Abstract: A travel control device is configured to make an autonomous driving vehicle travel in such a way that the autonomous driving vehicle arrives at a specified position specified by a user who intends to board the autonomous driving vehicle, when the autonomous driving vehicle has reached a predetermined range from the specified position, transmit an information sending request notifying the user terminal that the autonomous driving vehicle has reached a vicinity of the specified position and requesting sending of position identifying information for identifying a position at which the user intends to board the autonomous driving vehicle to the user terminal via a communication circuit, and when receiving the position identifying information via the communication circuit, change a position of the autonomous driving vehicle, based on the position identifying information in such a way that the autonomous driving vehicle comes close to the user.

Abstract: An on-board sensor system includes: a first sensor configured to detect a situation around a vehicle; a second sensor having a higher angular resolution than the first sensor; an acquisition unit configured to acquire a detection result of the first sensor; and a range decision unit configured to decide, based on the detection result, an observation range to be observed by the second sensor around the vehicle.

Abstract: A travel control device is configured to make an autonomous driving vehicle travel in such a way that the autonomous driving vehicle arrives at a specified position specified by a user who intends to board the autonomous driving vehicle, when the autonomous driving vehicle has reached a predetermined range from the specified position, transmit an information sending request notifying the user terminal that the autonomous driving vehicle has reached a vicinity of the specified position and requesting sending of position identifying information for identifying a position at which the user intends to board the autonomous driving vehicle to the user terminal via a communication circuit, and when receiving the position identifying information via the communication circuit, change a position of the autonomous driving vehicle, based on the position identifying information in such a way that the autonomous driving vehicle comes close to the user.

Abstract: A travel control device is configured to make an autonomous driving vehicle travel in such a way that the autonomous driving vehicle arrives at a specified position specified by a user who intends to board the autonomous driving vehicle, when the autonomous driving vehicle has reached a predetermined range from the specified position, transmit an information sending request notifying the user terminal that the autonomous driving vehicle has reached a vicinity of the specified position and requesting sending of position identifying information for identifying a position at which the user intends to board the autonomous driving vehicle to the user terminal via a communication circuit, and when receiving the position identifying information via the communication circuit, change a position of the autonomous driving vehicle, based on the position identifying information in such a way that the autonomous driving vehicle comes close to the user.

Abstract: A dispatch device includes an information acquisition unit that acquires, for each of a plurality of vehicles, location information indicating a location of the vehicle and loaded object information indicating a status of an object of transportation loaded on the vehicle and a vehicle dispatching unit that dispatches an unfilled vehicle that can carry an object of transportation so that a predetermined number or higher number of unfilled vehicles, are present around an operating vehicle that is carrying an object of transportation.

Abstract: A frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) LIDAR can be configured to reduce re-reflection and cross-coupling in the FMCW LIDAR. A first laser can be configured to generate a ranging signal, and a second laser can be configured to generate a local oscillator signal. A feedback control can be configured to maintain an offset between the ranging signal and the local oscillator signal. The offset can be a non-zero value. A transmit portion configured to emit a reference laser signal based on the ranging signal into an environment. A receiver portion can be configured to receive a return laser signal from the environment. The return laser signal can be a reflected version of the reference laser signal. A receiver photodetector can be configured to combine the return laser signal and the local oscillator signal.

Abstract: The control device of a vehicle configured to: control a door lock mechanism locking a door of the vehicle; make the vehicle stop when the vehicle is in a specific abnormal state; and determine if it is safe for a user of the vehicle to get off the vehicle from each door of the vehicle while the vehicle is stopped when the vehicle is in the specific abnormal state, wherein the control device controls the door lock mechanism such that a door is maintained in a locked state while the vehicle is being driven and while the vehicle is stopped when the vehicle is not in the specific abnormal state, unlocks the door determined to be safe to get off by the door lock mechanism, and does not unlock the door determined to not be safe to get off when the vehicle is stopped when entering the specific abnormal state.

Abstract: A remote control system able to remotely control an autonomously driving vehicle, comprises a communication device able to communicate with the vehicle, an input device to be operated by an operator for intervening in control of the vehicle, a margin calculating part configured to calculate an operator intervention margin showing a possibility of an operator being able to intervene in control of the vehicle, and an instructing part configured to send the vehicle instructions relating to control of the vehicle through the communication device. The instructing part is configured to send the vehicle instructions from the operator when the input device is operated by the operator and send the vehicle an instruction for changing a driving plan of the vehicle when the operator intervention margin is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A control part of a traffic control apparatus preparing scheduled driving routes of a plurality of vehicles based on current positions and destinations of the plurality of vehicles received through a communicating part or receiving scheduled driving routes of the plurality of vehicles through the communicating part, judging if, among the plurality of vehicles, there are two or more close vehicles with projected times of driving or projected times of arrival in an area in which the scheduled driving routes overlap becoming the same time frame, and, when there are close vehicles, determining the driving/stopping priorities of the close vehicles in the area based on information relating to the passengers picked up in the respective close vehicles.

Abstract: A control part of a traffic control apparatus receives from a car-mounted device of one vehicle among a plurality of vehicles through a communicating part a projected time of arrival of that one vehicle at a destination and, if so, judges if there is a simultaneously arriving vehicle with the same desired drop-off position at the destination as the one vehicle and with the projected time of arrival at the destination in the same time frame from among the plurality of vehicles and, if there is a simultaneously arriving vehicle, determines vehicle stopping priorities at the desired drop-off position between the one vehicle and the simultaneously arriving vehicle based on information relating to the passengers in the one vehicle and the simultaneously arriving vehicle to be dropped off at the destination.

