An inspection method includes, with a sensor mounted in an infrastructure, measuring drive assisting information that is to be used to perform a drive assisting operation of a target vehicle that uses the infrastructure, transmitting the drive assisting information to the target vehicle, receiving, from the target vehicle, information of the infrastructure measured by the target vehicle, and inspecting the infrastructure using the information of the infrastructure.

A method includes, with a sensor mounted on a vehicle, measuring information of an infrastructure used by the vehicle, and first drive assisting information that is used to perform a drive assisting operation of the vehicle, transmitting the information of the infrastructure to an infrastructure inspection apparatus mounted in the infrastructure when the sensor measures the information of the infrastructure, receiving, from the infrastructure inspection apparatus, second drive assisting information that is used to perform the drive assisting operation of the vehicle, performing the drive assisting operation of the vehicle in response to the first drive assisting information if the sensor measures the first drive assisting information, and performing the drive assisting operation of the vehicle in response to the second drive assisting information if the sensor measures the information of the infrastructure.

A controller that controls driving of an autonomously moving vehicle includes a first sensor that detects an obstacle and a direction of travel of the vehicle, and a processor that sets a virtual region surrounding the vehicle. Processor stops the vehicle when the obstacle is detected therein, determines whether the obstacle is present in the direction of travel, determines whether the vehicle has been stopped for a predetermined amount of time when the obstacle is present, reduces a length of the virtual region in the direction of travel to provide an adjusted virtual region when the vehicle is determined to have been stopped for the predetermined amount of time, causes the vehicle to drive when the obstacle is not detected within the adjusted virtual region, and stops the vehicle when the obstacle is detected within the adjusted virtual region.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to pre-computing routes for autonomous vehicles using map shards. For example, a shard from a plurality of shards of a map may be selected. Each shard including a plurality of nodes and edges connecting pairs of nodes of the plurality of nodes, and each node of the plurality represents a location. A plurality of port nodes for the shard are identified. Each port node has an edge that enters into the selected shard or exists the selected shard. For each port node of the plurality having an edge that enters into the selected shard, optimal routes to each other port node of the plurality having an edge that exits the selected shard may be determined. The optimal routes for the selected shard may be sent to the autonomous vehicles in order to enable the autonomous vehicles to use the optimal routes to determine routes.

A management system manages travel of at least one vehicle, and includes a vehicle and a travel management apparatus. The vehicle includes motors, a drive unit to move the vehicle by controlling the motors, a first communication circuit, and a control circuit. The travel management apparatus includes a signal processing circuit to generate an n.sup.th command for causing the vehicle to move from an n (n: a positive integer).sup.th location to an (n+1).sup.th location and a second communication circuit. When the vehicle arrives in a region defined for the (n+1).sup.th location while moving from the n.sup.th location toward the (n+1).sup.th location, the vehicle transmits a notification of arrival-in-region to the travel management apparatus. Upon receiving the notification of arrival-in-region, the travel management apparatus generates an (n+1).sup.th command for causing the vehicle to move from the (n+1).sup.th location to an (n+2).sup.th location, and transmits it to the vehicle.

An improved method for the delivery of an ordered item to a locked storage containers comprising determining the availability of the container to receive a delivery; identifying a time interval during which the delivery can be made; sending a signal to the storage container allowing access by a delivery agent, the improvement wherein delivery is achieved with a robotic positioner and a driverless vehicle.

A method, apparatus, and system for enabling platooning between two autonomous vehicles is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a second ADV receives a vehicle status and a first perception result of a first ADV over a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) link. The first perception result includes one or more obstacles perceived by the first ADV. A perception process is performed by the second ADV to perceive a driving environment associated with the second ADV, which generates a second perception result. The first perception result performed by the first ADV and the second perception result performed by the second ADV are merged to generate a third perception result. A trajectory is planned based on the vehicle status of the first ADV and the third perception result to cause the second ADV to follow the first ADV in a platoon manner.

Infrastructure clarity of a planned section that is a road section included in a planned travel route is specified based on infrastructure clarity information. The infrastructure clarity is clarity of a road infrastructure that is used as a detection object by a lane detection apparatus. The infrastructure clarity information is information recording the infrastructure clarity for a plurality of lanes for one-way traffic on a per road section basis. A road link used in a map database is adopted as the road section. Control contents of autonomous travel in the planned travel route are set based on the infrastructure clarity of the planned section and an autonomy level condition. The autonomy level condition is a condition by which control contents at a higher level are selected among a plurality of autonomy levels as the infrastructure clarity becomes higher.

A server device 2 stores a distribution map DB 21 including autonomous driving regulatory information Ir for regulating autonomous driving of a vehicle in a predetermined section, and sends map data D1 including the autonomous driving regulatory information Ir to a driving assistance device 1. Then, the driving assistance device 1 receives the map data D1 including the autonomous driving regulatory information Ir and controls the autonomous driving of the vehicle based on the received autonomous driving regulatory information Ir.

A method and system for providing a companion autonomous vehicle are described. In one embodiment, a method includes linking a companion autonomous vehicle to at least one vehicle, device, or user. The companion autonomous vehicle is tethered to the at least one vehicle, device, or user such that the companion autonomous vehicle is configured to stay within a predetermined range of the at least one vehicle, device, or user. The method further includes operating the companion autonomous vehicle to travel along with the tethered at least one vehicle, device, or user within the predetermined range.