Abstract: A vehicle policy server maintains a set of policies for constraining operations of one or more remote vehicles. The policies may specify areas, locations, or routes that specified vehicles are restricted from accessing based on a set of acquired information. An application programming interface (API) enables programmatic updates of the policies or related information. Policies may be enforced by transmitting control signals fully or in part to onboard vehicle computers or to a teleoperation support module providing remote support to the vehicles using human teleoperators and/or artificial intelligence agents. The control signals may directly control the vehicles or teleoperation, or may cause a navigation system to present known restrictions in a suitable fashion such as generating an augmented reality display or mapping overlays.

Abstract: A method of determining a drivable space trajectory of an ego vehicle is described. The method includes determining a set of vehicle trajectories corresponding to a same semantic driving maneuver during motion planning of the ego vehicle. The method also includes identifying the drivable space trajectory to perform the same semantic driving maneuver. The method further includes performing a vehicle control action to maneuver the ego vehicle along the drivable space trajectory.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to control a torque threshold for hands on/off detection are disclosed. An example apparatus includes memory including instructions, and one or more processors to execute the instructions to cause the one or more processors to at least compare a velocity of a rack to at least one of a first velocity threshold or a second velocity threshold, adjust a first torque threshold in response to the velocity of the rack satisfying the first velocity threshold, adjust a second torque threshold in response to the velocity of the rack satisfying the second velocity threshold, compare a torque between the rack and a steering shaft to the first torque threshold and the second torque threshold, and detect a hands off condition in response to the torque between the rack and the steering shaft not satisfying the first torque threshold or the second torque threshold.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for managing autonomous vehicles. In this regard, vehicle context data associated with an indication of a change in an autonomous level for a vehicle traveling along a road segment is determined. Furthermore, the vehicle is assigned to a queue of vehicles traveling along the road segment in response to a determination that the vehicle context data corresponds to particular vehicle context data associated with the queue of vehicles. An indication of the queue of vehicles may also be provided to the vehicle to facilitate navigation of the vehicle.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a navigation system which, on the one hand, is arranged on sides of the underwater vehicle/AUV and, on the other hand, includes a surface transmitter as a counterpart. The two units communicate with each other such that the surface transmitter emits its signal directed to the position of the underwater vehicle and/or that the surface transmitter follows the underwater vehicle to improve the position determination capability.

Abstract: A data transmission apparatus is applied to a LiDAR. The data transmission apparatus includes a first optical module, a second optical module, and a coupling optical system. The coupling optical system is arranged between the first optical module and the second optical module. The first optical module is communicatively connected to a LiDAR front-end apparatus, and the second optical module is communicatively connected to an upper application apparatus. The first optical module is configured to receive a first digital signal output by the LiDAR front-end apparatus and convert the first digital signal into an optical signal. The coupling optical system is configured to transmit the optical signal output by the first optical module to the second optical module. The second optical module is configured to convert the optical signal into the first digital signal and output the first digital signal to the upper application apparatus for processing.

Abstract: A time management system includes a terminal, a server, and a calculation unit. The terminal moves with the vehicle using the berth. The server connects the terminal via a network. The calculation unit calculates an estimated arrival time when the vehicle moving arrives at the berth based on position information. The server allocates a usage time of using the berth by the vehicle arriving at the berth at the estimated arrival time based on the estimated arrival time calculated by the calculation unit and a vacancy situation of the berth, and notifies the terminal moving together with the vehicle of the usage time allocated by the allocation unit. The terminal includes an output unit that the usage time notified from the server.

Abstract: When a vehicle performing driverless operation of encounters a blockade situation, a probable blockade time duration of the blockade situation is predicted based on a situational analysis. Support by a teleoperator is requested when the predicted blockade time duration of the blockade situation is greater than a predetermined time duration or when the vehicle has waited longer than the predicted blockade time duration for a resolution of the blockade situation.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present technology includes an estimation unit, a generation unit, and a frequency control unit. The estimation unit estimates at least one of a location or a posture of a mobile object. The generation unit generates a movement plan for moving the mobile object. The frequency control unit controls frequency of update of the movement plan to be performed by the generation unit, on the basis of load index information serving as an index of a load on the estimation unit.

Abstract: A method and control system for updating functionality of a vehicle are presented. The vehicle includes at least one vehicle internal system, at least one add-on system arranged in the vehicle after the vehicle is produced by a manufacturer, and at least one internal communication unit arranged for communication with at least one vehicle external communication unit. The method includes: receiving, using the at least one internal communication unit, information related to at least one functionality of the vehicle from the at least one vehicle external communication unit; and updating, based on the information related to at least one functionality of the vehicle, at least one functionality defined in an add-on interface, the add-on interface being arranged in the vehicle as an interface between the at least one vehicle internal system and the at least one add-on system, whereby updating of said at least one functionality is parameter-based.

Abstract: Techniques and examples for servicing a horticultural operation are described. A method may involve autonomously identifying the horticultural operation or a target located within the horticultural operation and an action to be performed with respect to the horticultural operation or target. The operation or target comprises at least one plant or a group of plants. Based on the identifying, a local area of the horticultural field is determined. The target is located within the local area. The target is associated to at least one autonomous vehicle. The target is located within the local area by the at least one autonomous vehicle. The action with respect to the target is performed by the at least one autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method determines a route from a first location of an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) to a second location within an open space, the first location being a current location of the ADV. The method determines an objective function based on the route, the objective function having a set of costs for maneuvering the ADV from the first location to the second location. The method determines environmental conditions of the open space and uses the environmental conditions to determine a set of weights, each weight to be applied to a corresponding cost of the objective function. The method optimizes the objective function in view of one or more constraints, such that an output of the objective function reaches minimum while the one or more constraints are satisfied and generates a path trajectory with the optimized objective function to control the ADV autonomously according to the path trajectory.