Abstract: The vehicle allocation apparatus includes a vehicle assignment unit that assigns a self-driving vehicle to a vehicle dispatch request including ride location information indicating a ride location of a prospective passenger wishing for dispatch of the self-driving vehicle, a travel instruction unit that instructs, through a communication unit, the assigned self-driving vehicle to move via the ride location, and a ride confirmation unit that acquires, from the assigned self-driving vehicle, ride information indicating whether the prospective passenger has ridden in the assigned self-driving vehicle after arrival of the assigned self-driving vehicle at the ride location.

Abstract: A luggage lock device includes: a plurality of luggage lock mechanisms able to store luggage of a user of a vehicle so that when locked, the luggage is restricted from being taken out; and a luggage lock control device connected to the plurality of luggage lock mechanisms. The luggage lock control device is configured to: control the plurality of luggage lock mechanisms; acquire a destination of a user; and recognize a user who stowed luggage in the luggage lock mechanism and the luggage lock mechanism in which the user stowed the luggage, and wherein the luggage lock control device is configured to unlock a luggage lock mechanism storing luggage of the user arriving at the destination when the vehicle reaches the destination of the user.

Abstract: An on-board sensor system includes: a first sensor configured to detect a situation around a vehicle; a second sensor having a higher angular resolution than the first sensor; an acquisition unit configured to acquire a detection result of the first sensor; and a range decision unit configured to decide, based on the detection result, an observation range to be observed by the second sensor around the vehicle.

Abstract: A frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) LIDAR can be configured to reduce re-reflection and cross-coupling in the FMCW LIDAR. A first laser can be configured to generate a ranging signal, and a second laser can be configured to generate a local oscillator signal. A feedback control can be configured to maintain an offset between the ranging signal and the local oscillator signal. The offset can be a non-zero value. A transmit portion configured to emit a reference laser signal based on the ranging signal into an environment. A receiver portion can be configured to receive a return laser signal from the environment. The return laser signal can be a reflected version of the reference laser signal. A receiver photodetector can be configured to combine the return laser signal and the local oscillator signal.

Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving observations of a surrounding environment using a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) device in the presence of highly reflective surfaces. In one embodiment, a method includes, in response to determining that a first point cloud includes an observation of an obscuring object that is highly reflective: i) emitting a scanning light beam at a scanning intensity that is different from an initial intensity of an initial light beam used to acquire the first point cloud, and ii) dynamically controlling the LiDAR device to acquire a second point cloud that omits the obscuring object. The method includes generating a composite point cloud from the first point cloud and the second point cloud that improves an observation of the surrounding environment using the LiDAR device by mitigating interference from the obscuring object.

Abstract: A self-driving vehicle driving control system and a self-driving vehicle are provided. The system comprises: a self-driving vehicle which is capable of autonomous driving, and which includes a vehicle sensor which acquires first information representing a status of surroundings of the self-driving vehicle, etc.; a first server which generates a first driving instruction based on the first information, and which transmits the generated first driving instruction to the self-driving vehicle; and a second server which acquires second information representing the status of the surroundings of the self-driving vehicle, etc. from an external sensor, the second server generating a second driving instruction based on the second information, and transmitting the generated second driving instruction to the self-driving vehicle; wherein driving of the self-driving vehicle is controlled in accordance with the first or second driving instruction.

Abstract: A remote control system able to remotely control an autonomously driving vehicle, comprises a communication device able to communicate with the vehicle, an input device to be operated by an operator for intervening in control of the vehicle, a margin calculating part configured to calculate an operator intervention margin showing a possibility of an operator being able to intervene in control of the vehicle, and an instructing part configured to send the vehicle instructions relating to control of the vehicle through the communication device. The instructing part is configured to send the vehicle instructions from the operator when the input device is operated by the operator and send the vehicle an instruction for changing a driving plan of the vehicle when the operator intervention margin is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A travel control device is configured to make an autonomous driving vehicle travel in such a way that the autonomous driving vehicle arrives at a specified position specified by a user who intends to board the autonomous driving vehicle, when the autonomous driving vehicle has reached a predetermined range from the specified position, transmit an information sending request notifying the user terminal that the autonomous driving vehicle has reached a vicinity of the specified position and requesting sending of position identifying information for identifying a position at which the user intends to board the autonomous driving vehicle to the user terminal via a communication circuit, and when receiving the position identifying information via the communication circuit, change a position of the autonomous driving vehicle, based on the position identifying information in such a way that the autonomous driving vehicle comes close to the user.

Abstract: A dispatch device includes an information acquisition unit that acquires, for each of a plurality of vehicles, location information indicating a location of the vehicle and loaded object information indicating a status of an object of transportation loaded on the vehicle and a vehicle dispatching unit that dispatches an unfilled vehicle that can carry an object of transportation so that a predetermined number or higher number of unfilled vehicles, are present around an operating vehicle that is carrying an object of transportation.

Abstract: The vehicle allocation apparatus includes a vehicle assignment unit that assigns a self-driving vehicle to a vehicle dispatch request including ride location information indicating a ride location of a prospective passenger wishing for dispatch of the self-driving vehicle, a travel instruction unit that instructs, through a communication unit, the assigned self-driving vehicle to move via the ride location, and a ride confirmation unit that acquires, from the assigned self-driving vehicle, ride information indicating whether the prospective passenger has ridden in the assigned self-driving vehicle after arrival of the assigned self-driving vehicle at the ride location.