ABSTRACT
Abstract
The technology relates to assisting large self-driving vehicles, such as cargo vehicles, as they maneuver towards and/or park at a destination facility. This may include a given vehicle transitioning between different autonomous driving modes. Such a vehicles may be permitted to drive in a fully autonomous mode on certain roadways for the majority of a trip, but may need to change to a partially autonomous mode on other roadways or when entering or leaving a destination facility such as a warehouse, depot or service center. Large vehicles such as cargo truck may have limited room to maneuver in and park at the destination, which may also prevent operation in a fully autonomous mode. Here, information from the destination facility and/or a remote assistance service can be employed to aid in real-time semi-autonomous maneuvering.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/548,960, filed Aug. 23, 2019, which claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/879,571, filed Jul. 29, 2019, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 16/548,980, entitled Method for Performing a Vehicle Assist Operation, filed Aug. 23, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
Autonomous vehicles, such as vehicles that do not require a human driver, can be used to aid in the transport of trailered (e.g., towed) cargo, such as consumer goods, equipment, livestock or other items from one location to another. Such vehicles may operate in a fully autonomous mode or a partially autonomous mode where a person may provide some driving input. There may be situations where a cargo truck or other large vehicle is permitted to operate fully autonomously for part of a route, such as a freeway, but is not permitted to operate in that mode for another part of the route, such as surface streets near a warehouse or depot. In addition, once the vehicle arrives at the warehouse or depot, tight maneuvering may be required with limited sight lines. Many vehicles may not be equipped with sensors sufficient to enable them to reverse or otherwise maneuver into a warehouse dock or other parking location in an autonomous driving mode. In such situations, changing driving modes and potentially having to bring in a human driver could introduce significant logistical complexities for getting the cargo to its destination timely and effectively.
BRIEF SUMMARY
The technology relates to maneuvering self-driving cargo trucks and other vehicles from main thoroughfares (e.g., freeways) to warehouses, service centers, delivery locations and other facilities. One aspect involves situations where the vehicle is not cleared or otherwise permitted to operate fully autonomously on surface streets. Here, a truck may transition from purely autonomously driving (e.g., level 5 autonomy) to an autonomous âfollowâ mode, in which the truck drives behind a lead vehicle while performing mimicking or similar driving operations as the lead vehicle. Another aspect involves how the self-driving vehicle maneuvers and parks at a depot or other destination, without requiring the vehicle to have sensors installed on the trailer(s) or other parts of the vehicle. Both of these aspects are discussed in detail below.
According to one aspect of the technology, a vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode is provided. The vehicle includes a driving system including a steering subsystem, an acceleration subsystem and a deceleration subsystem to control driving of the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode. It also includes a perception system with one or more sensors configured to detect objects in an environment external to the vehicle and a communication system configured to provide wireless connectivity with one or more remote devices. The vehicle further includes a control system with one or more processors. The control system is operatively coupled to the driving system, the communication system and the perception system, and is configured to identify a lead vehicle to follow, authenticate the lead vehicle, begin a following operation by controlling the driving system in accordance with detected or received information about the lead vehicle, detect a signal from the lead vehicle about an upcoming driving maneuver, and control the driving system based on the detected signal and information received by the perception system. Detection of the signal may be performed by the perception system of the vehicle.
In one example, the control system is further configured to take corrective action upon detection by the perception system of an intervening object between the vehicle and the lead vehicle. The corrective action may include either pulling over or increasing a following distance with the lead vehicle. Alternatively or in addition, the corrective action may include requesting that the lead vehicle pull over.
In another example, the control system is further configured to transition from a fully autonomous driving mode to a following mode in order to perform the following operation.
Identification of the lead vehicle may include the control system receiving a request from a remote system to search for the lead vehicle. Here, the received request may include information identifying the lead vehicle.
In a further example, the control system is configured to authenticate the lead vehicle at a prearranged location along a route, at a selected time, when the lead vehicle is within line of sight to the vehicle or when the lead vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle.
According to another aspect of the technology, a vehicle is provided that includes a driving system having a steering subsystem, an acceleration subsystem and a deceleration subsystem to control driving of the vehicle. This vehicle also includes a perception system including one or more sensors configured to detect objects in an environment external to the vehicle and a communication system configured to provide wireless connectivity with one or more remote devices. A control system of the vehicle includes one or more processors and is control system operatively coupled to the driving system, the communication system and the perception system. The control system is configured to obtain a destination for another vehicle, begin a leading operation by controlling the driving system to proceed toward the destination along a route, generate a signal about an upcoming driving maneuver, and emit the generated signal for perception by one or more sensors of the other vehicle.
