Google "Sticky Car”

Google patents “sticky cars” to save pedestrians in the event of collision.

15:22 20 May 2016

Google patents a sticky coating for driverless cars to reduce injuries to pedestrians in the event of a collision. People who struck by the vehicle will become glued to its bonnet rather than being thrown off.

 

Andrew Morris, Professor of Human Factors in Transport Safety at Loughborough University, said: "It does have some merit to it,"

"When pedestrian accidents happen, often the person is thrown up onto the bonnet and there may be injuries from that contact, but sometimes there are not.

 

"But when a driver brakes in a collision, a totally natural reaction, the pedestrian is thrown onto the ground and you can get injuries from that contact."

 

Google’s patent stated that the adhesive coating will be hidden under protective coating. 

 

"Upon the initial impact between the colliding object and the vehicle, the coating is broken, exposing the adhesive layer," the patent document said.

 

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: "As well as developing new technology that prevents pedestrians from being hit in the first place, it's also crucial to develop ways of reducing the severity of injuries suffered if a pedestrian is knocked over."

 

"This idea is a fascinating example of just how far vehicle technology is changing,"

 

"It will obviously need to be developed and tested to ensure that it works reliably and doesn't cause any unintended consequences."