Actively adapting to driving environments based on human interactions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11801852-B2
Application number	US-202117356368-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2021
Priority date	Feb 19, 2019
Publication date	Oct 31, 2023
Grant date	Oct 31, 2023

Abstract

A method performed by an autonomous vehicle includes identifying a condition preventing the autonomous vehicle from proceeding along an intended route. The method also includes prompting a passenger of the autonomous vehicle to interact with a driver of a first vehicle in response to identifying the condition. The method further includes receiving, from the passenger, an input at an interface of the autonomous vehicle indicating a successful interaction or an unsuccessful interaction with the driver. The method also includes controlling the autonomous vehicle to proceed along the intended route based on the input indicating the successful interaction with the driver.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by an autonomous vehicle, comprising:
identifying a condition preventing the autonomous vehicle from proceeding along an intended route;
prompting a passenger of the autonomous vehicle to interact with a driver of a first vehicle in response to identifying the condition;
receiving, from the passenger, an input at an interface of the autonomous vehicle indicating a successful interaction or an unsuccessful interaction with the driver; and
controlling the autonomous vehicle to proceed along the intended route based on the input indicating the successful interaction with the driver.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition comprises one or more of an amount of traffic on the intended route exceeding a traffic threshold or a distance traveled by the autonomous vehicle over a period of time being less than a distance threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the first vehicle is operating in a manual mode based on one or more of the first vehicle violating a traffic rule or an input from a sensor of the autonomous vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining the autonomous vehicle at a current location based on the input indicating the unsuccessful interaction with the driver or failing to receive the input after prompting the passenger.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition is mitigated based on the successful interaction.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the autonomous vehicle operates according to a set of rules; and
the autonomous vehicle violates one or more rules of the set of rules based on proceeding along the intended route after receiving the input indicating the successful interaction with the driver.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising controlling the autonomous vehicle to follow the set of rules after violating the one or more rules.

8. An apparatus an autonomous vehicle, comprising:
a processor;
a memory coupled with the processor; and
instructions stored in the memory and operable, when executed by the processor, to cause the apparatus to:
identify a condition preventing the autonomous vehicle from proceeding along an intended route;
prompt a passenger of the autonomous vehicle to interact with a driver of a first vehicle in response to identifying the condition;
receive, from the passenger, an input at an interface of the autonomous vehicle indicating a successful interaction or an unsuccessful interaction with the driver; and
control the autonomous vehicle to proceed along the intended route based on the input indicating the successful interaction with the driver.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the condition comprises one or more of an amount of traffic on the intended route exceeding a traffic threshold or a distance traveled by the autonomous vehicle over a period of time being less than a distance threshold.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein execution of the instructions further cause the apparatus to determine that the first vehicle is operating in a manual mode based on one or more of the first vehicle violating a traffic rule or an input from a sensor of the autonomous vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein execution of the instructions further cause the apparatus to maintain the autonomous vehicle at a current location based on the input indicating the unsuccessful interaction with the driver or failing to receive the input after prompting the passenger.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the condition is mitigated based on the successful interaction.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:
the autonomous vehicle operates according to a set of rules; and
the autonomous vehicle violates one or more rules of the set of rules based on proceeding along the intended route after receiving the input indicating the successful interaction with the driver.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein execution of the instructions further cause the apparatus to control the autonomous vehicle to follow the set of rules after violating the one or more rules.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon at an autonomous vehicle, the program code executed by a processor and comprising:
program code to identify a condition preventing the autonomous vehicle from proceeding along an intended route;
program code to prompt a passenger of the autonomous vehicle to interact with a driver of a first vehicle in response to identifying the condition;
program code to receive, from the passenger, an input at an interface of the autonomous vehicle indicating a successful interaction or an unsuccessful interaction with the driver; and
program code to control the autonomous vehicle to proceed along the intended route based on the input indicating the successful interaction with the driver.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the condition comprises one or more of an amount of traffic on the intended route exceeding a traffic threshold or a distance traveled by the autonomous vehicle over a period of time being less than a distance threshold.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the program code further comprises program code to determine that the first vehicle is operating in a manual mode based on one or more of the first vehicle violating a traffic rule or an input from a sensor of the autonomous vehicle.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the program code further comprises program code to maintain the autonomous vehicle at a current location based on the input indicating the unsuccessful interaction with the driver or failing to receive the input after prompting the passenger.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the condition is mitigated based on the successful interaction.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein:
the autonomous vehicle operates according to a set of rules; and
the autonomous vehicle violates one or more rules of the set of rules based on proceeding along the intended route after receiving the input indicating the successful interaction with the driver.

Assignees

• Toyota Res Inst Inc

Inventors

• Kong Soonho
• Decastro Jonathan
• Arechiga Nikos
• Permenter Frank

Classifications

• B60W50/085 Primary

  Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input · CPC title

• G05D1/0088

  characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00) · CPC title

• G08G1/0133

  for classifying traffic situation · CPC title

• G08G1/166 Primary

  for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes · CPC title

• G05D1/0214

  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 title