In one example, the control system is further configured to perform a clearing operation to clear a section of the route for safe passage of both the vehicle and the other vehicle. Here, the control system may be further configured to determine that the other vehicle is able to perform the upcoming driving maneuver within a determined amount of time.
In another example, the leading operation is performed in an autonomous driving mode. In a further example, the leading operation is performed upon receipt of a control signal from a remote system. In yet another example, the control system is able to perform an authentication operation with the other vehicle. In this case, the control system may be configured to send a request to a remote server for the other vehicle to enter a search for leader process.
In a further example, prior to generation of the signal about the upcoming driving maneuver, the control system is configured to obtain real-time state information about the other vehicle. In another example, prior to generation of the signal about the upcoming driving maneuver, the control system is configured to obtain a roadgraph for a section of roadway along the route. In yet another example, the control system is configured to use the perception system to handle perception operations associated with the other vehicle during the leading operation. And the control system may be configured to receive perception data from the other vehicle during the leading operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 A-B illustrates an example cargo vehicle arrangement for use with aspects of the technology.
FIG. 1 C illustrates an example passenger vehicle arrangement for use with aspects of the technology.
FIGS. 2 A-B are functional diagrams of an example tractor-trailer vehicle in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
FIG. 3 is a function diagram of an example passenger vehicle in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
FIGS. 4 A-B illustrate example sensor fields of view for use with aspects of the technology.
FIGS. 5 A-B illustrate an example lead-follow driving scenario in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
FIGS. 6 A-C illustrate driving scenarios with an intervening vehicle in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
FIGS. 7 A-D illustrate exemplary vehicle to vehicle communication scenarios in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
FIGS. 8 A-B illustrate exemplary large vehicle parking scenarios in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
FIGS. 9 A-B illustrate an example system in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
FIG. 10 A illustrates a first example lead-follow method in accordance with aspects of the technology.
FIG. 10 B illustrates a second example lead-follow method in accordance with aspects of the technology.
FIG. 11 illustrates an example parking assistance method in accordance with aspects of the technology.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The technology involves maneuvering self-driving vehicles to destinations in situations that require transitioning between different autonomous driving modes. Cargo trucks or other large vehicles may be able to drive fully autonomously on highways for the majority of a trip, but local regulations, road configurations or other factors may not permit this driving mode on surface streets or when entering or leaving a warehouse, depot or other destinations. Similarly, such vehicles may not easily be able to maneuver in and park at the destination in a fully autonomous mode using just onboard sensors.
In order to address these situations, one aspect includes transitioning the vehicle from purely autonomously driving (e.g., level 5 autonomy) to an autonomous âfollowâ mode, in which the self-driving vehicle drives behind a lead vehicle while performing mimicking or similar driving operations as the lead vehicle. A second aspect involves supporting the self-driving vehicle to maneuver and park at a depot or other facility without requiring the vehicle to have sensors installed on the trailer(s) or other portions of the vehicle.
Example Vehicle Systems
FIGS. 1 A-B illustrate an example cargo vehicle 100 , such as a tractor-trailer truck, and FIG. 1 C illustrates an example passenger vehicle 150 , such as a minivan. The cargo vehicle 100 may include, e.g., a single, double or triple trailer, or may be another medium or heavy duty truck such as in commercial weight classes 4 through 8. As shown, the truck includes a tractor unit 102 and a single cargo unit or trailer 104 . The trailer 104 may be fully enclosed, open such as a flat bed, or partially open depending on the freight or other type of cargo (e.g., livestock) to be transported. The tractor unit 102 includes the engine and steering systems (not shown) and a cab 106 for a driver and any passengers. In a fully autonomous arrangement, the cab 106 may not be equipped with seats or manual driving components, since no person may be necessary.
The trailer 104 includes a hitching point, known as a kingpin 108 . The kingpin 108 is configured to pivotally attach to the tractor unit. In particular, the kingpin attaches to a trailer coupling 109 , known as a fifth-wheel, that is mounted rearward of the cab. Sensor units may be deployed along the tractor unit 102 and/or the trailer 104 . The sensor units are used to detect information about the surroundings around the cargo vehicle 100 . For instance, as shown the tractor unit 102 may include a roof-mounted sensor assembly 110 and one or more side sensor assemblies 112 , which the trailer 104 may employ one or more sensor assemblies 114 , for example mounted on the left and/or right sides thereof.
