Google Patents the Glue that'll Stick Pedestrian to Hood

MANILA: Google, the corporate giant is a nasty inventor and this can be said without a doubt seeing its big books of ideas and inventions. Now, it's been some time that Google has been testing its self-driving cars intensely, trying to able them in all frontiers, even making them apt enough to protect itself from a collision. But inventions such big as these are no child's play and require even the biggest players in the industry to put in years of blood, sweat and tear. And still after years of hard work, Google only claims to have reached half-way through the journey of creating a perfectly safe and errorless self-driving car.

Taking one step forward in the said field, Google has now patented a protective gear for its ambitious project, the self-driving car. Truly speaking, initially on hearing about this new safety measures, we were a bit sceptical and doubted on its efficiency, and surprisingly our doubt still remains intact even after a thorough analysis of this new technology.

What's Google new Patent all About?

An adhesive layer made out of very sticky material has been coated by the company on the self-driving car’s front bumper, fender and hood. It's more like a double sided tape or a flypaper that'll stick 'anything' that'll fall on it. Now, by 'anything' we mean pedestrian that may come in contact with the car's hood in case of a collision. Now, imagine a situation, where an autonomous car collides with a pedestrian and on coming in contact with the car's front portion that's covered in a thick adhesive layer, he sticks to it, rather than falling onto the side or front of the car.

If by any chance you are wondering that dust, falling leaves or any other thing that'll come in contact with car's hood will stick to it, spoiling the car endlessly then here's a small trick applied by Google. The glue is covered by a protecting egg shell-like coverage that'll only brake when something falls on it with high-impact.

Is it really a practical idea?

Google itself says that every patent is not deemed to enter the mainstream market, and if it ever does many a times it is modified to an extent that makes it look way different from its initial form. Anyways, this idea from Google received both positive and negative views, it's like every new solution brings along its own concerns. Take for example a situation, where the pedestrian is glued on the car’s hood after a collision and the car loses it to control and collides into a tree or something. Now, under such a situation, it would have been better if the pedestrian would have fallen to the side after the hit.

What other pedestrian protection gears are currently working successfully in the market?

It's not that google is the first company to have though about pedestrian protection and safety. There are few auto companies around that have worked and implemented impressive pedestrian safety tech in its cars. Take, for example, Volvo, that has equipped some of its high-end cars with pedestrian airbag that will protect him from serious head injuries. Another name that is popping in our head is Jaguar, that recently came up with the raised hood tech, wherein under a collision the hood automatically retracts up, thus reducing the impact of the collision on the person falling on the car.

It's good to see how automakers are taking pedestrian safety seriously, in addition to that of the driver’s and occupants. Thus, helping us see a future where roads are safe and accident proof.

Also Read: Google to Partner with Ford Motor in building self-driving cars