Systems and methods for controlling an autonomous vehicle with occluded sensor zones

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:

obtaining sensor data descriptive of a surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle, the sensor data comprising a plurality of sensor signals captured by a sensor located on the autonomous vehicle:

processing the sensor data to identify an occluded sensor zone, the occluded sensor zone indicative of a region in the surrounding environment that has become momentarily occluded to the sensor;

tracking an object in the surrounding environment relative to the occluded sensor zone, wherein the tracking of the object is based on the sensor data;

determining, based on the occluded sensor zone and the tracking of the object relative to the occluded sensor zone, that the occluded sensor zone is occupied;

storing, in a database onboard the autonomous vehicle, data indicative of an occupancy state for the occluded sensor zone. the occupant; state comprising one of occupied or unoccupied; and

in response to determining that the occluded sensor zone is occupied, controlling the autonomous vehicle to travel clear of the occluded sensor zone.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining, based on the occluded sensor zone and the tracking of the object relative to the occluded sensor zone, that the occluded sensor zone is occupied comprises:

tracking a location of the object in the surrounding environment as entering into the occluded sensor zone; and

determining, based on the object entering into the occluded sensor zone, that the occluded sensor zone is occupied.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that the occluded sensor zone in unoccupied by tracking a location of the object in the surrounding environment as leaving the occluded sensor zone, wherein the object leaving the occluded sensor zone is subsequent to the object entering into the occluded sensor zone.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:

not tracking the object leaving the occluded sensor zone; and

determining, after a particular amount of time has elapsed, that the occluded sensor zone is unoccupied.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

tracking a location of the object in the surrounding environment as leaving the occluded sensor zone;

receiving no sensor signals from the occluded sensor zone subsequent to the object leaving the occluded sensor zone; and

determining, based on the object leaving the occluded sensor zone and the receiving no sensor signals from the occluded sensor zone, that the occluded sensor zone is unoccupied.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving at least one sensor signal from the occluded sensor zone; and

determining, based on the receiving of the at least one sensor signal from the occluded sensor zone, that the occluded sensor zone is no longer occluded.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a new object in the surrounding environment based on the sensor data, wherein at least pail of the new object is located in the occluded sensor zone; and

determining, based on the new object, that the occluded sensor zone is occupied.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a light detection and ranging sensor mounted on a roof of the autonomous vehicle.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the autonomous vehicle to travel clear of the occluded sensor zone comprises:

obtaining a motion plan of the autonomous vehicle through the surrounding environment;

determining that the motion plan intersects the occluded sensor zone; and

in response to determining that the motion plan intersects the occluded sensor zone, precluding the autonomous vehicle from executing the motion plan.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the autonomous vehicle to travel clear of the occluded sensor zone comprises:

obtaining a motion plan that includes a lane change; and

in response to determining that the occluded sensor zone is occupied, precluding the autonomous vehicle from executing the lane change.

11. A computing system for controlling an autonomous vehicle, the computing system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer readable media that store instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the computing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:

obtaining sensor data descriptive of a surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle, the sensor data comprising a plurality of sensor signals captured by a sensor located on the autonomous vehicle;

processing the sensor data to identify an occluded sensor zone, the occluded sensor zone indicative of a region in the surrounding environment that has become momentarily occluded to the sensor;

tracking an object in the surrounding environment relative to the occluded sensor zone, wherein the tracking of the object is based on the sensor data;

determining, based on the occluded sensor zone and the tracking of the object relative to the occluded sensor zone, that the occluded sensor zone is occupied;

storing data indicative of an occupancy state for the occluded sensor zone, the occupancy state comprising one of occupied or unoccupied: and

in response to determining that the occluded sensor zone is occupied, controlling the autonomous vehicle to travel clear of the occluded sensor zone.

12. The computing system of claim 11 , wherein determining, based on the occluded sensor zone and the tracking of the object relative to the occluded sensor zone, that the occluded sensor zone is occupied comprises:

tracking a location of the object in the surrounding environment as entering into the occluded sensor zone; and

determining, based on the object entering into the occluded sensor zone, that the occluded sensor zone is occupied.

13. The computing system of claim 12 , the operations further comprising:

determining that the occluded sensor zone is unoccupied by tracking a location of the object in the surrounding environment as leaving the occluded sensor zone, wherein the object leaving the occluded sensor zone is subsequent to the object entering into the occluded sensor zone.

14. The computing system of claim 12 , the operations further comprising:

not tracking the object leaving the occluded sensor zone; and

determining, after a particular amount of time has elapsed, that the occluded sensor zone is unoccupied.

15. The computing system of claim 11 , the operations further comprising:

tracking a location of the object in the surrounding environment as leaving the occluded sensor zone;

receiving no sensor signals from the occluded sensor zone subsequent to the object leaving the occluded sensor zone; and

determining, based on the object leaving the occluded sensor zone and the receiving no sensor signals from the occluded sensor zone, that the occluded sensor zone is unoccupied.

16. The computing system of claim 11 , the operations further comprising:

receiving at least one sensor signal from the occluded sensor zone; and

determining, based on the receiving of the at least one sensor signal from the occluded sensor zone, that the occluded sensor zone is no longer occluded.

17. The computing system of claim 11 , the operations further comprising:

identifying a new object in the surrounding environment based on the sensor data, wherein at least part of the new object is located in the occluded sensor zone; and

determining, based on the new object, that the occluded sensor zone is occupied.

18. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:

a sensor located on the autonomous vehicle;

one or more processors; and

one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer readable media that store instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:

obtaining sensor data descriptive of a surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle, the sensor data comprising a plurality of sensor signals captured by the sensor;

processing the sensor data to identify an occluded sensor zone, the occluded sensor zone indicative of a region in the surrounding environment that has become momentarily occluded to the sensor;

tracking an object in the surrounding environment relative to the occluded sensor zone, wherein the tracking of the object is based on the sensor data;

determining, based on the occluded sensor zone and the tracking of the object relative to the occluded sensor zone, that the occluded sensor zone is occupied;

storing data indicative of an occupancy state for the occluded sensor zone, the occupancy state comprising one of occupied or unoccupied; and

in response to determining that the occluded sensor zone is occupied, controlling the autonomous vehicle to travel clear of the occluded sensor zone.

19. The autonomous vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the sensor comprises a light detection and ranging sensor mounted on a roof of the autonomous vehicle.

20. The autonomous vehicle of claim 18 , the operations further comprising:

tracking a location of the object in the surrounding environment as leaving the occluded sensor zone;

receiving no sensor signals from the occluded sensor zone subsequent to the object leaving the occluded sensor zone; and

determining, based on the object leaving the occluded sensor zone and the receiving no sensor signals from the occluded sensor zone, that the occluded sensor zone is unoccupied.