Similarly, the passenger vehicle 150 may include various sensors for obtaining information about the vehicle's external environment. For instance, a roof- top housing 152 may include a lidar sensor as well as various cameras and/or radar units. Housing 154 , located at the front end of vehicle 150 , and housings
156 a , 156 b on the driver's and passenger's s
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/548,960, filed Aug. 23, 2019, which claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/879,571, filed Jul. 29, 2019, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 16/548,980, entitled Method for Performing a Vehicle Assist Operation, filed Aug. 23, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
Autonomous vehicles, such as vehicles that do not require a human driver, can be used to aid in the transport of trailered (e.g., towed) cargo, such as consumer goods, equipment, livestock or other items from one location to another. Such vehicles may operate in a fully autonomous mode or a partially autonomous mode where a person may provide some driving input. There may be situations where a cargo truck or other large vehicle is permitted to operate fully autonomously for part of a route, such as a freeway, but is not permitted to operate in that mode for another part of the route, such as surface streets near a warehouse or depot. In addition, once the vehicle arrives at the warehouse or depot, tight maneuvering may be required with limited sight lines. Many vehicles may not be equipped with sensors sufficient to enable them to reverse or otherwise maneuver into a warehouse dock or other parking location in an autonomous driving mode. In such situations, changing driving modes and potentially having to bring in a human driver could introduce significant logistical complexities for getting the cargo to its destination timely and effectively.
BRIEF SUMMARY
The technology relates to maneuvering self-driving cargo trucks and other vehicles from main thoroughfares (e.g., freeways) to warehouses, service centers, delivery locations and other facilities. One aspect involves situations where the vehicle is not cleared or otherwise permitted to operate fully autonomously on surface streets. Here, a truck may transition from purely autonomously driving (e.g., level 5 autonomy) to an autonomous âfollowâ mode, in which the truck drives behind a lead vehicle while performing mimicking or similar driving operations as the lead vehicle. Another aspect involves how the self-driving vehicle maneuvers and parks at a depot or other destination, without requiring the vehicle to have sensors installed on the trailer(s) or other parts of the vehicle. Both of these aspects are discussed in detail below.
According to one aspect of the technology, a vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode is provided. The vehicle includes a driving system including a steering subsystem, an acceleration subsystem and a deceleration subsystem to control driving of the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode. It also includes a perception system with one or more sensors configured to detect objects in an environment external to the vehicle and a communication system configured to provide wireless connectivity with one or more remote devices. The vehicle further includes a control system with one or more processors. The control system is operatively coupled to the driving system, the communication system and the perception system, and is configured to identify a lead vehicle to follow, authenticate the lead vehicle, begin a following operation by controlling the driving system in accordance with detected or received information about the lead vehicle, detect a signal from the lead vehicle about an upcoming driving maneuver, and control the driving system based on the detected signal and information received by the perception system. Detection of the signal may be performed by the perception system of the vehicle.
In one example, the control system is further configured to take corrective action upon detection by the perception system of an intervening object between the vehicle and the lead vehicle. The corrective action may include either pulling over or increasing a following distance with the lead vehicle. Alternatively or in addition, the corrective action may include requesting that the lead vehicle pull over.
In another example, the control system is further configured to transition from a fully autonomous driving mode to a following mode in order to perform the following operation.
Identification of the lead vehicle may include the control system receiving a request from a remote system to search for the lead vehicle. Here, the received request may include information identifying the lead vehicle.
In a further example, the control system is configured to authenticate the lead vehicle at a prearranged location along a route, at a selected time, when the lead vehicle is within line of sight to the vehicle or when the lead vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle.
According to another aspect of the technology, a vehicle is provided that includes a driving system having a steering subsystem, an acceleration subsystem and a deceleration subsystem to control driving of the vehicle. This vehicle also includes a perception system including one or more sensors configured to detect objects in an environment external to the vehicle and a communication system configured to provide wireless connectivity with one or more remote devices. A control system of the vehicle includes one or more processors and is control system operatively coupled to the driving system, the communication system and the perception system. The control system is configured to obtain a destination for another vehicle, begin a leading operation by controlling the driving system to proceed toward the destination along a route, generate a signal about an upcoming driving maneuver, and emit the generated signal for perception by one or more sensors of the other vehicle.
In one example, the control system is further configured to perform a clearing operation to clear a section of the route for safe passage of both the vehicle and the other vehicle. Here, the control system may be further configured to determine that the other vehicle is able to perform the upcoming driving maneuver within a determined amount of time.
