Abstract: This document discloses system, method, and computer program product embodiments for anticipating an imminent state of a school transportation vehicle. For example, the method includes receiving sensor data of an environment near an autonomous vehicle. The method further includes, in response to the sensor data including a representation of a school transportation vehicle, analyzing the sensor data to estimate, from a set of candidate states, a current state of the school transportation vehicle, wherein the candidate states include an actively loading or unloading state, an imminently loading or unloading state, and an inactive state. The method further includes, in response to the estimated current state being either the actively loading or unloading state or the imminently loading or unloading state, causing the autonomous vehicle to slow or stop until the school transportation vehicle is in the inactive state.

Abstract: This document discloses system, method, and computer program product embodiments for estimating the state of a school transportation vehicle. For example, the method includes capturing sensor data that includes information about an environment of an autonomous vehicle. The method further includes detecting a school transportation vehicle in the sensor data, receiving a list of indicators associated with a set of candidate states for the school transportation vehicle, and analyzing data from one or more sources to determine indicator values. The method further includes using the indicator values to compute a probability mass function that includes a likelihood that the school transportation vehicle is in each of the candidate states. The method further includes imposing one or more goals on a motion control system of the autonomous vehicle based on the probability mass function and causing the autonomous vehicle to operate according to the one or more goals.