Patent ID: 8165796

Claim:
A collision avoidance system comprising: a first sensor configured to be coupled to a vehicle at a first location and monitor a first area; a second sensor configured to be coupled to the vehicle at a second location and to monitor a second area through 360 degrees, where the second location is either on a top portion or a bottom portion of the vehicle; wherein the second sensor is configured to be movable along and rotatable about a vertical axis with respect to the vehicle; and a controller configured to be coupled to the first and second sensors, detect a primary critical situation using the first sensor, generate a signal to move the second sensor from a first retracted position to a second protracted position only if a primary critical situation is detected, generate a control signal to cause the second sensor to sweep an area surrounding the vehicle through 360 degrees, identify zero or more secondary critical situations, determine if the primary critical situation remains, and initiate an evasive driving maneuver.