Avoiding blind spots of other vehicles

• US 9,690,296 B1
• Filed: 10/01/2015
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Waymo LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Urmson, Christopher Paul, Dolgov, Dmitri A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Bao Long T
• Application Number:
  US14/872,270
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 701 26, 701 28, 701118, 701519, 701300-302, 701 93, 701 96, 701 98, 340435-437, 700253, 700255, 700258, 342 70- 71
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/402 Type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4041 Position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/60 Traversable objects, e.g. speed bumps or curbs
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/806 Relative heading
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/00272 relying on extrapolation of current movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0214 in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 : Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 : for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 : Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to detecting and avoiding blind spots of other vehicles when maneuvering an autonomous vehicle. Blind spots may include both areas adjacent to another vehicle in which the driver of that vehicle would be unable to identify another object as well as areas that a second driver in a second vehicle may be uncomfortable driving. In one example, a computer of the autonomous vehicle may identify objects that may be relevant for blind spot detecting and may determine the blind spots for these other vehicles. The computer may predict the future locations of the autonomous vehicle and the identified vehicles to determine whether the autonomous vehicle would drive in any of the determined blind spots. If so, the autonomous driving system may adjust its speed to avoid or limit the autonomous vehicle'"'"'s time in any of the blind spots.

Claims

1. A method for maneuvering a first vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, sensor data collected along a roadway;

detecting, by the one or more processors, objects on the roadway based on the sensor data;

identifying, by the one or more processors, from the detected objects, a second vehicle traveling in a respective lane adjacent to a first lane in which the first vehicle is currently traveling and in a same direction of traffic as the first vehicle;

determining, by the one or more processors, a blind spot area that defines a space in the first lane that is adjacent to the second vehicle; and

maneuvering, by the one or more processors, the first vehicle within the blind spot area for no more than a predetermined period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

predicting, by the one or more processors, a future location of the second vehicle; and

using the prediction to maneuver the first vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, that the first vehicle will drive through the blind spot area within a period of time; and

using the determination that the first vehicle will drive through the blind spot area as a controlling factor when maneuvering the first vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to maneuvering the first vehicle, predicting that the first vehicle will drive within the blind spot area by passing through only a portion of the blind spot area for a second threshold period of time, and

wherein maneuvering the first vehicle is further based on the prediction.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to maneuvering the first vehicle, predicting that the first vehicle will drive within the blind spot area by maneuvering the first vehicle completely within the blind spot area, and

wherein maneuvering the first vehicle is based on the prediction.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a second predetermined period of time based on a speed of the first vehicle; and

prior to maneuvering, predicting that the first vehicle will drive within the blind spot area within the second predetermined period of time, and

wherein maneuvering the first vehicle is further based on the prediction.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second predetermined period of time is selected to increase as a speed of the first vehicle increases.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a second predetermined period of time based on a type of the second vehicle; and

prior to maneuvering, predicting that the first vehicle will drive within the blind spot area within the second predetermined period of time, and

wherein maneuvering the first vehicle is further based on the prediction.

9. A system for maneuvering a first vehicle, the system comprising one or more processors configured to:

receive sensor data collected along a roadway;

detect objects on the roadway based on the sensor data;

identify from the detected objects, a second vehicle traveling in a respective lane adjacent to a first lane in which the first vehicle is currently traveling and in a same direction of traffic as the first vehicle;

determine a blind spot area that defines a space in the first lane that is adjacent to the second vehicle; and

maneuver the first vehicle within the blind spot area for no more than a predetermined period of time.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

predict a future location of the second vehicle; and

use the prediction to maneuver the first vehicle.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine that the first vehicle will drive through the blind spot area within a period of time; and

use the determination that the first vehicle will drive through the blind spot area as a controlling factor when maneuvering the first vehicle.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising the first vehicle.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

prior to the maneuvering, predict that the first vehicle will drive within the blind spot area by passing through only a portion of the blind spot area for a second threshold period of time; and

perform the maneuvering of the first vehicle based on the prediction.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

prior to the maneuvering, predict that the first vehicle will drive completely within the blind spot area; and

perform the maneuvering of the first vehicle based on the prediction.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

select a second predetermined period of time based on a speed of the first vehicle;

prior to maneuvering the first vehicle, predicting that the first vehicle will drive within the blind spot area within the second predetermined period of time; and

perform the maneuvering of the first vehicle based on the prediction.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to select the second predetermined period of time in order to increase as a speed of the first vehicle increases.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

select the predetermined period of time based on a type of the second vehicle; and

prior to performing the maneuvering, predict that the first vehicle will drive within the blind spot area within the second predetermined period of time, and

perform the maneuvering of the first vehicle based on the prediction.

18. A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium on which computer readable instructions of a program are stored, the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for maneuvering a first vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving sensor data collected along a roadway;

detecting objects on the roadway based on the sensor data;

identifying from the detected objects, a second vehicle traveling in a respective lane adjacent to a first lane in which the first vehicle is currently traveling and in a same direction of traffic as the first vehicle;

determining a blind spot area that defines a space in the first lane that is adjacent to the second vehicle; and

maneuvering the first vehicle within the blind spot area for no more than a predetermined period of time.

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein the method further includes:

prior to maneuvering the first vehicle, predicting that the first vehicle will drive within the blind spot area by passing through only a portion of the blind spot area for a second threshold period of time, and

wherein maneuvering the first vehicle further based on the prediction.

20. The medium of claim 18, wherein the method further includes:

prior to maneuvering the first vehicle, predicting that the vehicle will drive completely within the blind spot area, and

wherein maneuvering the first vehicle further based on the prediction.