A vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a plurality of sensors including a first sensor and a second sensor. The vehicle also includes a vehicle controller. The vehicle controller is programmed to (i) collect a first plurality of sensor information observed by the first sensor during operation of the vehicle; (ii) analyze the first plurality of sensor information to detect a gap along the vehicle's path of travel; (iii) compare one or more dimensions of the gap to one or more dimensions of the vehicle; (iv) receive a second plurality of sensor information from the second sensor; and (v) control the vehicle to travel through the gap based on the comparison of the one or more dimensions of the gap to the one or more dimensions of the vehicle and the second plurality of sensor information from the second sensor.

Systems and methods are provided for navigating a host vehicle. A processing device may be programmed to receive an image representative of an environment of the host vehicle; determine a planned navigational action for the host vehicle; analyze the image to identify a target vehicle travelling toward the host vehicle; determine a next-state distance between the host vehicle and the target vehicle that would result if the planned navigational action was taken; determine a stopping distance for the host vehicle based on a braking profile, a maximum acceleration capability, and a current speed of the host vehicle; determine a stopping distance for the target vehicle based on a braking profile and a current speed of the target vehicle; and implement the planned navigational action if the determined next-state distance is greater than a sum of the stopping distances for the host vehicle and the target vehicle.

The technology relates to controlling a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode. In one instance, sensor data identifying an object in an environment of the vehicle may be received. A first path of a first trajectory where the vehicle will pass the object may be determined. A function is used to determining a first maximum speed of the vehicle based on a predetermined minimum lateral clearance between the object and the vehicle. The first maximum speed may be used to determine whether an actual lateral clearance between the object and the vehicle will meet the predetermined minimum lateral clearance. The determination of whether the actual lateral clearance will meet the predetermined minimum lateral clearance may be used to generate a first speed plan for the first trajectory. The vehicle may be controlled in the autonomous driving mode according to the first trajectory including the first speed plan and the first path.

Systems and methods are provided for navigating a host vehicle. A navigation system for the host vehicle may include at least one processor programmed to receive images representative of an environment of the host vehicle; analyze at least one of the images to identify navigational state information associated with the host vehicle; determine a plurality of first potential navigational actions for the host vehicle based on the navigational state information; determine respective future states for the plurality of first potential navigational actions; determine a plurality of second potential navigational actions for the host vehicle based on the determined respective future states; select, based on the plurality of second potential navigational actions, one of the plurality of first potential navigational actions; and cause an adjustment of a navigational actuator of the host vehicle to implement the selected one of the plurality of first potential navigational actions.

A vehicle for autonomous driving is capable of performing a minimum risk maneuver. The vehicle includes: at least one sensor, a processor and a controller, where the processor may detect whether a minimum risk maneuver (MRM) is required based on at least one of surrounding environment information and vehicle state information during autonomous driving of the vehicle, determine an MRM type based on a possibility of colliding with a neighboring vehicle when the MRM is required, and control to stop the vehicle based on the determined MRM type.

This document discloses system, method, and computer program product embodiments for operating a vehicle. For example, the method includes: obtaining a vehicle trajectory for the vehicle and a possible object trajectory for a moving object; analyzing the vehicle trajectory and the possible object trajectory to identify a time interval in which a footprint of the vehicle overlaps laterally with a footprint of the object; generating a mover raw margin in the time interval by shifting the footprint of the vehicle laterally until contact is made with the footprint of the object; obtaining a crossing time associated with each point in the mover raw margin; and generating a mover strong boundary by laterally shifting point(s) of the mover raw margin in the direction towards the vehicle when the crossing time(s) associated with the point(s) is(are) equal to or less than a threshold time.

A system and method of detecting and mitigating an erratic vehicle by a host vehicle. The method includes gathering sensor information on a calibratable external region surrounding the host vehicle; analyzing the sensor information to detect a target vehicle traveling in a lane and a movement of the target vehicle in the lane; determining whether the movement of the target vehicle in the lane is erratic; if erratic then designating target vehicle as erratic vehicle; assigning a risk score to the erratic vehicle; and implementing a predetermined mitigating action correlating to the assigned risk score to the erratic vehicle. The mitigating action includes one or more of: warning an operator of the host vehicle, warning a vehicle proximal to the host vehicle, and taking at least partial control of the host vehicle to further distance the host vehicle apart from the erratic vehicle.

A method includes identifying an object that is invading a lane that an autonomous vehicle is occupying, and generating a constraint about a point of crossing, where the constraint has a direction and a length, and the point of crossing represents a location of where the object and the autonomous vehicle will collide if the object maintains its current trajectory and the autonomous vehicle maintains its current trajectory. The method includes applying the constraint to a motion plan associated with the autonomous vehicle, and issuing one or more commands to adjust movement of the autonomous vehicle in response to encountering the constraint.

Systems and methods are provided for navigating a host vehicle. At least one processing device may be programmed to receive an image representative of an environment of the host vehicle; determine a planned navigational action for the host vehicle; analyze the image to identify a target vehicle in the environment of the host vehicle; determine a next-state lateral distance between the host vehicle and the target vehicle that would result if the planned navigational action was taken; determine a lateral braking distance for the host vehicle and the target vehicle based on a maximum yaw rate capability, a maximum change in turn radius capability, and a current lateral speed of the host vehicle and the target vehicle; and implement the planned navigational action if the determined next-state distance is greater than a sum of the lateral braking distances for the host vehicle and the target vehicle.

A vehicle control system for an autonomous vehicle includes: a first control device configured to generate a first driving plan including desired lateral lane driving positions or desired lateral lane driving position ranges; a plurality of first sensors configured to obtain information on motion of the vehicle and information on surroundings of the vehicle; and a second control device configured to communicate with the first control device, generate, based on the first driving plan obtained from the first control device and the information obtained by the first sensors, a second driving plan different from the first driving plan, the second driving plan including target lateral lane driving positions or target lateral lane driving position ranges, and control driving operation of the vehicle based on the second driving plan.