AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE AND CENTER GUIDANCE SYSTEM (AVCGS) FOR DRONE/TELE DRIVING OR DIGITAL TWIN

1 .- 19 . (canceled)

20 . An autonomous vehicle and center guidance system (AVCGS) comprising:

an onboard unit (OBU) provided in a vehicle, said OBU comprising an OBU communication module and a vehicle control module;

a sensing module provided in the vehicle, said sensing module collecting driving environment information and providing said driving environment information to the OBU communication module; and

a traffic control center/traffic control unit (TCC/TCU) comprising a TCC/TCU communication module and automatic or semi-automated computational modules,

wherein the TCC/TCU communication module receives vehicle-specific information and driving environment information from the OBU communication module; and the automatic or semi automated computational modules collect data, process information, and produce vehicle-specific guidance instructions using the vehicle-specific information and driving environment information;

wherein said OBU communication module communicates with the TCC/TCU, receives the vehicle-specific guidance instructions from the TCC/TCU; and sends vehicle-specific information and driving environment information to the TCC/TCU; and

wherein said vehicle control module controls a vehicle according to said driving environment information and said vehicle-specific guidance instructions at the Guidance Level of vehicle driving tasks provided by the TCC/TCU.

21 . The AVCGS of claim 20 , wherein said vehicle specific guidance instructions and vehicle-specific information at the Guidance Level of vehicle driving tasks comprise vehicle maneuver, safety maintenance, traffic control/road condition, and special information.

22 . The AVCGS of claim 21 , wherein said vehicle maneuver comprises car following, speed, headway, position in the lane, lane changing, horizontal alignment and changes, and vertical alignment and changes.

23 . The AVCGS of claim 21 , wherein said safety maintenance comprises speed limit, entrance control, exit control, and headway.

24 . The AVCGS of claim 21 , wherein said traffic control/road condition comprises traffic control information and road surface condition.

25 . The AVCGS of claim 21 , wherein special information comprises climatological conditions, activity, accidents, hazards, and obstacles.

26 . The AVCGS of claim 20 , wherein said TCC/TCU operates the vehicle and fulfills driving tasks using the driving environment information collected by said sensing module and the vehicle-specific guidance instructions and vehicle-specific information provided by the TCC/TCU.

27 . The AVCGS of claim 20 , wherein said TCC/TCU and said vehicle use each other as a backup in case of errors or failures.

28 . The AVCGS of claim 20 , wherein said TCC/TCU sends the vehicle-specific guidance instructions to the vehicle for the vehicle to enter a fully-controlled system and the TCC/TCU takes over control of vehicle.

29 . The AVCGS of claim 28 , wherein said TCC/TCU controls the vehicle in the full-controlled system by sending the vehicle-specific control instructions to a vehicle control module of the vehicle.

30 . An autonomous vehicle and center guidance system (AVCGS) comprising a hierarchy of traffic control centers/units (TCCs/TCUs), wherein each TCC/TCU of said hierarchy of TCCs/TCUs comprises automatic or semi automated computational modules and a TCC/TCU communication module; and

the TCC/TCU communication module communicates with a vehicle and collects vehicle-specific information and driving environment information from the vehicle;

the automatic or semi-automated computational modules collect data, process information, and produce vehicle-specific guidance instructions using the vehicle-specific information and the driving environment information; and

the TCC/TCU communication module sends the vehicle-specific guidance instructions and driving environment information at the Guidance Level of vehicle driving tasks to the vehicle.

31 . The AVCGS of claim 30 , wherein said vehicle-specific guidance instructions and driving environment information at the Guidance Level of vehicle driving tasks comprise vehicle maneuver, safety maintenance, traffic control/road condition, and special information.

32 . The AVCGS of claim 31 , wherein said vehicle maneuver comprises car following, speed, headway, position in the lane, lane changing, horizontal alignment and changes, and vertical alignment and changes.

33 . The AVCGS of claim 31 , wherein said safety maintenance comprises speed limit, entrance control, exit control, and headway.

34 . The AVCGS of claim 31 , wherein said traffic control/road condition comprises traffic control information and road surface condition.

35 . The AVCGS of claim 31 , wherein special information comprises climatological conditions, activity, accidents, hazards, and obstacles.

36 . The AVCGS of claim 30 , wherein said TCC/TCU operates the vehicle using the driving environment information, the vehicle-specific information, and the vehicle-specific guidance instructions.

37 . The AVCGS of claim 30 , wherein said TCC/TCU and said vehicle use each other as a backup in case of any errors or failures.

38 . The AVCGS of claim 30 , wherein said TCC/TCU sends the driving environment information, the vehicle-specific information, and the vehicle-specific guidance instructions to a roadside unit (RSU); and said RSU sends the driving environment information, the vehicle-specific information, and the vehicle-specific guidance instructions to the vehicle.

39 . The AVCGS of claim 30 , wherein vehicle comprises an onboard unit (OBU) and said OBU comprises an OBU communication module and a vehicle control module.