In another example, the leading operation is performed in an autonomous driving mode. In a further example, the leading operation is performed upon receipt of a control signal from a remote system. In yet another example, the control system is able to perform an authentication operation with the other vehicle. In this case, the control system may be configured to send a request to a remote server for the other vehicle to enter a search for leader process.
In a further example, prior to generation of the signal about the upcoming driving maneuver, the control system is configured to obtain real-time state information about the other vehicle. In another example, prior to generation of the signal about the upcoming driving maneuver, the control system is configured to obtain a roadgraph for a section of roadway along the route. In yet another example, the control system is configured to use the perception system to handle perception operations associated with the other vehicle during the leading operation. And the control system may be configured to receive perception data from the other vehicle during the leading operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 A-B illustrates an example cargo vehicle arrangement for use with aspects of the technology.
FIG. 1 C illustrates an example passenger vehicle arrangement for use with aspects of the technology.
FIGS. 2 A-B are functional diagrams of an example tractor-trailer vehicle in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
FIG. 3 is a function diagram of an example passenger vehicle in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
FIGS. 4 A-B illustrate example sensor fields of view for use with aspects of the technology.
FIGS. 5 A-B illustrate an example lead-follow driving scenario in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
FIGS. 6 A-C illustrate driving scenarios with an intervening vehicle in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
FIGS. 7 A-D illustrate exemplary vehicle to vehicle communication scenarios in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
FIGS. 8 A-B illustrate exemplary large vehicle parking scenarios in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
FIGS. 9 A-B illustrate an example system in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
FIG. 10 A illustrates a first example lead-follow method in accordance with aspects of the technology.
FIG. 10 B illustrates a second example lead-follow method in accordance with aspects of the technology.
FIG. 11 illustrates an example parking assistance method in accordance with aspects of the technology.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The technology involves maneuvering self-driving vehicles to destinations in situations that require transitioning between different autonomous driving modes. Cargo trucks or other large vehicles may be able to drive fully autonomously on highways for the majority of a trip, but local regulations, road configurations or other factors may not permit this driving mode on surface streets or when entering or leaving a warehouse, depot or other destinations. Similarly, such vehicles may not easily be able to maneuver in and park at the destination in a fully autonomous mode using just onboard sensors.
In order to address these situations, one aspect includes transitioning the vehicle from purely autonomously driving (e.g., level 5 autonomy) to an autonomous âfollowâ mode, in which the self-driving vehicle drives behind a lead vehicle while performing mimicking or similar driving operations as the lead vehicle. A second aspect involves supporting the self-driving vehicle to maneuver and park at a depot or other facility without requiring the vehicle to have sensors installed on the trailer(s) or other portions of the vehicle.
Example Vehicle Systems
FIGS. 1 A-B illustrate an example cargo vehicle 100 , such as a tractor-trailer truck, and FIG. 1 C illustrates an example passenger vehicle 150 , such as a minivan. The cargo vehicle 100 may include, e.g., a single, double or triple trailer, or may be another medium or heavy duty truck such as in commercial weight classes 4 through 8. As shown, the truck includes a tractor unit 102 and a single cargo unit or trailer 104 . The trailer 104 may be fully enclosed, open such as a flat bed, or partially open depending on the freight or other type of cargo (e.g., livestock) to be transported. The tractor unit 102 includes the engine and steering systems (not shown) and a cab 106 for a driver and any passengers. In a fully autonomous arrangement, the cab 106 may not be equipped with seats or manual driving components, since no person may be necessary.
The trailer 104 includes a hitching point, known as a kingpin 108 . The kingpin 108 is configured to pivotally attach to the tractor unit. In particular, the kingpin attaches to a trailer coupling 109 , known as a fifth-wheel, that is mounted rearward of the cab. Sensor units may be deployed along the tractor unit 102 and/or the trailer 104 . The sensor units are used to detect information about the surroundings around the cargo vehicle 100 . For instance, as shown the tractor unit 102 may include a roof-mounted sensor assembly 110 and one or more side sensor assemblies 112 , which the trailer 104 may employ one or more sensor assemblies 114 , for example mounted on the left and/or right sides thereof.
Similarly, the passenger vehicle 150 may include various sensors for obtaining information about the vehicle's external environment. For instance, a roof- top housing 152 may include a lidar sensor as well as various cameras and/or radar units. Housing 154 , located at the front end of vehicle 150 , and housings
156 a , 156 b on the driver's and passenger's sides of the vehicle may each incorporate a Lidar or other sensor. For example, housing 156 a may be located in front of the driver's side door along a quarterpanel of the vehicle. As shown, the passenger vehicle 150 also includes housings
158 a , 158 b for radar units, lidar and/or cameras also located towards the rear roof portion of the vehicle. Additional lidar, radar units and/or cameras (not shown) may be located at other places along the vehicle 100 . For instance, arrow 160 indicates that a sensor unit may be positioned along the read of the vehicle 150 , such as on or adjacent to the bumper.
