Abstract: Technique for performing camera calibration on a vehicle is disclosed. A method of performing camera calibration includes emitting, by a laser emitter located on a vehicle and pointed towards a road, a first laser pulse group towards a first location on a road and a second laser pulse group towards a second location on the road, where each laser pulse group includes one or more laser spots. For each laser pulse group: a first set of distances are calculated from a location of a laser receiver to the one or more laser spots, and a second set of distances are determined from an image obtained from a camera, where the second set of distances are from a location of the camera to the one or more laser spots. The method also includes determining two camera calibration parameters of the camera by solving two equations.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle includes a detection system for identifying the presence changes in wind incident on the autonomous vehicle, particularly wind gusts. The detection system may include one or more wind sensors, particularly those configured to detect wind incident on the vehicle from a direction that is transverse or perpendicular to the direction of motion of the autonomous vehicle. Additionally, systems may be present that correlate the detected wind gusts to changes in the behavior of the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle may react to the detected wind gusts by altering the vehicle's trajectory, by stopping the vehicle, or by communicating with a control center for further instructions.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for a vehicular safety system in autonomous vehicles are described. An example method for safely controlling a vehicle includes selecting, based on a first control command from a first vehicle control unit, an operating mode of the vehicle, and transmitting, based on the selecting, the operating mode to an autonomous driving system, wherein the first control command is generated based on input from a first plurality of sensors, and wherein the operating mode corresponds to one of (a) a default operating mode, (b) a minimal risk condition mode of a first type that configures the vehicle to pull over to a nearest pre-designated safety location, (c) a minimal risk condition mode of a second type that configures the vehicle to immediately stop in a current lane, or (d) a minimal risk condition mode of a third type that configures the vehicle to come to a gentle stop.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for the operational testing on autonomous vehicles. One exemplary method includes configuring a primary vehicular model with an algorithm, calculating one or more trajectories for each of one or more secondary vehicular models that exclude the algorithm, configuring the one or more secondary vehicular models with a corresponding trajectory of the one or more trajectories, generating an updated algorithm based on running a simulation of the primary vehicular model interacting with the one or more secondary vehicular models that conform to the corresponding trajectory in the simulation, and integrating the updated algorithm into an algorithmic unit of the autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: A system and method providing truck-mounted sensors to detect trailer following vehicles and trailer conditions are disclosed. A system of an example embodiment comprises: a vehicle control subsystem installed in an autonomous truck, the vehicle control subsystem comprising a data processor; and a truck-mounted sensor subsystem installed on a portion of a tractor of the autonomous truck to which a trailer is attachable, the truck-mounted sensor subsystem being coupled to the vehicle control subsystem via a data connection, wherein the truck-mounted sensor subsystem is configured to emit electromagnetic waves propagating in a space under the trailer, to generate object data representing objects detected by receiving a reflection of the electromagnetic waves, and to transfer the object data to the vehicle control subsystem.

Abstract: The disclosed technology enables automated parking of an autonomous vehicle. An example method of performing automated parking for a vehicle comprises obtaining, from a plurality of global positioning system (GPS) devices located on or in an autonomous vehicle, a first set of location information that describes locations of multiple points on the autonomous vehicle, where the first set of location information are associated with a first position of the autonomous vehicle, determining, based on the first set of location information and a location of the parking area, a trajectory information that describes a trajectory for the autonomous vehicle to be driven from the first position of the autonomous vehicle to a parking area, and causing the autonomous vehicle to be driven along the trajectory to the parking area by causing operation of one or more devices located in the autonomous vehicle based on at least the trajectory information.

Abstract: Image processing techniques are described to select and crop a region of interest from an image obtained from a camera located on or in a vehicle, such as an autonomous semi-trailer truck. The region of interest can be identified by selecting one or more reference points and determining one or more positions of the one or more reference points on the image obtained from the camera. As an example, a location of two reference points may be 500 meters and 1000 meters in front of a location of autonomous vehicle, where the front of the autonomous vehicle is an area towards which the autonomous vehicle is being driven.

Abstract: Image processing techniques are described to obtain an image from a camera located on a vehicle while the vehicle is being driven, cropping a portion of the obtained image corresponding to a region of interest, detecting an object in the cropped portion, adding a bounding box around the detected object, determining position(s) of reference point(s) on the bounding box, and determining a location of the detected object in a spatial region where the vehicle is being driven based on the determined one or more positions of the second set of one or more reference points on the bounding box.

Abstract: Image processing techniques are described to receive bounding box information that describes a bounding box located around a detected obj ect in an image, determine one or more positions of one or more reference points on the bounding box, determine, for each reference point, 3D world coordinates of a point of intersection of the reference point and the road surface, and assign the 3D world coordinates of the one or more reference points to a location of the detected object.

