Apple patent filing involves an ‘Energy Absorbing Rail’ for a self-driving car

Apple may have canceled its plans for an Apple Car, but the tech giant continues to file for, and be granted, patents involving vehicles. The latest is patent filing number (US 20240198881 A1) for an “Energy Absorbing Rail” to enhance the safety features of a self-driving car.

About the patent filing

One aspect of the patent filing involves a vehicle that includes a body and a rail. The rail includes an energy absorbing portion surrounded by an outer portion. A connector includes a first end coupled to the body and a second end coupled to the rail.

Another portion of the patent filing is for a vehicle body that defines a passenger compartment. A rail is coupled to the vehicle body and is located in the passenger compartment. The rail includes a rigid, thin-walled outer portion and an energy absorbing portion positioned adjacent to an interior surface of the thin-walled outer portion.

Yes another component of the patent filing is a  vehicle comprising a body and a connector coupled to and extending from the body. A support is coupled to and extends from the connector. An extensible portion is positioned around the support and has a deployed position and an undeployed position. An outer portion is positioned around the extensible portion and is configured to enclose the extensible portion when the extensible portion is in the undeployed position.

What is the purpose of the rail system? Apple says that with the ongoing development of autonomous driving systems, seat positions of passengers within a vehicle may change. For example, passenger seating in an autonomous vehicle may be arranged such that all passengers enter and exit from the same door. 

As another example, the seating may be arranged such that the passengers are seated facing one another, not facing the back of the person sitting in front. Depending on the type of autonomous vehicle and the seat positions of passengers, passenger support devices may not provide the desired support as passengers enter and exit the vehicle. New passenger support devices are thus required to support passengers when entering and exiting a vehicle. Such support devices must also comply with vehicle regulations.

Apple’s patent filing is for passenger support devices that provide support to passengers, such as when entering and exiting a vehicle, and are configured to absorb energy in response to inadvertent contact of a passenger’s body with the passenger support device. Inadvertent contact of the passenger’s body with the passenger support device can occur which the vehicle undergoes a sudden change in acceleration, speed, and/or direction (typically during a crash or an evasive maneuver).

The passenger support device can be coupled to a body of the vehicle and extend into a passenger compartment of the vehicle. Positioned as described, a passenger can grip the passenger support device when entering and exiting the vehicle. In addition, the passenger support device is configured to absorb energy if contacted during a vehicle event. To absorb such energy, the passenger support device can be designed with a specific geometry and/or can include energy absorbing materials. 

In addition, in some implementations, the structures described herein may be incorporated in components other than passenger support devices, such as in structural components or aesthetic components that are located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle and are not necessarily used to support passengers. 

Summary of the patent filing

Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent filing: “A rail that includes an energy absorbing portion surrounded by an outer portion. A connector includes a first end configured to be coupled to a structure and a second end coupled to the rail.”