Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for advanced trip planning for an autonomous vehicle service. For instance, an example method may include determining a potential pickup location for a user, determining a set of potential destination locations for a user, and determining a set of potential trips. For each potential trip a vehicle of a fleet of autonomous vehicles of the service may be assigned and trip information, including an estimated time of arrival for the assigned vehicle of the potential trip to reach the destination location of the potential trip, may be determined. The trip information for each potential trip may be provided for display to the user. Thereafter, confirmation information identifying one of the set of potential trips may be received, and the assigned vehicle for one first of the set of potential trips may be dispatched to pick up the user.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to using ambient lighting conditions with passenger and goods pickups and drop offs with autonomous vehicles. For instance, a map of ambient lighting conditions for stopping locations may be generated by receiving ambient lighting condition data for predetermined stopping locations and arranging this data into a plurality of buckets based on time and one of the stopping locations. A vehicle may then be controlled in an autonomous driving mode in order to stop for a passenger by both observing ambient lighting conditions for different stopping locations and, in some instances, also using the map.

Abstract: The technology relates to facilitating transportation services between a user and a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode. For instance, one or more server computing devices having one or more processors may information identifying the current location of the vehicle. The one or more server computing devices may determine that the user is likely to want to take a trip to a particular destination based on prior location history for the user. The one or more server computing devices may dispatch the vehicle to cause the vehicle to travel in the autonomous driving mode towards a location of the user. In addition, after dispatching, the one or more server computing devices sending a notification to a client computing device associated with the user indicating that the vehicle is currently available to take the passenger to the particular destination.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method of facilitating communications from an autonomous vehicle to a user. For instance, a method may include, while attempting to pick up the user and prior to the user entering an vehicle, inputting a current location of the vehicle and map information into a model in order to identify a type of communication action for communicating a location of the vehicle to the user; enabling a first communication based on the type of the communication action; determining whether the user has responded to the first communication from received sensor data; and enabling a second communication based on the determination of whether the user has responded to the communication.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to a method of managing a fleet of autonomous vehicles providing trip services. The method includes receiving information identifying an intermediate destination and a final destination for a trip. In this example, the intermediate destination is a destination where an autonomous vehicle will drop off and wait for a passenger in order to continue the trip, and the final destination is a destination where the trip ends. The method also includes determining an amount of waiting time the vehicle is likely to be waiting for the passenger at the intermediate destination, determining how a vehicle of the fleet of autonomous vehicles should spend the amount of waiting time, and sending an instruction to the vehicle, based on the determination of how the vehicle should spend the amount of waiting time.

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 of the vehicle identifying objects in an environment of the vehicle. When the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from the pickup location, authenticating a client device using the client device information is attempted. When the client device has been authenticated, the sensor data is used to determine whether a pedestrian is within a first threshold distance of the vehicle. When a pedestrian is determined to be within the first threshold distance of the vehicle, the vehicle is stopped prior to reaching the pickup location, to wait for the pedestrian within the first threshold distance of the vehicle to enter the vehicle.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for advanced trip planning for an autonomous vehicle service. For instance, an example method may include determining a potential pickup location for a user, determining a set of potential destination locations for a user, and determining a set of potential trips. For each potential trip a vehicle of a fleet of autonomous vehicles of the service may be assigned and trip information, including an estimated time of arrival for the assigned vehicle of the potential trip to reach the destination location of the potential trip, may be determined. The trip information for each potential trip may be provided for display to the user. Thereafter, confirmation information identifying one of the set of potential trips may be received, and the assigned vehicle for one first of the set of potential trips may be dispatched to pick up the user.

Abstract: The technology involves communicating the reachability status associated with an autonomous vehicle to a user such as a rider within the vehicle, a person awaiting pickup, or a customer that scheduled a package deliver. Reachability information about pickup and/or drop off locations is presentable via an app on a user device, which helps set expectations with customers about where the vehicle is most likely to be able to perform a pickup and/or drop off. This may include indicating how much variance there may be based on current congestion, parking or idling regulations, or weather conditions. The reachability information may be presented via one or more visualization tools to indicate the uncertainty and/or likely final location. Presenting such contextual information may be done based on real time information, and the presentation may be updated as needed. Historical information about the location may also be used to lower the level of uncertainty.

