Systems and methods for controlling autonomous vehicles that provide a vehicle service to users
Systems and methods for controlling autonomous vehicles are provided. In one example embodiment, a computer implemented method includes obtaining data indicative of a location associated with a user to which an autonomous vehicle is to travel. The autonomous vehicle is to travel along a first vehicle route that leads to the location. The method includes obtaining traffic data associated with a geographic area that includes the location. The method includes determining an estimated traffic impact of the autonomous vehicle on the geographic area based at least in part on the traffic data. The method includes determining vehicle action(s) based at least in part on the estimated traffic impact and causing the autonomous vehicle to perform the vehicle action(s) that include at least one of stopping the autonomous vehicle at least partially in a travel way within a vicinity of the location or travelling along a second vehicle route.
1. An autonomous vehicle comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more memory devices, the one or more memory devices storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:
obtaining data indicative of a location associated with a user to which the autonomous vehicle is to travel;
obtaining data indicative of a user walking distance from the location associated with the user;
determining that the autonomous vehicle is within the user walking distance from the location associated with the user;
in response to determining that the autonomous vehicle is within the user walking distance from the location associated with the user, determining an available parking location for the autonomous vehicle within a surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle and within the user walking distance from the location associated with the user; and
controlling the autonomous vehicle to position the autonomous vehicle in the available parking location.
2. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the user walking distance from the location associated with the user is based at least in part on at least one of a profile associated with the user, weather information, one or more traffic conditions, or historic vehicle services data.
3. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein obtaining data indicative of the user walking distance from the location associated with the user comprises:
obtaining data indicative of the user walking distance from a computing system that is remote from the autonomous vehicle.
4. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein obtaining data indicative of the user walking distance from the location associated with the user comprises:
determining, via a computing system onboard the autonomous vehicle, the user walking distance.
5. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the user walking distance is specified by the user.
6. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the user walking distance is based at least in part on feedback data.
7. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the user walking distance is decreased to a shorter distance based at least in part on a weather condition.
8. The autonomous vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the weather condition comprises rain being experienced or predicted to be experienced by a geographic area comprising the location associated with the user.
9. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the user walking distance is determined based at least in part on a machine-learned model.
10. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the user walking distance is based at least in part on a current traffic level within the surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle.
11. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein determining the available parking location for the autonomous vehicle within the surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle and within the user walking distance from the location associated with the user comprises:
searching for the available parking location before the autonomous vehicle reaches the location associated with the user.
12. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein determining the available parking location for the autonomous vehicle within the surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle and within the user walking distance from the location associated with the user comprises:
searching for the available parking location after the autonomous vehicle passes the location associated with the user and is still within the user walking distance.
13. A computer-implemented method of controlling autonomous vehicles, the method comprising:
obtaining, by a computing system that comprises one or more computing devices, data indicative of a location associated with a user to which an autonomous vehicle is to travel;
determining, by the computing system, a user walking distance from the location associated with the user;
determining, by the computing system, that the autonomous vehicle is within the user walking distance from the location associated with the user, wherein the autonomous vehicle is stopped within the user walking distance from the location associated with the user;
in response to determining that the autonomous vehicle is within the user walking distance from the location associated with the user, determining an available parking location for the autonomous vehicle within a surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle and within the user walking distance from the location associated with the user; and
controlling the autonomous vehicle to position the autonomous vehicle in the available parking location.
14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising:
sending, by the computing system, data indicative of the user walking distance t the autonomous vehicle.
15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein determining the user walking distance from the location associated with the user comprises:
obtaining data indicative of a user profile associated with the user; and
determining the user walking distance based at least in part on the user profile associated with the user.
16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the user walking distance is based at least in part on data associated with one or more other users.
17. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the user walking distance is based at least in part on a machine-learned model that is trained at least in part on data associated with a geographic area comprising the location associated with the user.
18. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising sending, by the computing system, a communication to a user device associated with the user, wherein the communication is indicative of the location of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the communication indicative of the location of the autonomous vehicle also comprises a textual message indicating that the autonomous vehicle is arriving.
19. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein determining the user walking distance from the location associated with the user comprises:
receiving, via the autonomous vehicle, data indicative of the user walking distance.
20. A computing system comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more memory devices, the one or more memory devices storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the computing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
obtaining data indicative of a location associated with a user to which an autonomous vehicle is to travel;
determining a user walking distance from the location associated with the user;
determining that the autonomous vehicle is within or approaching the user walking distance from the location associated with the user;
in response to determining that the autonomous vehicle is within the user walking distance from the location associated with the user, determining an available parking location for the autonomous vehicle within a surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle and within the user walking distance from the location associated with the user; and
controlling the autonomous vehicle to position the autonomous vehicle in the available parking location.