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: Aspects of the disclosure relate to deployable structures, such as airbag systems, for vehicles. A system is disclosed for reducing likelihood of injury to a passenger in a collision. The system may include a seat configured to accommodate the passenger and an airbag system. At least a portion of the airbag system may be incorporated into a vehicle prior to deployment of the airbag system. The airbag system may include an airbag and a locking feature. The locking feature may be configured to lock the airbag with a locking portion of a vehicle when the airbag system has been deployed. The locking feature may be attached to the airbag. Aside from airbags, other confining structures, such as nets, shades, curtains, etc., may also be used as deployable structures.

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 disclosure relates to determining whether an optical interferent is located on a sensor window and providing a way to identify and discard erroneous sensor data. An example system includes a housing, having a first sensor window and a second sensor window, a laser light source, and an optical sensor. The first window has a first property for deflecting water, and the second window has a second property for deflecting water different from the first property. The source is configured to generate a beam of light through the first window. One or more processors are configured to receive sensor data from the optical sensor and determine that an optical interferent is located on a surface of at least one of the first window and the sensor window based on a comparison between sensor data corresponding to the first window and sensor data corresponding to the second window.

Abstract: The technology relates to a system for clearing a sensor cover. The system may comprise a wiper comprising a wiper support, a wiper blade, and a sensor cover. The wiper blade may be configured to clear the sensor cover of debris, and the sensor cover may be configured to house one or more sensors. A wiper motor may rotate the wiper and a sensor motor may rotate the sensor cover. The system wiper blade may comprise a first edge attached to the wiper support and a second edge which may be configured to be in contact with the sensor cover. The wiper blade may extend in a corkscrew shape around the wiper support. The wiper motor may be configured to rotate the wiper in a first direction and the sensor motor may be configured to rotate the sensor cover in a second direction opposite the first direction.

Abstract: The disclosure provides for a system. The system may include a rotational control system configured to rotate a seat of a vehicle, and one or more computing devices. The one or more computing devices may have one or more processors that are configured to determine that an impact is imminent at a location on the vehicle along a collision axis. A most favorable orientation may be determined by the one or more processors based on the determined location and collision axis. Using the rotational control system, the one or more processors may rotate the seat of the vehicle to the most favorable orientation in order to reduce risks of serious injury to a passenger in the seat caused by the imminent impact. A translational control system may be used by the one or more processors to translate the seat of the vehicle to a position relative to the determined location.

Abstract: This technology relates to a system for clearing sensors. The system may include an air knife, a sensor cover, and a sensor motor. The sensor cover may be configured to house one or more sensors. The sensor motor may be used to rotate the sensor cover. The air knife may be configured to clear the sensor cover of debris by providing a pressurized stream of fluid against the sensor cover as the sensor motor rotates the sensor cover.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to deployable structures, such as airbag systems, for vehicles. A system is disclosed for reducing likelihood of injury to a passenger in a collision. The system may include a seat configured to accommodate the passenger and an airbag system. At least a portion of the airbag system may be incorporated into a vehicle prior to deployment of the airbag system. The airbag system may include an airbag and a locking feature. The locking feature may be configured to lock the airbag with a locking portion of a vehicle when the airbag system has been deployed. The locking feature may be attached to the airbag. Aside from airbags, other confining structures, such as nets, shades, curtains, etc., may also be used as deployable structures.

