Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for determining whether a vehicle is in a loop for an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a route from a current location of the vehicle to a destination for a trip may be generated. Locations traversed by the vehicle during the trip may be tracked. Locations of the route may be compared to the tracked locations to determine an overlap value. Whether the vehicle is in a loop may be determined based on the overlap value.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to gradually adjusting a vehicle sensor perspective using remote assistance. A computing device may receive a request for assistance from a vehicle operating in an environment. The request indicates that the vehicle is stopped at a location with a sensor perspective of the environment that is at least partially occluded. Responsive to receiving the request for assistance, the computing device may display a graphical user interface (GUI) that represents a current state of the vehicle and includes a selectable option configured to enable the vehicle to gradually move forward a predefined distance. The computing device may detect a selection of the selectable option and transmit instructions that enable the vehicle to gradually move forward the predefined distance. The vehicle can then gradually move forward the predefined distance while also monitoring for one or more changes in the environment responsive to receiving the instructions.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for determining whether a vehicle is in a loop for an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a route from a current location of the vehicle to a destination for a trip may be generated. Locations traversed by the vehicle during the trip may be tracked. Locations of the route may be compared to the tracked locations to determine an overlap value. Whether the vehicle is in a loop may be determined based on the overlap value.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to gradually adjusting a vehicle sensor perspective using remote assistance. A computing device may receive a request for assistance from a vehicle operating in an environment. The request indicates that the vehicle is stopped at a location with a sensor perspective of the environment that is at least partially occluded. Responsive to receiving the request for assistance, the computing device may display a graphical user interface (GUI) that represents a current state of the vehicle and includes a selectable option configured to enable the vehicle to gradually move forward a predefined distance. The computing device may detect a selection of the selectable option and transmit instructions that enable the vehicle to gradually move forward the predefined distance. The vehicle can then gradually move forward the predefined distance while also monitoring for one or more changes in the environment responsive to receiving the instructions.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to techniques for enabling one or more systems of a vehicle (e.g., an autonomous vehicle) to request remote assistance to help the vehicle navigate in an environment. A computing device may be configured to receive a request for assistance from a vehicle. The request may include an image frame representative of a portion of an environment. The computing device may also be configured to initiate display of a graphical user interface to visually represent the image frame. Further, the computing device may determine a bounding region for the image frame. The bounding region may be associated with one or more objects in the image frame. Additionally, the computing device may be configured to receive, via the GUI, an input that includes an object identifier, and associate the object identifier with each of the one or more objects in the bounding region.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to using remote assistance for vehicle navigation. An example apparatus may comprise a memory configured to store navigation options and a computing device. The computing device may be configured to receive a request for assistance comprising a situation to be encountered by a vehicle along a planned travel route and to determine one or more navigation options for enabling the vehicle to navigate the situation. The computing device may also be configured to select at least one navigation option of the one or more navigation options. Further, the computing device may be configured to generate a response to the request for assistance that includes instructions for performing the at least one navigation option to navigate the situation and to send the response to the vehicle for execution of the instructions.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to techniques for providing remote assistance to an autonomous vehicle. A computing device may receive location from a vehicle while the vehicle is autonomously navigating a path in an environment. Based on the location information, the computing device may display a representation of the environment of the vehicle that conveys lane information for the path and subsequently receive an input selecting a lane in the path. The input modified an availability of the lane in the path during subsequent navigation by the vehicle. The computing device may then provide navigation instructions to the vehicle based on availability of the lane in the path.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to user interface techniques for recommending remote assistance actions. A remote computing device may display a representation of the forward path for an autonomous vehicle based on sensor data received from the vehicle. The computing device may augment the representation of the forward path to further depict one or more proposed trajectories available for the autonomous vehicle to perform. Each proposed trajectory conveys one or more maneuvers positioned relative to road boundaries in the forward path. The computing device may receive a selection of a proposed trajectory from the one or more proposed trajectories available for the autonomous vehicle to perform and provide navigation instructions to the vehicle based on the proposed trajectory.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to techniques for enabling one or more systems of a vehicle (e.g., an autonomous vehicle) to request remote assistance to help the vehicle navigate in an environment. A computing device may be configured to receive a request for assistance from a vehicle to classify an object and to initiate display of a graphical user interface at a display device. The graphical user interface may be configured to visually represent the object and may comprise one or more graphical user interface elements to enable input to be provided for classifying the object. The computing device may also be configured to generate a response that includes a classification of the object based on detecting a selection of at least one of the one or more graphical user interface elements. Further, the computing device may be configured to transmit the response to the vehicle.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to techniques for providing incremental remote assistance to a vehicle. A computing device initially receives location information from a vehicle that is autonomously navigating to a destination. Based on the location information, the computing device displays a representation of an environment of the vehicle and receives a first input specifying a first waypoint and a second input specifying a second waypoint positioned on the representation of the environment. The computing device is configured to limit a location of the first waypoint based on a first location of the vehicle, and a location of the second waypoint based on a second location of the vehicle or the location of the first waypoint. The computing device can then provide route instructions to the vehicle based on at least the first waypoint or the second waypoint.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method of providing a destination to an autonomous vehicle in order to enable the autonomous vehicle to collect data according to a targeted driving goal. For instance, a current location of an autonomous vehicle may be received. A set of destinations may be selected from a plurality of predetermined destinations. A route may be determined for each destination. A relevance score may be determined for each destination based on the determined routes and the targeted driving goal. Each destination may be assigned to one of a set of two or more buckets based on the relevance scores. A destination of the set may be selected based on a predetermined sampling probability. The selected destination is sent to the autonomous vehicle in order to cause the autonomous vehicle to travel to the selected destination in an autonomous driving mode.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to gradually adjusting a vehicle sensor perspective using remote assistance. A computing device may receive a request for assistance from a vehicle operating in an environment. The request indicates that the vehicle is stopped at a location with a sensor perspective of the environment that is at least partially occluded. Responsive to receiving the request for assistance, the computing device may display a graphical user interface (GUI) that represents a current state of the vehicle and includes a selectable option configured to enable the vehicle to gradually move forward a predefined distance. The computing device may detect a selection of the selectable option and transmit instructions that enable the vehicle to gradually move forward the predefined distance. The vehicle can then gradually move forward the predefined distance while also monitoring for one or more changes in the environment responsive to receiving the instructions.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for determining whether a vehicle is in a loop for an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a route from a current location of the vehicle to a destination for a trip may be generated. Locations traversed by the vehicle during the trip may be tracked. Locations of the route may be compared to the tracked locations to determine an overlap value. Whether the vehicle is in a loop may be determined based on the overlap value.