Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to generating map data. For instance, data generated by a perception system of a vehicle may be received. This data corresponds to a plurality of observations including observed positions of a passenger of the vehicle as the passenger approached the vehicle at a first location. The data may be used to determine an observed distance traveled by a passenger to reach a vehicle. A road edge distance between an observed position of an observation of the plurality of observations and a nearest road edge to the observed position may be determined. An inconvenience value for the first location may be determined using the observed distance and the road edge distance. The map data is then generated using the inconvenience value.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for detecting and targeting genomic rearrangements, in particular gene fusion events, by targeting a DNA molecule of interest with a set or pool of primers, wherein the forward primers and reverse primers produce a PCR amplification product when a genomic rearrangement is present. The present disclosure also relates to methods of bioinformatic analysis to determine whether or not the detection of an amplification product from the selective PCR is actually indicative of the presence of a gene fusion. The present disclosure also related to related methods of diagnosis and treatment of diseases and conditions associated with such genomic rearrangements, in particular cancers, such as lung cancer.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide systems and methods for recognizing an assigned passenger. For instance, dispatching instructions to pick up a passenger at a pickup location are received. The instructions include authentication information for authenticating a client computing device associated with the passenger. A vehicle is maneuvered in an autonomous driving mode towards the pickup location. The client device is then authenticated. After authentication, a set of pedestrians within a predetermined distance of the vehicle are identified from sensor information generated by a sensor of the vehicle and location information is received over a period of time from the client device. The received location information is used to estimate a velocity of the passenger. This estimated velocity is used to identify a subset of set of pedestrians that is likely to be the passenger. The vehicle is stopped to allow the passenger to enter the vehicle based on the subset.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for controlling an autonomous vehicle to enter a driveway. As an example, an instruction to pickup or drop off a passenger at a location may be received. It may be determined that the vehicle is arriving in a lane on an opposite side of a street as the location, the lane having a traffic direction opposite to a traffic direction of a lane adjacent to the location. A difficulty score to maneuver the vehicle to the lane adjacent to the location may be determined, and the difficulty score may be compared to a predetermined difficulty score. Based on the comparison, it may be determined to an available driveway on the same side of the street as the location. The vehicle may be controlled to enter the available driveway.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to smart signs or physical markers for facilitating passenger trips for autonomous vehicles. For instance, a physical marker remote from the autonomous vehicles may receive a first notification indicating a request for a trip has been made via a client computing device. The physical marker may determine when the client computing device has reached a physical marker, and in response to the determination, the physical marker may send a second notification to a dispatching server computing device indicating that the client computing device has reached a physical marker. Other aspects of the disclosure relate to various features and uses for the physical marker.

Abstract: The technology relates to actively looking for an assigned passenger prior to a vehicle 100 reaching a pickup location. For instance, information identifying the pickup location and client device information for authenticating the assigned passenger is received. Sensor data is received from a perception system (172) of the vehicle identifying objects in an environment of the vehicle. When the vehicle is within a predetermined distance (represented by distance bar 772) from the pickup location (represented by marker 770), authenticating a client device (420, 430) using the client device information is attempted. When the client device has been authenticated, the sensor data is used to determine whether a pedestrian (750, 752) is within a first threshold distance (D1) of the vehicle.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for reducing inconvenience to other road users caused by stopped autonomous vehicles. As an example, a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode may be stopped at a first location. While the vehicle is stopped, sensor data is received from a perception system of the vehicle. The sensor data may identify a road user. Using the sensor data, a value indicative of a level of inconvenience to the road user caused by stopping the vehicle at the first location may be determined. The vehicle is controlled in the autonomous driving mode to cause the vehicle to move from the first location and in order to reduce the value.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to maneuvering a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode. For instance, a time constraint for a pullover maneuver and a geographic constraint for the pullover maneuver may be identified. The time constraint and the geographic constraint may be input into a model in order to receive a list of qualities for a region, the region including a plurality of pullover locations. Whether to attempt to find a pullover location within the region to perform the pullover maneuver may be determined based on the list of qualities for the region. The vehicle may be maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode based on the determination whether to attempt to find a pullover location within the region.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to parking behaviors and maneuvering a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode accordingly. For instance, a pullover location for the vehicle to stop and wait for a passenger may be identified. The vehicle may be maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode in order to pull over by pulling forward into the pullover location. Whether to maneuver the vehicle in reverse in the pullover location before or after the passenger enters the vehicle may be determined based on context for the pull over with respect to the passenger. The vehicle may be maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode in reverse based on the determination of whether to maneuver the vehicle in reverse in the pullover location before or after the passenger enters the vehicle.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for detecting and targeting genomic rearrangements, in particular gene fusion events, by targeting a DNA molecule of interest with a set or pool of primers, wherein the forward primers and reverse primers produce a PCR amplification product when a genomic rearrangement is present. The present disclosure also relates to methods of bioinformatic analysis to determine whether or not the detection of an amplification product from the selective PCR is actually indicative of the presence of a gene fusion. The present disclosure also related to related methods of diagnosis and treatment of diseases and conditions associated with such genomic rearrangements, in particular cancers, such as lung cancer.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide systems and methods for recognizing an assigned passenger. For instance, dispatching instructions to pick up a passenger at a pickup location are received. The instructions include authentication information for authenticating a client computing device associated with the passenger. A vehicle is maneuvered in an autonomous driving mode towards the pickup location. The client device is then authenticated. After authentication, a set of pedestrians within a predetermined distance of the vehicle are identified from sensor information generated by a sensor of the vehicle and location information is received over a period of time from the client device. The received location information is used to estimate a velocity of the passenger. This estimated velocity is used to identify a subset of set of pedestrians that is likely to be the passenger. The vehicle is stopped to allow the passenger to enter the vehicle based on the subset.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to smart signs or physical markers for facilitating passenger trips for autonomous vehicles. For instance, a physical marker remote from the autonomous vehicles may receive a first notification indicating a request for a trip has been made via a client computing device. The physical marker may determine when the client computing device has reached a physical marker, and in response to the determination, the physical marker may send a second notification to a dispatching server computing device indicating that the client computing device has reached a physical marker. Other aspects of the disclosure relate to various features and uses for the physical marker.