Abstract: This technology relates to a system for clearing sensors. The system may include an air knife configured to clear a sensor housing of debris. The air knife may be attached to a bearing comprising a bearing ring. The system may also include a motor, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the bearing ring around the sensor housing.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to deployable structures, such as airbag systems, for vehicles. A system is disclosed for reducing likelihood of injury to a passenger in a collision. The system may include a seat configured to accommodate the passenger and an airbag system. At least a portion of the airbag system may be incorporated into a vehicle prior to deployment of the airbag system. The airbag system may include an airbag and a locking feature. The locking feature may be configured to lock the airbag with a locking portion of a vehicle when the airbag system has been deployed. The locking feature may be attached to the airbag. Aside from airbags, other confining structures, such as nets, shades, curtains, etc., may also be used as deployable structures.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to determining whether an optical interferent is located on a sensor window and providing a way to identify and discard erroneous sensor data. An example system includes a housing, having a first sensor window and a second sensor window, a laser light source, and an optical sensor. The first window has a first property for deflecting water, and the second window has a second property for deflecting water different from the first property. The source is configured to generate a beam of light through the first window. One or more processors are configured to receive sensor data from the optical sensor and determine that an optical interferent is located on a surface of at least one of the first window and the sensor window based on a comparison between sensor data corresponding to the first window and sensor data corresponding to the second window.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to net systems. The net system reduces the risk of injury caused by impact with a vehicle to an object or a pedestrian. The net system may include a net configured to deploy in a vehicle's environment in order to reduce the likelihood of an object colliding directly with the vehicle. The one or more energy reduction structures may be arranged on the net, and the one or more energy reduction structures may be configured to reduce injury caused by impact of the object by absorbing impact energy.

Abstract: This technology relates to a condensation reduction system for a sensor. The system may comprise a sensor cover, wherein the sensor cover is configured to house one or more sensor components, a flexible, external chamber, and a conduit. The external chamber may be communicably coupled to an interior of the sensor cover via the conduit configured such that during an increase of pressure of gas within the sensor cover the gas flows to the external chamber via the conduit and during a decrease in the pressure of gas within the sensor cover the gas flows from the external chamber to the sensor cover via the conduit.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to determining whether an optical interferent is located on a sensor window and providing a way to identify and discard erroneous sensor data. An example system includes a housing, having a first sensor window and a second sensor window, a laser light source, and an optical sensor. The first window has a first property for deflecting water, and the second window has a second property for deflecting water different from the first property. The source is configured to generate a beam of light through the first window. One or more processors are configured to receive sensor data from the optical sensor and determine that an optical interferent is located on a surface of at least one of the first window and the sensor window based on a comparison between sensor data corresponding to the first window and sensor data corresponding to the second window.

Abstract: This technology relates to a system for clearing sensors. The system may include an air knife configured to clear a sensor housing of debris. The air knife may be attached to a bearing comprising a bearing ring. The system may also include a motor, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the bearing ring around the sensor housing.

Abstract: The disclosure provides for a system. The system may include a rotational control system configured to rotate a seat of a vehicle, and one or more computing devices. The one or more computing devices may have one or more processors that are configured to determine that an impact is imminent at a location on the vehicle along a collision axis. A most favorable orientation may be determined by the one or more processors based on the determined location and collision axis. Using the rotational control system, the one or more processors may rotate the seat of the vehicle to the most favorable orientation in order to reduce risks of serious injury to a passenger in the seat caused by the imminent impact. A translational control system may be used by the one or more processors to translate the seat of the vehicle to a position relative to the determined location.

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 technology relates to assisting in the closing of a vehicle door by automatically pulling a door closed. One or more computing devices having one or more processors may receive, from one or more sensors, information indicating that a door on the vehicle is not closed. In response to the received information indicating that the door is not closed, the one or more computing devices may determine to send a triggering signal to close the door. The one or more computing devices may send the triggering signal to the actuator and the actuator may receive the triggering signal. In response to receiving the triggering signal the actuator may be activated to close the door of the vehicle without user input.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to airbag systems for vehicles. The airbag systems may prevent the airbags from splitting apart during impact with a pedestrian or object. The airbag system may include a first airbag attached to a first connector and a second airbag attached to a second connector. The airbag system may also include a tether attached to the first connector and the second connector, and wherein the tether is configured to be pulled taut upon the first or second airbag being deployed in an environment of a vehicle in order to reduce the likelihood of an object colliding directly with the vehicle.

Abstract: This technology relates to a condensation reduction system for a sensor. The system may comprise a sensor cover, wherein the sensor cover is configured to house one or more sensor components, a flexible, external chamber, and a conduit. The external chamber may be communicably coupled to an interior of the sensor cover via the conduit configured such that during an increase of pressure of gas within the sensor cover the gas flows to the external chamber via the conduit and during a decrease in the pressure of gas within the sensor cover the gas flows from the external chamber to the sensor cover via the conduit.