Precautionary planning of minimal risk maneuvers

1 . A method performed by a minimal risk maneuver (MRM) planning system for supporting planning of an MRM of an Automated Driving System (ADS) of a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining while a dynamic driving task (DDT) of the vehicle is performed by an autonomous driving mode of the ADS, a remaining distance to an upcoming operational design domain (ODD) exit at which an ODD defined for the autonomous driving mode is planned to end;

assessing, when the remaining distance is shorter than a predeterminable distance, data associated with a stretch of road leading up to the ODD exit, the data being indicative of one or more of:

one or both of temporary stopping areas and emergency stopping areas,

one or both of shoulder lanes and margin space alongside a lane or lanes of the stretch of road,

occupancy of one or more of the temporary stopping areas, the emergency stopping areas, the shoulder lanes, and the margin space; and

obstruction of one or more of the temporary stopping areas, the emergency stopping areas, the shoulder lanes, and the margin space;

identifying based on the assessment of the data, a favourable region along the stretch of road for bringing the vehicle to a stop deemed safe should an MRM be triggered, the favourable region meeting a required level of safety and being within a threshold distance of the ODD exit, identifying the favourable region comprising selecting the favourable region, from among a plurality of assessed regions, based on selection criteria striking a balance between respective levels of safety attributed to stopping in certain regions, and respective certain region's closeness to the ODD exit; and

determining a timing at which to initiate an autonomous driving mode DDT termination procedure, the timing being calculated to occur one or both of a predeterminable time duration and a distance before the vehicle reaching the identified favourable region.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the assessing comprises one or both of:

assessing data comprising map-based data covering the stretch of road; and

assessing data comprising sensor-based data, the sensor-based data being derived from at least a first surrounding detecting sensor capable of capturing surroundings covering at least a portion of the stretch of road.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the assessing data comprising sensor-based data comprises gathering at least a portion of the sensor-based data from one or more sensors offboard the vehicle.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the gathering is performed with support from at least a first inter-vehicle communication service.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

communicating data indicative of the identified favourable region to the ADS.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the data is communicated to one or both of a trajectory planner and a vehicle motion control of the ADS.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining a timing at which to initiate an autonomous driving mode DDT termination procedure comprises determining a timing at which to trigger an MRM.

8 . A minimal risk maneuver (MRM) planning system for supporting planning of an MRM of an Automated Driving System (ADS) of a vehicle, the MRM planning system comprising at least one processor configured to:

determine while a dynamic driving task (DDT) of the vehicle is performed by an autonomous driving mode of the ADS, a remaining distance to an upcoming operational design domain (ODD) exit at which an ODD defined for the autonomous driving mode is planned to end;

assess, when the remaining distance is shorter than a predeterminable distance, data associated with a stretch of road leading up to the ODD exit, the data being indicative of one or more of:

one or both of temporary stopping areas and emergency stopping areas,

one or both of shoulder lanes and margin space alongside a lane or lanes of the stretch of road,

occupancy of one or more of the temporary stopping areas, the emergency stopping areas, the shoulder lanes, and the margin space; and

obstruction of one or more of the temporary stopping areas, the emergency stopping areas, the shoulder lanes, and the margin space;

identify based on the assessment of the data, a favourable region along the stretch of road for bringing the vehicle to a stop deemed safe should an MRM be triggered, the favourable region meeting a required level of safety and being within a threshold distance of the ODD exit, identifying the favourable region comprising selecting the favourable region, from among a plurality of assessed regions, based on selection criteria striking a balance between respective levels of safety attributed to stopping in certain regions, and respective certain region's closeness to the ODD exit; and

determine a timing at which to initiate an autonomous driving mode DDT termination procedure, the timing being calculated to occur one or both of a predeterminable time duration and a distance before the vehicle reaching the identified favourable region.

9 . The MRM planning system according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to one of both of:

assess data comprising map-based data covering the stretch of road; and

assess data comprising sensor-based data, the sensor-based data being derived from at least a first surrounding detecting sensor capable of capturing surroundings covering at least a portion of the stretch of road.

10 . The MRM planning system according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is adapted for gathering at least a portion of the sensor-based data from one or more sensors offboard the vehicle.

11 . The MRM planning system according to claim 10 , wherein the gathering is performed with support from at least a first inter-vehicle communication service.

12 . The MRM planning system according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

communicate data indicative of the identified favourable region to the ADS.

13 . The MRM planning system according to claim 12 , wherein the data is communicated to one or both of a trajectory planner and a vehicle motion control of the ADS.

14 . The MRM planning system according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a timing at which to trigger an MRM.

15 . The MRM planning system according to claim 8 , wherein the MRM planning system is comprised in a vehicle.

16 . A non-transitory computer storage medium storing a computer program containing computer program code configured to cause one of a computer and a processor to performed a method for supporting planning of a minimal risk maneuver (MRM) of an Automated Driving System (ADS) of a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining while a dynamic driving task (DDT) of the vehicle is performed by an autonomous driving mode of the ADS, a remaining distance to an upcoming operational design domain (ODD) exit at which an ODD defined for the autonomous driving mode is planned to end;

assessing, when the remaining distance is shorter than a predeterminable distance, data associated with a stretch of road leading up to the ODD exit, the data being indicative of one or more of:

one or both of temporary stopping areas and emergency stopping areas,

one or both of shoulder lanes and margin space alongside a lane or lanes of the stretch of road,

occupancy of one or more of the temporary stopping areas, the emergency stopping areas, the shoulder lanes, and the margin space; and

obstruction of one or more of the temporary stopping areas, the emergency stopping areas, the shoulder lanes, and the margin space;

identifying based on the assessment of the data, a favourable region along the stretch of road for bringing the vehicle to a stop deemed safe should an MRM be triggered, the favourable region meeting a required level of safety and being within a threshold distance of the ODD exit, identifying the favourable region comprising selecting the favourable region, from among a plurality of assessed regions, based on selection criteria striking a balance between respective levels of safety attributed to stopping in certain regions, and respective certain region's closeness to the ODD exit; and

determining a timing at which to initiate an autonomous driving mode DDT termination procedure, the timing being calculated to occur one or both of a predeterminable time duration and a distance before the vehicle reaching the identified favourable region.

17 . The non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 16 , wherein the assessing comprises one or both of:

assessing data comprising map-based data covering the stretch of road; and

assessing data comprising sensor-based data, the sensor-based data being derived from at least a first surrounding detecting sensor capable of capturing surroundings covering at least a portion of the stretch of road.