Method and system for controlling the behavior of an object. Behavior of the object is controlled during a first time period by using a first agent that applies a first behavior policy to map observations about a state of the object in the first time period to a corresponding control action. Control is transitioned from the first agent to a second agent during a transition period following the first time period. Behavior of the object during a second time period following the transition period is controlled by using a second agent that applies a second behavior policy to map observations about a current state of the object in the second time period to a corresponding control action that is applied to the object. During transition the first agent applies the first behavior policy control the object and the second agent applies the second behavior policy to map observations about the state of the object to corresponding control actions that are not applied to the object.

Method and system for controlling the behavior of an object. Behavior of the object is controlled during a first time period by using a first agent that applies a first behavior policy to map observations about the object and the environment in the first time period to a corresponding control action. Control is transitioned from the first agent to a second agent during a transition period following the first time period. Behavior of the object during a second time period following the transition period is controlled by using a second agent that applies a second behavior policy to map observations about the object and the environment in the second time period to a corresponding control action that is applied to the object. During transition the first agent applies the first behavior policy control the object and the second agent applies the second behavior policy to map observations about the object and the environment to corresponding control actions that are not applied to the object.

A system and method is provided for early detection of objects by a perception system of a vehicle, and triggering a precautionary action by the vehicle in response without waiting for a more precise detection. The vehicle has a multi-level sensor range, wherein a first level of the sensor range is adjacent an outer bounds of the sensor range and has a first confidence value, and a second level of the sensor range is within the first range and has a second higher confidence value. In situations when oncoming traffic is traveling at a high rate of speed, the vehicle responds to noisier detections, or objects perceived with a lower degree of confidence, rather than waiting for verification which may come too late.

The present disclosure relates to a computer implemented method for operating an autonomous vehicle based on sensor data representative of an area in a driving direction of and in the vicinity of the vehicle. The vehicle is equipped with a control unit adapted to determine if a plurality of detailed actions to be performed by the vehicle successfully may be used for fulfilling a desired general action plan for the vehicle. The present disclosure also relates to a corresponding control system and to a computer program product.

A vehicle control apparatus selects at least one oncoming vehicle and sets the selected oncoming vehicle as a control target vehicle when an own vehicle turns right or left in a traffic intersection, acquires a first index value which represents a collision probability, and executes a collision avoiding control when the first index value satisfies a predetermined condition. The vehicle control apparatus calculates a second index value which represents a degree of turning of the own vehicle, moves an area used to select the control target vehicle toward the own vehicle in an opposite direction to a turning direction of the own vehicle as the second index value increases, and selects, as the control target vehicle, the oncoming vehicle which has been in the area for a predetermined time threshold or more.

Behavior information input unit (54) receives stop-behavior information about vehicle (100) from automatic-driving control device (30). Image-and-sound output unit (51) outputs inquiry information for inquiring of an occupant whether a possibility of collision between an obstacle and vehicle (100) is to be excluded from a determination object in automatic-driving control device (30) to notification device (2), when a distance from one point on a predictive movement route of the obstacle to the obstacle is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and a speed of the obstacle is less than or equal to a second threshold. Operation signal input unit (50) receives a response signal for excluding the collision possibility from the determination object. Command output unit (55) outputs a command to exclude the collision possibility from the determination object to automatic-driving control device (30).

A method of assisting an autonomous vehicle includes obtaining first surrounding area information of the vehicle when the vehicle is located at a first distance from a monitored area disposed ahead of the vehicle, providing a first control command for controlling the vehicle to operate in a first operating mode, by using the first surrounding area information, obtaining second surrounding area information of the vehicle when the vehicle has driven toward the monitored area and is located at a second distance less than the first distance from the monitored area, and providing a second control command for controlling the vehicle to operate in a second operating mode, by using the second surrounding area information.

Systems and methods for selecting among different driving modes for autonomous driving of a vehicle may: generate output signals; determine the vehicle proximity information that indicates whether one or more vehicles are within the particular proximity of the vehicle; determine the internal passenger presence information that indicates whether one or more passengers are present in the vehicle; select a first driving mode or a second driving mode based on one or more determinations; and control the vehicle autonomously in accordance with the selection of either the first driving mode or the second driving mode.

Systems and methods for predicting object motion and controlling autonomous vehicles are provided. In one example embodiment, a computer implemented method includes obtaining state data indicative of at least a current or a past state of an object that is within a surrounding environment of an autonomous vehicle. The method includes obtaining data associated with a geographic area in which the object is located. The method includes generating a combined data set associated with the object based at least in part on a fusion of the state data and the data associated with the geographic area in which the object is located. The method includes obtaining data indicative of a machine-learned model. The method includes inputting the combined data set into the machine-learned model. The method includes receiving an output from the machine-learned model. The output can be indicative of a plurality of predicted trajectories of the object.

Techniques for determining to modify a trajectory based on an object are discussed herein. A vehicle can determine a drivable area of an environment, capture sensor data representing an object in the environment, and perform a spot check to determine whether or not to modify a trajectory. Such a spot check may include processing to incorporate an actual or predicted extent of the object into the drivable area to modify the drivable area. A distance between a reference trajectory and the object can be determined at discrete points along the reference trajectory, and based on a cost, distance, or intersection associated with the trajectory and the modified area, the vehicle can modify its trajectory. One trajectory modification includes following, which may include varying a longitudinal control of the vehicle, for example, to maintain a relative distance and velocity between the vehicle and the object.