Abstract: Particular embodiments described herein provide for a system and method to help enable a towing vehicle. In an example, the system can identify a location of the disabled vehicle, deploy the towing vehicle to the location of the disabled vehicle, where the towing vehicle uses sensor data from a sensor suite and a perception module to navigate to the location of the disabled vehicle, and use the towing vehicle to tow the disabled vehicle to a new location.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle (AV) uses an authentication system to verify that a person on the street attempting to control behavior of the AV is authorized to do so. An authorized person (e.g., a construction worker or a police officer) has an associated beacon that provides a beacon signal, such as a visual symbol or wireless signal. The AV perceives the beacon signal and transmits it to the authentication system. The authentication system looks up the beacon signal in a database and retrieves conditions associated with the beacon signal. If the authentication system and/or AV confirms that the beacon signal is in the database, and the conditions under which the person associated with the beacon signal is authorized to control the AV are met, the AV follows instructions from the person.

Abstract: Particular embodiments described herein provide for a system and method to help enable a towing vehicle. In an example, the system can identify a location of the disabled vehicle, deploy the towing vehicle to the location of the disabled vehicle, where the towing vehicle uses sensor data from a sensor suite and a perception module to navigate to the location of the disabled vehicle, and use the towing vehicle to tow the disabled vehicle to a new location.

Abstract: The disclosed technology provides solutions for improving the operational efficiency and safety of autonomous vehicles (AVs). In some implementations, the disclosed technology encompasses methods for performing vehicle clustering or platooning, for example, that can include steps for computing navigation routes for each of a plurality of autonomous vehicles (AVs), identifying a route overlap for a first AV and a second AV selected from among the plurality of AVs, and transmitting a clustering instruction to the first AV and the second AV based on the route overlap, wherein the clustering instruction is configured to cause the first AV and the second AV to initiate a clustering configuration. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Abstract: The present technology utilizes vehicles in a fleet of vehicles to record weather data samples at many locations in a service area. Each vehicle in the fleet becomes a weather station that can record weather data at many locations and frequently. The weather data can be used to make intelligent decisions regarding fleet management.

Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to solutions for reducing or eliminating motion sickness experienced by a vehicle occupant/passenger. In some aspects, a process of the disclosed technology includes steps for collecting motion data associated with a vehicle using one or more environmental sensors, tracking eye movements of a user within a cabin of the vehicle, processing the motion data and the eye movements to identify a motion event, and generating a motion compensation signal based on the motion event. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Abstract: A method includes determining that an object has fallen to a surface of interest in an interior cabin of a vehicle during a transportation service provided using the vehicle; tracking a location of the object on the surface of interest using at least one interior sensor; updating tracking information for the object, the tracking information including the tracked location of the object and a time at which the location was tracked; inferring a continued existence of the object after the object has moved out of a view of the at least one interior sensor and tagging the object as obscured from view in the tracking information for the object; identifying a user associated with the transportation service; and alerting the identified user to retrieve the object.

Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to solutions for reducing or eliminating motion sickness experienced by a vehicle occupant/passenger. In some aspects, a process of the disclosed technology includes steps for collecting motion data associated with a vehicle using one or more environmental sensors, tracking eye movements of a user within a cabin of the vehicle, processing the motion data and the eye movements to identify a motion event, and generating a motion compensation signal based on the motion event. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Abstract: The present technology pertains to generating hybrid scenario information for use during closed course testing of an autonomous vehicle (AV). Such hybrid scenario information may be generated by combining sensor data from an AV, simulated environment information, simulated object information, and information obtained using perceivable marker information of a perceivable marker perceived by the AV in the closed course environment. The hybrid scenario information may be provided to the AV during the closed course testing. The AV may respond to the hybrid scenario information by performing one or more AV control actions.

