A method of determining a trajectory for an autonomous vehicle is disclosed. An ego-vehicle may detect a moving actor in an environment. To choose between candidate trajectories for the ego-vehicle, the system will consider the cost of each candidate trajectory to the moving actor. The system will use the candidate trajectory costs for the candidate trajectories to select one of the candidate trajectories via which to move the ego-vehicle. An autonomous vehicle system of the ego-vehicle may then move the ego-vehicle in the environment along the selected trajectory.

Embodiments disclose systems and methods to generate a lane-based reference line for an autonomous driving vehicle. In one embodiment, a system receives a request to route an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) from a source location to a target location. In response to the request, the system identifies a set of road segments between the source location and the target location navigable by the ADV, where each of the road segments in the set includes one or more lane segments. The system identifies one or more lane paths corresponding to the set of road segments. The system determines an effective distance for each of the one or more lane paths. The system selects a lane path based on the determined effective distance. The system generates a lane-based reference line based on the selected lane path.

An autonomous running vehicle transmits a camera image around the vehicle photographed by a camera to a remote monitoring center. An obstacle is detected on the basis of information obtained from autonomous sensors including the camera. When an obstacle is detected, the autonomous running vehicle is automatically stopped. The remote monitoring center determines, when the autonomous running vehicle automatically stops, whether or not the run of the autonomous running vehicle is permitted to restart on the basis of the received camera video. When it is determined that the autonomous running vehicle can be restarted, a departure signal is transmitted to the autonomous running vehicle. When the departure signal is received from the remote monitoring center, the autonomous running vehicle restarts running.

An apparatus includes an interface and a control circuit. The interface may be configured to (i) receive sensor-based information from a plurality of sensor signals from a vehicle platform of a vehicle and environmental information about an environment of the vehicle, and (ii) present one or more control signals to the vehicle platform. The control circuit may be configured to (i) detect whether an attention state of a driver is in an attentive state or an inattentive state in response to one or more of the plurality of sensor signals from the vehicle platform and a driver monitoring system, (ii) assess whether the driver is sufficiently attentive by monitoring the one or more of the plurality of sensor signals from the vehicle platform and the driver monitoring system, and (iii) maintain an awareness of the driver to the environment of the vehicle by proactively interacting with the driver to determine whether a perception of the driver of the environment of the vehicle corresponds with the environmental information and the sensor-based information received by the interface.

Systems and methods navigate a vehicle by determining a free space region in which the vehicle can travel. In one implementation, a system may include at least one processor programmed to receive from an image capture device, a plurality of images associated with the environment of a vehicle, analyze at least one of the plurality of images to identify a first free space boundary on a driver side of the vehicle and extending forward of the vehicle, a second free space boundary on a passenger side of the vehicle and extending forward of the vehicle, and a forward free space boundary forward of the vehicle and extending between the first free space boundary and the second free space boundary. The first free space boundary, the second free space boundary, and the forward free space boundary may define a free space region forward of the vehicle. The at least one processor of the system may be further programmed to determine a navigational path for the vehicle through the free space region and cause the vehicle to travel on at least a portion of the determined navigational path within the free space region forward of the vehicle.

A collision avoidance method and apparatus are provided. The collision avoidance method includes sensing a forward vehicle and a lane of a front road, receiving global positioning system (GPS) information and vehicle specification information from the forward vehicle, generating a virtual lane corresponding to the forward vehicle upon failing to the lane of the front road, and performing a control operation to avoid collision with the forward vehicle based on the generated virtual lane.

A system 100 for autonomous vehicle operation can include: a low-level safety platform 130; and can optionally include and/or interface with any or all of: an autonomous agent 102, a sensor system, a computing system 120, a vehicle communication network 140, a vehicle control system 150, and/or any suitable components. The system functions to facilitate fallback planning and/or execution at the autonomous agent. Additionally or alternatively, the system can function to transition the autonomous agent between a primary (autonomous) operation mode and a fallback operation mode.

An energy management system for an electric autonomous vehicle comprises a battery and a controller comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The system comprises a pre-allocation input mechanism transmitting an input signal to the processor relating to a travel destination for the vehicle. The system comprises a navigation module receiving a wireless signal from a satellite network relating to a current location of the vehicle. The system comprises an autonomous input mechanism powered by the battery and transmitting an autonomous signal to the processor relating to dynamic conditions for autonomous operation of the vehicle. The processor determines a route between the current location and the travel destination, performs autonomous operation of the vehicle along the route, and selectively powers or tunes the usage of the at least one autonomous input mechanism with the battery during autonomous operation of the vehicle.

An impairment analysis (“IA”) computer system for detecting an impairment is provided. The IA computer system is associated with a host vehicle, and includes at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device. The at least one processor is programmed to: (i) interrogate or otherwise scan a target vehicle by using a plurality of sensors included on a host vehicle to scan the target vehicle and a target driver; (ii) receive sensor data including target driver data and target vehicle condition data; (iii) analyze the sensor data by applying a baseline model to the sensor data; (iv) detect an impairment of the target driver or target vehicle based upon the analysis; and/or (v) output an alert signal to a host vehicle controller, or direct collision preventing actions (such as automatically engage vehicle safety systems), based upon the determination that the target driver or target vehicle is impaired.

A system 100 for autonomous vehicle operation can include: a low-level safety platform 130; and can optionally include and/or interface with any or all of: an autonomous agent 102, a sensor system, a computing system 120, a vehicle communication network 140, a vehicle control system 150, and/or any suitable components. The system functions to facilitate fallback planning and/or execution at the autonomous agent. Additionally or alternatively, the system can function to transition the autonomous agent between a primary (autonomous) operation mode and a fallback operation mode.