SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOTE CONTROL GUIDED AUTONOMY FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

1 . A system comprising:

an autonomous vehicle configured to travel along a road, wherein the autonomous vehicle comprises at least one sensor configured to capture sensor data;

a control device associated with the autonomous vehicle, and comprising a first processor configured to:

detect an event trigger that impacts the autonomous vehicle;

in response to detecting the event trigger, enter the autonomous vehicle into a first degraded autonomy mode, wherein in the first degraded autonomy mode, the first processor is configured to:

communicate the sensor data to an oversight server;

receive one or more high-level commands from the oversight server, wherein the one or more high-level commands indicate minimal risk maneuvers for the autonomous vehicle;

receive a maximum traveling speed for the autonomous vehicle from the oversight server; and

navigate the autonomous vehicle using an adaptive cruise control according to the one or more high-level commands and the maximum traveling speed.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the event trigger comprises one or more of a hardware failure and a software failure with respect to the autonomous vehicle.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the event trigger leads to a loss of localization capability with respect to the autonomous vehicle; and

the loss of the localization capability leads to the control device not being able to determine geographical location coordinates of the autonomous vehicle.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein:

the event trigger further leads to a loss of traffic sign detection capability with respect to the autonomous vehicle; and

the loss of the traffic sign detection capability leads to the control device not being able to detect traffic signs and traffic lights.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first processor is further configured to communicate a message to the oversight server that indicates the autonomous vehicle has entered the first degraded autonomy mode.

6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the oversight server communicatively coupled with the control device, and comprising a second processor configured to:

receive the sensor data from the control device;

display the sensor data on a user interface;

accept input comprising the maximum traveling speed and the one or more high-level commands from a remote operator;

communicate the maximum traveling speed to the control device; and

communicate the one or more high-level commands to the control device.

7 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the first processor is further configured to:

detect that at least one of the localization capability and the traffic sign detection capability is partially restored;

in response detecting that at least one of the localization capability and the traffic sign detection capability is partially restored, enter the autonomous vehicle into a second degraded autonomy mode, wherein in the second degraded autonomy mode, the first processor is further configured to, in addition to operations in the first degraded autonomy mode:

access the sensor data comprising data that represents one or more of a lane marking and a traffic sign;

detect the lane marking on at least one side of the autonomous vehicle from the sensor data;

detect the traffic sign on the road ahead of the autonomous vehicle from the sensor data; and

use the detected lane marking and the traffic sign in the navigation of the autonomous vehicle using the adaptive cruise control according to the one or more high-level commands and the maximum traveling speed.

8 . A method comprising:

detecting an event trigger that impacts an autonomous vehicle, wherein:

the autonomous vehicle is configured to travel along a road; and

the autonomous vehicle comprises at least one sensor configured to capture sensor data;

in response to detecting the event trigger, entering the autonomous vehicle into a first degraded autonomy mode, wherein in the first degraded autonomy mode, the method further comprises:

communicating the sensor data to an oversight server;

receiving one or more high-level commands from the oversight server, wherein the one or more high-level commands indicate minimal risk maneuvers for the autonomous vehicle;

receiving a maximum traveling speed for the autonomous vehicle from the oversight server; and

navigating the autonomous vehicle using an adaptive cruise control according to the one or more high-level commands and the maximum traveling speed.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more high-level commands comprises at least one of the following instructions:

stay within a current lane for a particular amount of time;

change to a particular lane when traffic on the particular lane allows; and

pull over on a particular side of the road at a particular location.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising maintaining a predefined distance with other vehicles and objects on the road.

11 . The method of claim 8 , the minimal risk maneuvers comprises slowing down the autonomous vehicle.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the autonomous vehicle is a semi-truck tractor unit attached to a trailer.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the sensor data comprises data that indicates objects on the road.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a camera, a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor, a motion sensor, and an infrared sensor.

15 . A system comprising:

an autonomous vehicle configured to travel along a road, wherein the autonomous vehicle comprises at least one sensor configured to capture sensor data;

a control device associated with the autonomous vehicle, and comprising a first processor configured to:

detect an event trigger that impacts the autonomous vehicle;

in response to detecting the trigger, enter the autonomous vehicle into a first autonomy degradation mode, wherein in the first autonomy degradation mode, the first processor is configured to:

access the sensor data comprising data that represents one or more of a lane marking and a traffic sign;

detect the lane marking on at least one side of the autonomous vehicle from the sensor data;

detect the traffic sign on the road ahead of the autonomous vehicle from the sensor data; and

navigate the autonomous vehicle using an adaptive cruise control such that the autonomous vehicle stays within a current lane according to the detected lane marking and obeys traffic rules according to the traffic sign, wherein navigating the autonomous vehicle is according to a predefined maximum traveling speed.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the event trigger comprises one or more of a hardware failure and a software failure with respect to the autonomous vehicle.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the event trigger leads to a degradation in connectivity with an oversight server such that the control device and the oversight server are not able to communicate with each other.

18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the event trigger is a loss of connectivity between the control device and an oversight server.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein while navigating the autonomous vehicle comprises, the first processor is further configured to:

instruct the autonomous vehicle to travel a predefined distance;

while the autonomous vehicle is traveling the predefined distance, determine whether the connectivity with the oversight server is at least partially restored;

in response to determining that the connectivity with the oversight server is at least partially restored:

communicate the sensor data to the oversight server;

receive one or more high-level commands from the oversight server, wherein the one or more high-level commands indicate minimal risk maneuvers for the autonomous vehicle;

receive a maximum traveling speed for the autonomous vehicle from the oversight server;

navigate the autonomous vehicle using the adaptive cruise control according to the one or more high-level commands and the maximum traveling speed; and

in response to determining that the connectivity with the oversight server is not even at least partially restored, instruct the autonomous vehicle to pull over to a particular location on a side of the road.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein while navigating the autonomous vehicle comprises, the first processor is further configured to:

instruct the autonomous vehicle to travel until a predefined time;

while the autonomous vehicle is traveling until the predefined time, determine whether the connectivity with the oversight server is at least partially restored;

in response to determining that the connectivity with the oversight server is at least partially restored:

communicate the sensor data to the oversight server;

receive one or more high-level commands from the oversight server, wherein the one or more high-level commands indicate minimal risk maneuvers for the autonomous vehicle;

receive a maximum traveling speed for the autonomous vehicle from the oversight server;

navigate the autonomous vehicle using the adaptive cruise control according to the one or more high-level commands and the maximum traveling speed; and

in response to determining that the connectivity with the oversight server is not even at least partially restored, instruct the autonomous vehicle to pull over to a particular location on a side of the road.