Method and system for calibrating a plurality of detection systems in a vehicle

1. A method of calibrating a plurality of detection systems of a vehicle, the method comprising:

moving the vehicle relative to a first object in a repeatable pattern;

collecting, by one or more computing devices, a plurality of data points using a first detection system of the plurality of detection systems as the vehicle is moved in the repeatable pattern, the plurality of data points corresponding to the first object;

combining, by the one or more computing devices, locations of the plurality of data points to determine an actual location of the first object;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, a first correction for the first detection system by comparing the locations of the plurality of data points to the actual location; and

operating, by the one or more computing devices, the first detection system using the first correction.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the repeatable pattern is a figure eight.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein combining the locations of the plurality of data points includes averaging the locations of the plurality of data points.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

moving the vehicle towards a second object at a speed less than a maximum speed, the vehicle moving between a start distance from the second object and an end distance from the second object;

detecting, using a second detection system of the plurality of detection systems, light being reflected off a portion of the second object as the vehicle is moved towards the second object;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, intensity values of the detected light for each distance between the start distance and the end distance;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, a second correction for the second detection system based on the intensity values determined for each distance between the start distance and the end distance; and

operating, by the one or more computing devices, the second detection system using the second correction.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second correction includes gain adjustments for the distances between the start distance and the end distance.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

positioning the vehicle in a first position facing a first direction;

collecting, by the one or more computing devices, first data from a third detection system of the plurality of detection systems when the vehicle is in the first position;

positioning the vehicle in a second position facing a second direction directly opposite the first direction;

collecting, by the one or more computing devices, second data from the third detection system when the vehicle is in the second position;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, a third correction for the third detection system by comparing the first data and the second data; and

operating, by the one or more computing devices, the third detection system using the third correction.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first data and the second data include orientation information of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

positioning the vehicle within a rectangle, wherein a corner object is positioned at each corner of the rectangle, the corner object being at least mostly vertical with respect to a ground;

collecting, by the one or more computing devices, third data using a fourth detection system of the plurality of detection systems, the third data corresponding to each corner object;

collecting, by the one or more computing devices using the first correction, fourth data from the first detection system, the fourth data corresponding to each corner object;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, a fourth correction for the fourth detection system by comparing the third data and the fourth data; and

operating, by the one or more computing devices, the fourth detection system using the fourth correction.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

moving the vehicle relative to a metal object at a constant speed;

transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, radar signals using a fifth detection system of the plurality of detection systems;

receiving, by the one or more computing devices, reflection signals using the fifth detection system, the reflection signals being the radar signals that are reflected off the metal object;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, the metal object is stationary at a given location based on the received reflection signals;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, a fifth correction for the fifth detection system using the given location of the metal object; and

operating, by the one or more computing devices, the fifth detection system using the fifth correction.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating the vehicle autonomously based on data collected using the plurality of detection systems.

11. A system comprising:

a plurality of detection systems of a vehicle, the plurality of detection systems including a first detection system configured to collect data points of the vehicle's environment; and

one or more computing devices configured to:

collect a plurality of data points using the first detection system as the vehicle is moved in a repeatable pattern, the plurality of data points corresponding to a first object in the vehicle's environment;

combine locations of the plurality of data points to determine an actual location of the first object;

determine a first correction for the first detection system by comparing the locations of the plurality of data points to the actual location; and

operate the first detection system using the first correction.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of detection systems further includes a second detection system configured to transmit and detect light being reflected off a given object in the vehicle's environment; and

wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:

detect, using the second detection system, light being reflected off a portion of a second object as the vehicle is moved towards the second object between a start distance and an end distance;

determine intensity values of the detected light for each distance between the start distance and the end distance;

determine a second correction for the second detection system based on the intensity values determined for each distance between the start distance and the end distance; and

operate the second detection system using the second correction.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of detection systems further includes a third detection system configured to collect orientation information of the vehicle; and

wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:

collect first data from the third detection system when the vehicle is in a first position facing a first direction;

collect second data from the third detection system when the vehicle is in a second position facing a second direction, the second direction being directly opposite the first direction;

determine a third correction for the third detection system by comparing the first data and the second data; and

operate the third detection system using the third correction.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of detection systems further includes a fourth detection system; and

wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:

collect third data using the fourth detection system, the third data corresponding to one or more corner objects when the vehicle is positioned within a rectangle, the one or more corner objects being positioned at each corner of the rectangle and being at least mostly vertical with respect to a ground;

collect fourth data using the first detection system and the first correction, the fourth data corresponding to each corner object;

determine a fourth correction for the fourth detection system by comparing the third data and the fourth data; and

operate the fourth detection system using the fourth correction.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of detection systems further includes a fifth detection system configured to transmit radar signals; and

wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:

receive reflection signals using the fifth detection system, the reflection signals being the radar signals that are reflected off a metal object when the vehicle is moved relative to the metal object at a constant speed;

determine the metal object is stationary at a given location based on the received reflection signals;

determine a fifth correction for the fifth detection system using the given location of the metal object; and

operate the fifth detection system using the fifth correction.

16. The system of claim 11 , further comprising the vehicle.

17. A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium on which computer readable instructions of a program are stored, the instructions, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method, the method comprising:

collecting a plurality of data points using a first detection system of a vehicle as the vehicle is moved in a repeatable pattern, the plurality of data points corresponding to a first object in the vehicle's environment;

averaging locations of the plurality of data points to determine an actual location of the first object;

determining a first correction for the first detection system by comparing the locations of the plurality of data points to the actual location; and

operating the first detection system using the first correction.

18. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises:

detecting, using a second detection system of the vehicle, light being reflected off a portion of a second object as the vehicle is moved towards the second object between a start distance and an end distance;

determining intensity values of the detected light for each distance between the start distance and the end distance;

determining a second correction for the second detection system based on the intensity values determined for each distance between the start distance and the end distance; and

operating the second detection system using the second correction.

19. The medium of claim 17 , wherein method further comprises: collecting first orientation data using a third detection system of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a first position facing a first direction;

collecting second orientation data using the third detection system when the vehicle is in a second position facing a second direction, the second direction being directly opposite the first direction;

determining a third correction for the third detection system by comparing the first orientation data and the second orientation data; and

operating the third detection system using the third correction.

20. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises:

collecting third data using a fourth detection system of the vehicle, the third data corresponding to one or more corner objects when the vehicle is positioned within a rectangle, the one or more corner objects being positioned at each corner of the rectangle and being at least mostly vertical with respect to a ground;

collecting fourth data using the first detection system and the first correction, the fourth data corresponding to each corner object;

determining a fourth correction for the fourth detection system by comparing the third data and the fourth data; and

operating the fourth detection system using the fourth correction.