Systems and methods use cameras to provide autonomous navigation features. In one implementation, a method for navigating a user vehicle may include acquiring, using at least one image capture device, a plurality of images of an area in a vicinity of the user vehicle; determining from the plurality of images a first lane constraint on a first side of the user vehicle and a second lane constraint on a second side of the user vehicle opposite to the first side of the user vehicle; enabling the user vehicle to pass a target vehicle if the target vehicle is determined to be in a lane different from the lane in which the user vehicle is traveling; and causing the user vehicle to abort the pass before completion of the pass, if the target vehicle is determined to be entering the lane in which the user vehicle is traveling.

In an approach to safely facilitate driver responses to road traffic event alerts, computer-implemented methods, computer program products, and computer systems for reducing vehicle occupant distractions are described. The computer-implemented method includes processors configured for receiving vehicle alert data corresponding to a road traffic event, generating a user alert prompt corresponding to the vehicle alert data, transmitting the user alert prompt to a user vehicle satisfying a first condition, and receiving a user response from an occupant of the user vehicle. Responsive to receiving an affirmative user response, activating one or more vehicle activity systems to reduce vehicle cabin activity by occupants within the user vehicle.

Techniques are disclosed herein for providing guidance for autonomous vehicles in areas of low network connectivity, such as rural areas. According to an embodiment, a guidance system receives a request to exchange data with a vehicle within a specified radius thereof over a wireless connection (e.g., a radio frequency protocol-based connection). The data is stored by the guidance system and is indicative of navigation information within the specified radius. The guidance system transmits the stored data to the vehicle. The guidance system also receives, from the vehicle, data indicative of navigation information for a path previously passed by the vehicle.

An image projection apparatus that can be attached to a vehicle and can be effectively utilized for acquisition of road surface condition information, detection of a hidden vehicle, and the like is provided. The image projection apparatus that projects an image includes: an acquisition unit that acquires information related to a vehicle; an image projection unit that projects an image based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit; and imaging means that acquires an image outside the vehicle, the image projection unit projects light in a wavelength band centered on a wavelength of 1.4 μm and the imaging means provides the information related to the vehicle by imaging an image projected based on the light in the wavelength band centered on the wavelength of 1.4 μm.

An object detection device is configured to execute a road surface detection process, an object disparity determination process, and an object detection process. The road surface detection process estimates a position of a road surface on the basis of a first disparity map. The first disparity map is generated on the basis of an output of a stereo camera and is a map in which a disparity is associated with two-dimensional coordinates formed by a first direction corresponding to a horizontal direction of an image captured by the stereo camera and a second direction intersecting the first direction. The object disparity determination process determines disparities as object disparities when the number of occurrences of each of the disparities for respective coordinate ranges in the first direction of the first disparity map exceeds a predetermined threshold corresponding to the disparity. The object detection process detects an object by converting information on the object disparities into points on an x-z coordinate space and by extracting a group of points.

An absorber device for electromagnetic sensor systems has at least one aperture. Each aperture is able to be opened and closed by an aperture closure. The absorber device is designed in such a way that when the aperture is open, electromagnetic waves incoming through the aperture do not then leave the absorber device, and when the aperture is closed, electromagnetic waves impinging on the aperture are reflected.

The invention is a method of characterizing a road for at least one route travelled by at least one road user, with sensors: a three-axis accelerometer (ACC) and a geolocation sensor (GPS). The method comprises a measurement step (MES), a measurement processing step for disregarding (AFF) the effects related to the road user's speed in order to determine vibrations due to the road roughness, and an analysis of the vibrations to characterize (CAR) the condition of the road.

Among other things, we describe techniques for traffic light estimation using range sensors. A planning circuit of a vehicle traveling on a first drivable region that forms an intersection with a second drivable region receives information sensed by a range sensor of the vehicle. The information represents a movement state of an object through the intersection. A traffic signal at the intersection controls movement of objects through the intersection. The planning circuit determines a state of the traffic signal at the intersection based, in part, on the received information. A control circuit controls an operation of the vehicle based, in part, on the state of the traffic signal at the intersection.

A system for determining safety of a road segment may include at least one processor programmed to receive, from a first vehicle, first navigation information associated with the road segment. The first navigation information may include information collected by a first sensor of the first vehicle from an environment of the first vehicle. The at least one processor may also be programmed to receive, from a second vehicle, second navigation information associated with the road segment. The second navigation information may include information collected by a second sensor of the second vehicle from an environment of the second vehicle. The at least one processor may further be programmed to determine, based on the first navigation information and the second navigation information, a score representative of the safety of the road segment, and transmit, to a third vehicle, the score representative of the safety of the road segment.

This application discloses a vehicle driving exit prediction method includes: obtaining a first location of the target vehicle at the target intersection and a driving direction of the target vehicle; obtaining N reference points respectively associated with N driving exits of the target intersection, where N is a positive integer; obtaining, based on the first location, the driving direction of the target vehicle, and the N reference points, likelihoods corresponding to the N driving exits respectively, where the likelihood indicates a probability that the target vehicle travels out of the target intersection from a corresponding driving exit; and obtaining a driving exit with a largest likelihood in the N driving exits as the driving exit of the target vehicle.