Configuring motion planning for a self-driving tractor unit

1. A control system comprising one or more processors configured to execute instructions to cause the control system to:

obtain a plurality of trailer parameters of a cargo trailer coupled to a self-driving tractor, wherein the plurality of trailer parameters are descriptive of a type of cargo within the cargo trailer;

generate a trajectory for the self-driving tractor based on the plurality of trailer parameters; and

generate a control command for at least one vehicle control mechanism of the self-driving tractor based on the trajectory.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein generating the trajectory for the self-driving tractor based on the plurality of trailer parameters comprises:

determining a clearance parameter for the self-driving tractor based on the plurality of trailer parameters; and

generating the trajectory for the self-driving tractor based on the clearance parameter.

3. The control system of claim 2 , wherein the clearance parameter comprises at least one of: (i) a distance between the self-driving tractor and other objects, (ii) a turning radius for the self-driving tractor, or (iii) a speed of the self-driving tractor.

4. The control system of claim 2 , wherein the cargo comprises a hazardous material and the clearance parameter for the self-driving tractor is increased based on the hazardous material.

5. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of trailer parameters of the cargo trailer are indicative of an arrangement of the cargo within the cargo trailer, and the trajectory for the self-driving tractor is generated based on the arrangement of the cargo within the cargo trailer.

6. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of trailer parameters of the cargo trailer are indicative of a type of trailer, and the trajectory for the self-driving tractor is generated based on the type of trailer.

7. The control system of claim 6 , wherein the type of trailer comprises at least one of a refrigerated trailer, an auto-carrier trailer, a flat-bed trailer, or a hazardous materials trailer.

8. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of trailer parameters of the cargo trailer are indicative of a cargo size and the trajectory for the self-driving tractor is generated based on the cargo size.

9. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the cargo size is indicative of an oversized load and a clearance parameter for the self-driving tractor is increased based on the oversized load.

10. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the control system to:

monitor one or more characteristics of the cargo trailer during autonomous operation of the self-driving tractor; and

update the trajectory based on the one or more characteristics of the cargo trailer during autonomous operation of the self-driving tractor.

11. A self-driving tractor for a semi-trailer truck, comprising:

a plurality of control mechanisms; and

a control system comprising processing resources executing instructions that cause the control system to:

obtain a plurality of trailer parameters of a cargo trailer coupled to the self-driving tractor, wherein the plurality of trailer parameters are descriptive of a type of cargo within the cargo trailer;

generate a trajectory for the self-driving tractor based on the plurality of trailer parameters; and

generate a control command for at least one of the plurality of control mechanisms of the self-driving tractor based on the trajectory.

12. The self-driving tractor of claim 11 , wherein generating the trajectory for the self-driving tractor based on the cargo within the cargo trailer comprises:

determining a clearance parameter for the self-driving tractor based on the plurality of trailer parameters; and

generating the trajectory for the self-driving tractor based on the clearance parameter.

13. The self-driving tractor of claim 12 , wherein the clearance parameter comprises at least one of: (i) a distance between the self-driving tractor and other objects, (ii) a turning radius for the self-driving tractor, or (iii) a speed of the self-driving tractor.

14. The self-driving tractor of claim 12 , wherein the cargo comprises a hazardous material and the clearance parameter for the self-driving tractor is increased based on the hazardous material.

15. The self-driving tractor of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of trailer parameters of the cargo trailer are indicative of an arrangement of the cargo within the cargo trailer, and the trajectory for the self-driving tractor is generated based on the arrangement of the cargo within the cargo trailer.

16. The self-driving tractor of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of trailer parameters of the cargo trailer are indicative of a type of trailer, and the trajectory for the self-driving tractor is generated based on the type of trailer.

17. The self-driving tractor of claim 16 , wherein the type of trailer comprises at least one of a refrigerated trailer, an auto-carrier trailer, a flat-bed trailer, or a hazardous materials trailer.

18. A computer-implemented method for controlling a self-driving tractor, the method comprising:

obtaining a plurality of trailer parameters of a cargo trailer coupled to a self-driving tractor, wherein the plurality of trailer parameters are descriptive of a type of cargo within the cargo trailer;

generating a trajectory for the self-driving tractor based on the plurality of trailer parameters;

generating a control command for at least one vehicle control mechanism of the self-driving tractor based on the trajectory; and

autonomously controlling the self-driving tractor in accordance with the control command.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of trailer parameters of the cargo trailer are indicative of a cargo size and the trajectory for the self-driving tractor is generated based on the cargo size.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , wherein the cargo size is indicative of an oversized load and a clearance parameter for the self-driving tractor is increased based on the oversized load.