While certain aspects of the disclosure may be particularly useful in connection with specific types of vehicles, the vehicle may be any type of vehicle including, but not limited to, cars, trucks, motorcycles, buses, recreational vehicles, etc.
FIG. 2 A illustrates a block diagram 200 with various components and systems of a cargo vehicle, such as a truck, farm equipment or construction equipment, configured to operate in a fully or semi-autonomous mode of operation. By way of example, there are different degrees of autonomy that may occur for a vehicle operating in a partially or fully autonomous driving mode. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Society of Automotive Engineers have identified different levels to indicate how much, or how little, the vehicle controls the driving. For instance, Level 0 has no automation and the driver makes all driving-related decisions. The lowest semi-autonomous mode, Level 1, includes some drive assistance such as cruise control. Level 2 has partial automation of certain driving operations, while Level 3 involves conditional automation that can enable a person in the driver's seat to take control as warranted. In contrast, Level 4 is a high automation level where the vehicle is able to drive without assistance in select conditions. And Level 5 is a fully autonomous mode in which the vehicle is able to drive without assistance in all situations. The architectures, components, systems and methods described herein can function in any of the semi or fully-autonomous modes, e.g., Levels 1-5, which are referred to herein as âautonomousâ driving modes. Thus, reference to an autonomous driving mode includes both partial and full autonomy.
As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2 A , the vehicle includes a control system of one or more computing devices, such as computing devices 202 containing one or more processors 204 , memory 206 and other components typically present in general purpose computing devices. The control system may constitute an electronic control unit (ECU) of a tractor unit. The memory 206 stores information accessible by the one or more processors 204 , including instructions 208 and data 210 that may be executed or otherwise used by the processor 204 . The memory 206 may be of any type capable of storing information accessible by the processor, including a computing device-readable medium. The memory is a non-transitory medium such as a hard-drive, memory card, optical disk, solid-state, tape memory, or the like. Systems may include different combinations of the foregoing, whereby different portions of the instructions and data are stored on different types of media.
The instructions 208 may be any set of instructions to be executed directly (such as machine code) or indirectly (such as scripts) by the processor. For example, the instructions may be stored as computing device code on the computing device-readable medium. In that regard, the terms âinstructionsâ and âprogramsâ may be used interchangeably herein. The instructions may be stored in object code format for direct processing by the processor, or in any other computing device language including scripts or collections of independent source code modules that are interpreted on demand or compiled in advance. The data 210 may be retrieved, stored or modified by one or more processors 204 in accordance with the instructions 208 . In one example, some or all of the memory 206 may be an event data recorder or other secure data storage system configured to store vehicle diagnostics and/or detected sensor data.
The one or more processor 204 may be any conventional processors, such as commercially available CPUs. Alternatively, the one or more processors may be a dedicated device such as an ASIC or other hardware-based processor. Although FIG. 2 A functionally illustrates the processor(s), memory, and other elements of computing devices 202 as being within the same block, such devices may actually include multiple processors, computing devices, or memories that may or may not be stored within the same physical housing. Similarly, the memory 206 may be a hard drive or other storage media located in a housing different from that of the processor(s) 204 . Accordingly, references to a processor or computing device will be understood to include references to a collection of processors or computing devices or memories that may or may not operate in parallel.
In one example, the computing devices 202 may form an autonomous driving computing system incorporated into vehicle 100 . The autonomous driving computing system may capable of communicating with various components of the vehicle. For example, returning to FIG. 2 A , the computing devices 202 may be in communication with various systems of the vehicle, including a driving system including a deceleration system 212 (for controlling braking of the vehicle), acceleration system 214 (for controlling acceleration of the vehicle), steering system 216 (for controlling the orientation of the wheels and direction of the vehicle), signaling system 218 (for controlling turn signals), navigation system 220 (for navigating the vehicle to a location or around objects) and a positioning system 222 (for determining the position of the vehicle).
The computing devices 202 are also operatively coupled to a perception system 224 (for detecting objects in the vehicle's environment), a power system 226 (for example, a battery and/or gas or diesel powered engine) and a transmission system 230 in order to control the movement, speed, etc., of the vehicle in accordance with the instructions 208 of memory 206 in an autonomous driving mode which does not require or need continuous or periodic input from a passenger of the vehicle. Some or all of the wheels/ tires 228 are coupled to the transmission system 230 , and the computing devices 202 may be able to receive information about tire pressure, balance and other factors that may impact driving in an autonomous mode.
