Actively modifying a field of view of an autonomous vehicle in view of constraints
Methods and devices for actively modifying a field of view of an autonomous vehicle in view of constraints are disclosed. In one embodiment, an example method is disclosed that includes causing a sensor in an autonomous vehicle to sense information about an environment in a first field of view, where a portion of the environment is obscured in the first field of view. The example method further includes determining a desired field of view in which the portion of the environment is not obscured and, based on the desired field of view and a set of constraints for the vehicle, determining a second field of view in which the portion of the environment is less obscured than in the first field of view. The example method further includes modifying a position of the vehicle, thereby causing the sensor to sense information in the second field of view.
1. A method comprising:
causing a sensor in an autonomous vehicle to sense information about an environment of the vehicle in a first field of view;
determining a second field of view based on a maneuver to be performed by the autonomous vehicle, wherein determining the second field of view comprises:
determining a desired of field of view that improves an ability of the sensor to sense information for the maneuver; and
determining the second field of view based on the desired field of view, wherein the second field of view is different than the desired field of view;
modifying the sensor's field of view from the first field of view to the second field of view, wherein modifying the sensor's field of view comprises modifying a position or an orientation of the sensor; and
causing the sensor to sense information in the second field of view before performing the maneuver.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is mounted on a movable mount.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein modifying the position or the orientation of the sensor comprises rotating or tilting the movable mount.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the sensor's field of view from the first field of view to the second field of view further comprises modifying a position of the vehicle.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the second field of view based on the desired field of view comprises determining the second field of view based on the desired field of view and a set of constraints for the vehicle.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the set of constraints comprises at least one of: one or more constraints based on traffic laws; one or more constraints based on passenger comfort; or one or more constraints based on passenger safety.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) unit, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) unit, a camera, or an acoustic sensor.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the maneuver comprises a left turn or a right turn.
9. An autonomous vehicle comprising:
a sensor;
at least one processor; and
data storage comprising instructions executable by the at least one processor to perform operations, wherein the operations comprise:
causing the sensor to sense information about an environment of the vehicle in a first field of view;
determining a second field of view based on a maneuver to be performed by the autonomous vehicle, wherein determining the second field of view comprises:
determining a desired of field of view that improves an ability of the sensor to sense information for the maneuver; and
determining the second field of view based on the desired field of view, wherein the second field of view is different than the desired field of view;
modifying the sensor's field of view from the first field of view to the second field of view, wherein modifying the sensor's field of view comprises modifying a position or an orientation of the sensor; and
causing the sensor to sense information in the second field of view before performing the maneuver.
10. The autonomous vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the sensor is mounted on a movable mount.
11. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10 , wherein modifying the position or the orientation of the sensor comprises rotating or tilting the movable mount.
12. The autonomous vehicle of claim 9 , wherein modifying the sensor's field of view from the first field of view to the second field of view further comprises modifying a position of the vehicle.
13. The autonomous vehicle of claim 9 , wherein determining the second field of view based on the desired field of view comprises determining the second field of view based on the desired field of view and a set of constraints for the vehicle.
14. The autonomous vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the set of constraints comprises at least one of: one or more constraints based on traffic laws; one or more constraints based on passenger comfort; or one or more constraints based on passenger safety.
15. The autonomous vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) unit, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) unit, a camera, or an acoustic sensor.
16. The autonomous vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the maneuver comprises a left turn or a right turn.
17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform operations, wherein the operations comprise:
causing a sensor in an autonomous vehicle to sense information about an environment of the vehicle in a first field of view;
determining a second field of view based on a maneuver to be performed by the autonomous vehicle, wherein determining the second field of view comprises:
determining a desired of field of view that improves an ability of the sensor to sense information for the maneuver; and
determining the second field of view based on the desired field of view, wherein the second field of view is different than the desired field of view;
modifying the sensor's field of view from the first field of view to the second field of view, wherein modifying the sensor's field of view comprises modifying a position or an orientation of the sensor; and
causing the sensor to sense information in the second field of view before performing the maneuver.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the sensor is mounted on a movable mount.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein modifying the position or the orientation of the sensor comprises rotating or tilting the movable mount.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein modifying the sensor's field of view from the first field of view to the second field of view further comprises modifying a position of the vehicle.
21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein determining the second field of view based on the desired field of view comprises determining the second field of view based on the desired field of view and a set of constraints for the vehicle.
22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the set of constraints comprises at least one of: one or more constraints based on traffic laws; one or more constraints based on passenger comfort; or one or more constraints based on passenger safety.
23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) unit, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) unit, a camera, or an acoustic sensor.
24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the maneuver comprises a left turn or a right turn.