Systems and methods for imminent collision avoidance

1. A method for operating a first vehicle, comprising:

generating, by a computing device, a vehicle trajectory for a first vehicle while the first vehicle is in motion;

detecting an object within a given distance from the first vehicle;

generating, by the computing device, at least one possible object trajectory for the object which was detected;

performing, by the computing device, a collision check to determine whether a collision between the first vehicle and the object can be avoided based on the vehicle trajectory and the at least one possible object trajectory;

performing, by the computing device, a plausibility check to determine whether the collision is plausible based on content of a map, when a determination is made in the collision check that a collision between the first vehicle and the object cannot be avoided; and

performing operations, by the computing device, to selectively modify operations of the first vehicle based on results of the plausibility check;

wherein the object comprises a second vehicle with an associated individual and the plausibility check comprises (i) generating a degree of plausibility of at least one plausible path of travel for the object and (ii) using a result from comparing the degree of plausibility to a threshold value for validating that it is plausible the associated individual could drive the second vehicle such that the second vehicle travels along a course leading to a collision; and

wherein the degree of plausibility is generated based on historical data relating to previous operation of the second vehicle by the associated individual.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one plausible path of travel for the object is determined based on a location of the object, a direction of travel of the object, and the content of the map.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the map comprises lane information and direction of travel information for a plurality of lanes.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the plausibility check further comprises determining whether the at least one plausible path of travel intersects the vehicle trajectory.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein operations of the first vehicle are modified by selectively changing the vehicle trajectory when a determination is made in the plausibility check that the collision is plausible.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising performing operations, by the computing device, to selectively cause the first vehicle to follow the vehicle trajectory when a determination is made in the plausibility check that the collision is implausible.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the vehicle trajectory is changed to cause the first vehicle to at least one of brake, steer, and accelerate.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising performing operations, by the computing device, to selectively cause the first vehicle to perform a particular maneuver when a determination is made in the plausibility check that the collision is implausible, the particular maneuver changing a behavior of the first vehicle by an amount less than that associated with another maneuver performed by the first vehicle when the collision is plausible.

9. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising programming instructions that are configured to cause the processor to implement a method for operating a first vehicle, wherein the programming instructions comprise instructions to:

generate a vehicle trajectory for the first vehicle while the first vehicle is in motion;

detect an object within a given distance from the first vehicle;

generate at least one possible object trajectory for the object which was detected;

perform a collision check to determine whether a collision between the first vehicle and the object can be avoided based on the vehicle trajectory and the at least one possible object trajectory;

perform a plausibility check to determine whether the collision is plausible based on content of a map, when a determination is made in the collision check that a collision between the vehicle and the object cannot be avoided; and

selectively cause operations of the first vehicle to be modified based on results of the plausibility check;

wherein the object comprises a second vehicle with an associated individual and the plausibility check comprises (i) generating a degree of plausibility of at least one plausible path of travel for the object and (ii) using a result from comparing the degree of plausibility to a threshold value for validating that it is plausible the associated individual could drive the second vehicle to travel along a course leading to a collision; and

wherein the degree of plausibility is generated based on historical data relating to previous operation of the second vehicle by the associated individual.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one plausible path of travel for the object is determined based on a location of the object, a direction of travel of the object, and the content of the map.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the map comprises lane information and direction of travel information for a plurality of lanes.

12. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the plausibility check further comprises determining whether the least one plausible path of travel intersects the vehicle trajectory.

13. The system according to claim 9 , wherein operations of the first vehicle are modified by selectively changing the vehicle trajectory when a determination is made in the plausibility check that the collision is plausible.

14. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the programming instructions further comprise instructions to selectively cause the first vehicle to follow the vehicle trajectory when a determination is made in the plausibility check that the collision is implausible.

15. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the vehicle trajectory is changed to cause the first vehicle to at least one of brake, steer, and accelerate.

16. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the programming instructions further comprise instructions to selectively cause the first vehicle to perform a particular maneuver when a determination is made in the plausibility check that the collision is implausible, the particular maneuver changing a behavior of the first vehicle by an amount less than that associated with another maneuver performed by the first vehicle when the collision is plausible.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions that are configured to, when executed by at least one computing device, cause the at least one computing device to perform operations comprising:

generating a vehicle trajectory for a vehicle while a first vehicle is in motion;

detecting an object within a given distance from the first vehicle;

generating at least one possible object trajectory for the object which was detected;

performing a collision check to determine whether a collision between the vehicle and the object can be avoided based on the vehicle trajectory and the at least one possible object trajectory;

performing a plausibility check to determine whether the collision is plausible based on content of a map, when a determination is made in the collision check that a collision between the vehicle and the object cannot be avoided; and

performing operations to selectively modify operations of the first vehicle based on results of the plausibility check;

wherein the object comprises a second vehicle with an associated individual and the plausibility check comprises (i) generating a degree of plausibility of at least one plausible path of travel for the object and (ii) using a result from comparing the degree of plausibility to a threshold value for validating that it is plausible the associated individual could drive the second vehicle such that the second vehicle travels along a course leading to a collision; and

wherein the degree of plausibility is generated based on historical data relating to previous operation of the second vehicle by the associated individual.