Abstract: The technology includes communicating the current status of a self-driving vehicle to users, such as passengers within the vehicle and other users awaiting pickup. Certain information about the trip and vehicle status is communicated depending on where the passenger is sitting within the vehicle or where the person awaiting pickup is located outside the vehicle. This includes disseminating the “monologue” of a vehicle operating in an autonomous driving mode to a user via an app on the user's device (e.g., mobile phone, tablet or laptop PC, wearable, or other computing device) and/or an in-vehicle user interface. The monologue includes current status information regarding driving decisions and related operations or actions. This alerts the user as to why the vehicle is taking (or not taking) a certain action, which reduces confusion and allows the user to focus on other matters.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to enabling roadside assistance to a vehicle that requires assistance having an autonomous driving mode. For instance, a technician may be assigned to the vehicle that requires assistance. A signal corresponding to user input at a remote computing device requesting a change to a state of the vehicle may be received. The signal may be based on details of the assigned technician. Based on the validation, an instruction may be sent to the vehicle to change the state of the vehicle.

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 technology involves communicating the reachability status associated with an autonomous vehicle to a user such as a rider within the vehicle, a person awaiting pickup, or a customer that scheduled a package deliver. Reachability information about pickup and/or drop off locations is presentable via an app on a user device, which helps set expectations with customers about where the vehicle is most likely to be able to perform a pickup and/or drop off. This may include indicating how much variance there may be based on current congestion, parking or idling regulations, or weather conditions. The reachability information may be presented via one or more visualization tools to indicate the uncertainty and/or likely final location. Presenting such contextual information may be done based on real time information, and the presentation may be updated as needed. Historical information about the location may also be used to lower the level of uncertainty.

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 disclosure relates to using ambient lighting conditions with passenger and goods pickups and drop offs with autonomous vehicles. For instance, a map of ambient lighting conditions for stopping locations may be generated by receiving ambient lighting condition data for predetermined stopping locations and arranging this data into a plurality of buckets based on time and one of the stopping locations. A vehicle may then be controlled in an autonomous driving mode in order to stop for a passenger by both observing ambient lighting conditions for different stopping locations and, in some instances, also using the map.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to enabling roadside assistance to a vehicle that requires assistance having an autonomous driving mode. For instance, a technician may be assigned to the vehicle that requires assistance. A signal corresponding to user input at a remote computing device requesting a change to a state of the vehicle may be received. The signal may be based on details of the assigned technician. Based on the validation, an instruction may be sent to the vehicle to change the state of the vehicle.

Abstract: The technology relates to facilitating transportation services between a user and a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode. For instance, one or more server computing devices having one or more processors may information identifying the current location of the vehicle. The one or more server computing devices may determine that the user is likely to want to take a trip to a particular destination based on prior location history for the user. The one or more server computing devices may dispatch the vehicle to cause the vehicle to travel in the autonomous driving mode towards a location of the user. In addition, after dispatching, the one or more server computing devices sending a notification to a client computing device associated with the user indicating that the vehicle is currently available to take the passenger to the particular destination.

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 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 of the vehicle identifying objects in an environment of the vehicle. When the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from the pickup location, authenticating a client device using the client device information is attempted. When the client device has been authenticated, the sensor data is used to determine whether a pedestrian is within a first threshold distance of the vehicle. When a pedestrian is determined to be within the first threshold distance of the vehicle, the vehicle is stopped prior to reaching the pickup location, to wait for the pedestrian within the first threshold distance of the vehicle to enter the vehicle.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method of facilitating communications from an autonomous vehicle to a user. For instance, a method may include, while attempting to pick up the user and prior to the user entering an vehicle, inputting a current location of the vehicle and map information into a model in order to identify a type of communication action for communicating a location of the vehicle to the user; enabling a first communication based on the type of the communication action; determining whether the user has responded to the first communication from received sensor data; and enabling a second communication based on the determination of whether the user has responded to the communication.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to a method of managing a fleet of autonomous vehicles providing trip services. The method includes receiving information identifying an intermediate destination and a final destination for a trip. In this example, the intermediate destination is a destination where an autonomous vehicle will drop off and wait for a passenger in order to continue the trip, and the final destination is a destination where the trip ends. The method also includes determining an amount of waiting time the vehicle is likely to be waiting for the passenger at the intermediate destination, determining how a vehicle of the fleet of autonomous vehicles should spend the amount of waiting time, and sending an instruction to the vehicle, based on the determination of how the vehicle should spend the amount of waiting time.