Abstract: The technology relates to actively looking for an assigned passenger prior to a vehicle 100 reaching a pickup location. For instance, information identifying the pickup location and client device information for authenticating the assigned passenger is received. Sensor data is received from a perception system (172) of the vehicle identifying objects in an environment of the vehicle. When the vehicle is within a predetermined distance (represented by distance bar 772) from the pickup location (represented by marker 770), authenticating a client device (420, 430) using the client device information is attempted. When the client device has been authenticated, the sensor data is used to determine whether a pedestrian (750, 752) is within a first threshold distance (D1) of the vehicle.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to context aware stopping of a vehicle without a driver. As an example, after a passenger has entered the vehicle, the vehicle is maneuvered by one or more processors in an autonomous driving mode towards a destination location along a route. The route is divided into two or more stages. A signal is received by the one or more processors. The signal indicates that the passenger is requesting that the vehicle stop or pull over. In response to the signal, the one or more processors determine a current stage of the route based on a current distance of the vehicle from a pickup location where the passenger entered the vehicle or a current distance of the vehicle from the destination location. The one or more processors then stop the vehicle in accordance with the determined current stage.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide systems and methods for recognizing an assigned passenger. For instance, dispatching instructions to pick up a passenger at a pickup location are received. The instructions include authentication information for authenticating a client computing device associated with the passenger. A vehicle is maneuvered in an autonomous driving mode towards the pickup location. The client device is then authenticated. After authentication, a set of pedestrians within a predetermined distance of the vehicle are identified from sensor information generated by a sensor of the vehicle and location information is received over a period of time from the client device. The received location information is used to estimate a velocity of the passenger. This estimated velocity is used to identify a subset of set of pedestrians that is likely to be the passenger. The vehicle is stopped to allow the passenger to enter the vehicle based on the subset.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for controlling an autonomous vehicle to enter a driveway. As an example, an instruction to pickup or drop off a passenger at a location may be received. It may be determined that the vehicle is arriving in a lane on an opposite side of a street as the location, the lane having a traffic direction opposite to a traffic direction of a lane adjacent to the location. A difficulty score to maneuver the vehicle to the lane adjacent to the location may be determined, and the difficulty score may be compared to a predetermined difficulty score. Based on the comparison, it may be determined to an available driveway on the same side of the street as the location. The vehicle may be controlled to enter the available driveway.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode. For instance, a first location corresponding to a location where the vehicle is to pick up or drop off a passenger is received. A first cost for the vehicle to reach the first location is determined. A second location based on the first location is identified, and a second cost is determined based on a cost for the vehicle to reach the second location and a cost for the passenger to reach the second location. The first cost is compared to the second cost, and a notification is sent based on the notification. In response to sending the notification, instructions to proceed to the second location are received, and in response to receiving the instructions, the vehicle is controlled in the autonomous driving mode to the second location to pick up or drop off the passenger.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to smart signs or physical markers for facilitating passenger trips for autonomous vehicles. For instance, a physical marker remote from the autonomous vehicles may receive a first notification indicating a request for a trip has been made via a client computing device. The physical marker may determine when the client computing device has reached a physical marker, and in response to the determination, the physical marker may send a second notification to a dispatching server computing device indicating that the client computing device has reached a physical marker. Other aspects of the disclosure relate to various features and uses for the physical marker.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to training models for identification of events likely to cause discomfort to passengers of autonomous vehicles and for assessment of overall ride quality of autonomous vehicle rides. For instance, ride data may be associated with a ride quality value indicative of a level of discomfort and/or a first overall ride quality value indicating an overall ride quality provided by the passenger for the first ride. This ride data may be used to train a model such that the model is configured to, in response to receiving ride data for a second ride as input, output a list of events likely to cause discomfort to a passenger during the second ride and/or such that the model is configured to, in response to receiving second ride data for a second ride as input, output a second overall ride quality value for the second ride.

Abstract: A cross-flow heat exchanger for gas turbine engines which may be utilized to transfer heat from one fluid flow 46 to a second independent fluid flow wherein one of the fluid flows has a high differential inlet pressure and temperature. The heat exchanger has robust construction to inhibit mixing of the fluid flows during a single burst duct event.