Abstract: When a vehicle control interface receives information indicating “Standstill” from a VP, the vehicle control interface sets a value 2 in a signal indicating an actual moving direction. When the number of wheels rotating in a forward rotation direction is larger than two, the vehicle control interface sets a value 0 in the signal indicating the actual moving direction. When the number of wheels rotating in a reverse rotation direction is larger than two, the vehicle control interface sets a value 1 in the signal indicating the actual moving direction. When the number of wheels rotating in the forward rotation direction is equal to the number of wheels rotating in the reverse rotation direction, the vehicle control interface sets a value 3 in the signal indicating the actual moving direction. The vehicle control interface provides the signal indicating the actual moving direction to an ADK.

Abstract: A vehicle seat arrangement, a control device in the seat arrangement, and a method for activating a plurality of massage units integrated in a vehicle seat, including the following steps: playing back an acoustic entertainment signal by means of a playback device of a vehicle; and controlling the plurality of massage units based on the acoustic entertainment signal by means of the control device; in which at least one of the plurality of massage units is activated so as to vibrate in a frequency range, in which the at least one of the plurality of massage units only brings about noise emission which is externally imperceptible to a person other than a person sitting on the vehicle seat.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a traveling route generation device and a vehicle control device. A traveling route generation device according to the present invention includes: a travel region information acquisition unit acquiring travel region information; and a traveling route generation unit generating information of a curved line expressing a route along which the vehicle should proceed based on the travel region information, wherein an output of the traveling route generation unit is supplied to a vehicle controller performing steering control of the vehicle, and the traveling route generation unit increases weight of the travel region information in a range used for the steering control in the travel region information to be larger than weight of the travel region information in a range which is not used for the steering control to generate information of the curved line.

Abstract: Candidate routes, from an origination to a destination, can be produced. Information can be obtained. The information can be of likelihoods of encounters, along the candidate routes, with types of driving situations demonstrated to cause changes in a degree of confidence, of an occupant of an autonomous vehicle, that a controller of the autonomous vehicle will be able to control the autonomous vehicle so that a result of the encounters is not a collision. Take-over probabilities can be obtained. The take-over probabilities can be of likelihoods that the occupant, in response to the encounters, will cause control of the autonomous vehicle to be transferred to the occupant. Based on the information and take-over probabilities, a route from the origination to the destination can be selected from the candidate routes. The autonomous vehicle can be caused to be configured to commence to move in a direction in accordance with the route.

Abstract: In a self-driving autonomous vehicle, a controller architecture includes multiple processors within the same box. Each processor monitors the others and takes appropriate safe action when needed. Some processors may run dormant or low priority redundant functions that become active when another processor is detected to have failed. The processors are independently powered and independently execute redundant algorithms from sensor data processing to actuation commands using different hardware capabilities (GPUs, processing cores, different input signals, etc.). Intentional hardware and software diversity improves fault tolerance. The resulting fault-tolerant/fail-operational system meets ISO26262 ASIL-D specifications based on a single electronic controller unit platform that can be used for self-driving vehicles.

Abstract: Provided is an autonomous hospital bed including: a frame; wheels; motors to drive the wheels; a controller in communication with the motors; sensors; a processor; a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor effectuate operations including: capturing, with the sensors, depth data indicating distances to objects within an environment of the hospital bed and directions of the distances; capturing, with the sensors, movement data indicating movement distance and direction of the hospital bed; generating, with the processor, a map of the environment using the depth and movement data; generating, with the processor, a movement path to a first location; instructing, with the processor, motor drivers of the wheels to move the hospital bed along the movement path; and, inferring, with the processor, a location of the hospital bed within the environment as the hospital bed navigates along the movement path.

Abstract: One variation of a method for accessing supplemental data from other vehicles includes, at an autonomous vehicle: recording a scan image of a scene around the autonomous vehicle at a first time; detecting insufficient perception data in a region of the scan image; in response to detecting insufficient perception data in the region, defining a ground area of interest containing the region and wirelessly broadcasting a query for perception data representing objects within the ground area of interest; in response to receiving supplemental perception data—representing objects within the ground area of interest detected by the second vehicle at approximately the first time—from a second vehicle proximal the scene, incorporating the supplemental perception data into the scan image to form a composite scan image; selecting a navigational action based on objects in the scene represented by the composite scan image; and autonomously executing the navigational action.

Abstract: Technologies for managing interoperable high definition (HD) maps for autonomous vehicles includes a HD map server to distribute interoperable HD map tiles to various autonomous vehicles, each of which may be configured to utilize proprietary HD map tiles of different propriety formats. As such, each of the autonomous vehicles is configured to translate the interoperable HD map tile to the proprietary format used by that particular vehicle. Additionally, each autonomous vehicle may submit crowd-sourced sensor data to the interoperable HD map server using a universal data set by converting the sensor data to a universal data structure.