The computing devices 202 may control the direction and speed of the vehicle by controlling various components. By way of example, computing devices 202 may navigate the vehicle to a destination location completely autonomously using data from the map information and navigation system 220 . Computing devices 202 may use the positioning system 222 to determine the vehicle's location and the perception system 224 to detect and respond to objects when needed to reach the location safely. In order to do so, computing devices 202 may cause the vehicle to accelerate (e.g., by increasing fuel or other energy provided to the engine by acceleration system 214 ), decelerate (e.g., by decreasing the fuel supplied to the engine, changing gears, and/or by applying brakes by deceleration system 212 ), change direction (e.g., by turning the front or other wheels of vehicle 100 by steering system 216 ), and signal such changes (e.g., by illuminating turn signals of signaling system 218 ). Thus, the acceleration system 214 and deceleration system 212 may be a part of a drivetrain or other transmission system 230 that includes various components between an engine of the vehicle and the wheels of the vehicle. Again, by controlling these systems, computing devices 202 may also control the transmission system 230 of the vehicle in order to maneuver the vehicle autonomously.
As an example, computing devices 202 may interact with deceleration system 212 and acceleration system 214 in order to control the speed of the vehicle. Similarly, steering system 216 may be used by computing devices 202 in order to control the direction of vehicle. For example, if the vehicle is configured for use on a road, such as a tractor-trailer truck or a construction vehicle, the steering system 216 may include components to control the angle of wheels of the tractor unit 102 to turn the vehicle. Signaling system 218 may be used by computing devices 202 in order to signal the vehicle's intent to other drivers or vehicles, for example, by lighting turn signals or brake lights when needed.
Navigation system 220 may be used by computing devices 202 in order to determine and follow a route to a location. In this regard, the navigation system 220 and/or memory 206 may store map information, e.g., highly detailed maps that computing devices 202 can use to navigate or control the vehicle. As an example, these maps may identify the shape and elevation of roadways, lane markers, intersections, crosswalks, speed limits, traffic signal lights, buildings, signs, real time traffic information, vegetation, or other such objects and information, including depot, warehouse or other facility maps. The lane markers may include features such as solid or broken double or single lane lines, solid or broken lane lines, reflectors, etc. A given lane may be associated with left and right lane lines or other lane markers that define the boundary of the lane. Thus, most lanes may be bounded by a left edge of one lane line and a right edge of another lane line.
The perception system 224 also includes sensors for detecting objects external to the vehicle. The detected objects may be other vehicles, obstacles in the roadway, traffic signals, signs, trees, buildings or other structures, etc. For example, the perception system 224 may include one or more light detection and ranging (lidar) sensors, sonar devices, radar units, cameras (e.g., optical and/or infrared), inertial sensors (e.g., gyroscopes or accelerometers), and/or any other detection devices that record data which may be processed by computing devices 202 . The sensors of the perception system 224 may detect objects and their characteristics such as location, orientation, size, shape, type (for instance, vehicle, pedestrian, bicyclist, etc.), heading, and speed of movement, etc. The raw data from the sensors and/or the aforementioned characteristics can sent for further processing to the computing devices 202 periodically and continuously as it is generated by the perception system 224 . Computing devices 202 may use the positioning system 222 to determine the vehicle's location and perception system 224 to detect and respond to objects when needed to reach the location safely. In addition, the computing devices 202 may perform calibration of individual sensors, all sensors in a particular sensor assembly, or between sensors in different sensor assemblies.
As indicated in FIG. 2 A , the sensors of the perception system 224 may be incorporated into one or more sensor assemblies 232 . In one example, the sensor assemblies 232 may be arranged as sensor towers integrated into the side-view mirrors on the truck, farm equipment, construction equipment or the like. Sensor assemblies 232 may also be positioned at different locations on the tractor unit 102 or on the trailer 104 (see FIG. 1 A-B ), or along different portions of passenger vehicle 150 (see FIG. 1 C ). The computing devices 202 may communicate with the sensor assemblies located on both the tractor unit 102 and the trailer 104 or distributed along the passenger vehicle 150 . Each assembly may have one or more types of sensors such as those described above.
