Technolgy giant Google has patented a flypaper-like coating to protect pedestrians in self-driving car accidents.
The patent includes an adhesive layer placed on the vehicle's front end, allowing pedestrians to simply stick to in case of a collision.
In the patent, published by the the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the company said the amount of damage will be reduced if the car is able to hold the pedestrian and slow down.
Google said in the patent application, "Ideally, the adhesive coating on the front portion of the vehicle may be activated on contact and will be able to adhere to the pedestrian nearly instantaneously.
"This instantaneous or nearly-instantaneous action may help to constrain the movement of the pedestrian, who may be carried on the front end of the vehicle until the driver of the vehicle (or the vehicle itself in the case of an autonomous vehicle) reacts to the incident and applies the brakes.
"As such, both the vehicle and pedestrian may come to a more gradual stop than if the pedestrian bounces off the vehicle."
The company mentioned that similar systems are already in place in certain Jaguar cars where upon impact, the hood raises and provides a compliant place.
Similarly, in certain Volvo cars there are external airbags which reduce the impact of collision of head on any portion of the vehicle.
Google points out that there are no or very less systems which offer protection against secondary impact to pedestrians.
