A control device associated with an autonomous vehicle detects that a person is altering traffic on a road using a hand signal. The control device determines an interpretation of the hand signal. The control device determines a proposed trajectory according to the interpretation of the hand signal. The control device transmits the proposed trajectory to an oversight server. The oversight server determines whether the hand signal is in use to alter the traffic. The oversight server also determines whether the proposed trajectory causes the autonomous vehicle to go out of a pre-mapped area where the autonomous vehicle is able to autonomously travel. In response to determining that the hand signal is in use and that the proposed trajectory does not cause the autonomous vehicle to go out of the pre-mapped area, the oversight server transmits an instruction that indicates to perform the proposed trajectory to the control device.

A control device associated with an autonomous vehicle detects that a construction worker is altering traffic on a road using a construction zone-related hand signal to divert the traffic from a construction site. The control device determines an interpretation of the construction zone-related hand signal. The control device determines a proposed trajectory for the autonomous vehicle according to the interpretation of the construction zone-related hand signal. In certain embodiments, the control device may navigate the autonomous vehicle according to the interpretation of the construction zone-related hand signal. In certain embodiments, the control device may transmit the proposed trajectory to an oversight server for confirmation. In certain embodiments, the oversight may confirm or override the proposed trajectory.

Methods and systems for assessing, detecting, and responding to malfunctions involving components of autonomous vehicles and/or smart homes are described herein. Autonomous operation features and related components can be assessed using direct or indirect data regarding operation. Vehicle collision and/or smart home incident monitoring, damage detection, and responses are also described, with particular focus on the particular challenges associated with incident response for unoccupied vehicles and/or smart homes. Operating data associated with the autonomous vehicle and/or smart home may be received. Within the operating, an unusual condition indicative of a likelihood of incident may be detected. Based on the unusual condition, it may be determined that the incident occurred. Accordingly, a response to the incident may be determined. The response may be implemented by the autonomous vehicle and/or smart home.

A method for determining a vehicle action includes: by a controller that acquires travel situation information of a road on which a host vehicle travels and determines a driving action from the travel situation information, setting at least one control determining point on a first route on which the host vehicle travels, the control determining point determining whether to run or stop the host vehicle; and determining whether to run or stop the host vehicle at the control determining point before the host vehicle reaches the point. The controller determines whether or not the host vehicle enters a road on which another vehicle or a pedestrian travels or walks with priority over the host vehicle on the first route; and where it is determined that the host vehicle enters the road on which the other vehicle or pedestrian travels or walks with priority, sets the control determining points more densely.

One or more embodiments include techniques for providing an alert, based on monitoring of a driver, via a pedestrian-based vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) system associated with a pedestrian. A pedestrian-based V2P system receives, from a vehicle-based V2P system, data related to an awareness level of the driver of the vehicle. The data may include data specifying the awareness level of a driver with respect to a pedestrian, metrics that are determinative of the awareness level of the driver, raw measurement data from the internally facing sensors and/or externally facing sensors, alerts in digitized audio or other suitable format to transmit to the pedestrian, and/or the like. The pedestrian-based V2P system generates an alert based on at least one of a location of the vehicle and the awareness level of the driver of the vehicle. The pedestrian-based V2P system transmits the alert to an output device.

Methods and systems autonomously parking and retrieving vehicles are disclosed. Available parking spaces or parking facilities may be identified, and the vehicle may be navigated to an available space from a drop-off location without passengers. Special-purpose sensors, GPS data, or wireless signal triangulation may be used to identify vehicles and available parking spots. Upon a user request or a prediction of upcoming user demand, the vehicle may be retrieved autonomously from a parking space. Other vehicles may be autonomously moved to facilitate parking or retrieval.

Systems and methods use cameras to provide autonomous navigation features. In one implementation, a driver-assist object detection system is provided for a vehicle. One or more processing devices associated with the system receive at least two images from a plurality of captured images via a data interface. The device(s) analyze the first image and at least a second image to determine a reference plane corresponding to the roadway the vehicle is traveling on. The processing device(s) locate a target object in the first two images, and determine a difference in a size of at least one dimension of the target object between the two images. The system may use the difference in size to determine a height of the object. Further, the system may cause a change in at least a directional course of the vehicle if the determined height exceeds a predetermined threshold.

An exit assist method is executed using an exit assist controller configured to control a subject vehicle to move from an exit start position to a target exit position along an exit route. The exit assist method includes determining whether or not an adjacent parked vehicle is present in an adjacent parking space to the exit start position, and when no adjacent parked vehicle is present, generating the exit route that includes the adjacent parking space.

A drive mode switch control device acquires operation information. The drive mode switch control device switches a drive state among at least an autonomous drive state, a manual drive state, and a coordination drive state. The operation detection unit detects a first operation and a second operation based on the operation information when the drive state is not in the manual drive state. The second operation is the drive operation different from the first operation and input after the input of the first operation. The drive mode switch control device switches the drive state from the autonomous drive state to the coordination drive state based on a detection determination of the first operation. The drive mode switch control device switches the drive state from the coordination drive state to the manual drive state based on a detection determination of the first operation.

Methods and systems for assessing, detecting, and responding to malfunctions involving components of autonomous vehicles and/or smart homes are described herein. Autonomous operation features and related components can be assessed using direct or indirect data regarding operation. Vehicle collision and/or smart home incident monitoring, damage detection, and responses are also described, with particular focus on the particular challenges associated with incident response for unoccupied vehicles and/or smart homes. Operating data associated with the autonomous vehicle and/or smart home may be received. Within the operating, an unusual condition indicative of a likelihood of incident may be detected. Based on the unusual condition, it may be determined that the incident occurred. Accordingly, a response to the incident may be determined. The response may be implemented by the autonomous vehicle and/or smart home.