IBM Scientists Get Patent for AI System Designed to Curb Autonomous Car Accidents

IBM scientists received a patent for a machine learning system that can contribute to accident protection in autonomous vehicles, the company said in an announcement. The system can dynamically shift control of an autonomous vehicle between a human driver and a vehicle control processor in a potential emergency, said IBM. The cognitive model uses sensors and artificial intelligence to determine potential safety concerns and control whether self-driving vehicles operate autonomously or relinquish control to a human driver. As an example, it said if a self-driving vehicle experiences an operational anomaly -- a faulty braking system, burned out headlight, or poor visibility or road conditions -- the system compares whether the on-board self-driving vehicle control processor or a human driver is in a better position to handle the situation. If the comparison decides the vehicle control processor is better able to handle the anomaly, the vehicle is placed in autonomous mode, it said.