TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
A system includes at least partially autonomous vehicles, at least partially separated interconnected roadways, and a management system. Each of the vehicles is configured to cooperate with another vehicle or an area controller. The management system is configured to receive requests to transport, which may have respective start points and respective destinations. Additionally, the management system is configured, responsive to receiving the request, to assign a vehicle to fulfill the request. The assigned vehicle is configured to transport a person from the respective start point, at least in part via the interconnected roadways, to the respective destination.
1 . (canceled)
2 . A multi-use transportation system that includes one or more autonomous vehicles that are configured to carry cargo and passengers between destinations within a roadway system, comprising:
a plurality of autonomous vehicles configured to travel along a set of roadways, an autonomous vehicle of the plurality of autonomous vehicles defining a passenger compartment, wherein:
the autonomous vehicle comprises an automated locking system in the passenger compartment, the automated locking system configured to secure a freight container having a locking feature that engages the automated locking system to secure the freight container during a freight transport mode; and
during a passenger transport mode, the autonomous vehicle comprises a seat in the passenger compartment for supporting a passenger.
3 . The multi-use transportation system of claim 2 , wherein the set of roadways is closed to non-autonomous vehicle traffic.
4 . The multi-use transportation system of claim 2 , wherein the autonomous vehicle is configured to automatically release the locking feature to facilitate unloading of the freight container at a boarding zone of the roadway system.
5 . The multi-use transportation system of claim 4 , wherein the autonomous vehicle is further configured to initiate movement of the freight container off of the autonomous vehicle.
6 . The multi-use transportation system of claim 2 , wherein the seat is removable from the passenger compartment.
7 . The multi-use transportation system of claim 2 , wherein the automated locking system is configured to allow removal of the freight container only in response to detecting an authorization.
8 . The multi-use transportation system of claim 2 , wherein the autonomous vehicle is configured to allow loading and unloading of the autonomous vehicle through a side of the autonomous vehicle.
9 . An autonomous vehicle system for use in a transportation system, comprising:
a vehicle comprising a drive system configured to drive the vehicle along a roadway; and
a freight container configured to be secured to the vehicle and defining multiple storage compartments configured to contain cargo to be delivered to different destinations within the transportation system, the freight container comprising an access system configured to:
determine whether a user is authorized to access a particular storage compartment of the multiple storage compartments; and
in accordance with a determination that the user is authorized to access the particular storage compartment, allow access to the particular storage compartment by the user.
10 . The autonomous vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein the access system comprises an identity recognition system.
11 . The autonomous vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein the access system comprises a device recognition system.
12 . The autonomous vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein:
the freight container includes a locking feature; and
the vehicle comprises an automated locking system configured to automatically secure the freight container to the vehicle via the locking feature.
13 . The autonomous vehicle system of claim 12 , wherein:
the access system is further configured to:
determine whether the user is authorized to remove the freight container from the vehicle; and
in accordance with a determination that the user is authorized to remove the freight container from the vehicle, release the locking feature to facilitate removal of the freight container from the vehicle.
14 . The autonomous vehicle system of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle is configured to, after releasing the locking feature, initiate movement of the freight container off of the vehicle.
15 . The autonomous vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle further comprises a passenger compartment and a seat within the passenger compartment.
16 . The autonomous vehicle system of claim 15 , wherein the seat is removable from the passenger compartment.
17 . An autonomous vehicle configured to autonomously navigate among a set of boarding zones in a transportation system and comprising:
a drive system;
a vehicle body defining a passenger compartment; and
an automated securement system in the passenger compartment and configured to secure a freight container having a locking feature, the locking feature configured to engage the automated securement system to secure the freight container during a freight transport mode, wherein the autonomous vehicle is configured to:
when operating in a passenger transport mode, pick up a passenger at a first boarding zone of the set of boarding zones and transport the passenger to a second boarding zone of the set of boarding zones; and
when operating in the freight transport mode, pick up the freight container at the first boarding zone and transport the freight container to the second boarding zone.
18 . The autonomous vehicle of claim 17 , further comprising a seat in the passenger compartment.
19 . The autonomous vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the seat is removable for operation of the autonomous vehicle in the freight transport mode.
20 . The autonomous vehicle of claim 17 , further comprising a robotic system configured to remove contents of the freight container at the second boarding zone.
21 . The autonomous vehicle of claim 20 , wherein the robotic system is further configured to deliver the contents of the freight container to a receptacle at the second boarding zone.