Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for selecting actions for an agent at a specific real-world location using historical data generated at the same real-world location. One of the methods includes determining a current geolocation of an agent within an environment; obtaining historical data for geolocations in a vicinity of the current geolocation of the agent from a database that maintains historical data for a plurality of geolocations within the environment, the historical data for each geolocation comprising observations generated at least in part from sensor readings of the geolocation captured by vehicles navigating through the environment; generating an embedding of the obtained historical data; and providing the embedding as an input to a policy decision-making system that selects actions to be performed by the agent.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to transmitter charging modules for light detection and ranging (lidar) devices. An example embodiment includes a method. The method includes receiving, from a controller, an indication of a first set of light emitters to be fired during a firing cycle. The first set of light emitters is a subset of a plurality of light emitters of the lidar device. The method also includes selectively charging, by a charging circuit of the lidar device during a charging cycle, a first set of energy storage devices of the lidar device. Additionally, the method includes refraining from charging, by the charging circuit of the lidar device during the charging cycle, each energy storage device in the plurality of energy storage devices that is not in the first set of energy storage devices. Further, the method includes emitting light signals from the first set of light emitters during the firing cycle.

Abstract: The technology relates to generating a representation of an object detected by a perception system of a vehicle. For instance, a set of data points corresponding to an object is received from the perception system. Map information identifying shapes and locations of lanes as well as locations of center points for the lanes is retrieved. A representative point of the center points is selected based on the set of data points. A first position is determined based on the location of the representative point. A second position is determined based on the set of data points. The first and second positions are used to determine a third position for a representation of the object based on a distance the first position and the second position. The representation of the object is generated using the third position. The representation of the object is displayed on a display of the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for assessing driving plans for autonomous vehicles. One of the methods includes obtaining data representing a goal for an agent in a driving environment, generating one or more available trajectories for the agent, and selecting one or more future actions for the agent.

Abstract: The technology relates to planning trajectories for self-driving vehicles in order to transport passengers or cargo from a pickup location to a destination. Trajectory planning includes generating a speed plan for an upcoming portion of the trip in view of one or more constraints. The constraints may be due to proximity to an adjacent vehicle or other road user, and can include projected overlaps between the vehicle and other objects in the vehicle's nearby environment. Certain constraints may be binary or otherwise discontinuous in nature, in which a condition either exists at a given point in time or it does not. Noise in sensor data or prediction models may trigger such binary conditions, which in turn may cause the vehicle to alter the speed plan. Aspects of the technology employ permeable speed constraints that enable the vehicle to avoid problems associated with discontinuous constraints.

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.

Abstract: The technology relates to detecting and responding to emergency vehicles. This may include using a plurality of microphones to detect a siren noise corresponding to an emergency vehicle and to estimate a bearing of the emergency vehicle. This estimated bearing is compared to map information to identify a portion of roadway on which the emergency vehicle is traveling. In addition, information identifying a set of objects in the vehicle's environment as well as characteristics of those objects is received from a perception system is used to determine whether one of the set of objects corresponds to the emergency vehicle. How to respond to the emergency vehicle is determined based on the estimated bearing and identified road segments and the determination of whether one of the set of objects corresponds to the emergency vehicle. This determined response is then used to control the vehicle in an autonomous driving mode.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to Open Ended Substrate Integrated Waveguide (OESIW) antenna arrays and techniques for manufacturing and using OESIW antenna arrays. An example antenna array includes a waveguide and a waveguide feed coupled to the waveguide. The waveguide feed is configured to couple electromagnetic energy between an external source and the waveguide. The antenna array also includes a printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of antenna elements. The PCB is coupled to the waveguide at a plurality of coupling points such that the electromagnetic energy propagates out from the waveguide and through the plurality of antenna elements. An OESIW antenna array can be used within a radar unit, communication system, or other type of signal emitter.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to assessing and responding to wheel slippage and estimating road friction for a road surface. For instance, a vehicle may be controlled in an autonomous driving mode in order to follow a trajectory. A wheel of the vehicle may be determined to be slipping such that the vehicle has limited steering control. In response to determining that the wheel is slipping, steering of one or more wheels may be controlled in order to orient the one or more wheels towards the trajectory in order to allow the vehicle to proceed towards the trajectory when the wheel is no longer slipping. In addition, the road friction may be estimated based on the determination that the wheel is slipping. The vehicle may be controlled in the autonomous driving mode based on the estimated road friction.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, systems and methods of optical sensing for pixel multiplexing and polarized beam steering. Described, among other things, is a system that includes a light source configured to generate a light and one or more optical devices, integrated on a photonic integrated circuit, configured to impart modulation to the generated light and deliver the modulated light to an interface coupling device. The interface coupling device can include a plurality of interface couplers (ICs), each IC configured to scatter the modulated light in a direction that makes at least 5 degrees with an optical axis of lens configured to transmit the light scattered by each IC along a respective direction of a plurality of directions.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for advanced trip planning for an autonomous vehicle service. For instance, an example method may include determining a potential pickup location for a user, determining a set of potential destination locations for a user, and determining a set of potential trips. For each potential trip a vehicle of a fleet of autonomous vehicles of the service may be assigned and trip information, including an estimated time of arrival for the assigned vehicle of the potential trip to reach the destination location of the potential trip, may be determined. The trip information for each potential trip may be provided for display to the user. Thereafter, confirmation information identifying one of the set of potential trips may be received, and the assigned vehicle for one first of the set of potential trips may be dispatched to pick up the user.

Abstract: The technology relates controlling an autonomous vehicle through a multi-lane turn. In one example, data corresponding to a position of the autonomous vehicle in a lane of the multi-lane turn, a trajectory of the autonomous vehicle, and data corresponding to positions of objects in a vicinity of the autonomous vehicle may be received. A determination of whether the autonomous vehicle is positioned as a first vehicle in the lane or positioned behind another vehicle in the lane may be made based on a position of the autonomous vehicle in the lane relative to the positions of the objects. The trajectory of the autonomous vehicle through the lane may be adjusted based on whether the autonomous vehicle is positioned as a first vehicle in the lane or positioned behind another vehicle in the lane. The autonomous vehicle may be controlled based on the adjusted trajectory.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode using trajectories. For instance, a trajectory may be received by one or more first computing devices from one or more second computing devices. While the first computing devices are controlling the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode based on the trajectory, an error may be generated by second computing devices. Whether the error is a recoverable error may be determined, and if so, the second computing devices attempt to generate a new trajectory. When the second computing devices generate the new trajectory, the vehicle may be controlled by the first computing devices according to the new trajectory.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for generating a panoptic segmentation label for a sensor data sample. In one aspect, a system comprises one or more computers configured to obtain a sensor data sample characterizing a scene in an environment. The one or more computers obtain a 3D bounding box annotation at each time point for a point cloud characterizing the scene at the time point. The one or more computers obtain, for each camera image and each time point, annotation data identifying object instances depicted in the camera image, and the one or more computers generate a panoptic segmentation label for the sensor data sample characterizing the scene in the environment.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to using cleaning protocols to monitor defects associated with light detection and ranging (lidar) devices. An example embodiment includes a method. The method includes applying, using a cleaning device, a cleaning protocol to one or more optical components of a light detection and ranging (lidar) device. The method also includes emitting, from a light emitter of the lidar device, one or more light signals. Additionally, the method includes detecting, by a light detector of the lidar device, reflections of the one or more light signals. Further, the method includes determining, by a controller of the lidar device based on the detected reflections of the one or more light signals, that one or more defects are present within the one or more optical components or within the cleaning device.