Abstract: A system and method for using human driving patterns to manage speed control for autonomous vehicles are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: generating data corresponding to desired human driving behaviors; training a human driving model module using a reinforcement learning process and the desired human driving behaviors; receiving a proposed vehicle speed control command; determining if the proposed vehicle speed control command conforms to the desired human driving behaviors by use of the human driving model module; and validating or modifying the proposed vehicle speed control command based on the determination.

Abstract: A system and method for automated lane change control for autonomous vehicles are disclosed. A particular embodiment is configured to: receive perception data associated with a host vehicle; use the perception data to determine a state of the host vehicle and a state of proximate vehicles detected near to the host vehicle; determine a first target position within a safety zone between proximate vehicles detected in a roadway lane adjacent to a lane in which the host vehicle is positioned; determine a second target position in the lane in which the host vehicle is positioned; and generate a lane change trajectory to direct the host vehicle toward the first target position in the adjacent lane after directing the host vehicle toward the second target position in the lane in which the host vehicle is positioned.

Abstract: A system and method for autonomous vehicle control to minimize energy cost are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: generating a plurality of potential routings and related vehicle motion control operations for an autonomous vehicle to cause the autonomous vehicle to transit from a current position to a desired destination; generating predicted energy consumption rates for each of the potential routings and related vehicle motion control operations using a vehicle energy consumption model; scoring each of the plurality of potential routings and related vehicle motion control operations based on the corresponding predicted energy consumption rates; selecting one of the plurality of potential routings and related vehicle motion control operations having a score within an acceptable range; and outputting a vehicle motion control output representing the selected one of the plurality of potential routings and related vehicle motion control operations.

Abstract: A system and method for adaptive cruise control with proximate vehicle detection are disclosed. The example embodiment can be configured for: receiving input object data from a subsystem of a host vehicle, the input object data including distance data and velocity data relative to detected target vehicles; detecting the presence of any target vehicles within a sensitive zone in front of the host vehicle, to the left of the host vehicle, and to the right of the host vehicle; determining a relative speed and a separation distance between each of the detected target vehicles relative to the host vehicle; and generating a velocity command to adjust a speed of the host vehicle based on the relative speeds and separation distances between the host vehicle and the detected target vehicles to maintain a safe separation between the host vehicle and the target vehicles.