Method of automatically controlling an autonomous vehicle based on electronic messages from roadside infrastructure or other vehicles

1. A method comprising:

receiving, via an electronic receiver of a vehicle, a message sent from a remote device located outside the vehicle, data contained in the message including a location to an object in a path of the vehicle; and

providing, by a computer system of the vehicle, instructions based on the received message to automatically cause one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle to implement a countermeasure behavior based in part on the location of the object in the path of the vehicle, the one or more vehicle systems including a braking system, a forward-looking sensor, a steering system, a roadway mapping system, and a powertrain system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a traffic signaling device;

the location comprises a device location;

the data contained in the message further includes a signal phase and a phase timing associated with the traffic signaling device; and

providing the instructions comprises:

determining a vehicle speed of the vehicle;

determining the signal phase in the path of the vehicle;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the device location; and

providing, by the computer system, instructions to the braking system to apply brakes to slow the vehicle based on the vehicle speed, the signal phase, and the distance.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the remote device comprises an animal crossing zone warning device;

the location comprises a zone location;

the data contained in the message further includes a zone direction and a zone length; and

providing the instructions comprises providing, to the forward looking sensor the instructions to widen a field of view so as to include at least both road shoulders within the field of view.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a pedestrian crossing warning device;

the location comprises a crossing location;

the data contained in the message further includes a warning state; and

providing the instructions comprises:

providing, by the computer system, to the forward-looking sensor, the instructions to widen a field of view so as to include at least both road shoulders within the field of view;

determining a vehicle speed of the vehicle;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the crossing location; and

providing, by the computer system, instructions to the braking system to apply brakes to slow the vehicle based on the vehicle speed, the warning state, and the distance.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a school crossing warning device;

the location comprises a device location;

the data contained in the message further includes a warning state; and

providing the instructions comprises:

determining a vehicle speed of the vehicle;

determining a lateral location of the device location within a roadway;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the device location; and

providing, by the computer system, instructions to the braking system to apply brakes to slow the vehicle based on one or more from the group consisting of: a vehicle speed, the lateral location, the warning state, and the distance between the vehicle and the device location.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a lane direction indicating device;

the location comprises a lane location;

the data contained in the message further includes a lane direction; and

providing the instructions comprises providing, by the computer system, instructions to the roadway mapping system to dynamically update lane direction information.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a no passing zone device;

the location comprises a no passing zone location;

the data contained in the message further includes a no passing zone length; and

providing the instructions comprises:

detecting, via the forward-looking sensor, another vehicle ahead of the vehicle;

determining a vehicle speed of the vehicle;

determining another vehicle speed of the other vehicle;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle;

determining a safe passing distance for the vehicle to overtake the other vehicle;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the no passing zone location;

providing, by the computer system, instructions to the powertrain system to adjust the vehicle speed so that the speed differential is less than or equal to zero when the safe passing distance would end within the no passing zone; and

providing, by the computer system, instructions to the braking system to adjust the vehicle speed so that the vehicle speed is less than or equal to the other vehicle speed when the safe passing distance would end within the no passing zone.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a construction zone warning device;

the location comprises a zone location;

the data contained in the message further includes information selected from the group of: a zone direction, a zone length, a zone speed limit, and lane closures; and

providing the instructions includes:

determining a vehicle speed of the vehicle;

determining a lateral vehicle location of the vehicle within a roadway;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the zone location;

determining a steering angle based on the lane closures, and the distance between the vehicle and the zone location;

providing, by the computer system, instructions to the steering system to adjust the vehicle path based on the steering angle; and

providing, by the computer system, instructions to the powertrain system to adjust the vehicle speed so that the vehicle speed is less than or equal to the zone speed limit.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a stop sign;

the location comprises a sign location;

the data contained in the message further includes a stop direction; and

providing the instructions includes:

determining a vehicle speed of the vehicle;

determining the stop direction of the vehicle path;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the sign location; and

providing, by the computer system, instructions to the braking system to apply vehicle brakes based on a vehicle speed, the stop direction of the vehicle path, and the distance between the vehicle and the sign location.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a railroad crossing warning device;

the location comprises a device location;

the data contained in the message further includes a warning state; and

providing the instructions includes:

determining a vehicle speed of the vehicle;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the device location; and

providing, by the computer system, instructions to the braking system to apply vehicle brakes based on the vehicle speed, the warning state, and the distance between the vehicle and the device location.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a speed limiting device;

the location comprises a speed zone location;

the data contained in the message further includes a speed zone direction, a speed zone length, and a zone speed limit; and

providing the instructions includes:

determining a vehicle speed of the vehicle;

determining a distance between the vehicle location and the speed zone location; and

providing, by the computer system, instructions to the powertrain system to adjust the vehicle speed so that the vehicle speed is less than or equal to the zone speed limit.

