Abstract: A localization system can obtain a LIDAR observation oriented relative to a vehicle frame, the vehicle frame oriented with respect to a pose of a vehicle; access a local environment map descriptive of the environment of the vehicle, wherein the local environment map is oriented relative to a keyframe at a given time, the local environment map including a plurality of surfels and generated in real-time during a current operational instance of the vehicle based on one or more prior LIDAR observations captured during the current operational instance of the vehicle; determine a transform between the vehicle frame and the keyframe by aligning the LIDAR observation to the local environment map based on a similarity between the LIDAR observation and the local environment map; and determine an updated pose of the vehicle based on the transform and the pose of the vehicle in the vehicle frame at the given.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using transmission sensor(s) in localization of an autonomous vehicle (“AV”) are described herein. Some implementations receive instance(s) of transmission sensor data generated by transmission sensor(s) of the AV, generate pose instance(s) of a pose of the AV based on the instance(s) of the transmission sensor data, and cause the AV to be controlled based on the pose instance(s). In some of those implementations, the pose instance(s) can be generated based on steering data the AV that indicates steering angle(s) of the autonomous, and that temporally correspond to the instance(s) of the transmission sensor data. In various implementations, the pose instance(s) may only be generated or utilized based on the instance(s) of the transmission sensor data (and optionally the steering data) in response to detecting an adverse event at the AV.