Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for remotely assisting an autonomous vehicle. The method includes: aggregating sensor data from the autonomous vehicle; identifying an assistance-desired scenario; generating an assistance request based on the sensor data; transmitting the assistance request to a remote assistance interface; and receiving and processing a response to the assistance request. The remote assistance interface includes a remote assistance interface that is used in generating the response to the assistance request.

Abstract: A method for controlling an autonomous vehicle using an external interface is disclosed. The method includes an external interface that is in operable communication with one or more control systems of the autonomous vehicle. The method allows an entity in proximity of an outside of the autonomous vehicle to interact with the external interface; receives from the entity one or more control inputs, and controls one or more operations of the autonomous vehicle based on the one or more control inputs.

Abstract: A system and method for providing routing instructions to one or more autonomous vehicles includes identifying a destination of an autonomous vehicle; identifying a starting position or an initial location of the autonomous vehicle; receiving autonomous vehicle sensor data; receiving one or more routing goals for a routing plan for the autonomous vehicle; generating one or more route modification parameters; and generating a route plan for the autonomous vehicle based on (a) the destination, (b) the starting position or the initial location, (c) the one or more route modification parameters and (d) the one or more routing goals.

Abstract: A method for image-based vehicle localization includes measuring, at a vehicle, a position and a heading of the vehicle; capturing, at an image capture system of the vehicle, road surface image data of a road surface; processing the road surface image data to correct for distortion in the road surface image data due to pitch and roll of the vehicle; performing feature detection on the processed road surface image data to detect lane markers on the road surface; generating a local map based on the detected lane markers; wherein generating the local map comprises identifying a lane demarcated by the detected lane markers; and controlling the vehicle according to the local map.