Method for performing a vehicle assist operation
The technology relates to assisting large self-driving vehicles, such as cargo vehicles, as they maneuver towards and/or park at a destination facility. This may include a given vehicle transitioning between different autonomous driving modes. Such a vehicles may be permitted to drive in a fully autonomous mode on certain roadways for the majority of a trip, but may need to change to a partially autonomous mode on other roadways or when entering or leaving a destination facility such as a warehouse, depot or service center. Large vehicles such as cargo truck may have limited room to maneuver in and park at the destination, which may also prevent operation in a fully autonomous mode. Here, information from the destination facility and/or a remote assistance service can be employed to aid in real-time semi-autonomous maneuvering.
1. A method of performing a vehicle assist operation for an autonomous cargo vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving at one or more computing devices of the autonomous cargo vehicle, map information usable to navigate the autonomous cargo vehicle;
receiving, by the one or more computing devices of the autonomous cargo vehicle, sensor information from a perception system of the autonomous cargo vehicle;
generating, by the one or more computing devices of the autonomous cargo vehicle, an initial trajectory to a parking location of a parking facility using the map information and the sensor information;
applying, by the one or more computing devices of the autonomous cargo vehicle, a modified trajectory to the parking location of the parking facility based on real time sensor data from one or more sensors of the parking facility; and
using the modified trajectory to enable a driving system of the autonomous cargo vehicle to drive to the parking location in an autonomous driving mode.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing the modified trajectory to the driving system to enable the driving system to drive to the parking location in the autonomous driving mode.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the modified trajectory to the parking location is further based on a roadgraph of the parking facility, the roadgraph including a set of paths for backing the autonomous cargo vehicle into the parking location.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting an obstruction at the parking facility between the autonomous cargo vehicle and the parking location; and
modifying either the initial trajectory or the modified trajectory to avoid the obstruction.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parking location is assigned to the autonomous cargo vehicle by the parking facility.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the parking location is assigned based on an ambient temperature at the parking facility.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the parking location is assigned based on whether the parking location is locating in direct sunlight or in shade.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein assignment of the parking location is based on an evaluation of at least one of a time of day, position of the parking location relative to an entrance or exit of the parking facility, a speed limit at the parking facility, or a vehicle type.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parking location is selected by the autonomous cargo vehicle based on at least one of an availability of parking spaces, a size of a maneuvering area at the parking facility, a size of the vehicle, sensor visibility of the perception system of the autonomous cargo vehicle, or a detailed map of the parking facility.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modified trajectory is further based on a perception analysis on the real time sensor data to detect one or more objects in an apron space of the parking facility.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the perception analysis includes categorizing the detected one or more objects.
12. The method of claim 11 , the method further comprising instructing the driving system of the autonomous cargo vehicle to take a corrective action in response to categorization of at least one of the detected one or more objects.
13. A system configured to perform a vehicle assist operation for an autonomous cargo vehicle, the system comprising:
one or more computing devices of the autonomous cargo vehicle including a memory configured to store map information usable to navigate the autonomous cargo vehicle, the one or more computing devices of the autonomous cargo vehicle being configured to,
receive the map information usable to navigate the vehicle;
receive sensor information from a perception system of the autonomous cargo vehicle;
generate an initial trajectory to a parking location of a parking facility using the map information and the sensor information;
apply a modified trajectory to the parking location of the parking facility based on real time sensor data from one or more sensors of the parking facility; and
use the modified trajectory to enable a driving system of the autonomous cargo vehicle to drive to the parking location in an autonomous driving mode.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein:
the modified trajectory to the parking location is further based on a roadgraph of the parking facility, the roadgraph including a set of paths for backing the autonomous cargo vehicle into the parking location.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:
identify an obstruction at the parking facility between the autonomous cargo vehicle and the parking location; and
modify either the initial trajectory or the modifyied trajectory to avoid the obstruction.
16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the parking location is assigned to the autonomous cargo vehicle by the parking facility based on either:
an ambient temperature at the parking facility; or
whether the parking location is locating in direct sunlight or in shade.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the parking location is selected by the autonomous cargo vehicle based on at least one of an availability of parking spaces, a size of a maneuvering area at the parking facility, a size of the vehicle, sensor visibility of the perception system of the autonomous cargo vehicle, or a detailed map of the parking facility.
18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the modified trajectory is further based on a perception analysis on the real time sensor data to detect one or more objects in an apron space of the parking facility.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the initial trajectory and the modified trajectory includes a reversing maneuver to back the autonomous cargo vehicle into the parking location.
20. An autonomous cargo vehicle comprising:
the system of claim 13 ; and
the perception system of the autonomous cargo vehicle, wherein the perception system includes one or more sensors disposed on a cab of the autonomous cargo vehicle.
21. The autonomous cargo vehicle of claim 20 , wherein the one or more sensors are not disposed on a trailer of the autonomous cargo vehicle.