Also shown in FIG. 2 A is a communication system 234 and a coupling system 236 for connectivity between the tractor unit and the trailer. The coupling system 236 includes a fifth-wheel at the tractor unit and a kingpin at the trailer. The communication system 234 may include one or more wireless network connections to facilitate communication with other computing devices, such as passenger computing devices within the vehicle, and computing devices external to the vehicle, such as in another nearby vehicle on the roadway or at a remote network. The network connections may include short range communication protocols such as Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy (LE), cellular connections, as well as various configurations and protocols including the Internet, World Wide Web, intranets, virtual private networks, wide area networks, local networks, private networks using communication protocols proprietary to one or more companies, Ethernet, WiFi and HTTP, and various combinations of the foregoing.
FIG. 2 B illustrates a block diagram 240 of an example trailer. As shown, the system includes an ECU 242 of one or more computing devices, such as computing devices containing one or more processors 244 , memory 246 and other components typically present in general purpose computing devices. The memory 246 stores information accessible by the one or more processors 244 , including instructions 248 and data 250 that may be executed or otherwise used by the processor(s) 244 . The descriptions of the processors, memory, instructions and data from FIG. 2 A apply to these elements of FIG. 2 B .
The ECU 242 is configured to receive information and control signals from the trailer unit. The on- board processors 244 of the ECU 242 may communicate with various systems of the trailer, including a deceleration system 252 (for controlling braking of the trailer), signaling system 254 (for controlling turn signals), and a positioning system 256 (for determining the position of the trailer). The ECU 242 may also be operatively coupled to a perception system 258 (for detecting objects in the trailer's environment) and a power system 260 (for example, a battery power supply) to provide power to local components. Some or all of the wheels/ tires 262 of the trailer may be coupled to the deceleration system 252 , and the processors 244 may be able to receive information about tire pressure, balance, wheel speed and other factors that may impact driving in an autonomous mode, and to relay that information to the processing system of the tractor unit. The deceleration system 252 , signaling system 254 , positioning system 256 , perception system 258 , power system 260 and wheels/ tires 262 may operate in a manner such as described above with regard to FIG. 2 A . For instance, the perception system 258 , if employed as part of the trailer, may include at least one sensor assembly 264 having one or more lidar sensors, sonar devices, radar units, cameras, inertial sensors, and/or any other detection devices that record data which may be processed by the ECU 242 or by the processors 204 of the tractor unit.
The trailer also includes a set of landing gear 266 , as well as a coupling system 268 . The landing gear 266 provide a support structure for the trailer when decoupled from the tractor unit. The coupling system 268 , which may be a part of coupling system 236 of the tractor unit, provides connectivity between the trailer and the tractor unit. The coupling system 268 may include a connection section 270 to provide backward compatibility with legacy trailer units that may or may not be capable of operating in an autonomous mode. The coupling system includes a kingpin 272 configured for enhanced connectivity with the fifth-wheel of an autonomous-capable tractor unit.
FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram 300 of various systems of a passenger vehicle. As shown, the system includes one or more computing devices 302 , such as computing devices containing one or more processors 304 , memory 306 and other components typically present in general purpose computing devices. The memory 306 stores information accessible by the one or more processors 304 , including instructions 308 and data 310 that may be executed or otherwise used by the processor(s) 304 . The descriptions of the processors, memory, instructions and data from FIG. 2 A apply to these elements of FIG. 3 .
As with the computing devices 202 of FIG. 2 A , the computing devices 302 of FIG. 3 may control computing devices of an autonomous driving computing system or incorporated into a passenger vehicle. The autonomous driving computing system may be capable of communicating with various components of the vehicle in order to control the movement of the passenger vehicle according to primary vehicle control code of memory 306 . For example, computing devices 302 may be in communication with various, such as deceleration system 312 , acceleration system 314 , steering system 316 , signaling system 318 , navigation system 320 , positioning system 322 , perception system 324 , power system 326 (e.g., the vehicle's engine or motor), transmission system 330 in order to control the movement, speed, etc. of the in accordance with the instructions 208 of memory 306 . The wheels/ tires 328 may be controlled directly by the computing devices 302 or indirectly via these other systems. These components and subsystems may operate as described above with regard to FIG. 2 A . For instance, the perception system 324 also includes one or more sensors 332 for detecting objects external to the vehicle. The sensors 332 may be incorporated into one or more sensor assemblies as discussed above.
Computing devices 202 may include all of the components normally used in connection with a computing device such as the processor and memory described above as well as a user interface subsystem 334 . The user interface subsystem 334 may include one or more user inputs 336 (e.g., a mouse, keyboard, touch screen and/or microphone) and various electronic displays 338 (e.g., a monitor having a screen or any other electrical device that is operable to display information). In this regard, an internal electronic display may be located within a cabin of the passenger vehicle (not shown) and may be used by computing devices 302 to provide information to passengers within the vehicle. Output devices, such as speaker(s) 340 may also be located within the passenger vehicle.
