the Internetuser at least one driving scenario that comprises at least one hazard; an Internet device that detects where the user looks to detect hazards within the visual presentation of the driving environment; an Internet device that records user viewing locations within the visual presentation of the driving environment, the user viewing locations corresponding to locations within the visual presentation that are viewed by the user during the visual presentation of the continuous drive; GPS and accelerometers associated with an internet-connected device to document the locations and driving conditions of actual drives; a computer analytics device comprising an algorithm that compares the recorded user viewing locations with defined locations of hazards within the visual presentation of the continuous drive, and determines a hazard detection proficiency of the user based at least on the companson; the computer analytics device further comprising an algorithm that compares the driver’s calculated hazard detection proficiency to documented locations and driving conditions of actual drives, and a computer memory device comprising at least one minimum hazard detection proficiency criteria corresponding to an insurance discount; and the computer analytics device further comprising an algorithm that determines an available insurance premium discount based at least in part on (a) the comparison of the driver’s hazard detection proficiency to proficiency criterion and (b) the comparison of the driver’s hazard detection proficiency to the documented locations and driving conditions of actual drives.

“17. The system for determining vehicle driver hazard detection proficiency and calculating insurance discounts as claimed in claim 16, wherein the visual presentation is of a continuous driver through at least one driving environment selected from: neighborhood, beyond your neighborhood, downtown, and highway.

“18. The system for determining vehicle driver hazard detection proficiency and calculating insurance discounts as claimed in claim 16, wherein the at least one minimum hazard detection proficiency criteria comprises a minimum percentage of the total number of hazards in the visual presentation.

“19. The system for determining vehicle driver hazard detection proficiency and calculating insurance discounts as claimed in claim 16, wherein the visual presentation comprises at least two continuous drives each through different driving environments, wherein the at least one minimum hazard detection proficiency criteria comprises a minimum percentage of hazards detected in each of the at least two continuous drives.

“20. The system for determining vehicle driver hazard detection proficiency and calculating insurance discounts as claimed in claim 16, wherein at least one minimum hazard detection proficiency criteria comprises one detected hazard and the comparison of the determined hazard detection proficiency of the user with the minimum hazard detection proficiency criteria comprises multiplying a total insurance discount by the percent of detected hazards.”

For more information, see this patent: Nepomuceno, John Adrian. Online Method For Training Vehicle Drivers And Determining Hazard Detection Proficiency. U.S. Patent Number 10,810,900, filed February 27, 2017, and published online on November 2, 2020. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=10,810,900.PN.&OS=PN/10,810,900RS=PN/10,810,900

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