12. A system comprising a vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

multiple vehicle systems including a braking system, a forward-looking sensor, a steering system, a roadway mapping system, and a powertrain system;

an electronic receiver configured to receive a message sent from a remote device located outside the vehicle, data contained in the message including a location to an object in a path of the vehicle; and

a computer system configured to provide, based on the received message, instructions to automatically cause one or more of the vehicle systems to implement a countermeasure behavior based in part on the location of the object in the path of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a traffic signaling device;

the location comprises a device location;

the data contained in the message further includes a signal phase and a phase timing associated with the traffic signaling device; and

the computer system is configured to provide the instructions by at least:

determining a vehicle speed of the vehicle;

determining the signal phase in the path of the vehicle;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the device location; and

providing, by the computer system, instructions to the braking system to apply brakes to slow the vehicle based on the vehicle speed, the signal phase, and the distance.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the remote device comprises an animal crossing zone warning device;

the location comprises a zone location;

the data contained in the message further includes a zone direction and a zone length; and

the computer system is configured to provide the instructions by at least providing, to the forward-looking sensor the instructions to widen a field of view so as to include at least both road shoulders within the field of view.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a pedestrian crossing warning device;

the location comprises a crossing location;

the data contained in the message further includes a warning state; and

the computer system is configured to provide the instructions by at least:

providing, to the forward-looking sensor, first instructions to widen a field of view so as to include at least both road shoulders within the field of view;

determining a vehicle speed of the vehicle;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the crossing location; and

providing, to the braking system, second instructions to apply brakes to slow the vehicle based on the vehicle speed, the warning state, and the distance.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a school crossing warning device;

the location comprises a device location;

the data contained in the message further includes a warning state; and

the computer system is configured to provide the instructions by at least:

determining a vehicle speed of the vehicle;

determining a lateral location of the device location within a roadway;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the device location; and

providing instructions to the braking system to apply brakes to slow the vehicle based on one or more from the group consisting of: a vehicle speed, the lateral location, the warning state, and the distance between the vehicle and the device location.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a lane direction indicating device;

the location comprises a lane location;

the data contained in the message further includes a lane direction; and

the computer system is configured to provide the instructions by at least providing instructions to the roadway mapping system to dynamically update lane direction information.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a no passing zone device;

the location comprises a no passing zone location;

the data contained in the message further includes a no passing zone length; and

the computer system is configured to provide the instructions by at least:

detecting, via the forward-looking sensor, another vehicle ahead of the vehicle;

determining a vehicle speed of the vehicle;

determining another vehicle speed of the other vehicle;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle;

determining a safe passing distance for the vehicle to overtake the other vehicle;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the no passing zone location;

providing first instructions to the powertrain system to adjust the vehicle speed so that the speed differential is less than or equal to zero when the safe passing distance would end within the no passing zone; and

providing second instructions to the braking system to adjust the vehicle speed so that the vehicle speed is less than or equal to the other vehicle speed when the safe passing distance would end within the no passing zone.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a construction zone warning device;

the location comprises a zone location;

the data contained in the message further includes information selected from the group of: a zone direction, a zone length, a zone speed limit, and lane closures; and

the computer system is configured to provide the instructions by at least:

determining a vehicle speed of the vehicle;

determining a lateral vehicle location of the vehicle within a roadway;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the zone location;

determining a steering angle based on the lane closures, and the distance between the vehicle and the zone location;

providing first instructions to the steering system to adjust the vehicle path based on the steering angle; and

providing second instructions to the powertrain system to adjust the vehicle speed so that the vehicle speed is less than or equal to the zone speed limit.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the remote device comprises a stop sign;

the location comprises a sign location;

the data contained in the message further includes a stop direction; and

the computer system is configured to provide the instructions by at least:

determining a vehicle speed of the vehicle;

determining the stop direction of the vehicle path;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the sign location; and

providing instructions to the braking system to apply vehicle brakes based on a vehicle speed, the stop direction of the vehicle path, and the distance between the vehicle and the sign location.