Adaptation of autonomous driving behaviour based on occupant presence and position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9950708-B1
Application number	US-201514788901-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 1, 2015
Priority date	Nov 2, 2012
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for customizing driving operations of a vehicle based on occupant(s) of the vehicle. An autonomous vehicle that includes a passenger compartment can determine a presence of an occupant of the passenger compartment. The autonomous vehicle can determine a location of the occupant within the passenger compartment. Additional information about the occupant can be determined. A driving operation can be selected from among a plurality of driving operations based on the location and additional information about the occupant. The selected driving operation can be performed, perhaps by the autonomous vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
determining, by a computing system of an autonomous vehicle comprising a passenger compartment, a presence of an occupant of the passenger compartment;
determining, by the computing system, a location of the occupant within the passenger compartment;
identifying a plurality of possible trajectories for the autonomous vehicle, wherein the possible trajectories comprise at least a first trajectory and a second trajectory, wherein the first trajectory and the second trajectory specify different directions of travel;
determining, based on the first trajectory and the location of the occupant within the passenger compartment, a first potential collision risk that: (a) corresponds to potential collision between the autonomous vehicle and an object while travelling on the first trajectory, and (b) indicates a risk of harm to the occupant in the passenger compartment that is associated with the potential collision;
determining, based on the second trajectory and the location of the occupant within the passenger compartment, a second potential collision risk that: (a) corresponds to respective potential collision between the autonomous vehicle and the object while travelling on the second trajectory, and (b) indicates a risk of harm to the occupant in the passenger compartment that is associated with the respective potential collision;
comparing the respective risks of harm to the occupant associated with the first and second trajectories;
selecting, by the computing system, a driving trajectory for the autonomous vehicle from the first trajectory and the second trajectory based at least in part on the comparison of the respective risks of harm to the occupant that are associated with the first and second trajectories; and
controlling, by the computing system, the autonomous vehicle to follow the selected driving trajectory.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the location of the occupant is based on determining a door from which the occupant entered the autonomous vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the driving trajectory comprises:
determining that an occupant is in a driver's seat of the autonomous vehicle; and
in response to determining that the occupant is in the driver's seat, selecting the driving trajectory that enhances safety of the occupant in the driver's seat.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein selecting the driving trajectory that enhances safety of the occupant in the driver's seat comprises:
determining that a left turn at an intersection is to be performed; and
selecting a path for the left turn through the intersection that enhances safety of the occupant in the driver's seat, wherein the path for the left turn comprises a wider path for the left turn.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein selecting the driving trajectory that enhances safety of the occupant in the driver's seat comprises:
determining that a right turn at an intersection is to be performed; and
selecting a path for the right turn through the intersection that enhances safety of the occupant in the driver's seat, wherein the path for the right turn comprises a sharper path for the right turn.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining a profile about the occupant, wherein the profile comprises information about driving behaviors, occupant configurations, and behavior settings, and wherein selecting the driving trajectory comprises selecting the driving trajectory further based on a behavior setting in the profile about the occupant for a driving behavior.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
receiving a first command from the occupant, wherein the first command comprises information about a first desired driving behavior;
receiving a second command from the occupant, wherein the second command comprises information about a second desired driving behavior;
determining that at least the first and second desired driving behaviors are related; and
in response to determining that at least the first and second driving behaviors are related, changing the information in the profile based on the first and second commands.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the presence of the occupant of the passenger compartment is based on detecting an electronic device associated with the occupant inside the autonomous vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining identity of the occupant based on the detected device.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the driving trajectory comprises:
selecting the driving trajectory from the first trajectory and the second trajectory in order to move a location of a potential collision farther from the location of the occupant when the selected trajectory is taken.

11. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:
obtaining a profile about the occupant, wherein the profile comprises information about driving behaviors, occupant configurations, and behavior settings, and wherein selecting the driving trajectory comprises selecting the driving trajectory further based on a behavior setting in the profile about the occupant for a driving behavior.

12. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by a computer system controlling an autonomous vehicle, cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:
determining a presence of an occupant in a passenger compartment of the autonomous vehicle;
determining a location of the occupant within the passenger compartment;
identifying a plurality of possible trajectories for the autonomous vehicle, wherein the possible trajectories comprise at least a first trajectory and a second trajectory, wherein the first trajectory and the second trajectory specify different directions of travel;
determining, based on the first trajectory and the location of the occupant within the passenger compartment, a first potential collision risk that: (a) corresponds to potential collision between the autonomous vehicle and an object while travelling on the first trajectory, and (b) indicates a risk of harm to the occupant in the passenger compartment that is associated with the potential collision;
determining, based on the second trajectory and the location of the occupant within the passenger compartment, a second potential collision risk that: (a) corresponds to respective potential collision between the autonomous vehicle and the object while travelling on the second trajectory, and (b) indicates a risk of harm to the occupant in the passenger compartment that is associated with the respective potential collision;
comparing the respective risks of harm to the occupant associated with the first and second trajectories;
selecting a driving trajectory for the autonomous vehicle from the first trajectory and the second trajectory based at least in part on the comparison of the respective risks of harm to the occupant that are associated with the first and second trajectories; and
controlling the autonomous vehicle to follow the selected driving trajectory.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 12 , wherein selecting the driving trajectory comprises:
determining that an occupant is in a driver's seat of the autonomous vehicle; and
in response to determining that the occupant is in the driver's seat, selecting the driving trajectory that enhances safety of the occupant in the driver's seat.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 13 , wherein selecting the driving trajectory that enhances safety of the occupa

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Cullinane Brian
• Hobbs Nicholas Kenneth

Classifications

• G01S2013/9318

  Controlling the steering · CPC title

• B60W2540/00

  Input parameters relating to occupants · CPC title

• G01S2013/93185

  Controlling the brakes · CPC title

• B60W30/095 Primary

  Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision · CPC title

• G01S2013/9319

  Controlling the accelerator · CPC title