Hyundai has filed a patent with the US Patent and Trademark Office for a speed bump detection system, comprising GPS, camera and multiple sensors that identify and measure an oncoming speed bump’s height, width and curvature. If the vehicle is going too fast, a warning message is sent to the driver to slow down.

According to the patent, the system specifies 30 km/h or less for bumps on standard roads measuring 3.6 metres long and 100 mm high, the same speed for bumps on local roads measuring two metres long and 75 mm high, and 10 km/h or less for bumps on housing area roads measuring one metre long and 75 mm high. It can even recognise ‘fake’ bumps (like a picture of a speed bump painted on the road) and ignore them.

You may deem this pretty unnecessary, but given the number of bumps of inconsistent height, width and shape popping up on so many blind bends in Malaysia with ‘Bump Ahead’ signs often hidden behind trees (or covered with ‘Tukar Tiub Tayar‘ stickers), I’d find this a boon, really. And think about what it could do for autonomous self-driving cars in the future!