Abstract: A method is described and includes subsequent to an autonomous vehicle becoming immobilized, initiating a local assistance request; subsequent to the initiating, receiving local assistance input from a passenger of the autonomous vehicle; and using the local assistance input to determine an action to be taken by the autonomous vehicle to mobilize the autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: A method is described and includes subsequent to an autonomous vehicle becoming immobilized, initiating a local assistance request; subsequent to the initiating, receiving local assistance input from a passenger of the autonomous vehicle; and using the local assistance input to determine an action to be taken by the autonomous vehicle to mobilize the autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: Collaborative perception is based on recognition that a fleet of AVs and stationary infrastructure objects equipped with sensors may be configured to communicate with one another in sharing their sensor data, thus benefiting from collaborative perception, rather than being limited to their individual perception. Three specific scenarios of collaborative perception are disclosed. The first scenario relates to two AVs in the vicinity of one another exchanging complexity scores indicative of their respective environments. The second scenario relates to an AV detecting that it has a blind spot and seeking other AVs or infrastructure objects to provide information indicative of the environment in the blind spot. The third scenario relates to providing infrastructure objects equipped with sensors in appropriate locations so that, when an AV is in the vicinity of such objects, the AV may receive information from their sensors.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle (AV) uses an authentication system to verify that a person on the street attempting to control behavior of the AV is authorized to do so. An authorized person (e.g., a construction worker or a police officer) has an associated beacon that provides a beacon signal, such as a visual symbol or wireless signal. The AV perceives the beacon signal and transmits it to the authentication system. The authentication system looks up the beacon signal in a database and retrieves conditions associated with the beacon signal. If the authentication system and/or AV confirms that the beacon signal is in the database, and the conditions under which the person associated with the beacon signal is authorized to control the AV are met, the AV follows instructions from the person.

Abstract: Collaborative perception is based on recognition that a fleet of AVs and stationary infrastructure objects equipped with sensors may be configured to communicate with one another in sharing their sensor data, thus benefiting from collaborative perception, rather than being limited to their individual perception. Three specific scenarios of collaborative perception are disclosed. The first scenario relates to two AVs in the vicinity of one another exchanging complexity scores indicative of their respective environments. The second scenario relates to an AV detecting that it has a blind spot and seeking other AVs or infrastructure objects to provide information indicative of the environment in the blind spot. The third scenario relates to providing infrastructure objects equipped with sensors in appropriate locations so that, when an AV is in the vicinity of such objects, the AV may receive information from their sensors.

Abstract: The disclosed technology provides solutions for improving the operational efficiency and safety of autonomous vehicles (AVs). In some implementations, the disclosed technology encompasses methods for performing vehicle clustering or platooning, for example, that can include steps for computing navigation routes for each of a plurality of autonomous vehicles (AVs), identifying a route overlap for a first AV and a second AV selected from among the plurality of AVs, and transmitting a clustering instruction to the first AV and the second AV based on the route overlap, wherein the clustering instruction is configured to cause the first AV and the second AV to initiate a clustering configuration. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to techniques for a logistical support autonomous vehicle. A process of the disclosed technology can include receiving, at an autonomous vehicle (AV), a support request, in response to the follow-along routing preference specified by the user, determining a location of the user, and navigating the AV so that the AV remains positioned within a threshold distance of the user. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Abstract: The disclosed technology provides solutions for performing disaster and emergency surveillance and in particular, for maintaining a Common Operating Picture (COP) using a fleet of distributed robots. A COP maintenance process can include steps for receiving a disaster notification identifying an affected area, and deploying autonomous robots to a map location corresponding with the disaster location. In some aspects, the process can further include steps for receiving updated map information from the one or more autonomous robots. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Abstract: The present technology utilizes vehicles in a fleet of vehicles to record weather data samples at many locations in a service area. Each vehicle in the fleet becomes a weather station that can record weather data at many locations and frequently. The weather data can be used to make intelligent decisions regarding fleet management.

Abstract: The present technology utilizes vehicles in a fleet of vehicles to record weather data samples at many locations in a service area. Each vehicle in the fleet becomes a weather station that can record weather data at many locations and frequently. The weather data can be used to make intelligent decisions regarding fleet management.

Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to solutions for reducing or eliminating motion sickness experienced by a vehicle occupant/passenger. In some aspects, a process of the disclosed technology includes steps for collecting motion data associated with a vehicle using one or more environmental sensors, tracking eye movements of a user within a cabin of the vehicle, processing the motion data and the eye movements to identify a motion event, and generating a motion compensation signal based on the motion event. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.