Abstract: A redundant hardware and software architecture can be designed to enable vehicles to be operated in an autonomous mode while improving the reliability and/or safety of such vehicles. A system for redundant architecture can include a set of at least two redundant sensors coupled to a vehicle and configured to provide timestamped sensor data to each of a plurality of computing unit (CU) computers. The CU computers can process the sensor data simultaneously based on at least a time value indicative of an absolute time or a relative time and based on the timestamped sensor data. The CU computers provide to a vehicle control unit (VCU) computer at least two sets of outputs configured to instruct a plurality of devices in a vehicle and cause the vehicle to be driven.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for the operational testing on autonomous vehicles. One exemplary method includes configuring a primary vehicular model with an algorithm, calculating one or more trajectories for each of one or more secondary vehicular models that exclude the algorithm, configuring the one or more secondary vehicular models with a corresponding trajectory of the one or more trajectories, generating an updated algorithm based on running a simulation of the primary vehicular model interacting with the one or more secondary vehicular models that conform to the corresponding trajectory in the simulation, and integrating the updated algorithm into an algorithmic unit of the autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: Techniques are described for managing redundant steering system for a vehicle. A method includes sending a first control command that instructs a first motor coupled to a steering wheel in a steering system to steer a vehicle, receiving, after sending the first control command, a speed of the vehicle, a yaw rate of the vehicle, and a steering position of the steering wheel, determining, based at least on the speed and the yaw rate, an expected range of steering angles that describes values within which the first motor is expected to steer the vehicle based on the first control command, and upon determining that the steering position of a steering wheel is outside the expected range of steering angles, sending a second control command that instructs a second motor coupled to the steering wheel in the steering system to steer the vehicle.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for capturing an image. In one aspect an electronic camera apparatus includes an image sensor with a plurality of pixel regions. The apparatus further includes an exposure controller. The exposure controller determines, for each of the plurality of pixel regions, a corresponding exposure duration and a corresponding exposure start time. Each pixel region begins to integrate incident light starting at the corresponding exposure start time and continues to integrate light for the corresponding exposure duration. In some example embodiments, at least two of the corresponding exposure durations or at least two of the corresponding exposure start times are different in the image.

Abstract: Techniques are described for managing temperature in an autonomous vehicle. An exemplary method comprises performing autonomous driving operations that operate the autonomous vehicle in an autonomous mode, receiving one or more messages from a temperature sensor associated with an electrical device located on or in the autonomous vehicle while the autonomous vehicle is operated in the autonomous mode, determining a cooling technique to reduce the temperature of electrical device, and performing the cooling technique.

Abstract: A power management system is disclosed for managing power in a vehicle. The system may include a power distribution unit (PDU) communicably coupled to a power controller unit located in the vehicle. The power controller unit comprises a microcontroller configured to: receive, from the PDU, a temperature value that indicates a temperature of the PDU, one or more voltage values from the one or more voltage sensors, or one or more current values from the one or more current sensors, perform a determination that the temperature value, the one or more voltage values, or the one or more current values are below one or more of their respective pre-determined threshold values, and send, after the determination, a health status message to a computer located in the vehicle, where the health status message indicates that the PDU is operating in a safe operating condition.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method, an apparatus and a system for multi-module scheduling, capable of solving the problem associated with inconsistency in data inputted to a computing module in the multi-module scheduling technique in the related art.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for capturing an image. In one aspect an electronic camera apparatus includes an image sensor with a plurality of pixel regions. The apparatus further includes an exposure controller. The exposure controller determines, for each of the plurality of pixel regions, a corresponding exposure duration and a corresponding exposure start time. Each pixel region begins to integrate incident light starting at the corresponding exposure start time and continues to integrate light for the corresponding exposure duration. In some example embodiments, at least two of the corresponding exposure durations or at least two of the corresponding exposure start times are different in the image.

Abstract: A system and method for semantic segmentation using hybrid dilated convolution (HDC) are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: receiving an input image; producing a feature map from the input image; performing a convolution operation on the feature map and producing multiple convolution layers; grouping the multiple convolution layers into a plurality of groups; applying different dilation rates for different convolution layers in a single group of the plurality of groups; and applying a same dilation rate setting across all groups of the plurality of groups.

Abstract: Techniques are described for estimating road friction between a road and tires of a vehicle. A method includes receiving, from a temperature sensor on a vehicle, a temperature value that indicates a temperature of an environment in which a vehicle is operated, determining a first range of friction values that quantify a friction between a road and tires of a vehicle based on a function of the temperature value and an extent of precipitation in a region that indicate a hazardous driving condition, obtaining, from the first range of friction values, a value that quantifies the friction between the road and the tires of the vehicle, where the value is obtained based on a driving related behavior of the vehicle, and causing the vehicle to operate on the road based on the value obtained from the first range of friction values.

Abstract: Disclosed are distributed computing systems and methods for controlling multiple autonomous control modules and subsystems in an autonomous vehicle. In some aspects of the disclosed technology, a computing architecture for an autonomous vehicle includes distributing the complexity of autonomous vehicle operation, thereby avoiding the use of a single high-performance computing system and enabling off-the-shelf components to be use more readily and reducing system failure rates.