A communication system 342 is also shown, which may be similar to the communication system 234 of FIG. 2 A . For instance, the communication system 342 may also include one or more wireless network connections to facilitate communication with other computing devices, such as passenger computing devices within the vehicle, and computing devices external to the vehicle, such as in another nearby vehicle on the roadway, or a remote server system. The network connections may include short range communication protocols
CLAIMS
Claims ( 22 )
The invention claimed is:
1. A lead vehicle comprising:
a driving system including a steering subsystem, an acceleration subsystem and a deceleration subsystem to control driving of the lead vehicle;
a perception system including one or more sensors configured to detect objects in an environment external to the lead vehicle;
a communication system configured to provide wireless connectivity with one or more remote devices; and
a control system including one or more processors, the control system operatively coupled to the driving system, the communication system and the perception system, the control system being configured to:
receive a communication indicating a destination to which another vehicle is driving;
determine whether the lead vehicle is able to drive to the destination; and
when the lead vehicle is able to drive to the destination:
control the driving system to position the lead vehicle in front of the other vehicle;
upon the driving system being controlled to position the lead vehicle in front of the other vehicle to initiate a leading operation, send a command for the other vehicle to enter a leader search state for a predetermined period of time to identify and follow the lead vehicle; and
perform the leading operation by controlling the driving system to proceed toward the destination along a route.
2. The lead vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to perform a clearing operation to clear a section of the route for safe passage of both the lead vehicle and the other vehicle.
3. The lead vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
determine that the other vehicle is able to perform an upcoming driving maneuver within a determined amount of time;
generate a signal about the upcoming driving maneuver; and
emit the generated signal for perception by one or more sensors of the other vehicle.
4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein, prior to generation of the signal about the upcoming driving maneuver, the control system is configured to obtain a roadgraph for an upcoming section of roadway along the route and to generate the signal based on the roadgraph.
5. The lead vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the upcoming driving maneuver is either a turning maneuver or a braking maneuver.
6. The lead vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the leading operation is performed while the lead vehicle is in an autonomous driving mode.
7. The lead vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the leading operation is performed upon receipt of a control signal from a remote system.
8. The lead vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to perform an authentication operation with the other vehicle prior to performing the leading operation.
9. The lead vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the control system is configured to send a request to a remote server for the other vehicle to enter a search for the lead vehicle.
10. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to obtain real-time state information about the other vehicle.
11. The lead vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to use the perception system to handle perception operations associated with the other vehicle during the leading operation.
12. The lead vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to receive perception data from the other vehicle during the leading operation and use the received perception data to perform the leading operation.
13. The lead vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the command is sent to a remote server in order to push the leader search state down to the other vehicle.
14. A method of operating a lead vehicle in an autonomous driving mode, the method comprising:
receiving, by one or more processors of a control system of the lead vehicle, a communication indicating a destination to which another vehicle is driving;
determining, by the one or more processors, whether the lead vehicle is able to drive to the destination; and
when the lead vehicle is able to drive to the destination:
controlling, by the one or more processors, a driving system of the lead vehicle to position the lead vehicle in front of the other vehicle;
upon the driving system being controlled to position the lead vehicle in front of the other vehicle to initiate a leading operation, sending, by the one or more processors, a command for the other vehicle to enter a leader search state for a predetermined period of time to identify and follow the lead vehicle; and
performing, by the one or more processors, the leading operation by controlling the driving system of the lead vehicle to proceed toward the destination along a route.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising causing the driving system to perform a clearing operation to clear a section of the route for safe passage of both the lead vehicle and the other vehicle.
16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising: determining that the other vehicle is able to perform an upcoming driving maneuver within a determined amount of time;
generating a signal about the upcoming driving maneuver; and
emit the generated signal for perception by one or more sensors of the other vehicle.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the upcoming driving maneuver is either a turning maneuver or a braking maneuver.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the leading operation is performed upon receipt of a control signal from a remote system.
19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising performing an authentication operation with the other vehicle prior to performing the leading operation.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising sending a request to a remote server for the other vehicle to enter a search for the lead vehicle.
21. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving perception data from the other vehicle during the leading operation; and
using the received perception data to perform the leading operation.
22. The method of claim 14 , wherein sending the command comprises sending the command to a remote server in order to push the leader search state down to the other vehicle.
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