Efficient autonomous trucks
The technology relates to enhancing the operation of autonomous vehicles. Extendible sensors are deployed based on detected or predicted conditions around a vehicle while operating in a self-driving mode. When not needed, the sensors are fully retracted into the vehicle to reduce drag and increase fuel economy. When the onboard system determines that there is a need for a deployable sensor, such as to enhance the field of view of the perception system, the sensor is extended in a predetermined manner. The deployment may depend on one or more operating conditions and/or particular driving scenarios. These and other sensors of the vehicle may be protected with a rugged housing, for instance to protect against damage from the elements. And in other situations, deployable foils may extend from the vehicle's chassis to increase drag and enhance braking. This may be helpful for large trucks in steep descent situations.
1. A vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode, the vehicle comprising:
a driving system including a steering subsystem, an acceleration subsystem and a deceleration subsystem to control driving of the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode;
a perception system configured to detect objects in an environment external to the vehicle, the perception system including a plurality of sensors; and
a control system including one or more processors, the control system operatively coupled to the driving system and the perception system, the control system being configured, while the vehicle is operating in the autonomous driving mode, to:
determine, based on occlusion information obtained by the perception system, a likelihood that there is an occluded object in the external environment that is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle;
determine whether the likelihood exceeds a threshold probability that there is an occluded object within the predetermined distance;
in response to a determination that the likelihood exceeds the threshold probability that an occluded object is within the predetermined distance, select one of the plurality of sensors to be deployed in an active sensing mode; and
instruct the perception system to deploy the selected sensor from a retracted position within a housing of the vehicle to an extended position external to the housing.
2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the perception system is further configured to activate the selected sensor upon deployment to the extended position.
3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein upon receiving instruction to deploy the selected sensor, the perception system is further configured to cause a cover of the housing to be adjusted to expose the selected sensor prior to deployment.
4. The vehicle of claim 3 , further comprising the cover, wherein the cover is adjusted by retracting the cover into an interior portion of the housing.
5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein in response to a determination that there is likelihood that there is an occluded object within the predetermined distance, the control system is further configured to evaluate an aerodynamic profile of the vehicle to determine impact of deployment of the selected sensor on the aerodynamic profile.
6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the extended position is selected according to a projected aerodynamic impact of deployment of the selected sensor.
7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
determine whether to retract the selected sensor; and
upon a determination to retract the selected sensor, instruct the perception system to retract the selected sensor to the retracted position.
8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the determination of whether to retract the selected sensor is based on a current weather condition or a projected weather condition.
9. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the determination of whether to retract the selected sensor is based on either a current roadway configuration or an upcoming roadway configuration.
10. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to control the driving system based on the information obtained by the selected sensor.
11. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the selected sensor is one of lidar, radar, an optical image sensor, an infrared image sensor, or an acoustical sensor.
12. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured, upon instructing the perception system to deploy the selected sensor, to:
confirm whether the selected sensor has deployed to the extended position by evaluating calibration information for the retracted position and the extended position.
13. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured, upon instructing the perception system to deploy the selected sensor, to:
calculate calibrations for the selected sensor in real time based on another sensor of the plurality of sensors of the perception system.
14. A method of operating a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode, the vehicle having a driving system including a steering subsystem, an acceleration subsystem and a deceleration subsystem to control driving of the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode, a perception system including a plurality of sensors configured to detect objects in an environment external to the vehicle, and a control system including one or more processors operatively coupled to the driving system and the perception system, the method comprising:
determining, by the one or more processors, based on occlusion information obtained by the perception system, a likelihood that there is an occluded object in the external environment that is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle;
determining, by the one or more processors, whether the likelihood exceeds a threshold probability that there is an occluded object within the predetermined distance;
in response determining that the likelihood exceeds the threshold probability that an occluded object is within the predetermined distance, the one or more processors selecting one of the plurality of sensors to be deployed in an active sensing mode; and
the one or more processors instructing the perception system to deploy the selected sensor from a retracted position within a housing of the vehicle to an extended position external to the housing.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the perception system activating the selected sensor upon deployment to the extended position.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein upon receiving instruction to deploy the selected sensor, the perception system causing a cover of the housing to be adjusted to expose the selected sensor prior to deployment.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising adjusting the cover by retracting the cover into an interior portion of the housing.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein in response to a determination that there is likelihood that there is an occluded object within the predetermined distance, evaluating an aerodynamic profile of the vehicle to determine impact of deployment of the selected sensor on the aerodynamic profile.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the extended position is selected according to a projected aerodynamic impact of deployment of the selected sensor.
20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
determining whether to retract the selected sensor; and
upon determining to retract the selected sensor, instructing the perception system to retract the selected sensor to the retracted position.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the determination of whether to retract the selected sensor is based on a current weather condition, a projected weather condition, a current roadway configuration, or an upcoming roadway configuration.
22. The method of claim 14 , further comprising controlling the driving system based on the information obtained by the selected sensor.
23. The method of claim 14 , wherein the selected sensor is one of lidar, radar, an optical image sensor, an infrared image sensor, or an acoustical sensor.